Lady Louise is a Real Western Star

Posted on August 30, 2011 by truckbloguk

Here we go with a good old reminisce!! Now if you are a regular facebooker and are part of the mighty www.euro-wheels.com gang or a friend of the man behind it Neil Jarrold, you’ll be aware that a certain Lady has been back on the scene. Now when I was a boy growing up around trucks, vans, forklifts and every thing else that goes with a father who ran an ANC franchise (now FedEx UK) from 1982, one of the original 11 depots who started nationwide, you soon grow an interest on where you spend your evenings and weekends. Much like the Wilson brothers I now work for. During these early years my Dad did every thing he could to make sure I enjoyed every minute of it, probably as he could tell I was interested and yes I do blame my upbringing on my now unhealthy obsession for trucks!!
Back When ANC started alot of the franchisee’s already had existing business, such as Wyvern Cargo and Geoff Byfords own, Byfords Cargo Express (not sure if I have the name right?). My dad always told me bits an piece’s about Mr Byford. Imagine my excitement when I was told Geoff was behind CDC, where I used to spend my pocket money on cab flags and mini scarves! Then the old chap told me that Geoff had bought an American truck. I couldn’t wait to see it.
This is it, probably one of the first photo’s of Lady Louise in the UK before she became Lady Louise. I think it was only a week or 2 after she had arrived, My parents went upto Geoff’s place in Barrow (where CDC still are), for what I seem to remember was some sort of ANC meeting perhaps, other wise I can’t really see why else my mother went!!

Not long after the truck was sent off to the paint shop to be prepared for a good few years fund raising, even appearing on the well loved childrens programme Blue Peter. Now if Geoff is reading this, you’ll have to correct me if i’m wrong. I think I travelled up to Lady Louise’s 1st Truckfest on the Friday before, actually in the truck with Geoff at the helm. Now if this is the correct year or not i’m not sure, but my Dad and I had an early start and I was having the Friday off school, that wouldn’t be allowed now!! We went off to Barrow in Suffolk to meet up with Geoff. From there Geoff said I was riding with him and my dad followed us up to Peterborough in the car. From then on it was a great day. TV shoots, photo shoots, everyone waving. Ending up with parking Lady Louise in one of the cow sheds at the show ground and I insisted to my Dad that we couldn’t leave until I had given her a wipe down with a polishing cloth. After that it was a summer of rolling posters for Geoff to take to all the shows he and the truck went too. Any way enough of my reminiscing trip, here are a few of my Polaroid photo’s of the day. Even now she looks great!

I’m not sure who this dodgy haircutted character is!!

Actually seeing that photo, must mean I took some of my own photo’s, seeing as I was carrying some form of a camera, no idea where they are though!!

When Will My Lotto Numbers Come Up?!?!?!??

Posted on August 7, 2011 by truckbloguk

The more I traipse through the never ending trucks for sale, the more I want my bloomin numbers to hurry up and come in!! Just enjoy these pics, a lovely V8 Scania T580.

Activ Cars Spezialtransporte, Achim, Bremen

Posted on July 25, 2011 by truckbloguk

Right here we go again. Those who know me will know that i am not one to give up on some thing I want. Now for a good while I have been trying to get more photo’s and info about this lot as they don’t have a website. I did email them once and i did get a good reply with a couple of yard photo’s, but as you have guessed I want to get more of both! Activ Cars operate out of Achim, Bremen, Germany. They have a good looking fleet of Mercedes, mainly Atego’s. Perhaps my new friends at Mercedes Benz UK can even get in on the detective trail, surely there are some German colleagues you can contact?? Activ travel all over the continent and even regularly come to the UK. The main stay of there work seems to be for Airbus, delivering parts to manufacturing plants, such as Frankfurt, Toulouse and Broughton near Chester.

Now, I have done an appeal before for your spots as you go about your daily drives, and we did get a couple of spots, one at Killingholme Dock and another up the M6, possibly heading for Broughton. I am going to try my luck by emailing the email address I have and hope the staff at Activ Cars don’t ignore my email. Now this is where you lot come in, while i’ll do the emailing, I need you lot to keep your eyes peeled and send me any photos you manage to get of Activ Cars mini artics on the road. Ideally one of you will find an Activ truck parked up and you can ask the driver to email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk or via the Truckblog Facebook Page. In fact who ever send’s in the best NEW photo of one of these trucks, will win a www.truckblog.co.uk sticker. In my previous searches I even put a thread on trucknetuk.com and did get some response, but i have renewed this Mini German Artic thread in the hope it too might get some new feedback.

