More Un-Seen Blasts from The Past from The Cannon

Posted on February 24, 2012 by truckbloguk

……Peter Cannon that is, of Astran fame. Peter has been sending through a few of his favourite photo’s from his years at Astran.

Some of you will recognise this photo. Taken in Pakistan on the far side of the Khyber Pass, another version of this photo, taken a bit to the left, features in the Astran almanack, The Long Haul Pioneers. If you haven’t already bought one, you do need a copy so get buying. Speaking of the Khyber Pass, here is a great shot of the perfect place for bandito’s to hide!

While we’re on the Pakistani tourism desk, this is a great shot of what was then called the Attock Bridge. Being the inquisitive chap that I am, I got onto the Google Map and finally found the bridge. These days its now called The Old Bridge as there is a new modern bridge to cope with the greater flow of traffic I guess.

Next in the unseen archive is Astran driver John Frost, shovel in hand, having just fitted the snow chains to one of the pink ladies. I’m not to sure where this is, but i’m sure some of you will know. **28/02/12 – Admin: I have since learned that this is actually one of Gordon Pearces photos.**

These 3 photos are all of AMY 147H, Peter’s regular truck. All taken at various places across Turkey. A hard working girl was AMY, she certainly got around and did her bit to get Astran the name they achieved. Not having my copy of LHP to hand, I think I am right in saying she was the first Astran truck to go to Pakistan. I’ll check that when I get home!
Perhaps AMY 147H, a Scania 110, is a good candidate for the next model in the Astran series of Tekno models?? If you agree, leave a comment below. In fact if you have a suggestion for the next model in the series leave your ideas in the comments box and i’ll make sure Kevin at Astran gets to see them all.
Thanks again to Peter Cannon for the photo’s hopefully there will be more to come. If you have any of your own photos you want to share on the blog, then email me at ben@truckblog.co.uk

Oman its a Scania

Posted on February 21, 2012 by truckbloguk

This is one of those quick news blogs that I thought you lot might just be interested in and also is pretty quick for me to publish. Sorry to say its another Scania, but I also just quite liked the photo!

The following info came with the photo as part of the Scania Press Release;

“In December of last year Scania launched V8 trucks in Oman for the first time, and recently, the first one was sold in the Arab country. The customer, heavy lift transport company Sinan Heavy Lift LLC, will use its new V8 to move heavy loads and transport its cranes, which have up to 1,000 tons of lift capacity. “This is the first R-series V8 ever sold within the region”, says Robert Hughes, Sales Manager, SATA LLC (Scania Trucks & Buses). “This increases the offering and range of vehicles currently being sold in the Gulf. Scania has just received new orders for two more V8 trucks: A second truck to Sinan Heavy Lift LLC and one to Mobilift & Partners LLC.”

Scania – Big Black & Moody!

Posted on February 15, 2012 by truckbloguk

Here you go driver, here’s you new motor, A LHD Scania R730 V8………….No not really, I think I was day dreaming again. I have a friend who goes by the name of Mick Moody, some of you may know him. He is a trucking legend (I said trucking) in his own right and well known of the international fridge circuit for running a smart fleet across the water. These days he has relaxed back into buying and selling a few top quality trucks. If you go to the Moody International website you get 2 options, the haulage side or the used trucks side, but I accept no responsibility for leading you into the used truck side as I don’t want you lot rying to sue me for damage to your wallets.

Mick often send me pics of some of the beasties he has for sale but usually i’m not quick enough to get them on the blog before they are sold, so today is the today. If this is already sold by the time I publish this (9am Wednesday) I will eat the proverbial hat!!

This beautiful piece of Swedish engineering is up for sale and at just 13 months old is probably just coming into herself. I don’t need to give you too much sales blurb as the photos say it all really. The few details you will want to know are; Jan 2011 60 Plate, Left Hand Drive, 56,000 Kilometres on the clock, 2 Peddle Opticruise, Scania Griffen Enhancement Pack, finished by Mr Moody adding the comment “She’s the dogs danglies!” I have to say I totally agree. Its just a shame that Mick didn’t accept my first offer of 2 bags of chips and 2 truckblog stickers as an exchange!

