Recently in Truck accidents Category

Regular readers of Biglorryblog will recall my recent post of Wayne Westwood's Dad and his immaculate Diamond T. Well Wayne tells me that a while back while it was still working with TNT some 'gentleman' dropped a container on it...sort of 'done to a T' you might say.... Wayne says: "As promised, some photos of the ol Diamond back in 1988, looking the worse for wear, after a couple of rounds with a container, accidently dropped from a forklift...and the 3 old girls proudly on display outside the Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs in 2005. cheers..Wayne."

I can only imagine what your Dad said at the time Wayne..possibly something along the lines of 'Gosh..what a silly fellow you are to have such an unfortunate mishap..?" Meanwhile, Cam McFadyen tells me his T resto is coming along so by and by so I hope we'll have a report and pix on it.

Sometimes even the life of a truck journalist can get mildly exciting. Driving around the Bavarian countryside on the launch of the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Euro5, we found the preceding truck, running a few moments ahead, in the middle of a breakers yard. It turns out that the BMW in the picture had lost patience with the Canter obeying the 70km/h limit and went for the overtake approaching a blindish bend/crest, collecting an oncoming Renault Espace. The Renault ended up in the field behind the picture, leaving its offside front suspension in the road and its driveshaft bouncing off the Canter's windscreen.

With the only injuries being a bit of airbag wrist for the Bee-Em driver, we helped clear the road then legged it before the Polizei arrived to interview everyone in the vicinity, just in time to meet the firemen coming up the road.

Hello... What's this? Surely there shouldn't be such a large gap between the end of the frame and the start end of the body...? 'The Boss' has been digging and delving around and come up with this fascinating picture... Now click through here to see what the front of the truck looks like...

These shots come to Biglorryblog via that Towering Titan of Truck Tittle - Tattle Nigel Hanwell at Volvo - who himself got them from Bob Martin senior manager for communications at Mack Trucks. Bob says: "On April 30, 2009, a driver of a Mack Pinnacle CXU was pulling 109,000 lbs. of propane in Aberdeen, S.D. when conditions became extremely windy. A gust estimated at around 50 miles per hour blew the truck onto the shoulder, after which the truck rolled over one and a half times. The driver - who was not wearing his seat belt - was tossed into the sleeper cabin, miraculously sustaining only minor injuries. He was able to walk away from the accident."

"This was a very unfortunate incident for a very good customer," reckons Mack Truck Sales Manager Roger Watral of Sheehan Mack Sales and Equipment. "I think this is a testament to the quality and strength of the Mack Pinnacle." Now click through here for more Mack Mayhem...

Biglorryblog has Cam McFadyen, ace tilt sliding tray builder in Queensland for these pictures which are obviously doing the global e-mail rounds at the moment. Looks like a nornal truck roll-over? Better click through here....and be prepared to think again....

I'm grateful to World Truck Blogger Ollie Dixon (check his blog out on www.roadtransport.com) for sending me this link to the YouTube video which was shot by the Nevada Highway patrol as it followed this truck won the road. As Ollie says: "A bit leg-crossing this..' The truck looks like a twin-trailer rig too. Hope the driver was OK. At least the police were on the spot." 

Regular readers of Biglorryblog may well remember me blogging on this this recent incident in New Zealand when a Volvo waggon and drag milk tanker slipped off the end of the ferry which goes from the mainland to Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty. Look carefully at the above picture and you'll see the prime mover on the left of the ferry doing its impression of U517. Dive! Dive! Dive!

Well it couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of blokes as it belonged to BLB's much admired favouite Kiwi fleet operator Fonterra.  Well I'm grateful to BLB regular Vic Hungerford for bringing me bang up to date on the story. Vic says: "You may remember the story a few months ago about the Fonterra tanker that went for a swim off the end of a ferry. I think in your comments you wished the driver and the tanker well and hoped that they made a full recovery."

Vic continues: "Well I'm pleased to inform you that the driver was fine, but unfortunately the tanker didn't recover. It was decided that the salt water damage was terminal and that there was no point in trying resuscitation. It is gradually being stripped for parts as required for other tankers; I was down there a couple of days ago and this is what is left of what was once a fine Volvo FM12. Apparently Volvos don't like swimming!" And I don't blame them Vic...now click through here for a real hoot from the back of a Mainfreight truck....

