New Model: HCW Scania 143 8×4

Posted on February 15, 2014 by truckbloguk

HAULAGE HEAVYWEIGHT No. 2 :
H C WILSON TRANSPORT

Promotional model trucks specialist Search Impex is pleased to announce the release of the second model in the Haulage Heavyweights collection of solo tractor units. “European Legend” – a Scania 143E (8×4) tractor unit, complete with ballast box, is customised in the livery of Suffolk based heavy haulier H C Wilson Transport.

The model has been produced exclusively for Search Impex by WSI Collectibles as a certificated Limited Edition (155 pieces).

Established in the early 1960’s, H C Wilson was initially involved in the transport of hay and straw. Involvement in this sector of the market led to the haulier being approached by Vicon (an agricultural machinery manufacturer based in Ipswich) wanting machinery to be transported to their customers. As a result of undertaking this work, H C Wilson received requests from other machinery manufacturers and the business soon found itself transporting agricultural machinery throughout the British Isles.

As business developed, H C Wilson went on to establish a reputation for their work in the complexities of importing combine harvesters from France. As the size and weight of the combines increased so, too, did the need for larger and more specialised trucks and trailers on which to transport them. The need to start moving new 12ft wide Massey Ferguson machines saw the Company becoming involved in designing bespoke trailers and looking at purchasing bigger tractor units – and so began the evolution into the abnormal load market. A steady expansion of the business from its humble beginnings also saw a growing demand for wider reaching heavy haulage contracts and so, in 1979, a strategic decision was made to move towards heavy haulage. This resulted in the purchase of a new Scania 141 62-tonne tractor (EGV 565T) and a Broshuis three-axle 35-tonne payload semi low trailer.

Further investment in heavy haulage kit continued with additional units, including a Foden 80 tonne 6×4 in 1984 which was replaced in 1987 by a 150-tonne 6×4 Scania 142E. Another 150-tonne 6×4 Scania 143E joined the fleet and was later converted
to an 8×4. “European Legend” – a factory built 160-tonne 8×4 Scania 143E (registration N500 HCW) joined the fleet in 1996 and although now semi-retired remains fully maintained and capable of working, if required. The Company now operates 30 vehicles and 60 trailers and is one of the UK’s leading heavy hauliers. They are also among only a few heavy haulage specialists willing to work not only in the UK, but also throughout Europe and beyond.

Models, available from Search Impex, are priced at £103 each (including UK delivery & VAT). For details of availability of this and other models, collectors can visit the Search Impex website at www.search-impex.co.uk or call on 01332 873555.

Christmas is Coming….

Posted on December 19, 2013 by truckbloguk

To some of you the truck may have already been. These days there is a real Coca Cola truck (or 2) that cris crosses your country to bring the kiddies plenty of Christmas cheer and happiness. As it goes I think it’s quite cool. A few years ago here in the Colchester we had the rather amazing Coles & Sons bonnetted Scania come to our local supermarché as Coles trucks were wrapped an used as the Christmas trucks for the first year, but this year and last year Coca Cola have a cheaper version of a Tcab, with a funny shirt wheel base and a non-factory built Topline cab. For the spotters amongst you I’m sure you’ve notice these things already! This is the Coles truck from 2 years ago;

It seems the rest of the world have there own Christmas trucks too. New found blogger Chris Mutch, came across the Romanian version last week. Non European truck in Romania, just fully grown American Freightliner. You have to agree it does look well and I think it actually looks better than our own current truck, no I’m not posting a pic of the current UK truck as I think it’s a bit if a cheap cop out, but I’m sure the kids don’t care. Anyway thanks again Mr Mutch for a couple of decent photos that are well worth being on the blog.

Actros Relief to Syria – Part 2

Posted on December 15, 2013 by truckbloguk

“Wings on Wheels – Combating the Cold” — second humanitarian aid convoy sets out to area along the Turkish-Syrian border

Urgently needed supplies worth a total of about €2 million: winter clothing, food, tents, and three ambulances
Daimler and its employees donate a total of €100,000

With the help of donations from Daimler employees, the second humanitarian aid convoy left the Mercedes-Benz plant in Untertürkheim today to carry supplies to Syrian refugees in Gaziantep in southern Turkey. Daimler Trucks and Wings of Help teamed up to send six Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks full of urgently needed relief supplies, including medicines and winter clothing, from Stuttgart to the refugees. In Adana, Turkey, the convoy will be joined by two more trucks carrying food and tents. The supplies are worth around €2 million in total. Gaziantep, which is located near the Syrian border, houses the logistics center from which the humanitarian aid will be distributed to the refugee camps. At the center, the relief supplies will be handed over to the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) and the International Medical Corps, which will then distribute them to the refugees.