If you are seriously interested in this truck, please get onto Moody International sharpish as i’m sure it won’t be around for long. Mick’s email address is; mick@moodyinternational.co.uk – I’m off to find lots of things to sell.

If Anyone Can, Cannon Can!!

Posted on February 12, 2012 by truckbloguk

This is one of the few photos I have that were taken by my relation, the late Dick Snow. I often wondered who that is walking in the shorts, until the other week I had no idea. I received an email from a Peter Cannon, a well known name to most of you Middle East trucking fans. Peter was one of Astrans original drivers and also went on to be transport manager for the now legendary transport company. Peter said; “The “tall chap” walking towards the camera beside a line of Astran trucks is me!!! JAN 774K was Snowys Scania 1st in line, then mine AMY 147H with the taller trailer. don`t know the 3rd one possibly WLO 95G.”

Being ever the faithful blogger I was delighted to hear from Peter, as I am delighted to hear from any of the men that were the original Long Haul Pioneers. I asked Peter if he felt like it, would he mind sending me a few unseen photos, as he had contributed quite a bit to Ashley Coghills book. Being a true knight of the road, Mr Cannon has been very obliging and has sent over these brilliant pics. The photo email stated a very true, but probably unstated statement; “Unfortunately at times of drama in the mountains in the snow there was never time or opportunity to mess around taking photos consequently there are very few photos of the real hairy bits but several posed ones!!” I hadn’t thought of it before, but it is probably very true. In the good old days it was far more important to help your fellow drivers out of a sticky situation, rather than the modern trend of videoing it on your mobile to stick on Youtube or You’ve been framed!!

The following photo was quite significant as Peter thinks this is him offloading in Kuwait on the 1st trip there in probably 1970.

As per the photo in The Long Haul Pioneers book, this is another shot of AMY147H crossing yet another river in Turkey. I wonder if a modern camera would give so much detail, just look at the steam coming off the brakes!

And finally for this little installment, is this photo of AMY in Pakistan. Peter said: “AMY outside the Marriot hotel in Islamabad Pakistan on the 1st trip there. The hotel has been featured on the tele` recently as militants have set off bombs there !!!!!”

These photos are just brilliant, please respect that they are Peter Cannons own photos. I can’t thank Peter enough. If you or anyone you know has an equally good collection of such nostalgic trucking then do feel free to email me, ben@truckblog.co.uk and i’ll publish them here on the blog for all to see and share the tales. Thanks Peter, I hope there is more to come.

Manton European Freezer Freight Part 9

Posted on February 7, 2012 by truckbloguk

I can’t quite believe we have made it to Part 9 of this, seemingly popular mini series. Mantons first appeared here on the blog, as I photographed one their Scania 143 on my childhood Industrial Estate in Braintree, Essex. Since the 21st February last year I have received a continual flow of Manton related info and photos. Contributers include one Dave Manton and a number of ex-Manton drivers, including Tim Speight and now I’ve had contact with Dave Peirson. Mr Peirson says he worked at Manton from 1986 and was there for about 3 years. In this time he was lucky enough to pilot the Scania above and below, F917 CUM, from new. Although having checked the DVLA vehicle checker, it says that F917 CUM was first registered 13/02/1989 which would have been near the end of Dave Peirsons 3 years at Mantons, although this is perfectly plausable of course. As it goes the DVLA checker also says that this truck has been out of road tax since 02/02/2004 so where is she now? According to the checker she hasn’t been exported. Do you know of her where abouts?? email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave a comment.

