Recently in Biglorryblog Category

It's Official...Santa has got himself some new little helpers for Christmas thanks to the Merry Munchkins of Munich! Yes once again the German truck maker is providing two smart (TGX) tractors, specially decorated for the Yuletide, which will be used to bring a bit of Xmas sparkle to the eyes (and not just of the kids) at various Children's Villages and kindergartens all round Germany, from the first Sunday in Advent to Christmas Eve.... Well Ho! Ho! Ho! Says Biglorryblog (and that's one in the eye for those show-off Coca-Cola chaps with their American trucks!) Now click through here for more photos!

Hold on lads...I've got an idea...and my name..is Biglorryblog. Nah...I'll be out most of tomorrow playing with Scania's new R Series (are you bleedin' mad?) So I may not be able to post much up, if at all, tomorrow. So for a pie (and to keep you busy until Friday) what was the coach that featured in the literally cliff-hanging conclusion to 'The Italian Job?'  Clue: It's not the one above....I'm off to empty the bins now..tarraaa..and who said journalism was glamorous?

Ah..ha!!!!!yes it's a early morning, can't sleep cup of tea and digestive quiz for the Biglorryblog anorak faithful...and if you can name all of these you're a better man than me Gunga Din!

Looks like a real 'Friday afternoon' build motor..and click through here for more

Seeing these shots from Tim Cotton of 'pristine' Latvian tippers reminds me of the Commercial Motor 'Economy Runs' we used to run around the country for artics and rigids. We organised the event, scrutimised the vehicles checked all the tachos, did all the fuel measuring and, with artics, provided up to a dozen identical spec new curtainsiders..The only thing the manufacturers had to provide was the truck and driver. Our organising secretary then was none other than the legendary Stan Thomas, former fleet engineerr for Allied Breweries who was also the original inventer of the expression 'For a Pie....' (Since stolen by BLB for his quizzes!) Anyroadup on completing one economy run for Euro-3 artrics Stan and I were chatting and he said (strictly tongue-in-cheek): "You know what you should do is a midnight tipper run, where you get points deducted for running legally!  And if the judges find all your lights are working they go around with a hammer a break a few at the back. We could also award points for dropping stuff on the road and a special bonus for anyone who can fly-tip the load before dawn without being spotted!" Naturally we declined his imaginative suggestion...although at the time I did think there were one or two UK operators who were running in it already...and before anyone from Latvia tries to sue me I'm not suggesting for one minute that the above tippers are anything other than 100% road legal run by highly-professional operators who obey every single traffic law..

Dean Jutilla hs e-mailed me to say that "Biglorryblog readers may have interest in this: an eBay listing of over 1M fruit pies - estimated to be about 130 pallets worth of goods - is getting some genuine interest.  As of a few minutes ago, nearly 150 bids had been placed with a top bid over £100,000.  The auction has eight days remaining.  http://bit.ly/Pm2BJ" Dean continues: "Your readers may even want a shot at this transport job by bidding on it - assuming it gets posted on uShip, a U.S.-based online shipping marketplace that just enhanced its service in the UK.  http://www.uship.com/uk  If you have any questions, I'm happy to help. Dean." And in case you're wondering Dean is director of marketing communications at uship and you can reach him on dean@uship.com

Meanhile, BLB replies one million fruit pies sounds attractive but I'm holding out for one million Pukka Pies! Then you'd be talking something! And meaty...? I'm starting to salivate now!  As the good folk at Pukka say: For the piefectionist! (Guilty as charged) STOP PRESS Click through here for an update as of 7:00am this morning!

It's Saturday morning and while I'm waiting for the gunk to clean the limescale off the shower (well what else do you do on a Saturday?) I thought I'd offer you this little story about a trip I did back in 1989 from Munich to Moscow with MAN and MAZ. At that time MAN was selling 12-litre engines to MAZ for its top-weight tractor (that's it on the right) so some PR bright-spark decided to run two MAN artics to MInsk, where MAZ was based, then having been joined by two MAZ tractors, we'd continue our journey to Mosciow where yours truly would bail out and flight home. The outward bound leg took 10-days at a time when there wasn't much mobile phone coverage east of the West German border (and not much around there either!)

At the end of the trip (which I made with four other journos from across Europe - talk about a polyglot bunch) we ended up parking the trucks in Red Square by St Peter's Basilica - I wouldn't try it now. Remember this was before the well came down...) Now click through here for more...

Mansour has sent me this timely reminder and says: Hello, it would be great if the BLB could have a post about the Bob Monkhouse Prostate Health Drive (www.inyourspace.co.uk/bob)  - a joint initiative between In Your Space and the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation, which is being promoted on 10 truck rears throughout the UK. The Bob Monkhouse Prostate Health Drive aims at heightening awareness of prostate cancer amongst road users and presents a brilliant new channel for raising funds to combat the deadly disease by simply donating 3 spare minutes online. It would be great if you help in promoting this charitable initiative." Well consider it my pleasure.

