WIN a 2015 HC Wilson Calendar

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I don’t usually run competitions on here as I don’t get sent much to giveaway, but the kind chaps at HC Wilson always like to achieve what others haven’t! We might just be heading through February but these calendars are few and far between unless your one of HC Wilson’s customers. The calendar is A3 size with 30+ photos of Wilson’s big red Scania’s and DAF’s carrying all sizes of cargo across the UK and Europe.

Here’s the competition; Between now and midnight on Friday the 13th February, send me your best photo of YOUR OWN truck or if you don’t have one kids, then send me the best photo of your favourite truck that YOU HAVE TAKEN yourself. I’ll have a look through them and the lads at HC Wilson will have the final decision on the winner. I will publish all photos received on here but the winning photo will be used as the header on the TB website, Twitter and Facebook until at least the end of February. I will post the calendar to you ASAP and you will also be glad to know you’ll get some TB goodies too.

Please title everything “Calendar Comp”‘
Email: ben@truckblog.co.uk
Twitter: @truckbloguk
Or post them on the Facebook page: www.facebook.co.uk/truckbloguk

Competition closes 2359hrs on Friday 13th February.
Not open to HC Wilson drivers or families!
Open to bloggers across the world.

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My Best Truck of 2014

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Wilson Wednesday & The Super Subs

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We’ll start with a real belter from husband and wife team, Mr & Mrs Ramm. Loaded here with a Sugarbeet harvester from Germany. To move a truck with loaded with a harvester measuring 14.00 metres long, 3.30 metres wide and 4.00metres high and weighing 26 tons, takes some specialist equipment, permits and a lot of know how, especially with Europe’s 4 metre height limit, N5 HCW is an 8×4 Scania tractor unit with a 580hp V8 engine hitched up to a wafer bed low loader and a Dave Ramm in the hot seat, perfect.

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Not all container jobs are are as simple as opening the rear doors of a metal box. Ian “Slim” Godfrey in Aberdeen this morning with an over height open top container. Slim is driving a Scania this week……yes he is!

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Driver Gareth Rowlands seen here on a local drop with a little sweeper imported from the continent. Gareth’s big new V8, N6 HCW, looks awesome no matter what the load, or is it just me??!

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Sister truck to the Gareth’s N6 is Geordie’s truck N7 HCW. Loaded with tower crane parts down near Bristol. As you can imagine building a tower crane requires lots of parts and lots of loads. N7 was one of many unloading today to get the crane built. Below we also have Jon Pryke unloading crane parts in X300 HCW.

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Office waller, or not, James Cartwright was also on the crane job today in old faithful N200 HCW. Also the last contribution on the crane site is the first super sub of the day, one of Hewicks Haulage Scania’s with another piece of the tower.

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Driver Little Terry Alderton and his Scania R480 loaded with some kind of hard-arsed looking machine loaded from deep in Southern Germany up to Warwick. Are all of HC Wilson’s loads colour coded??

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Here we have a photo sent by driver Gladys of 3 Wilson trucks and another super sub in the form of a Tasker truck driven by Colin Waters. All 4 are heading down through France to Marseille having loaded in England.

Another Tasker truck is super sub number 3. This one driven by Mike Tasker himself. Another crane part loaded from Germany and also heading for Avonmouth.

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Finally we have the last super sub off the bench for Wilson’s, a well known truck here on the blog, the one and only Steve Marsh Express! HC Wilson can cover any type of job including hot shot packing crates to Stoke on Trent. All 3 subbies are tried and tested and very reliable which is a must to keep the professionalism of Wilsons reputation on the right track and keeping those bloomin customers happy! Thanks to all drivers for this weeks photos.

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Wilson Wednesday Lite

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I only just realised that this didn’t publish last night! So a slightly delayed WW this time.

Above we have part time HC Wilson office staff James Cartwright out and about and Sheffield bound for a busy day. A loaded flat rack that as you can see isn’t too big but the Anvil weighs in at a hefty 33 tons. After tipping the flat rack was removed and the James went to load one of a number of pieces that are all destined for Antwerp. SW02 HCW is Wilsons spare 8×4 Scania tractor unit. Plated to 150 tons it’s a handy piece of kit to have as a spare.

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The pieces being loaded to Antwerp are all over 4 metres wide and weigh over 30 tons each, so the extra axles help spread the weight. Below we also have R90 HCW a 6×4 Scania loaded with a similar piece. This photo is sent by Wilsons own escort driver Sully.

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Mr Wilson’s Wednesday

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A Wilson Wednesday with few words. These few photos came from one of the Wilson brothers, the quieter one of the 2 is the expert planner of the delightful red fleet from Suffolk. Just because he doesn’t write a blog and plaster himself across the internet like other bosses of high profile fleets, Mr Wilson is definitely a bit of a spotter and is definitely proud of his fleet. I often used to spot him take a sneaky photo on his afternoon yard walks. His spotter knowledge is amazing and his mind is full of priceless info, although my mother had to remind him of some ACH knowledge during a conversation they once had! Anyway here’s to you SW, thanks for the photos.

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Wilson Wednesday – Geoff Special

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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

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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And the morning after the first night move……

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Wilson Wednesday

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!!

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.