The photo above was taken at Levante Beach, Benidorm, Spain. Mr Peirson said that they were “Parked up waiting to load.” You can’t deny that they are parked up, but i’m not so sure that parking on the beachfront was the only option, although back in the gold old days of International Trucking, there was no vehicle tracking so you could go where you liked and in all honesty most boss’s wouldn’t be bothered if you parked up on the beach or not, if you were parked up for a few days. Afterall the romance (GW) of the job were these far flung places across Europe. I know where I would have parked! I’m sure that Dave Manton falls into the easy going catergory. This photo actually unlocks another piece of the Manton puzzle. Back in Part 6 top Manton photographer Neil Jarrold sent a photo of a blue Scania pulling a Manton fridge. The truck was liveried as “Reiblein International” and that was all I knew, but now, thanks to Dave Peirsons email, the mystery has been unravelled. The email simply says; “In the back ground, in just the shorts, is Joe Reiblein also from Wetherby who also drove for Mantons before getting his own truck.” There you go. The photo of Reibliens truck obviously dates after this one, perhaps on this very trip Reiblein decided that he’d become an owner driver, who knows!

The next 2 photos Dave Peirson sent are a stark reminder to everyone, that while we all love trucks and driving (you do otherwise you wouldn’t have read this far!), the dangers of the job can easily be forgotten untill some thing like this happens;

Shiny truck rolling through France heding for the land of straw donkeys one day, not so shiny truck rolled onto its side the next. Not nice. Luckily for this driver he escaped with bumps and bruises. Dave Peirson says; “This driver had a mishap on his way to Spain. He was ok though. Can`t remember exactly where it was but I think it was south of Tours, France. I had to pick driver up on my way back from Spain.”

Were you part of the Manton dynasty? Have a tale to tell or a photo to share of these lovely green trucks from Yorkshire? Then get emailing; ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave your comments below. Thanks to Dave Peirson for his imput and I hope he has some more to offer.

HELP Finding: Scania 111 – Reg: XDH 849S

Posted on February 5, 2012 by truckbloguk

This week at blog HQ I had an email from Danny Harrison. He is trying to find out where his dad’s truck XDH 849S ended up or what happened to it after its life at BJ Adams. The truck was a Scania 111, sleeper cab, 4×2 tractor unit. Danny say’s his dad, George Harrison (no not that one) drove XDH 849S for about 5 years in the early 1980’s, but the last time they saw the truck was in Maidstone, Kent some time in the 1990’s.

Danny went on to give me the following info, in the hope someone out there can shed some light on what happened to the old girl;

“My Dads name was George Harrison and he and his mates, Johnny Edmonds, Keith Farrow, Eddie Childs all ran out of the Ruberiod Brimsdown, Enfield. It was in the early Eighties. He worked through BJ Adams and Graham Markham. Lots of work was to Cundell Corrugated in Chelmsford, loads of rolls of paper to them from Ruberiod then reload from Cundell with waste paper to Norwich Corrugated or Wormages in Norwich. Or they’d take paper to Louth, Reeds I think, then backload of steel from Scunthorpe to Murex in Waltham Cross. Yes I did spend every non school day with my old man at work.”

Can you help Danny and George? If you know of this truck, Scania 111, reg no XDH 849S, where it is, where it went or who may have owned it after BJ Adams, then please leave a comment, or email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk

Hopefully Danny is going to email me some more of these classic old photo’s from his early years bunking off, sorry when he was off school. Who’s is the Seddon Atkinson Borderer??

Big CAT’s & Big V8’s

Posted on January 31, 2012 by truckbloguk

Those lovely yellow CAT machines need a good start in life, just like any little kitten does, so the boys at Ascroft Transport from Tarleton, Lancashire only use the best trucks to get them delivered. The latest edition to the fleet are 2 brand new identical Scania R560 V8’s, both are 6×2 midlifts with the Topline cab and factory fitted airhorns. The trucks have also been jazzed up with a visit to Kelsa to fited out with no less than 4 light bars. The black Scania’s have a rear facing Kelsa Bakbar and front facing Lobar, Visorbar and Beaconbars, all of which can be found on the Kelsa website for what ever your make of truck. As it goes Kelsa do sell to countries outside the UK, so ask them for a price to ship to where ever you are.

Ascroft run a mainly Scania fleet, but also have Volvo and DAF too. Usually the fleet colour is blue, but due to contractual agreements, a few trucks are operated in CAT’s black and yellow colours. Running in a top customers colours is fine untill you want to reload from your customers competitors, then I guess it can be a little tricky. I’m not sure if CAT signed up to have the V8 Scania’s pulling their machines but at least the V8’s do purrrr along, so it probably just adds extra feline effect!!

