Happy Christmas To Me!!

Posted on December 11, 2011 by truckbloguk

Yes I treated myself to a little piece of Essex for Christmas. Well being an Essex boy for 30 of my 32 years I feel I am an honoury member! A few months back Ben Lord of Speedbird Promotions (the UK arm of Dutch model experts Tekno) sent out the details of impending release of an Essex International Scania 141, along with the related trucks of Kerbey Motors, a Scania R580 which is available now and a Scania 143 Streamline which is due for release in February. Either contact Kerbey Motors or Speedbird / Tekno UK and treat yourself.

This truck is based on VVW 909S, a Scania 141, restored and put on the show circuit by Michael Lacey and his uncle Bim Mountain. Michael’s father used to work for Essex back in the day. The model itself is a good replica, as you’d obviously expect, of the real truck, down to the smallest details. There is even a Michelin Man and a European Duck to stick on the roof and a nice acrylic blue sunvisor! If you would like one of these models, there are only a few left, so be quick. Get onto the Speedbird Promotions website and get it ordered!!

As for my model (certificate number 70) it will be joing my Tekno Astran 111 and at some point there will be a Middle East reunion on my kitchen side, if at the time i’m home alone I may even use my son’s sand pit, just for authenticity reason’s of course!! Below are the Tekno drawings for your enjoyment.

Just as a side note, if anyone has any Essex International Stories or photo’s they want to share, then please get emailing the blog; ben@truckblog.co.uk

The Original “EDZ 450”

Posted on December 6, 2011 by truckbloguk

A few weeks back I put some photo’s of MW Taskers new Scania R560 here on the blog. Everyone said how good the truck looks etc etc, but a few of you asked why does a brand new truck, deep in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, have a set of Northern Irish numbers plates, EDZ 450?? and why does the second truck on the Tasker fleet have a similar plate? Keep reading and I will explain all. Firstly here is a photo of the original EDZ 450, a real, true legend of the international trucking world!!

Back in 1995 a certain Michael Tasker was on the look out for a 2nd hand left hand drive V8 to purchase. What should he stumble upon, but what appeared to be an ex Ralph Davies Scania 143 450hp. Scania, check. V8, check. LHD, check. Tag axle, check. Ally wheels, exhaust stacks, extra lights, check check check. Perfect. So off to Holyhead to view the truck.

Holyhead?? Yes the truck was, at the time, owned by an Owner Driver in Holyhead who went by the name of ED. Are you working it out for your self?? Yes you guessed it, the reg number came from it’s Holyhead owner. EDZ 450 translates to Ed’s 450hp Scania. Thats it. Simple when you know isn’t it?! No real reason for Tasker to have the plate except that it was the reg on the truck when he bought back in ’95 and has kept it on a truck ever since. The simple reason for Tasker’s second truck to have the plate HDZ 450, is purely and simply that is was the closest match to EDZ. So now you know why a Suffolk owner driver has always had a Northern Irish plate. Do you know who owner driver Ed from Holyhead is or was? Then email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave a comment.

The next part of the story was a little rumour that Tasker can’t quite remember the details of. The faded memory is that this truck never actually made it on to the Ralph Davies fleet. Is it possible it was fully specced up but the order was cancelled and the truck was sold on. To me, i’m not sure I can quite believe it, but every story has to start from some where. If the truck was finished to Ralph Davies spec, including stacks, lights, wheels, why at that late late stage of new vehicle delivery would it have been cancelled?? No ideas? no me either. Can you help shed any light on the rumour? is there any way of telling if it ever was a Ralph Davies truck? Please feel free to leave your comments or email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk and in return i’ll leave you with a photo of the latest EDZ 450.

Old Cloggie Scania Still Working

Posted on December 4, 2011 by truckbloguk

This old girl is still working for a living over in the Netherlands. Spotted last week by HC Wilson driver Jon Pryke at Ritchie Brothers Auction site in Moerdijk. It looks to me like a bonnetted 110 (Scania that is!), but you may want to correct me. The truck has been restored and has a lovely new looking interiour and a good paint job. Pulling a 3 axle Nooteboom semi low loader, it was in Moerdijk loading some used plant. The old boy driving it, didn’t get why Jon wanted to click a couple of photos, as it’s just a working truck! Lovely to see these old trucks still out and about working, what ever country your in. Have you seen an oldie still doing a days graft? email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave your comments below.

