Category Archives: Photos

Manton European Freezer Freight Part 2

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After asking if any of you out there had any info about this relatively unknown to me company, as I’m beginning to find i can trust in my readers! I had this cracking response from ex Manton’s driver Tim Speight.
The email read as follows;
Hi Ben,
I worked for Mantons in 1993 to ’95, as a fitter. I am also a close friend of the family. They operate from just outside Harrogate in North Yorkshire. Was run by two brothers until about 2000 and ran approx 30 trucks and trailers including a couple of tankers. Most of the fleet were Scanias, moved on to a couple of Renault Magnums too! They also had a cold store next to the A1 near Knaresborough. Think they only have 3 or 4 on the go now and only one brother running the outfit. If my memory serves me, I actually double manned this unit to Moscow in ’94, with frozen dried egg powder for a bakery out there, this run was done once a month, 17 day round trip and in those days, Russia was just splitting up and was full of bandits, hence the double manning, not stopping once over the border. Brings back memories and I still see the other brother quite often. Thanks for a great photo,
Regards
Tim

Tim you are a top man!! Now here’s a challenge can any one provide more pictures and for a big old pat on the back, can you furnish the UK’s top truck blog (view of Mr Ben Sheldrake not necessarily of any one else any where!) with a picture of a Mantons Renault Magnum???
My only picture response was from Neil Jarrold of www.euro-wheels.com . Neil has a picture of every truck that has ever driven on a UK road (well…..so it seems!) these 2 were snaped in Dover back in the late 80’s early 90’s i should think. If you have a spare day or 2 head over to www.euro-wheels.com and see what you can find.
www.euro-wheels.com
Picture is Copyright of Neil Jarrold.

That DAF Tanker?

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Open your brains, cast them back a few years and set to DAF. This tanker was always going the other way, it always seemed to be one step ahead. I think i only ever had the pleasure of following it the once, when i took this picture, usually i had to enjoy the work of art in my mirrors! This was a 4×2 DAF Super Space Cab, a bulk liquid tanker with polished tank, hazchem boards and general international sticker/signage. The picture on the back was of some sort of industrial scene, with silhouettes of factories and chimneys. Ringing any bells yet? I am hoping that one of you will be able to shed some light on this ‘ere truck, if you know any thing or have more pictures, then please email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk
That Tanker Take 2

From Big Trev Himself

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Having a few emails from Trevor Dodwell on other matters so i thought i’d give him the wonderfull opportunity of contributing to the best truck blog in the world (this one not BigLorryBlog!). He says he will send more but sent this cracker to start with. Trevor’s legendary 143 Streamliner, one of the best and last fully Astran liveried trucks. Not only was the truck a beauty to drive but Trevor say’s the trailer had all the bits and bobs you need for driving the long dusty roads to the Middle East. He say’s “The trailer’s extra accessories included: Angle fridge, full fitted kitchen with running water and diesel capacity on the whole vehicle is 2,100 litres to fill it up in Saudi cost less than a hundred pound.!” Thats a £100 total not per litre like it is here currently!! Great pic Trev, keep sending them…….
Trevor Dodwell

Manton European Freezer Freight

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This beauty was spotted one evening on Springwood Industrial Estate, Braintree back in the 1990’s. This must be, along with the F12 Globetrotter, one of the all time greats of European Trucking! Just look at her sitting there enjoying the evening sun after another hard days work. After market fuel tanks, tag axle, 420hp V8, 2 yes just 2 spot lights and just enough dirt to make her look well worked. Other than that does anybody know any thing else about this lot?? I have no idea about them at all, i dont even know where they are from, email me ben@truckblog.co.uk . So much of a european legend is this old girl i think she will have to be added to our transport company of classic trucks.
Manton's 143 - Braintree

Delamode International

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I remember a few years ago in Braintree, this company started expanding rapidly with their own fleet of vehicles. I think they ended with 5 or 6 Iveco Eurostars all with matching stepframe garment trailers. Mainly running to Romania the trucks always appeared after a few weeks filthy dirty. As my dads warehouse was opposite and he had tractor units sat all day that were used on night trunk duties, Delamode used to borrow a unit for shunting duties, unless one of these Iveco’s were back. I often used to wander over to watch them being loaded and unloaded. The loading bay was on an old warehouse and not a proper bay at all there fore it wasn’t easy to get square enough to get the garment loading rail into the trailer, so one day at the age of 16ish i was challenged to get the truck on the bay. This was my effort, not great but it was square enough to get it loaded. Yes i was chuffed!!
Delamode
I know i have never been much of a fan of Iveco, but these Eurostars did have the “Well Worked International Truck” look about them. They seemed to suit the TIR stepframes or the rental tilts (proper tilts Rich!).
Delamode
Eastern European Express!! Indeed it does look like that. I know i never used to hear great stories about people working for Delamode or subbies pulling for them, but i used to love these trucks coming in, wondering where they had been and what they had been upto (glad i didnt know!) but they deffinatly had the old fashioned Romanace of the long distance lorry driver!! Nowadays as you’d expect all the trucks that come to Braintree are Romanian registered. I seem to remember Delamode having a lovley old Scania 143 that was only in town once a year, does any one have a picture? i seem to remember it being in a magazine once. Email me at; ben@truckblog.co.uk
Delamode

Bowse(r) That!!