Now what's wrong with this picture...? Cam McFadyen in Oz (Queensland to be precise) has sent me this sorry tale and says: "The photos speak for themselves, whack a couple of sleepers under the feet if you want to unhook when your trailer is loaded.(or else...!)

If you think that hurt then I suggest you click on this link supplied to me by BLB reader Bill Taylor who says: "Brian, look at this picture on the open part of the lorryspotting website.

And he goes on to say: "Where was VOSA (or the Police for that matter) when this chap was cavorting on our roads? Regards Bill..." It's a very good question Bill----almost as good as what on earth did he hit in the first place (answers for a pie to BLB). My money is on a bridge upright...

Look closely at the picture children...and tell Biglorryblog what's wrong with it? Continuing BLB's recent nautical/amphibious truck theme thanks to several of my blogging contributors in New Zealand who have all alerted me to this rather unfortunate incident in which a drawbar milk tanker run by BLB's favourite Kiwi operator---Fonterra---recently took part in secret trials as a submersible...Apparently this incident recently happened on the scheduled barge service which goes from the mainland to Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty. I'm told that milk tankers have been going across on this barge for many years without incident, but on this occasion the driver got out of the truck, seemingly without applying the park brake. And it rolled forward and off the end of the barge where it came to an undignified rest.

 
Glub... glub... bubble... splish... splosh...Of course what really matters is that the driver is safe and sound (though probably a bit shaken... understandably) and I wish him and the truck (which I'm told is back on dry land) a speedy recovery.

And here a couple of shots of the milk being pumped out of the tanker--or at least I assume that's what they're doing anyway...

Anyway all's well that ends well...the driver's alright, the truck is back on dry land, and there's no point crying over spilt milk (sorry I should have known better)----and just to remind us all what a truly cracking tanker fleet Fonterra runs click through here...

Now click through here for more....

Now here's a tale of woe and no mistake. This selection comes to me from Kev (an Aussie mate of Rod Simmonds in New Zealand who kindly forwarded it to me. I'm surprised they're still talking after the rugby!---NO Biglorryblog, walk away from that one)). Anyway Kev's e-mail is headed: "Roast Pumpkin in a diesel sauce." Look carefully at the bottom right in this picture and you'll see why the pumpkin reference...

Anyway Kev goes on to say: "How's this for a three-month old truck 70kms north of Fitzroy Crossing going up in smoke? In two hours it was all over...I got the call as it was burning. That's one prime mover, one Tautliner trailer and two dollies---the third trailer got 'slight' heat damage. Oh yes, and 42-tonnes of roasted pumpkin. Hot work in WA North!"

There I was, quietly driving home minding my own business when I found myself following this strange artic...what could it be I wondered....?

 Then all of a sudden it hit me! Once again the weird and wonderful world that is the M20 has provided Biglorryblog with an exclusive 'Scoop'. Behold! the new side-loading car-transporter with three-sided weather protection and easy access 'open-side' for rapid loading and unloading...don't ask me what it was doing...I just took the picture and discreetly left the scene. Now click through here for another strange sight..from Holland.

As unlikely as this picture might suggest it appears that this story has a happy ending. Biglorryblog reader Bill Taylor alerted me to these pictures taken last June which appear on www.forums.airshows.co.uk and were taken by a gentleman called FatboyJarv who says: "While on the way to Biggin Hill on Sunday I found part of the M25 slip road closed and this is what I found.This lorry had fallen over 40 feet to the ground below but lucky for the driver he is only reported as having cuts and bruises, the photos did make it into my local paper."

Well all BLB can say to that is that he must have been the luckiest guy alive. And if the story is incorrect and he didn't walk away then I'll happily remove this post as I'd rather not feature pictures of a fatal accident or where anyone has been seriously injured.. The truck looks to be like an MAN TGA...I assume the rig was unloaded if the Scania recovery crane can lift it, and the trailer up in one go. Does this ring a bell with anyone from a year ago? 

Ever had one of those days...? I've been sent these pictures by Vic Hungerford in New Zealand who captions them..."What happens when things don't go quite according to plan!" You're not kidding Vic!

Interestingly enough...both of these stranded wreckers are Peterbilts. Though I just say that in passing....

And this is no time to lose a wheel (or two) and a half shaft..and axle now click through here for the ulitmate DOH! moment...