Silver Dream Machine

Posted on June 7, 2015 by truckbloguk

Hopefully most of you will know that I used to be an owner driver myself a good few years back now. Quite often on social media I end up meeting and talking too other owner drivers. I think if you’ve done it you can easily relate to the hardships and pleasures of running your own motor. Mark “Choppy” Steward is one such Owner Driver that I have a few messages with now and again, I can’t tell you how it started but we keep in contact now and again. So I couldn’t help but notice the ordering and arrival of a stunning DAF XF106 Super Space Cab. An owner drivers truck really is the be all and end all, it’s got to be everything a fleet truck is and more, usually a lot smarter as its a representation of yourself and also how people you may be working for see you as a company. If you like the truck is the ambassador to your name if that makes sense. As you will see Marks choice of new truck is a fine one, we all know the big DAF is a great truck to live in and work with and the new Euro VI front end with metallic paint just looks awesome. Over to Mark for full details………

Its a Euro VI, XF Super Space Cab, FTP (baby midlift axle), complete with full SB Components side skirts & chassis infill. It has the 510 engine with auto gear box & intarder. It’s also one of the first DAF’s in the UK with the new leather interior.

The truck also has Alcoa Durabright wheels, 850 litre fuel tanks, built in sat nav, roof top air conditioning unit, fitted flat screen tv and a microwave. The paint work was done by Kirk Coachworks from Wisbech & PD Stevens of Market Drayton. All the electrical work was done by Martin Moore from Kings Lynn. The truck itself was supplied by Greenhous Commercials of Shrewsbury.

I (Mark!) was lucky enough to watch the vehicle being made at the DAF factory in Leyland, Lancashire, where it started as just two chassis beams. It took just over two hours to complete the build and the cab was fitted in just 11 minutes! I purchased the vehicle as a 10th Anniversary vehicle although originally I had a 750hp Volvo FH4 but it had to go as it was too thirsty!

The truck will be pulling a fridge trailer running in both the UK and Europe, averaging 140,000km a year. In the past I have run a DAF 95, 95XF and XF105 Super Space Cabs.

Awesome. I think you’ll agree that Mark should be pleased with the result. It once again seems that less is more, the subtle approach is the best way in my opinion. Also I’m glad to see that so far there are no light bars, Mark has opted for four spots mounted in the sun visor. As an owner driver you’ve got to have the truck that makes you happy as much as anything else. We all know what it’s like when your driving something you don’t enjoy, you end up frustrated and constantly fighting against it. So all I can hope is that it’s a reliable truck and it keeps Mark on the road. Without Owner drivers (and small hauliers) we could end up with nothing but white fleet trucks on the road then what we all be secretly spotting?? If anyone gets the work and the chance, I’d strongly reccomend giving being an Owner Driver ago, just be prepared not to have many holidays and days off! Thanks for the photos and info Mark.

Wilson Wednesday…..WOW!!

Posted on February 25, 2015 by truckbloguk

Wilson Wednesday is back! Back with bang as well, a lot of entries this week from a lot of HC Wilson’s drivers including the illusive but awesome Arnie in R80 HCW. Now Arnie has a bit of a reputation for not hanging around for much so I was dead chuffed to get his photo in today, although please note that R80 seems to already be on its way out of its own photo! Seen here in France today heading down to Belfort.

Next up is the “White Wilson”, WIL2217 driven by Matt Lamb. Seen here in Wilson’s yard loaded with Caterpilar D6 heading upto to Cannock. Seeing as it’s the only white truck on the fleet, Matt is often mistaken for being an owner driver, but I can confirm he is a fully fledged, long serving Wilson driver. The Scania R620 was already heavily customised when Wilson’s bought it off the South Wests original owner driver Tim Rigby, but driver Matt has added his own touch and keeps the red wheeled V8 is tip top condition.

N5 HCW driven and co piloted by husband and wife team, Dave and Sue Ramm. Quickly, happy belated birthday to Sue. The big Scania R580 was on relative locals today but never the less still earning her keep and pulling some big machinery about south Essex and North Kent. The lump below is and industrial press weighing in at 110,000kg and standing at 4.38m tall, it was slightly more taxing than the 15,000kg piece above.