Just look at the backdoors, they have a lovely gap at the bottom for a nice new Navy Blue truckblog sticker! The detective work starts now, so best bi-nock-u-lars on and get detecting my loyal spotters. Hopefully now we have a load of new European friends reading the blog we may be able to spread the hunt further and wider than before and we may even get some results. Just imagine if an employee of Activ Cars got to hear about the search, they might email me direct!! Remember my email address is ben@truckblog.co.uk

Bonnie Scania for Bonnie Scotland

Posted on July 21, 2011 by truckbloguk

…….and you wont find a better one! Remember I was the owner of a rather nice, plain classic Scania 141. Lovely. When I was the owner I did get a lot of comments about how nice a truck it was and how smart she looked. I tried to keep her in tip top condition but I can not and have no intention of telling you any thing but she is in even better condition now with her new owner, both in appearence and mechanically. I think it is fair to say I am very jealous and at the same time very pleased with what John Scott has done with said truck. I think really he has achieved what i couldn’t due to, er, er well due to funding shall we say! John is the owner of JST Services from Ayr, Scotland. He is a top man and clearly loves his trucks. When i saw the Volvo F16 he owns i knew the 141 was going to an excellent new home. Look at her now.

Looks good. I’m not the only one who is impressed. The judges at the recent Ayr Road Run were also so impressed they awarded John and the 141 1st Prize. The next show visit will be to Truckfest Scotland and hopefully one or 2 shows further South. When I sold her to Mr Scott she had been sat in the shed for a year and we were both unsure of what toll this had had. As we all know old trucks aren’t good at sitting in sheds and not being used. It seems that the sitting about probably caused some sort of overheating problem, but also i was shocked when John told me the truck had no thermostat, yes i did fall off my chair!! Along with the bits and pieces that did need doing John did other bits and pieces that weren’t essential but made the truck into a “like new to drive” machine that it is now. I had always wanted to give the gearbox the once over, but here is the extensive list of renovations that have been done;

Engine was overheating, after investigation found no thermostat in it, but the real problem was the 141’s have to be filled with water from the bottom which was then done and a new t’stat fitted.
Injectors all removed and serviced
Oil pressure checked
New gearknob
Various new ball joints and pins in gearlinkeage.
Renew off-side rear spring hanger and pin.
Renew two air valves that were leaking.
Remove rearwings and fit plastic with Scania emblem mudflaps.
MOT
Fit UK style tachograph.
All oils changed and filters.
Fit two new trackrod ends
Adjust clutch, not clearing gears.
Fit new door rubbers.
Fit fog and reverse lights.
Make new catwalk and steps.
Fit paddy style headboard.
Fit 8 Cibie Oscar spotlights.
Fit Scania netal sunvisor.
Fit extra marker lights.
Split upright exhausts and remove baffles for extra Brum-Brummmmmmm.
Strip all rubber and glass and completely repaint.

You may have noticed the new gearknob. I have the scar on my right palm from where it broke…….I will treasure it!! As you can see she hasn’t been left wanting for any thing. Pleased to see the snow chains are still there though. Also i’m so so pleased that those ghastly chequer plate mudwings i had made have been binned.

I think i need to see her in the flesh and perhaps i may even be granted a drive???!! Just imagine the ggggrrrroooowwwlll now she is baffle free. Hopefully she may get a trailer one day. I think John could be in for a few more trophies. Looking at the 2 Gunnings Motors trucks you wouldn’t bet against it.

Also just for my own curiousity as i haven’t done this yet, here are both the before and after photos. I still prefer the new colour scheme!urio

If you see John and the truck out and about on the road or if you already have, then please email me the photo’s, ben@truckblog.co.uk

New Mercedes Actros Should be Oscar Nominated!

Posted on July 17, 2011 by truckbloguk

Ged it, ged it??? Actros, actress……my comedic talents are wasted on you lot!
I have been in contact with Mercedes Benz Trucks UK and thought it only fair a do a bit more on this gorgeous new truck. Just look at it………….. that’s all i’ve got to say!!