Deutrans Volvo F88

Posted on December 2, 2011 by truckbloguk

Back in September 2010 I popped off to Hanover for the day to the IAA Show. A good day a out Hanover’s equivalent of the NEC. One of the halls had a load of old classics in, so as you can expect I had a wonder round and came across a Deutrans Volvo F88. I had only ever seen models and photos of a Deutrans truck, so seeing one in the flesh was fairly impressive, with the bright orange paint work. It was only recently that Neil Jarrold from www.euro-wheels said; “I’ve got an original just like that” So here it is;

Not knowing a lot about the company I have just been on the Deutrans Website, which give’s a lot of info and some good photos too. This little statement is from Wikipedia, so is free for you all to find;

“After the Second World War, the Soviet military administration in urgent need of a shipping company that took care of reparations and the removal of all foreign trade shipments between the Soviet occupation zone in Germany, later, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Soviet Union safe. Therefore, the “Derutra” on
26 March 1946 in East Berlin re-established. She acted initially as a carrier, ie they vermakelte freight orders to the now established state-owned road transport companies. The vehicles had to be satisfied with what had been left intact the machinery of war or give up what the Soviets from their military stocks were
prepared. By 1950, the VVB (combination of state-owned enterprises) established German shipping. Her were under the VEB (state-owned enterprise) German shipping in the various districts, which in turn has its own fleet. The German shipping was responsible above all, the inter-zone traffic and the handling of shipments into the so-called non-socialist countries. But in all activities, the problem of obtaining suitable truck. The commercial vehicle industry in the GDR was still in its infancy, and until 1952 was the first with the IFA H6 serious truck on the market. But in
1959 the Schwerlastwagenbau in the GDR was completely suspended. So there was only the import, and if possible from the “brother countries”. But besides the Skoda from Czechoslovakia and the rest of the Eastern bloc could offer no useful first
truck.

But first, 1954, the DEUTRANS – International Freight
Forwarding was founded. This acted as a pure forwarder and instructed the
state-owned road transport companies, the German Reichsbahn, but also shipping
with the transport execution. They tried to handle the bulk of the shipments by rail.
In the 1960s, but also had to recognize the GDR leadership, that you do not follow the
international trend to road transport could be closed longer. The procurement of
appropriate vehicles proved to be a serious problem in terms of foreign exchange
for the chronically strapped East Germany. That each invested would pay more
than market value, could anyone seriously imagine that time. First they tried to conduct
business on the basis of compensation. The East German industry would
actively trade relations with Sweden. What could be better than to swap
machines for Swedish Volvo Truck?”

That was all translated from German I think, so apologies for the slightly dodgy grammer! No different to my normal standard!! Hopefully this may spark a few response’s to Deutrans, if you have any thing to add please email me ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave your comments here. Another good photo from Neil Jarrold, head over to www.euro-wheels.com to see many many more!!

Top 3 Astran Liveried Trucks – NVW 484P

Posted on November 20, 2011 by truckbloguk

Right through this little trio of my Top 3 Astran liveried trucks of all time, I have stated that the 3 were in no particular order, but as it’s my rules I can change them when I like. In my opinion this is the greatest Astran liveried truck of all time….NVW 484P, Scania 140 V8 6×4. You can’t get a better looking truck than this…….can you??

WARNING I WILL BE GETTING ALL ROMANTIC SHORTLY!! This photo comes to me care of the one and only author of “The Long Haul Pioneers“, Sir Ashley Coghill, but the photo it’s self is taken by Destination Doha assistant director Simon Normanton, what a truly great photo. Would a clear modern day digital photo give quite as much atmosphere as this?? I think not.