Above is SW51 HCW driven by little Terry Alderton. Seen today on UK manoeuvres from Felixstowe to Pershore. Looks to me like this was lifted from a flat rack onto to Terry’s trailer as that’s clearly not Terry’s high standard of sheeting!

Another R480 Topline below driven by Nick Garlick. I bet Nick was dead chuffed to see the delivery point for his packing cases was near the Dead Sea. Unfortunately it’s only going as far as Felixstowe although I know Nick would have been more than happy to take it overland, it’s only 22 ton and 3.3m wide, a boys load. Well if Nick had started heading east it would have made a great tale. I quoted on a number jobs out to Turkey and even Azerbijan in my time at Wilson’s. For me that’s when it all start getting romantic, big red truck heading east, crossing the Bosphorus into Asia, dust in your air vents and cook ups with the locals, random animals in the road, oh the romance of the road!………………..Pity nick was only heading to Suffolk.

Above and below is part time driver turned office Waller James Cartwright out and about in HC Wilson’s gracefully ageing V8 HCW. More packing cases heading for Felixstowe, at least the UK seems to exporting something. The big case stands at 4.05m high on the floor so one of Wilson’s super low step frames was required to keep it under the UKS height limit of 5 metres. Wheels need a polish JC!

Above and below we have 2 of Wilson’s finest engaged on importing packing cases this time. Both loaded from Felixstowe to Melksham at 4.25m wide. As you can see they were escorted by an accompanying van as the law dictates for all loads over 3.5m wide in the UK. Both Doris DAF and the European Charger have their own Facebook pages, so click on the links and like the pages to start following their activities. Great photos taken by driver Steve Pattison below, with the moody skies against the red trucks it almost looks a bit arty.

Not all the trucks are on UK work, two of the big boys are out on the continent bringing a pair of transformers back from Germany to Hertfordshire. N50 HCW is a 150ton GVW tractor unit driven by Graham Daniel and WIL 2580 is a 250ton tractor driven by the one and only John Stocks. WIL 2580 is a bit of legend in my own book. The best part of my time at HC Wilson saw WIL 2580 tramping to and from Austria with 90 odd ton of cargo on her back every few weeks. Bearing in mind every time she entered Germany from Austria both truck and trailer had to pass a German TÜV test (MOT type test carried out by the Germans) at the border before the long run back up through Germany, this truck has well and truly earned her name of European Giant.

Two great photos of N6 HCW driven by Garreth Rowlands, loading out of a multi million pound development in London SW18 today. Great photos showing the dismantling of a tower crane, note the chap in his high viz right above the counterweight at the top of the tower crane. Some view from up there I reckon. N6 is one of the newest vehicles on the Wilson fleet. The truck is an R560 V8 Scania, which by day looks like another in the long line of red trucks with the big white “W” on the front. But by night she looks a real treat, LED lights to the front, a fully lit big white “W” on the front grill, rear cab perimeter lights and a smaller red “W” mounted at the top of the back of the cab.

Escort driver Sully sent the photo below in today. Three of the Wilson trucks loaded here in Immingham heading to Lesmahagow, Scotland. All loads over length and over width.

Last but by no means least we have 3 photos taken by Simon Wilson himself. I have to say they are pretty good photos SW. Especially good is the one of N7 HCW below. A good looking truck with a well matched trailer and load, all colour coded too. Even though they weren’t all taken today the following 3 photos were taken by Simon Wilson himself. In my book that covers any technicalities over not being out on the road as they are all his trucks anyway!

Great photos all round today and a big thank you to all drivers who participated, as always it’s much appreciated.

My Best Truck of 2014

Posted on January 1, 2015 by truckbloguk

For me this is the best truck I have seen in 2014. It might not be the newest, it might not be most practical for most of Europe and it certainly won’t be everyones taste but for me, spot on.

If you live in the UK and haven’t been to one I strongly advise that you make 2015 your first trip to a European truck show, the standard of trucks is amazing. I can’t deny that the trucks here in the UK are getting better and better but the Europeans just seem to have it right, they all look good. To me the best trucks have always been out of reach of what I could afford or achieve and the T560 is no different. We all joke about winning the lottery but a Tcab would be very close to the top of my list. It’s blue, it’s got two sets of pipes, it’s got a subtle custom interior and enough lights to make it look good but not over the top. As with anything I would make a few subtle changes as I’d want to put my mark on it.