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A couple more interesting shots of fuel Bowsers from the Roving Reporter. You’d never have guessed there are so many different bowsers about. These 2 are both different again.

This first one is of a very well loaded Mercedes SK looks old and the tyres look flat at the bottom! Perhaps they have just been slashed by local rioters. Picture taken in Cairo, Eqypt.
Fuel Bowser's
This second one is taken in Marakesh. It looks like one of those old bonnetted Renaults, but i can’t be certain. Any ideas what it is?? Email me, ben@tuckblog.co.uk or leave a comment below.
Fuel Bowser's
……………just a thought is it an Iveco???????

Model Polizei

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As all of you international drivers know the German Polizei are very keen to introduce themselves to you. Even in small scale it seems lorry drivers have no escape from the Polizei. These pics were taken by the Roving Reporter whilst working hard in Germany last week (well that’s what he told his lovely wife!). During a few hours off he made the trip to Miniatur-Wunderland in Hamburg. The place is the world’s largest HO Scale / 1/87 scale Layout in the world. From railways, to waterways to carnivals and roadways there is a bit of every thing to look at. Most interestingly are the road scenes obviously.
Some of the trucks actually move around the layout as you can see in the pics. The Wagon & Drag in the top pic is well loaded heading up the hill as you can see, only to get to the top of the hill and come to a standstill where 2 of the German fuzz have pulled over a car transporter, probably just to look at the cars on the load!! Typical but oh so realistic. Like i say its not all trucks but if your ever in Hamburg with a spare couple of hours its surely worth a visit, i want to go! So many models doing all sorts of things, lots of Wiking and Herpa models were used and all to great effect. Lets just hope some where there are some Coppers pulling over an Eastern European with a dodgy truck and no tacho records!!
Roving Reporter!
Roving Reporter!
Roving Reporter!

Roving Reporter is Back

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My good friend the Roving Reporter has been away for a while, out about gather stuff for the blog no doubt. A recent trip to  Tampere, Finland found this out old girl ready and waiting to refill the Roving Reporter’s trusty winged steed. This is a cracking old Volvo N10 Turbo, a rare beast in itself, let alone being a plane refueler. I guess Scandinavia is the one place you would find a rare Volvo! Looks in good nick and as with all these refuelers its probably only done a hand full of miles. Note the Michelin Man on the sun visor. Hopefully the Roving reporter will be back again soon with some more well kept trucks from the airport’s of Europe.
Roving Reporter!
Roving Reporter!
And how about this cracking old Mercedes that can be found in Arricefe, Lanzarote. I think we have had a picture of it before but it is well worth seeing again, it really is mint!! Looks like another terrible day, every day is a sunny day for a pilot!
Roving Reporter!
Roving Reporter!

Wilson’s 141 Back on The Road

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So you have an important delivery to an important customers country home in darkest Sussex. You have an aging Scania 124 that is in need of some tlc or you have a show condition 141 that is always keen to leave the warmth of its shed to put a few more km’s on the clock, oh and you are the boss of said company, which vehicle do you opt for??
141 ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Its starts on a misty morning in Suffolk, fire up the trusty V8, wait for the customer to turn up in his Ford Cortina, load up the Yorkie Bars, on with the vests and fake tattoo’s, unwind the keep fit widows and off you go!! Sorry i got carried away there for a minute………………he drives a 3 series BMW.
As it was a bit of a one off trip i thought i better give it a bit of my time, so after checking where said truck was on the tracker, i decided to follow the old girl from the Dartford Bridge down to Junction 5 on the Highway Agencies camera’s, excellent use of government resources.
EGV 565T on The Road Again!
EGV 565T on The Road Again!
EGV 565T on The Road Again!
EGV 565T on The Road Again!
After the trundle round the M25 the delivery to Sussex lived up to the hype and provided an excellent back drop for a few photo’s just a pitty the sun didn’t break through.
141 ON THE ROAD AGAIN
141 ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Who messed up the gravel??
Surely the best classic working truck in Europe?? Can you prove other wise? email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk  just to prove he’s still got it the big boss man GW drove the old girl home with out the clutch as an original 30 year old pipe went on the way home, i bet you couldn’t do that in a new £120,000 R620! After the reload at Tilbury it was back to the yard. All in all i wish there were more classic trucks on the road like this, it may go some way to getting over not being able to drive them in anger back in the 1970’s (i was born in 1979!).