Where to start with my reasonings behind this being my 3rd choice in my top 3 Astran trucks of all time. As in Part One and Part Two of my choices, I can’t do much more than to ask you to take a good hard look at the photo, it’s all there. I guess really my choice of NVW 484P is pretty well based on it pulling this trailer in Destination Doha (where did this trailer end up?). Its got every thing that it should have (ready??); it’s dirty, roughed up wheels and mud flaps, roof rack and air con box, leaking fuel cap, TIR and GB on the bumper, dust pouring from the wheels, legendary driver and I know I can’t put it on here but I can just hear Dave Poulton talking away in the cab in DD and being able to hear the V8 just purring away as they head ever East. Being an ex owner of a Scania 141, for all you Scania fans who haven’t driven a 140 or a 141, you just have too. The shear joy of pressing the starter button and getting that first growl of the day, is just amazing! I think what ever the previous day had thrown at me in the depths of the desert, pressing that button the morning after a crap day must be so so reassuring. By the way right now I am wishing I had done the ME in this truck, just purrrrfect! Look out for the first time in blog history I’m going to use the same photo twice!

This photo was taken during the filming of Destination Doha. Ashley Coghill says;

“Dave Poulton at the wheel thundering across Jordan’s infamous H4 desert route to Saudi Arabia. Simon Normanton was assistant director for the BBC film Destination Doha and took many stills during the making of the film. This image has to be THE best and most iconic shot of a Scania 140 in full flight!”

It’s a brave man who will disagree with Ashley. I think of top of it being the best photo of a Scania 140 in full flight I think it also sums up the whole Middle East run. Hard trucks, hard men doing a hard job. We can all get a bit blase these days looking at the great romance of it all, but please please dont forget it wasn’t all glory. As the very proud owner of the late great Dick Snow’s diary (luckily for me he was a relation of mine), as used in Ashley’s book, you get a feel that some of the daily entries were written with great feeling.The endless days sat in a scorching hot desert at a customs post, having run out of food. Driving up a solid ice road, in the pitch dark up a mountain in darkest Turkey. These trucks were made for the job and hopefully to make it that much easier for all those legendary men who did one of the toughest jobs in the world at the time. In all honesty if we were to still use the same roads today, can you honestly say for what ever reason that a modern Scania V8 R730, would be able to cope with the Ice clad mountains and roadless deserts?? Again I think not. The computers wouldn’t keep up and there would be no chance of doing day to day running repairs and as for all the dust getting in every sensor imaginable, need I go on? The old 140’s or 141’s can also push on at 60mph if required and have no didgtach that are going to beep at you left right and centre.

This is photo is credited to the man himself Dave Poulton, but not from Destination Doha! Even in this pic you can see “the look”, the 6×4 always looks more trucky than a 4×2. Seen here pulling a tilt through Turkey. Note the lack of bumper spots and the sand shovel in the cab ladder. Case closed, Best Astran Liveried truck ever!! (In my opinion anyway!)

Speaking of which while I was at it, I asked Ashley Coghill for his top 3. You will need to refer to your copy of his book “The Long Haul Pioneers“. His choices are;

3) JLL 686K – Scania 140 Roadtrain
2) 10 RMY – GUY Warrior
1) NVW 484P – Scania 140 6×4

Again an excellent top 3, glad we agree on one truck at least! It would be great if you all wanted to leave your top 3 as comments on this one, come on if you haven’t before then leave a comment now, you have got this far after all!! If not you can email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk

Top 3 Astran Liveried Trucks – M509 WCK

Posted on November 13, 2011 by truckbloguk

Next in my top 3 Astran trucks of all time is this beast of a Scania 143 Streamline, driven by Trevor Dodwell I do believe. As I said in Part 1, the top 3 is in no particular order, it would be to hard to choose between them!! I think for me, Astran trucks are Scania’s. I know Mercedes and Volvo were both regular Middle Easters for Astran, but if you look at the fleet list out of a total of 58 trucks, 40 were Scania. Even though this is an Owner driver truck, to me it’s still one of the top 3 all time great Astran trucks.