The Daimler employees’ response to the first convoy in September was outstanding. The company gladly acceded to the employees’ request for a second convoy and their wish to do something themselves. In a campaign titled “Wings on Wheels — Combating the Cold,” Daimler asked its employees to donate money for the relief convoy until December 6. The employees donated more than €50,000. Daimler then doubled this sum to over €100,000. In the first convoy, 11 Mercedes-Benz trucks transported relief supplies worth €4 million along the nearly 4,000-km-long land route to the Turkish-Syrian border.

The second convoy was sent on its six-day journey today by Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Member of the Board of Management, Head of Daimler Trucks and Buses; Frank Franke, President of Wings of Help; and Michael Brecht, Deputy Chairman of the General Works Council and member of the Daimler Supervisory Board.

“The refugees are suffering greatly, especially at this time of year,” said Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard at the sendoff of the “Wings on Wheels — Combating the Cold” convoy. “Millions of Syrians have fled their homes and hundreds of thousands of them have found refuge in Turkey. Half of the refugees are minors, most of them under the age of 12. Many children are traumatized or in bad health as a result of the war. That’s why we want to provide concrete help with our convoy and give the people hope. We have a strong public presence in Turkey through Mercedes-Benz Türk and our production locations in Istanbul and Aksaray. We consider it our duty to help our Turkish friends in this difficult situation.”

Michael Brecht added, “Two of the six Actros trucks are carrying three Sprinter ambulances, while the four other trucks are transporting winter clothing and urgently needed medicines. The convoy will be joined in Turkey by two trucks carrying food and winter-proof tents for families. The relief supplies were largely funded by donations from Daimler employees. I would like to thank all of the colleagues whose donations or practical assistance are helping to reduce the suffering and distress in the Syrian refugee camps. Such expressions of humanity and solidarity are desperately needed in view of the refugees’ difficult situation.”

“The civil war in Syria is becoming more and more horrifying. Around 2.2 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries to date. That’s why we’re glad that we were able to cooperate with Daimler AG and its employees to put together another convoy at this harsh time of the year,” says Frank Franke, President of Wings of Help, about the situation that the Syrian refugees are facing.

A total of 200 tons of relief supplies, tents for about 1,600 refugees, and winter clothing and medicines that will help more than 50,000 needy people were sent on their way today. The beginning of winter was an important factor in all of the planning activities. One of the refugee camps along the Turkish-Syrian border is located at an altitude of 700 meters, where temperatures often drop below freezing at night and snow can be expected to fall.

Wings of Help, which is based at Frankfurt Airport, has been providing immediate disaster relief worldwide for the past ten years. The organization uses aircraft to transport urgently needed relief supplies to people in greatest need. Wings of Help receives support from the airport’s operator and airlines.

Actros Relief to Syria – Part 1

Posted on December 15, 2013 by truckbloguk

Convoy of Hope – Wings on Wheels brings aid to Gaziantep in southern Turkey

300 pallets of urgently needed food and medicine to be distributed, primarily to women and children
Convoy traveled 4,000 kilometers in six days without a hitch

The “Convoy of Hope – Wings on Wheels,” consisting of 11 new Mercedes-Benz Actros articulated trucks, has reached its destination: the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey near the Syrian border. This is where the distribution center for humanitarian aid to the refugee camps is located. The aid convoy transported urgently needed aid supplies valued at approximately €4 million to this border area between Turkey and Syria after completing a land journey of almost 4,000 kilometers.

The convoy started out on 19 September from the IAA in Frankfurt. The six-day journey took it through six countries with very different road conditions: Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. The convoy completed its long trek with no problems, except for long delays at some national borders. Many car drivers cheered the convoy on as it passed. On Monday, 23 September, the Daimler subsidiary Mercedes-Benz Türk held a press conference in Istanbul to mark the convoy’s passage. In Istanbul the convoy was joined by three trucks carrying flour, sugar, and other goods. Directly after the press conference, the convoy proceeded on its way in order to bring its urgently awaited supplies to its destination.

The joint project of Wings of Help and Daimler Trucks delivered tents, baby food, wheelchairs, two ambulances, seven mobile medical centers, 10,000 blankets, winter clothing for 40,000 people, and 50,000 child vaccinations to the Syrian refugees in the border region.

“Good news has reached us from Turkey. Our convoy of 11 Actros trucks carrying urgently needed aid supplies has arrived safely in Gaziantep. I believe that as a result of this transport, the conflict in Syria and the fate of the people there has become just a bit more real for all of us. Let’s hold on to the readiness to take on responsibility and the positive spirit that have accompanied our Convoy of Hope. This campaign of ours has demonstrated one thing: Everyone can help, and every bit of help counts!” said Wolfgang Bernhard, the Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses.