2014 has seen a big rise in the blogs popularity through all mediums, the Facebook page, twitter and the good old fashioned http://www.truckblog.co.uk website. I’m not going to link to any of those this time round as I’m sure you all could do with a break from the ruthless links and plugs for the blog. I have no idea where the blog will be in another 12 months, hopefully you’ll all still send me stuff, photos, info and the odd piece of trucking memorabilia to decorate TBHQ and I’ll keep bugging the TV companies in the vague hope they’ll see that we need Truckblog TV!

Hopefully I’ll be visiting, Truckfest Peterborough, Crowfield Truck Rally, Gathering of the Griffin, Retro Truck Show at Gaydon, more than likely (and hopefully) Truckstar Festival at Assen as my foreign trip, although I have heard on the grapevine that there is quite a convoy of English motors heading to the International Trucker & Country Show held at Interlaken, CH. I have always wanted to go James?? Finally if the offer is still there then I might just make it to Belfast too.

Anyway thank you for following and thank you for making the blog what it is, without your contributions I’m sure you’d all be bored silly of 143’s, MAN TGL LX’s and Mercedes-Benz photos! As we all do secretly say now and again Keep on Trucking!

Doing a Double Dutch

Posted on July 9, 2014 by truckbloguk

In the last week I have been sent a couple of decent DAF photos. If you want to get technical DAF do have approximately a 16% market share of the European heavy vehicle market so it’s not surprising that you see one on two on your travels. The one above was a top spot it has to be said. Blog favourite Steve Marsh spotted this white DAF in Dublin port, nothing unusual about a white DAF in Dublin I hear you say. The reason it’s a top spot is that the Space Cabbed XF105 is over 3200KM from its base in Casablanca. I have no idea what he was loaded with coming to Dublin from North Africa but I’m guessing it was clothing, well why not?! What I’d love is for it to have reloaded is a full load of Guiness bound for warmer climbs. Marshy was driving in Dublin port and spotted something different about the truck, on further inspection it turns out it is from some where different. I’m fairly confident there have not been many trucks from Casablanca to Ireland although I guess it could be a regular run?? With a lack of photos on the social media sites I think it could be more of a one off trip.

Next up from not so far away, is another blog favourite, Transam Trucking. This one was spotted on the M25 in Essex near the QE2 bridge by Dodgy Dave. Nothing too out of the ordinary in a big black Transam Trucking DAF truck I know but have another look…….this one is the little short one axle trailer. This makes it almost a mini artic I guess, so top spotting Dodgy!

Spotted something a bit different from the rest?? Then why not share it on the blog. You can email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk or you can post your photos on the TB Facebook page, just search for http://www.truckblog.co.uk in the Facebook search bar.

Wilson Wednesday – Geoff Special

Posted on July 2, 2014 by truckbloguk

He’s back!! (For one week only?? Who knows) Geoff and Daisy DAF have taken a break from there holidays and this week they are putting in a shift or two. Not to over do it HC Wilson gave Geoff a steady export that was just over length. At 1.5 metres over length from the North West out to the Netherlands dear Daisy and her ever-tanned pilot should have a nice little run out to the land of Cloggs and Cheese.

Wilson Wednesday

Posted on June 25, 2014 by truckbloguk

A quick return this week for red Wednesday. HC Wilson Transport’s famous fleet pounding the roads of the UK and Europe once again. Above we have Terry Alderton and below we have Doris DAF and Slim, both trucks on locals today a little run round to Middlesex with 2 loads of machinery.

Next is driver Geordie and European Charger. Having started the week with a run to Wick, Scotland and reload from Muir of Ord back to Wilson’s Elmswell yard in Suffolk. The Charger is now heading off mainland Europe to load 3 trailers in Stromberg, Germany. Check that route out on your Google map!

Above is part time driver and part time office waller James Cartwright. Called into action this afternoon to load some military vehicles in Norfolk for delivery to Wiltshire tomorrow.

Wilson fans favourite European Dream really living its name today with 24 metre long steel rails loaded from Luxembourg back to the UK. She looks well.