Bull bar, extra spots, roof rack, headboard, un-polished ally wheels, big tanks, ruffed up rear mudguards, Arabic script and, and, wait for it….its got that look!! in huge doses for that matter. I can just see this old girl hurteling along the dusty desert road, lights a blaze, camels parting like the red sea, as the growl of the big V8 heads ever Eastwards. I think also this is obviously the new version of the old 140’s and 141’s, so if Astran had kept their own fleet in the 90’s there would have been a fleet of these, just imagine!

I actually emailed Trevor Dodwell about this truck, and he sent me a photo he has above his desk, this is below. I think this truck was for sale in Ireland since Trevor had it, although there was a little confusion over it, but any way if it was this truck I was oh so close to snapping it up and in all honesty I wish I had. The wife has promised to but me a new truck one day, when she does, the 143 Streamline will be it and it will take a lot of convincing not to paint it up as this truck. Here is Trevors photo;

So there it is, this is my number 2 truck in the all time top 3 Astran trucks. A second Scania, your right, but then again when you think of Astran what truck do you think of? Email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave a comment. There is one more truck to come in this little mini series, what will it be? whats your choice? If you follow the blog on twitter (@truckbloguk) then you may already know my 3rd and final choice. Also while I remember the top 3 photos are courtesy of Mr Nick Garlick.

The Truck That Guy Built (sort of!)

Posted on November 11, 2011 by truckbloguk

Sorry Mick, I couldn’t resist the title! Surely eveyone one knows of Moody International? Smart European fridge operator from Grimsby and now top 2nd hand truck dealer as well. After a recent bit of contact, Mr Mick Moody told me of a very smart Scania 143 500 LHD Streamline he is now restoring. The truck is ex Wittwer Transport from Switzerland.

Although the truck was already in pretty good shape, it has been stripped right down to it’s bear bones and touched up and resprayed back into what I remember as original Moody International livery. Hopefully Mick will send me some more photo’s as the project nears completion. So far it’s been expertly rebuilt by the one and only Guy Martin, you know “The Boat That Guy Built” on TV? hence the dodgy blog title. Anyway it certainly looks good so far, looking forward to the finished result. The only I don’t know is if it’s just for show or if it will be back on the road paying for it’s restoration.

Top 3 Astran Liveried Trucks – JAN 774K

Posted on November 3, 2011 by truckbloguk

I ran this feature on Twitter a month or so ago and had some interesting come back, so I thought i’d try it on here and see what you have to say. Firstly you need to understand this is a Top 3 Astran Liveried Trucks, in my opinion and in no particular order.

My first choice is an early Scania 140 V8, reg no JAN 774K. Now for those of you you who know me, this may seem like a slightly biased choice as these photo’s of JAN 774K were taken by my relation/uncle Dick Snow, when he was the driver of said truck. I have no idea how long this was Dick’s truck, but it was long enough to take a few good pictures, i’m sure a certain Ashley Coghill could tell us more.

My reasons for this being in my top 3 are mainly coz it is a classic Astran looking truck. In all the pic’s it is always covered in dirt, luggage on the roof rack, the odd unavoidable dent of long distance intercontinental trucking……….hang on i’m getting all romantic again! It’s that thing I always talk about, it’s got that look. It just looks great, like a truck should. I’m all for shiny shiny show condition with all the bling, but a truck in its true work state, always looks cracking to me. Another reson this is a great Astran truck, is that it’s a wagon and drag. Astran were keen on wagin and drags as they did have a few of them (again, Mr Coghill could tell us how many!).

This is another of Snowie’s pics, showing the truck in all it’s glory. It could even be the same trip as the first pic but who knows. I also love Snowies’s outfit, Checked shirt and cordroy trousers and big sun glasses. Another great pic of JAN 774K is the one below. In Ashley’s book, The Long Haul Pioneers, the pic below is said to be part of the Astran collection, but as I have the original in my bedside draw, i’m guessing it’s Dick’s. I could have picked any of the early wagon and drags for the top 3, but I think as I have a slight connection with JAN 774K, it’s the ideal truck. Below you can see the truck in a fairly new condition. I’m guessing Dick must have been driving otherwise he wouldn’t have taken the pic, also as it’s infront of 2 others, it must be Dick as he was always ahead from what I hear!