Millions of people are suffering because of the bloody conflict in Syria, and they urgently require assistance. The fighting has now been going on for over two years, and children are suffering the most. Overall, 70 percent of Syrian refugees are women and children; in fact, almost half of the refugees are children.

The convoy has reached the refugee camps just in time to deliver the supplies before the onset of winter. One of the refugee camps along the Turkish-Syrian border is located at an altitude of 700 meters. Here, temperatures often drop below freezing at night. This is why the convoy is also delivering winter-proof tents for 2,000 people as well as 10,000 blankets and winter clothing for 40,000 refugees.

Wings of Help, which is based at Frankfurt Airport, has been providing immediate disaster relief worldwide for the past ten years. The organization uses aircraft to transport urgently needed relief supplies to disaster victims. Wings of Help receives support from the airport’s operator and airlines.

New Volvo FH Wins ITOTY 2014

Posted on September 10, 2013 by truckbloguk

News just in straight off the Volvo Press Desk:

A year, almost to the day, after its spectacular launch, the new Volvo FH was voted ‘International Truck of the Year 2014’ by leading commercial vehicle journalists, representing 25 magazines throughout Europe. The ‘Truck of the Year’ award was received by Volvo Trucks’ President Claes Nilsson at a ceremony at the Comtrans exhibition in Moscow yesterday evening.

Summing up the jury vote, International Truck of the Year Chairman Gianenrico Griffini commented: “Volvo Trucks has delivered a completely new heavy-duty truck, which, with its innovative cab, hi-tech driveline components and advanced maintenance solutions, sets a new benchmark in the automotive industry.” This is the third time that the Volvo FH has won the ‘International Truck of the Year’ award, as it also won in 1994 and 2000.

“We are honoured and happy,” says Claes Nilsson, President of Volvo Trucks. “When we introduced the new FH in September 2012, we claimed that it was pushing the envelope of what a premium truck could offer. The ‘International Truck of the Year’ award confirms that the Volvo FH lives up to this promise.”

The all-new Volvo FH is a truck built with the driver in mind and the focus on improving the haulage firm’s profitability. It boasts important innovations in all crucial areas: fuel economy, ergonomics, handling, active and passive safety, and time-saving features.

The new Volvo FH in a nutshell
• The truck is available with a range of 13- and 16-litre Euro-6 engines.
• The I-See technology can save up to five per cent fuel. I-See uses electronically recorded information about the topography of the roads to automatically optimise gear shifting, speed and auxiliary braking.
• The handling is superior thanks to an improved chassis and the option to choose individual front suspension.
• The driving position is better and offers greater flexibility. For instance, the steering wheel now has a neck tilt function, a world-first in the truck world.
• The driver has a better view of the road, not least owing to the increase in the usable window area in the cab and the innovative rear-view mirror design.
• More upright A-pillars add one cubic metre of interior space. This gives 300 litres of on-board extra storage capacity and greater on-board comfort.
• Volvo Trucks offers maximum uptime with the new FH. This promise is based on new technology for remotely monitoring component wear and overall vehicle condition.

Assen Trip……1 Week to Go

Posted on July 18, 2013 by truckbloguk

! week to go until I finally go back to Truckstar Festival Assen in the Netherlands. I went way back in 2009 and have been trying to go back ever since. Why? Well if you ever went then I can almost guarantee you, you wouldn’t enjoy Truckfest ever again. For me Truckstar is my Mecca! It’s just trucks, trucks, trucks and perhaps a few trucks on the side. No crappy stalls selling chunky garden furniture or stalls selling binoculars and telescopes, it is just a TRUCK show, take note Live promotions!

This time around I will be taking HC Wilsons Scania 141, yes thank you and yes I am a lucky bugger. Off on next Thursday night Stenaline boat from Harwich to the Hoek of Holland, then a quick trip to the Tekno model factory, followed by a steady drive up to Assen in the north of Holland. That’s about it really, I have no idea how but I will try and update the blog, or the blog Facebook page from my phone or even the TB Twitter if I can. If you see a odd looking chap with a Tin Tin haircut and a TB T-shirt, it’ll probably be me, so please say hello. Other than that I hope I can update you, although my updates just won’t do the show justice. If you really are a truck lover then you must make the effort and go to this show at some point in your life. These pics here are just a few from my trip in 2009, but to see the rest just click HERE.

Finally a pic of my beloved Scania 141, that made my 1st trip to Assen just awesome. I still miss the truck but hopefully one day I can return to Assen with another classic V8, yea one day there will be another!