As you have probably already read else where this is a completey new range of trucks. Chassis, driveline, engines and cabs are all new. Mercedes are bringing in the new range under the premise “Trucks you can trust”. The basis of this is the amount of testing that has been done, supposedly more than any other all new truck. The new Actros has undergone 2600 hours of fine-tuning in the wind tunnel, 50 million kilometres of engine testing on test rigs and in real-life operation, and 20 million kilometres on the road. The foundations for development were laid as far back as ten years ago, and Mercedes-Benz has spent five years testing the components and the complete vehicle. During this time, the new Actros clocked up around 20 million kilometres on the road, including intensive customer driving tests. On top of this, there were extremely rigorous tests on test rigs, torture-track tests and a series of other extreme examinations. The real-life road tests covered all climatic conditions as well as extreme road conditions and gradients, ranging from an Arctic winter to an extremely hot desert climate. Real-life testing also included customer driving tests in the new Mercedes-Benz Actros.

I do love those test trucks. They are like a Hollywood superstar who doesn’t want to be noticed, so they wear a big hat, massive sunglasses and stand out like a sore thumb. They may as well just sign write the thing with new truck on test, ssssshhhhhhhhhh! Who is going to be the first to have this black and white eye night mare as a company livery?? Brilliant.

I sorry to say i’m not going to go into detail on the mechanical stuff, as I have never claimed to be mechanical in any way. Best to ask your friendly salesman as they will talk to you as if they know what they are talking about where as i won’t.
So onto the interior. Although you could claim that the interior does resemble the current Actros range, it is all new. I did hear that the trucks are using components and parts from the MB car range. There will be 7 new cabs in the range of which 5, yes 5, will have a completely flat floor, pretty impressive. Now as an ex Actros Megaspace owner, I can vouch for the comfort and space in the big cabs. The storage space was never more apparant than when the day came to empty the cab, it took me 2 car loads to clear all my gubbins out.

The seven cabs for the new Actros in detail are:
– The long ClassicSpace cab with a standard roof. 2.3 m wide, engine tunnel 170 mm. Headroom on the engine tunnel 1.46 m, in front of the co-driver’s seat 1.59 m.
– The long ClassicSpace cab with a standard roof. 2.3 m wide with a flat floor. Headroom on the engine tunnel 1.64 m.
– The long StreamSpace cab. 2.3 m wide, engine tunnel 170 mm. Headroom on the engine tunnel 1.79 m, in front of the co-driver’s seat 1.84 m.
– The long StreamSpace cab. 2.3 m wide with a flat floor. Headroom 1.97 m.
– The long StreamSpace cab. 2.5 m wide with a flat floor. Headroom throughout 1.97 m.
– The long BigSpace cab. 2.5 m wide with a flat floor. Headroom throughout 1.99 m.
– The long GigaSpace cab. 2.5 m wide with a flat floor. Headroom 2.13 m.

As i predicted on the blog a while ago there is going to be a GigaSpace cab, with a mind boggling volume of 11.6 cubic metres, a flat floor, 2.13 metres of headroom and more than 900 litres of stowage space. All that means to me and you is you will have more than enough room to swing the proverbial German cat! Mercedes say;

“At the heart of the interior is a concept which visually separates the easy-to-use cockpit from the comfortable living area using colour and geometric form. The functional area of the cockpit is finished in practical anthracite whilst the rear, ceiling and area around the co driver’s seat are appointed in a light almond beige colour.”

Along with all the other things you would imagine a new truck to have, including a top of the range, Mercedes Benz developed seat that is wider than the standard and incorporates a massage function……ooo-eerr!! In terms of height, the only thing that limits the new Actros is legislation: the previous MegaSpace cab is replaced by the spectacular GigaSpace cab, which opens up a new dimension in space. It is all but four metres high and, when it comes to spaciousness, trumps its predecessor by some 920 litres – almost a whole cubic metre. This extra space is reflected in a headroom of 2.13 metres throughout and a noticeably larger stowage capacity. The total volume of 11.6 cubic metres is a record for a European truck cab.

