Recently in Recovery vehicles Category

Graham Kircher in Oz reckons: "....regarding this Peterbilt tow truck I think the front gets to the job two minutes before the rear! It's based in Toowoomba in South East Queensland and is operated by Sowerbys. I was told by the driver that it was fully imported into Australia as a tow truck. It's an awesome looking piece of kit." And to find out just how awesome click through here for more...

I was just thinking the other day that it's been a while since I blogged on a great big recovery vehicle...and what do you think I ran into this morning (not literally you understand)? But it had this rather natty number plate which I thought you might like to see as a teaser before click through to the main event!

"Hi Brian", says Mark Simiele in ( I think) Connecticut in the USA, "Thought the BLB fans would like this huge 1975 Mack DM 897SX with a 1988 45 ton Challenger boom. The striking colours, fine appearance and the fact that DMs of this type were rarely utilised as wreckers really make this truck stand out. When I photographed it in 2004 it was owned by High Point garage of Union City, NJ. However, it's now owned by Fran-Rock Garage of Suffern, NY and as of 2009 is still working. This truck started life out as a heavy haul tractor for a Philadelphia based rigger and then was converted into a long wheelbase wrecker by High Point. Enjoy!" And click on the photo for a bigger image... 
 

It seems that good night-time shots are like buses, you wait for ages then they all come along at once! And just look at that wonderful moody sky! (Click on the pictures to make them grow bigger in 'Expando-Vision') Anyroadup this proves that even snowploughs can get lost in a blizzard as my favourite cloggie mate Iep van der Meer reminds me..and DO check out Iep's great website at http://www.iepvandermeer.nl/ which has all sorts of great truck stuff on it. "Hello Brian," says Iep, "Here's a nice action pic of a Ginaf snowplow that lost the way. It was recovered by this DAF 8x4 and a Volvo FH16." And click through here for more shots from Iep....

"Hi again" says Steve Grainger who returns to Biglorryblog after an absence. "With all the snow around this winter here's one truck which will NOT be getting stuck in the white stuff! Its a 6x6 Scammell S26 and just take a look at that front-mounted winch.Regards, Steve." See what you mean SG---can't see that getting held up by a little solid water....and click through here for a shot of the business end

Now this should please Gary Richards...a British Bulldog! Steve Grainger has sent me these shots of what he says is "A re-born Mack for the Blog." It's not one I've seen before and I wonder if Steve or anyone else can post a comment on what its history is and who has it now...? The legend on the bonnet says: 'Born in the USA.' Now click through here for the business end..!

Oh..oh....I don't like the look of this...it looks remarkably like the beloved  Maggie belonging to BLB;s favourite old curmudgeon 'The Boss. and yes he tells me: "Blog Meister,I had the misfortune of breaking down in France this Saturday.Coughing and spluttering Maggie came to a halt,FUEL SUPPLY FAULT,so stated the onboard computor.Phone call to Renault 24hr service who arrived within 30 mins,excellent so far.The fitter and I use the term very loosely,certainly not a mechanic,looked around,listened to Maggie coughing then crawled underneath and emerged dragging the prop shaft behind him certainly not a part of the fuel system that I am aware of,then skedaddled..." And what happened next? Well you'd better click through here but be warned 'the Boss is NOT a happy bunny

On the subject of mystery wreckers John Ormandy has sent me this monster...which I'm pretty sure I'm featured before on Biglorryblog and Chris G knows a bit about it (naturally being an Atki). Anyroadup this is still a new photo to me and John says; "Hello Brian, the later photo of the recovery vehicle is alleged to be the same Earls Court Show vehicle I photographed in 1968. Sorry I can't remember who sent me the later pic, but thought it may be of interest to a few! Regards John O." And click through here for how it ended up!

Come hither to me oh Anorak Army! For Jeremy Leake needs your help. "Does anyone know the whereabouts of this Corbett recovery truck?" he asks, adding, "At the time the picture was taken (early 1960's) it was owned by Park Garage (Agden) Ltd and was the no 1 heavy wrecker in the Northwest. It spent alot of its time on the Thellwall Viaduct doing recovery work for the Police---especially during the thick November fog that we used to get. The driver in the picture is Mr Geoff Bell who is now in his 82nd year and if possible would love to see the old girl once more if it still exists. The garage also had a couple of Bedford QLs at the same time for car and light truck recovery. Thanks, Jerry." So can anyone help him out? If so post up details on a comment.

Les Freathy, Biglorryblog's 'Man of Kent' (or is it 'Kentish Man' I can never remember how you decide which is which...) has fired this old warrior over to me and he says: "Brian, two photos of the Scammell Crusader wrecker, ex-Nickolls of Folkestone. It was parked up on a farm last year and in the hands of Ovendens but I've been informed it has now been sold on. The truck is originally ex-Pickfords, although the crane and body are ex-army  Leyland Martian recovery hence the large rear overhang. The truck was based on the quarry about a mile from my home. You had not need for an alarm clock as when it started up early in the morning the Detriot Diesel did the job for you! cheers Les."

And you thought Ward La France only made fire engines? Dizzy-t has sent me this military marvel and says: "It's the front end of the Ward La France wrecker, in the Jersey Motor Museum. Its well worth a visit for any one interested in old cars, trucks, steam rollers infact anything mechanical, re the steam train, it's just a trip around the grounds twice. Regards Dizzy-t Now click tnrough here for a shot of the business end of the wrecker...
 

Oi! Careful! You'll have someone's eye out with that (extra-long three-stage folding H-boom with a low lying crosshead for recovering coaches and buses)! What you need to do is stow it away neatly...

First by laying it flat..yes that's it...

There now, all tcuked away neat and tidy and click through here to find out all about HCR Recovery's latest recovery truck... The story is well worth reading!

John Pugh has sent me this gem and says: "Hello Brian, I came across this DAF recovery truck in the Stagecoach bus depot in Hastings today, and thought it might be of interest to fellow readers. I don't know anything of its history, other than I think that Stagecoach inherited it when it took over Hastings & District Transport Ltd in the early 1990s. Presumably it started life as something else (an artic maybe?). I'm not even sure if its registration is the original one. In house recovery vehicles seem quite rare in bus companies these days. The Stagecoach East Kent depots use an outside contractor for recovery/towing work, but somehow Hastings depot has managed to hold on to this one. John."

So does anyone know anything about this 2500 asks Biglorryblog?

Well it's about time! I was wondering where that slack-jawed, concave-shinned idler Agent Reg had got to - and just in time he returns to Biglorryblog with new of this superb FH wrecker. Lucky for him otherwise we'd have had 'words'! Anyroadup I learn that High Wycombe's Saunders Recovery has taken delivery of one of the largest Volvo recovery vehicles ever seen on UK roads. And what a stonker too!

The FH-520 10x4 rigid (it's got an added fifth axle) sports and a wide range of specialist kit including a rotating crane and an under-reach unit. The chassis was supplied by Volvo Dealer, Hartshorne Potteries, while the bodywork and equipment were installed by Boniface Engineering. "I believe it's the biggest Volvo recovery vehicle built," owner John Saunders tells me, when describing of his new flagship. Now click through here for more!

Alan Drake has sent me a gentle reminder "Hi Brian I thought you might like to see the Cowan Motor Group's latest big hitter. Theyre not all in 'Yankeeland'. Regards, Alan." Quite right AD... And what a fabulous looking beast!