Mega MAN

Posted on July 1, 2013 by truckbloguk

I was trying to think of some clever title with MAN in but it seemed a waste of what little brain power I have. Mega MAN says all you need to know. Every now and again I get an email that makes me think “Wow!”, which these days takes a bit more effort than a few years ago. If any nation can impress you in the world of trucks, our crazy Dutch cousins will always be right at the top of the list. It seems that the people at Becx TDS Racing may be 100% nuts! Click below and watch the video, that saves me writing loads of pointless words to try and impress you with…..I’ll stop.

Good eh?! What a beast and did you hear that turbo? No? then go play it again and come back in a minute………

Now for the info straight from Edwin Kuijpers from Becx-TDS Racing………Two beahrs pleassh!

It is originally a MAN TGS18.480

We changed the complete chassis and shortened it at the front so the wheels are on the corners. The cabin is put lower and backwards on the chassis. (like the Brazilian racetrucks). The engine is gone 50 cm back in the chassis to get a good weight balance (60/40%)

The engine is a special race engine from MAN motorsport in Germany a delivers 1100HP and 5500Nm of torque. If we want we can put the power up to 1600HP en almost 7000 Nm of torque.

The top speed is >215 Km/h and the acceleration is 0-100Km/h. A set of tyres is gone in about 4 minutes of intensive driving and drifting. The truck is build complete build by our own team, and took 7000 hours in about a year.

Hope I send you enough information, otherwise you can see our website: www.becxtdsracing.nl

Hopefully we will hear more from Edwin and the others at Becx-TDS Racing. I am also hoping that they will do another video soon and even better perhaps they can do a video at Truckstar Festival in a few weekends time, just like last year.

Gathering of The Griffin Show 2013

Posted on June 25, 2013 by truckbloguk

Are you a Scania fan? Are you a Scania driver, operator or collector? Then this is the show for you. It takes place on the last weekend of September, that’s 28th-29th September 2013. The venue is the Orwell Crossing Truckstop on the eastbound A14 at Ipswich, Suffolk, UK. The idea is for all lovers of the Swedish marque to get together and hopefully this year organiser Rob Billman will reach his target of 100+ Scania’s at the show, with plenty of exposure we can all try and bump the numbers up. Scania’s of all ages are required and there will be prizes for each series, 0, 1, 2, 3 and so on. As it goes I am sponsoring the Best 3 Series, so as well as letting you lot know whats going on, I have to arrange some kind of trophy to give you!

If you want to bring a truck then its £10 for judged entries and £5 for non judged entries. If you want to register you can either:

Phone: Rob Billman – 07903155898
Email: gotg37@hotmail.com

……or you can go to the GOTG Facebook page and see all the info and a some photos of last years event. Come on Scania owners get registering, it will be a good show if more than 100 turn up, also it could be the largest gathering of Scania trucks in the UK – ooooooooooo!! Anyone who’s interested in helping, donating or having another Scania related idea, then i’m sure that Mr Billman will be interested to hear from you. All being well and it all goes to plan, hopefully the yellow beastie below may just turn up too and as for me well i’ll be arriving in a very nice (& loud) Tcab!

TB Polo Shirts

Posted on May 23, 2013 by truckbloguk

Who wants one?? Don’t all rush at once, but the more of you who email wanting one the sooner I can put an order in from the printer, I need 10 or more orders.

Based on a blue polo shirt, with the TB web address heat seal printed across the shoulders and the TB sticker design on the front breast and left arm. Sizes for now are simply S – M – L – XL. Price will be £15 each including standard UK postage, anyone outside the UK please ask for a shipping price.

If your interested, please email me: ben@truckblog.co.uk

New Volvo FH Bling-Fest

Posted on April 25, 2013 by truckbloguk

Hot off the press straight from Volvo Trucks UK for all your shiny lovers and show goers:

“With sales riding high, the new Volvo FH and FH16s will be in the spotlight on the Volvo Trucks stand (adjacent to the grandstand) at Truckfest Peterborough on 5th and 6th of May this year. Visitors will be able to check out the top spec interiors on the Globetrotter XL cabs and try out the seats for size as the cabs of all eight trucks on parade will be available for viewing. Highlight of the Volvo Trucks display will be two top spec FH16-750 6×2 tractor units. Their specifications are fully loaded and include a host of accessories and options to aid driver safety, comfort and security (Personal Protection Package).”

“In addition to the top-of-the-range FH16-750s, Volvo Trucks is showcasing five other new FH tractor units. As well as four 6x2s, the display also includes a 4×2 tractor. The latter is equipped with Volvo’s D13C, 13-litre engine rated at 500hp and – like the other trucks on display – Active Safety+, Audio Advanced (with sub-woofer) and the innovatory Parking Climate System. Volvo Trucks and Dealer staff will be on hand to answer questions and help visitors to the stand. Special prices on a wide selection from the Volvo Trucks merchandise collection will also apply during the show. The Volvo Trucks merchandise counter on the stand will be open during show hours.”

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