Just keep your grubby mits off those beige areas. Lovely as they are, i’m still not convinced they are a good idea in a working truck. As an owner driver i would and Mrs Truckblog would make sure it was kept clean. Saying that, all the area’s you are likely to be touching and standing in,all look to be black / grey coloured. Just not sure how the fleet trucks will fair after a few years on the road. But i have to say it does make for a lovely living area. You would struggle to haul yourself out of such a cab to go into oour crappy motorway services. Now here’s an idea, perhaps if your lucky enough to get one of these new cabs, you should park up and charge other drivers to come and enjoy your lovely new cab!! or better still perhaps Mercedes should take the new trucks to the plonkers who run our Motorway Services Area’s to show them what our drivers need to relax.
One new option you can spec is the “SoloStar Concept”. This gives a sort of corner sofa in the passenger side set back against the rear wall. Also as you can see below, there is what looks like a fold up/out table for you to sit and try to read up on the ever complicating drivers hours rules or some such!

Finally i’ll leave you with a cracking photo of this new truck. I hope that this wont be the last you here about it on the blog, as i’m hoping to have some more feedbck from Mercedes Benz them selves and you never know i may even get a test drive, well thats what i hope!! Good truck, sorry GREAT Truck, my predication and a fairly obvious one, this will be a clear winner in the Truck of the Year competition next time around.

Mini Artic Mercedes-Benz Removal truck

Posted on July 16, 2011 by truckbloguk

I know its officially a van, but this Mercedes Sprinter is such a cool looking thing and it does look like a proper mini artic, so under these circumstance’s i think it is allowed a VIP pass onto the blog. I came across it after our resident truck perv in the office (RF) came across it on perryolf’s page on flickr. I have to say there are a some excellent pics on his pages so if you have the time have a nose through, click HERE.

Originally uploaded by perryolf

Clearly Mercedes Benz

Posted on June 29, 2011 by truckbloguk

…..So there i was , wandering around Truckfest Peterborough when i came across this clear sided Atego on the Mercedes stand. Unfortunately it was uncomfortably surrounded by a set of railings that meant my photo’s were not good, much to my disappointment.

I was a little gutted that i couldn’t get a good shot, as with the beautiful SLS car in the back it should have a great photo. So as you can imagine i was a bit p’d off. Any way i forget now how he found out, but my cousin, Tim Andrew, a professional photographer with a world wide reputation i might add, sent me an email saying here have a look at these. Low and behold he had attached some of the photo’s he had taken while doing the official photo shoot for the press launch of “The Clear Idea.com“. So here you go enjoy these excellent professional photo’s. One day my photo’s will get better!! May i also just point out a few years back i too parked my Atego out side that beautiful building, the building being Mercedes head office in Milton Springsteen, sorry Milton Keynes (personal joke!).

www.theclearidea.com is a marketing idea that is based on having a clear sided box on the back of a truck. Mercedes Benz obviously liked the idea. Using the truck you can put an eye catching display of your product and drive it where ever you like, meaning in marketing terms thousands of potential consumers are seeing your goods and products driving past their eyes, and hopefully it’ll be so impacting you’ll reward them with a purchase! Not a bad idea as i really want one of those gorgeous cars!! As you can see by Tim’s picture below the clear side’s of the box are as clear as a clear thing, an aptly named idea i think. If you want to know more about the clear idea concept, click HERE.

Transam Trucking & Truckblog Rock

Posted on June 27, 2011 by truckbloguk

Another contributer hopefully signed up to Truckblog on the Move. The one and only Transam Trucking is now sporting the rare truckblog mark! Driver Mat Ireland is the named driver who doesn’t realise what he’s got himself into….sorry i mean is the lucky driver who is now part of the truckblog family. I’m hoping over the next few months we will get some interesting pics of this particular sticker enjoying its new rock n roll lifestyle!

I did actually hand Mat 2 stickers so you never know we might get another driver from Transam signed up aswell. Can you imagine, we might even get a passing pop/rock starlet passing the sticker while on tour……..In fact i’m not sure who the sticker is currently on tour with, Mat can you fill us in??
I was also quietly pleased that the sticker joins other famous stickers on the back doors of Mats trailer, Superfast Ferries and Minoan Lines, aswell as what i think is a PB Tank Cleaning sticker, yes another sad fact that i seem to know my truck stickers!!