Mick “Snug” Farrow today on a little reach stacker move from Doncaster down to Maidenhead. Micks big Scania, European Colossus no doubt making easy work of the big load.

Husband and wife team Dave and Sue Ramm in N5HCW also on a UK job today. Loaded with some 23 metre long beams heading down to Harwich, Essex.

Just when your thinking it’s all go go go with Wilsons trucks and trailers today, we head to Germany where top Subbie Mike Tasker and Wilson driver Mark Gladwell have been waiting all day to load storage vessels back to the UK. A warm day sat in the German sun, trying to get some sleep isn’t a great day by my reckoning especially when you’ve got a night move out of Germany back to Rotterdam. Oh don’t forget the 17metre long tank in the well of the low loader too! Thanks for all the photos.

And the morning after the first night move……

Transam Truck Spotting

Posted on June 25, 2014 by truckbloguk

Truck spotting at 0730 on a Wednesday morning?? Well it’s got to be done. A good friend of mine drives one of these black beauties and as you can imagine I very rarely get to see him and truck together. Off round Europe most of the year until this weekend when he is on tour 5 miles from my house in Colchester, but as you’d expect I’ll unlikely to see him. Transam arrived at Colchester Stadium in the early hours of this morning, so when I popped in this morning they were still asleep. Later today while I’m at work the drivers are all off home for a few days as the Gig isn’t til Sunday night. But I’m away this weekend til Sunday afternoon. Typical. Any way the black trucks were looking stunning as usual in the early Essex sun. Luckily for me they were accessible and I could get a couple I photos without disturbing anyone, although the increased Police presence at the stadium at the moment certainly gave me some funny looks!

Wilson Wednesday

Posted on May 28, 2014 by truckbloguk

Wednesday again all ready and this is a late entry I know. First up is Workshop manager the one and only Bob Cross. I say workshop manager but there isn’t a lot Bob doesn’t get involved in and that also includes days out on the road still moving the big stuff about. Bob always carries a broom with him that can usually be found inside his person, but today he’s put the broom down for a few hours while he delivered this 4.25m wide, 4.80m high 29 ton reeler to Felixstowe. Boys load. SW02 HCW is a 150 tonner 8×4 Scania that these days is a spare. With a number of 8×4’s on the road it pays to keep a reliable V8 in the yard for as and when it’s required.

Next we have show favourite Mick Farrow heading for Liverpool with his big 250,000kg GVW Scania loaded with a reach stacker weighing in at approx 125,000kg GVW. A big old load, I’m sure it got a bit snug at some point today.

Doris DAF was today in Germany loading crane parts for the UK with driver Slim. This pair are Wilson Wednesday regulars, the big DAF is a regular on runs backwards and forwards to the continent.

2nd DAF on the fleet is the delightful Daisy, this week back at work with regular good looking driver Geoffrey Tarbun. From what I can work out Geoff could be adopting a one week on one week off rota but I could be wrong! Anyway here she is resting (again) on her way to the ferry from the Netherlands back to the UK with an agricultural machine for this years harvests.

Last one this week is European Charger that has charged up to Nuneaton today to tip an easy load of drums. A nice little load for driver Geordie.

Wilson Wednesday – it’s a big’un!!

Posted on May 7, 2014 by truckbloguk

This could be the biggest HC Wilson Wednesday yet. I don’t know how but it’s a double figure turn out this week, even drivers who I was beginning to think didn’t have phones have sent their entries in.

First up is N7HCW, European Charger. Sent in by driver Steve “Geordie” Pattison, loaded with a cable drum from Germany to Ireland.

Next, an old favourite of mine, Garreth Rowlands and V8HCW, European Diplomat. Loaded with cable drums from the UK back to the Continent, photo taken at the Goch boarder between NL and D.

X300HCW and driver Jon Pryke deliver another load of JCB’s to Harwich. It’s no easy job fitting all 3 on that trailer, trust me.

A firm spotters favourite, WIL2217 and driver Matt Lamb with a historical load this week. A 1914 London bus delivered at 2am this morning to Londons Transport Museam.

N50HCW loaded with a 4.2m wide cable drum heading for Felixstowe. Photo taken by Sully, Wilsons escort driver, the truck is driven by Graham Daniel.

