What a classic picture! Lovely old MAN on its way into Dover with a load of JCB’s bound for Europe. This is another one of Neil Jarrolds gems. If you are a fan of old pictures, new pictures and any other truck pictures visit Neil’s site at www.euro-wheels.com for all your picture needs! The 1970’s and 80’s galleries are just priceless, you’ll love them.
Amongst the few photos i have from my relation Dick Snow (yea really), there are a number of faces that have no identity, well to me anyway. Have you got any ideas who they are?? Can you put a name to a face?? If so please let me know. The current or ex Middle Easters may be one step ahead of the rest of us! Email me at ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave a comment below. The first one is the man himself Dick Snow.
Surely you all know who thi slast one is??? Be funny to see his picture in return!
Not that any of you mind i’m sure, but this month is looking fairly Astran mungus! I have recently had a strange but true coming together with ex Astran driver Tony Soameson. This man was one of the original drivers starting with Astranback in 1969 firstly as an employed driver then later becoming an owner driver for them. I have spoken to Tony and he is willing to send me some pictures to use on the blog. I am hoping most of them will be different to those used in Ashley Coghills book, The Long Haul Pioneers. The picture below is one of Tony’s, if you look in the book there is a picture of this truck being loaded. I’ll post some more pictures as and when they come through. Please acknowledge the Copyright on this photo.
Bonjour mon ami, Voici quelques images de mon Vincent d’ami français. Basically here are a few pictures from my French friend Vincent. Just like us over here them over there also have Scania perverts lurking in the Garlic fields. Vincent says;
“hello, i am french and i am passionned by the Scania! I have a Scania LB110 super of 1972, a Scania LB 141 of 1978 , 760 000 kms, a Scania R142 6×2 of 1984, 800 000 kms, a Scania T 142 h 4×2 of 1984 , 780 000 kms and a Scania R143 450 Topline of 1992 with 1 800 000 kms !!!”
A nice little collection, i have asked if he wants a nice little blue and white 141 to add to to it…………… he hasn’t said no yet! I think my favorite is the brown 110, very original.
This lovely old girl was spotted in Rensink’s yard at Almelo, Holland. One of our drivers sent the picture the other week. The Scania 111 still looks like its used now and again. The 5th wheel is still well greased and the fuel tank looks spatted with dirt from the front wheel. Hopefully she is still used for light duties, although alot of Rensink’s work is abnormal loads and heavy haulage, so she probably does the same as HC Wilson’s 141, the odd trip out to shows, loaded of course.
As many people know MDF Transport from Gt Yarmouth are fair Volvo fans. MD of MDF Mark Farrow sent me a recent wedge of pictures which i am getting through.
First up this cracking shot of a Lotus F89 after what looks like a service at a Volvo dealership (note the seat cover!!). Mark tells me this lovely truck was sadly written off in Italy in about 1983, while on its way home from the Italian Grand Prix. I have no idea what happened to the valuable cargo it was carrying at the time.
Next up is this hard worked F88. Well travelled by the looks of the cab, GB stickers and cab flags are true signs of a well travelled truck in the 1970’s! Although it does look like its parked in an English field, but why its in the field i have no idea! Have you got any idea? email me ben@truckblog.co.uk
Last but not least. This cracking F89 belonging to MDF. This picture was taken 4 or 5 years ago in Sweden, that’s all i can tell you. Working or Show? Working i hope…
For all you Volvo fans there is a bit of Volvo stuff coming your way in the next few weeks. To start with is any one looking for a decent restoration project? These 2 old girls are sitting slowing disappearing at a yard near Poole. One is a 4×2 and the other a 6×4. They may be available for restoration for a price, if your interested then email me at ben@truckblog.co.uk and I’ll try and put you in touch with the right man. Do you know any thing else about these 2? new pictures? history? email it all through to the above. Thanks to Roving Reporter for sending these through. If only they had been kept under cover!!!
…………..and what a come back it is! More than 1 post’s worth of gumpf in one day and more to come.
How about this absolute beauty for starters! We all the Pilot has a fetish for things with out wings, with most of his hard earned cash going on wing-less toys (well the cash left after the wife has been at it no doubt!). After a recent flight to the Italian town of Treviso, his plane needed a drink. Along comes this immaculate, brand new looking Fiat. I think its a Fiat 682 but I’ll wait to be corrected by you lot. As you can see the truck is clean as a whistle and has rather a neat bone on the front. This must relate to what the Roving Reporter was told by the operator, “She’s a good one, she gets stuck in like the dog with the bone when running around the airport overweight.” Brilliant. I wonder what the mileage is and how old she is?? Get to it reporter, ask Ryan for another flight to Treviso.
This old chap glided into the yard today. On a day trip down from Leicester the old F reg (1 August 1988 – 31 July 1989) MAN was on a flier. According to the driver “She’s great as she has no limiter, means you can a decent days work done!” I’m sure you can. As the old MAN is such a favorite, the owner is about to put another old MAN on the road, but this time a similarly shaped cab but the smaller 3.5 ton Volkswagen LT version, with twin rear wheels. I know it bought back GW’s memories of taking an LT across europe with various loads and broken rear windows! Any way it was lovely to see the old MAN still in such favour, a classic commercial in the making, “It’s having a full refurb and spray job this winter” was the drivers parting call as he tried to keep with his ride. Hopefully they’ll be back next year!
On a similar but continental note, our friendly international man of mystery, Sir Steve of Marsh, saw this old old German Mercedes 814 was seen in Austria last week. Still earning its living by delivering new silo’s about the place. Although she doesn’t look as well loved as the old MAN above, she is still earning a penny or two for her owner.
As well as all the new stuff at the IAA there was a hall full of classic trucks and buses. All sorts from old Henschel’s, to DAF’s, to Volvo’s and all in excellent condition as you would expect. This Mercedes was exceptional. The interiour was as new didn’t look like the seats had been sat on, it was only a few photo’s on a board that made me realise that it had been out on the open road! Having messed about the iphone i found an app that lets you take old looking photo’s, i think it came out quite well, even if i do say so myself!! i’ll await Mr Argent’s comments.
www.truckblog.co.uk 