If you drive the highways and byways of our Great Land or even Europe and beyond, email the blog and pledge your case and I may just send you a truckblog sticker too, if you have a worthy place for it that is. Below is an example of “Truckblog on The Move” on the back of an Astran trailer departing Kent for the Middle East. Also the same truck in the desert on it’s way. Unfortunately the rear view with the sticker in seemd to get lost in translation during the trip! Still you get the idea of “truckblog on the move”.

Variations on a Theme

Posted on June 22, 2011 by truckbloguk

I keep reading these articles they put in the magazines about the best way to take a truck photo. I always think it really comes down to personal preference, doesn’t it?? I took the following pics of a truck in the yard and thought I’d try a number of angles and now i don’t know which is the better pic. The subject had the sun overhead and just to one side and behind and the truck was parked in a straight line, so what do you do??? Here are my efforts………….

1) Standard, 45 degree corner shot, on the sunny side, looks good and shows the truck as you’d see it by eye.

2) Again standard, 45 degree corner shot, but on the slightly shady side, looks good and shows the truck as you’d see it by eye. I don’t think being in the shade is to bad, but again that’s my own preference. Most of the pro’s will tell you, you can’t take it on the shady side. Why not??

3) Sunny side, corner shot, from the ground truck pointing up. This gives the pic quite a good perspective, looks good this one i like it, a bit different from the norm.

4) Same as above but pointing down. Does this make it a different photo? I think it does give make it different, but not sure how!

Any way if you have a hint or tip for taking photo’s please share it with us all, leave you comments below. Hopefully we’ll all become pro’s and will be taking the perfect picture every time, then no one can moan, it’s not in the sun, it’s not this, it’s not that……… yes recently some one said one of my pics was no good as it was, i quote “Slightly shady”………what ever!!

Aston Clinton Haulage – Early 1970’s

Posted on June 19, 2011 by truckbloguk

Seeing as its father day……… Back in the early 1970’s before i was a twinkle in my parents eye, my dear Dad worked for Aston Clinton Haulage or ACH as they were known. Based in Aston Clinton Village, long before they moved to Aylesbury. I have often wondered who else knows any thing else about ACH at this time. When i put these on www.trucknetuk.com the photo’s which most people put on were all later liveried trucks, some were F88’s but again they were in a slightly later livery.

Cracking old ERF, i think the old man used to take her out on the road now again. Also note the lifting frame for loading. It seems in the early 1970’s not many people remember or were working at ACH, as i haven’t managed to get hold of or find anyone else who was there!! The only chap i know was there with my dad was Brian Soames, pictured below obviously in high spirits, perhaps it’s the snazzy coloured trailer!! I did manage to find out Brian was last seen working at Norbert Dentressangle in Leighton Buzzard. If you know of Mr Soames please ask her to get in touch. I do love this picture below. I can just see it now heading out of Calais, sleeper cabbed Scania, little GB box trailer full of Britains finest manufacturing, now that is the romance of the road! Is that one of those old Bedford vans in the background, or a Transit.

Now as you can tell from the pics New Holland were a big customer. Combines and balers were regular cargo for ACH and that is were my old man comes in. As far as i understand it, he was chief loader and warehouse man. Eventually my Dad came up with the idea of a frame to put on the flat trailers to enable the smaller balers to be double stacked, obviously after the below photo was talking. The balers don’t way anything so doubling the amount on a trailer wasn’t a problem, it just needed the initiative…………..it’s a pity it doesn’t seem to run in the family!!

I also remember dad saying that a regular Italian reload was washing machines. The chap that used to drive the Volvo below (no name I’m afraid), used to be one of those old legends, who liked to be home for his Friday night pint. Most weeks he’d head off to the continent with what ever the export cargo was, plenty of fags and cash for the Polizei, reload a full hand ball load of washing machines and be back in the yard in time for his pint. Oh The good old days!!

Lovely day cab 110 Scania, that was no doubt a European regular. Hopefully you lot may be able to give me some more ACH info, in my opinion the earlier the better. Please comment below or email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk

	David on Scania Centurions – The…
	Antdad on Renault AE Magnum = 1990-…
	Shu on Scania Centurion #86
	Alison sagar on Lady Louise
	truckbloguk on Centurions – Stand up

www.truckblog.co.uk

Email: ben@truckblog.co.uk

Category Archives: Photos