Attention anorak army! I thought you might like to know that last night we passed something of a milestone on Biglorryblog with regard to reader feedback. We now have over 9,000 comments posted up from readers on BLB which is not bad going seeing that I only moved over to the current BLB blogging platform in July 2008. Add to that all the comments we previously generated on the old website and I reckon we're easily over the 10K mark in terms of comments posted to BLB. So as ever my sincere thanks to all the people who not only follow Biglorryblog (where HGV meets OCD!) and submit excellent material - but above all else take the time to respond to the posts and send in comments (even if they do only want to know all the names of Eddie Stobart trucks! Which,incidentally I don't have!) And thanks too to all those who enter my pie quizzes with such good spirits. And here's another one... What's this weird beast?

Last one for tonight guys..and it involves war with the deadly enemy...yes AUSTRALIA! After our success in 'The Ashes' Biglorryblog is proud to congratulate our brave boys for recently winning the other needle match---otherwise known as 'The Ashcans'---where two teams of opposing and highly fired-up binmen go head-to-head to see how far they can hurl a wheelie bin (though clearly not one with 'hot' ashes as that would melt the plastic, silly.) The toss was won by the Aussies, fielding their latest twin-steering wheel Volvo driven by Merv 'The Swerve' McThomson who's opening throw pictured above (a Yorker) of over 27m cleared Ramsey Street before landing on Mrs Fraser's front strip stunning her cattle dog 'Bluey', then bouncing over the house and destroying the old fibro dunny in one go! All this to chants of "C'mon Aussie C'mon!" from a bunch of blokes fresh out the pub standing in blue singlets, offensive-looking shorts and wearing Akubra hats whilst holding cans of the golden throat charmer...GAME ON!

Clearly the big event called for a big response! And stepping up to the crease for England and St George came Larksley Fortinbrass armed with his 'Forward ('Defensive Stroke') Isuzu complete with Gunn and Moore 'Three-springer' ashcan hurler and patented Isombard Kingdom Brunell brass box. Keen-eyed purists will no doubt 'tsk' at the fact that young Fortinbrass eschewed his traditional 'whites' for the 'Packer-Circus' high-vis gear normally worn during floodlight 20:20 games. Sadly that's the way the game has gone my dear old thing. But with an unfeasibly short run-up, our brave boy delivered a blistering 35.6m 'long hop' which sailed over the A14, ploughing through the thicket on the other side stunning a badger and three-local birdwatchers in the process. The umpires conferred...yes it was good, we'd won the Ashcans! Aussie captain Ricki Pontinsholidaycamp was his usual magnanimous self in the face of defeat. Ah...look you bloody useless poms just got lucky that's all. And anyway we'll beat you next year at the Gabba!"  Now click through here for the final score...and match summary from Geoff Boycott. (and the true story about the Isuzu).

Oooh... Errr... Looks like someone's been a bit free and easy with a chain-saw on this poor innocent Metrcedes Atego. Who would do such a thing wonders Biglorryblog? It's pure unadulterated vandalism if you ask me! Now click through here to see what it's all about...

Biglorryblog can proudly reveal the latest hi-tech (and highly-impressive) developments in HGV artic braking systems from the other side of the pond---and here are the exclusive pictures to prove it. Yes the new 'Stoponadime' patented artic braking system is only months from being introduced on production chassis. Stoponadime development engineer Clyde Ankle tells BLB: "Its sure works real fine and dandy..only we've got ourselves a bit of a problem with the trailer taking a mite longer to come to a complete rest....but we're figurin' it out!" Now click through here for more....

Hello what's happened here then...? Answer: this is what happens when an irresistible object (i.e. a Daf CF85 Space cab 4x2 tractor) meets an immovable object (e.g. Biglorryblog's ally briefcase from the German company Rimowa. Result? A clear win for the Daf CF85! And the moral of the story kiddies? Never leave your aluminium brief case leaning up against the drive axle wheels of a Daf CF85 when you're in a hurry to leave somewhere... D'OH!

But how did that happen? I hear you ask dumbfounded (or something like that). Well Daf's demo supremo Richard Kingston and yours truly were at Oxford services on the M40 this morning with the above CF85 doing a Truck & Driver Trucker's Test. And having set ourselves a target of finding six drivers to come and have a look at the Daf and give us their comments within two hours (our free parking allowance) we finished with five minutes to spare. Naturally not wanting to get stung for extra parking we promptly threw (what we thought was) all our gear in the truck and pulled out only to hear a gentle crackling noise as... You guessed , the briefcase we'd put down by the back axle for safe keeping while we talking to the drivers in the cab promptly decided it was time to act as an impromptu sleeping Policeman...