Next is a new entry from driver Viv Nixey with R50HCW. Loaded in Birmingham and delivering today in Germany. Pull up a sand bag…..

Another new entry is driver John “Tea Bag” Franks. A quiet Yorkshireman who does more work than most without any fuss or even anyone realising how much he’s done! The JCB and combine friendly Scania, W100HCW and it’s A frame trailer look so simple to drive when being reversed by John “no shunts” Franks. A great truck and a great driver. The first truck I’d seen with a Sky box fitted. Another load of JCBs for Harwich.

Next is driver Richie Burnett and X400HCW loaded in the UK and tipping today at Luxembourg Airport.

You’ll recognise Doris DAF and driver Slim. Having delivered their load of steel that you might have seen in the photos on the blog this week, they reloaded today from NL back to the north of England with a 21m long and 3m wide crane frame.

Next on the list is European Earl the perfect description for the driver of SW51HCW, Terry Alderton. Loaded back from Germany to the UK with a perfectly trailer fitting excavator.

Richard Arnold is the driver of R80HCW, the first R620 Scania that joined the Wilson fleet a few years ago. Seen here today loading a liquid storage vessel in Germany for the UK. The tank is 4.2m wide and 12m long, that’s 12m long in the well of the low loader. No problem for the quiet professional that is Arnie.

Also loading with Arnie in Germany is Mike Tasker and his beautiful black R560 Scania. Not just another 6×2 tag axle. Tasker had specced this truck to every last detail, to make sure the truck lasts the next 10 years or more. Tasker shipped out to Europe on Monday with a Sugarbeet Harvester.

Next are 2 big loads from the north of England to the South. Photo taken by the female part of husband and wife team Dave and Sue Ramm in N5HCW. Followed up by John Stocks and the Europe flattening WIL2580. Both loads are 4.2m wide.

The last 2 entries are honouree Wednesday entries. First is part time office dweller James Cartwright, out in GW51HCW yesterday doing a couple of local jobs around Norfolk and Suffolk. Always good to see the office staff keeping their hands in.

The final entry is of Daisy DAF last week before driver Geoff Tarbun had another holiday this week. Geoff says he can afford to take so much holiday as it gives the other drivers time to catch up with the amount of work he does with Daisy. Photoed here with a lifeboat loaded in Norfolk and delivered out to Amsterdam, NL.

There you go, a record 15 entries for this weeks #wilsonwednesday, that’s more than half the fleet! All trucks out and about working hard in a good mix of UK and European work. Always a good selection of interesting loads to be seen from HC Wilsons drivers. On a side note GW, the drivers photos are getting better. John Pryke now gets the whole truck in his photos, next he just has to get the whole load in and he’ll be an accomplished photographer! Thanks to all the drivers, let’s see what happens next week.

Wilson Wednesday is Here Again

Posted on April 30, 2014 by truckbloguk

First up is Doris DAF and driver Slim, loaded in Ridderkirk, NL and heading for Loughborough, GB. I must say a tidy bit of sheeting drive

This picture perfect load is on European Charger, a Scania R560 driven by Geordie. Loaded in Damme, D and on his way to York, GB to make his delivery. I don’t think you can get a better suited, better looking load if you tried.

The 2nd DAF on the HC Wilson fleet is Daisy and her chauffeur Geoff. Loaded with a couple of Telehandlers on UK work from Cannock to Shefford.

This big beast is European Coloussus driven by Mick “Fumpa” Farrow he of TV fame, he does snug. In this case it is not so snug but still a big ol’ excavator from Cannock to Ipswich for a boom conversion.

Last but by no means least the youngest driver on Wilsons fleet, Matt Lamb and his delightful R620 Scania. Loaded here with an 18m load of piping equipment loaded in Wellingborough, GB and heading for Zoetermeer, NL. How well she looks on a sunny day in Northamptonshire.

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Category Archives: DAF

Silver Dream Machine

Wilson Wednesday…..WOW!!

My Best Truck of 2014

Doing a Double Dutch

Wilson Wednesday – Geoff Special

Wilson Wednesday

Transam Truck Spotting

Wilson Wednesday

Wilson Wednesday – it’s a big’un!!

Wilson Wednesday is Here Again