Who was the tall chap walking beside the trucks? any ideas. In fact looking at the pic again I reckon it could be the trucks 1st trip. Just look how tidy it is. No additional grill mounted spots, fresh-ish paint on the wheels and bumper, the headlight surrounds are still chrome!! I think as it’s an early member of the Astran Fleet. If this pic was on her maiden voyage, it would have been in 1971. All in all I think a good candidate for a top 3 position. If you want to share you own top 3 Astran liveried trucks of all time, then please either leave a comment or send me an email at; ben@truckblog.co.uk keep an eye out for the other 2 trucks in the top 3, they’ll be coming soon, or if you follow the blog on twitter (search for @truckbloguk) you will already know the top 3!!

Toprun = Top Photos

Posted on November 2, 2011 by truckbloguk

When you think of top trucking photo’s there really are only 2 sites worth looking at. First up is of course www.euro-wheels.com thousands and thousands of Neil Jarrolds own photo’s and a few guest galleries, not alot you can’t find on euro-wheels. Second up is Ferdy De Martins’s website www.toprun.ch with endless galleries from people of all over the place as well as Ferdy’s own excellent photographic work. I first started looking at www.toprun.ch years ago and have kept it in my favourites list ever since and I strongly suggest you do the same, so you don’t miss out on trucks like this;

These photo’s are Ferdy’s own. This absolutely stunning Swiss Volvo F1220 is now owned by Reto Lendenmann. Reto had driven the truck for 16 years at work, but now he has bought the truck and restored it to a like new condition, to enjoy on the show circuit. I am definately more of a Scania man than Volvo, but anyone has to admit this truck is just, delightful? gorgeous? stunning? what ever word you like it is all of them! To see the truck from inside and out, top to bottom, click HERE to go to the toprun gallery.

The tank trailer was borrwed from a friend for the photo shoot, but I have to say I think it’s almost the ideal trailer for the blue Volvo. So if you are stuck for some thing to do, set aside a few hours and type, www.toprun.ch into your address bar and enjoy the seemingly endless galleries on offer, you will be amazed!!

Home Made Fiat Euro-Wheeler

Posted on October 9, 2011 by truckbloguk

Once again my good friend Neil Jarrold sent me a little gem from his ever amazing collection of self taken photo’s. Often I am busy working away at my desk, when I get an email from the man behind www.euro-wheels.com usually titled “a bit of you”. This time round I think Neil was spot on, this little FIAT is probably a bit of me! An early mini international light weight wagon and drag.

Firstly Neil thinks this was taken in Boulogne, France. Other than that there really isn’t any more info to go with it. This is where you come in, do you know who’s it is? Where it was going? I can’t decide whether the caravans are an export or an import. The doors are on the offside, so does that mean they are UK built for the European markets, or are they European made for the UK?? Which ever, was there ever a return load or and outward load?

As for the vehicle itself, agin there are lots of questions and probably not many answers, unless you can help? leave a comment below or email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk . If you look carefully at this side of the cab, you can see the left overs of the side panel of the van, when it was indeed a panel van. Looking through the windscreen, the other side of the cab has an additional window between the door window and the back of the cab, likely to aid with vision while driving on the wrong side of the road. Flashing light on the roof. Again on this side of the cab behind the door handle, there looks to be the van model badge and what likes like or could be the owners details / sticker. All in all this is once again a real little gem and is typical on Neil’s photography.

Do your self a favour and set aside a wet Autumn afternoon and enjoy sifting through the thousands and thousands of photo’s on www.euro-wheels.com you will be amazed!! From the late 1970’s to present day there is something for all trucking persuasions. Personally I love the London Market night time photo’s, all sorts of Paddy Scania 141’s and Scottish Volvo’s and also the late 1980’s Dover photos. I also like the very rare rigid photo’s you can find. Neil has confessed to me that he isn’t bothered by little lorries so the odd photo he has taken must be of some thing special/interesting. Like this little Mercedes Benz 1117 from Malmo.

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