And by the time we realised it this was the end result..Still to be fair it proved tough enough to protect my Canon Powershot camera which was in it at the time (this picture was taken by the same camera...). And as this was a freebie given to me by a certain German truck maker many years ago I can't say it's caused me much heartbreak. Mind you, according to Clutchslip I should be well and truly gutted as these cases are apparently worth a bob or two... So I probably won't be buying myself a new one... Although maybe if I contact Rimowa they'll give me a new one in return for a glowing testimonial on the strength and impact resistance of my old one - rather like those old Barbour ads? What do you think? In the meantime, once you've finished having a bl**dy good laugh at BLB's expense click through here for a rather special Foden!

After 31 years working on Commercial Motor the time has come for a major change in life..and don't just mean my new mullet! Yes I'm stepping down as Editor in Chief of both Commercial Motor and Truck & Driver as from today to become a 'hired-gun' freelancer. But funny people that they are my masters at Reed Business Information and www.roadtransport.com have asked me to carry on as a freelancer to both CM and T&D AND especially as editor of Biglorryblog...and you know what? (as the Americans are fond of saying) daft apporth that I am I've said yes! So your favourite waggon-based website will continue as if nothing has happened. You'll still find it where it's always been HOWEVER THIS IS IMPORTANT SO PAY ATTENTION! My BLB contact details have now changed. So from now on if you want to send me a contribution or have a chat you can do so by e-mailing it to brian.weatherley@backupemail.org OR biglorryblog@googlemail.com 

Please make a note of these on your computer as my old e-mail will no longer work as of tonight... Meanwhile, thanks for all your continuing support I couldn't do it without my beloved BLB anorak army! And here's to the next 30 years with BLB (oooh errr what am I saying?)

Maybe that mullet was a mistake eh?

Yes I know that this has NOTHING to do with trucks but as an avid fan of US Musclecars Bglorrylog will not back down! So obviously I'm going to blog on "Dodge Challenger & Plymouth Barracuda - Chrysler's Potent Pony Cars". Published by Veloce at £29.99 in hardback, follows a chronological journey through the development of pony cars from the 1960 Valiant onwards. Fascinating design concepts are also included in the book along with all the sub-series and models. Inside you'll find 375 mainly colour pictures, including fresh new photos of original vehicles and rarely seen archive pictures and period adverts."

Along with the Ford Mustang, the Plymouth Barracuda was often referred to by the colloquial name 'pony car', and although the Mustang went on to outsell the 'Slippery Fish' it was the first incarnation of the Barracuda that was released first on 1 April 1964, beating the Mustang to the dealerships by two clear weeks." Now click through here for how to get a copy of the book - and an easy-peasy pie quiz...

I'm not supposed to be back 'officially' till Wednesday. But Mrs Biglorryblog and I got back from Orkney today so here's some of the things I shot on the way... I spotted this sign badly in real need of 'retirement' in Inverness (well fair's fair... Metrication probably hasn't got that far north yet eh John?)... Mind you I was under strict instructions from Mrs BLB not to have anything to do with work. But I managed to convince her I was interested in the building behind it. And for a pie... What would a vehicle weighing 30cwt equate to nowadays in metric? And click through here if you can't work it out!

OK so I've been a bit busy for blogging... But then I have had a worthwhile distraction. Namely driving the wonderful Volvo FH Globetrotter XXL in Norway. And in case you're wondering, the XXL is the extra long (by 245mm) FH Globetrotter cab that's only available in Australia (indeed XXL was developed originally for the Aussies) and Norway. Why Norway? Because their 17.5m artic length limit means that they can run with the extra long XXL without being overlength... Well having been launched in Norway a couple of months ago clearly it was my duty to check it out and arrange a drive and a sleepover in one.

And here's the man who made it all possible. Volvo's manager for market communications and PR in Norway, Torstein Magelssen who provided me with an spanking new XXL FH16.660 (it was only the second one built) and a trailer and even a set of Norwegian trade plates! And together (with Torstein in his car leading the way) we set out on the road from Oslo and north up the E6 to the picturesque town of Hamar as our overnight stop where I'd sleep in the XXL... And along the way all sorts of fun things happened... So click through here to see how I also bumped into two of Nick Garlick's mates along the way... And a very nice Norwegian fireman with an access platform.

Off to Truckfest tomorrow so I'm going to be pretty busy and won't be posting stuff up until Monday at the earliest---I'll be too busy taking pictures for Biglorryblog. Anyway as a teaser here;s what happend at last year's event when the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster flew over the Truck & Driver stand and I snapped it with my trusty Canon Power Shot. See you Monday!