Variations on a Theme

Posted on January 24, 2012 by truckbloguk

I couldn’t resist but have a look for a few more video’s of this gorgeous French Scania T-cab. In my opinion these beautiful show trucks always look better out on the open road working. I think it gives you a better indication of a good looking truck, if it still looks the nuts when its working then its better than those trucks look good when they have had 2 days cleaning and prepping in the build up to a show, at the end of the day trucks are built to work. Crikey! I got a bit deep there for an early morning!! Enjoy the videos.

Come on Lottery Ticket………

Posted on January 20, 2012 by truckbloguk

Cracking Scania Longline. Only thing with such a cracking Black and Chrome theme, why is the trailer lettering in Gold?? Still I wouldn’t make my compliant public!

Manton European Freight Part 8

Posted on January 8, 2012 by truckbloguk

Notice how I have deleted the Freezer part out of the title? That’s because this blog is(Part 8.) not just about Manton’s Freezer trucks. For those of you who don’t know or haven’t read the previous 7 parts. Manton’s were a family firm from Yorkshire who ran a very smart fleet of mainly Scania’s across Europe delivering all types of egg product’s, mainly in frozen powder form. If you search in the search bar to the right for Manton, you should bring up the previous blog’s. This particular part of the series is a bit of a bumper edition. Starting with the elusive and rather fetching Renault Magnum…….

One thing I have not asked Mr Manton is whether this Magnum was the one and only on the fleet? Can you help? I know there was a Magnum, but by the serious lack of photographic evidence, there can’t have been more than a few if that. From the photo we can see it is an “M” reg which means it was new in 1994, according to the DVLA it was first registered on 8th August 1994 and it has not been taxed since 31st November 2006. I have no idea what horse power it was although 385hp were popular I think a 4??hp of some sort would be more likely. The other interesting thing about this truck is it’s a Tag axle. This makes it really quite a rare beast, not just for Manton, but in general. If you know any more about this truck in Manton guise or in it’s afterlife if it had one, please email me or leave a comment. This photo was taken in Spain or Italy.

Another photo of the Magnum, pulling a tanker, a surprise to me too! I had no idea that there was a tanker fleet too. Mr Manton tell’s me; “The tankers were carrying liquid egg to North Italy, then we used to reload apple juice ex Gleisdorf in Austria to Bridgewater“. Below is another photo of one of the tanker fleet. This time a very tidy 20ft tank-tainer on a 30ft skelly trailer being pulled by a twin wheel tag axle flat top 3 series Scania. Brilliant.

The next photo is of a 143 and a 113 Scania loading fruit in Southern Spain for the UK.

Next up a classic trio of V8’s waiting to leave the UK for sunnier shores.

What a line up! How on earth would you pick which one of the 3 legendary V8’s you’d want to drive for a run to the sun?! Mr Manton said; “I found out where the 3 truck’s were….. Plymouth!! All waiting to ship out to Santander, loaded with seed potatoes from Scotland, for delivery to McCains factory in Burgos, Spain. We did a lot of these, and on arrival at the factory, you were then sent to 3 or 4 deliveries to farms around N.Spain.” The 143 Topline Scania in the middle, K414 KNW, is actually the truck that started this whole 8-Part-and-counting story. I spotted this truck in the 1990’s on my local Industrial Estate in Braintree, Essex. To read Part 1 of the story just click HERE.

Last in this mammoth Christmas Annual sized edition of the Manton story, is this photo of a Manton tilt. Another first for my Manton Knowledge book, along with the tankers. This photo was accompanied by this text; “I found this one, of one of our tilts. One of the first 13.6 metre tilts in the UK. We used to run plastic to rome and reload at the same place with plastic bags.”

Thanks to Dave Manton for his continued photo hunt for us all to enjoy. Hopefully the story will continue, so if you have anything to add please email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk or leave a comment. Also do you know of and ex Manton driver by the name of Graham “Walter” Lavington? I am reliably told he has a huge collection of Manton photo’s!!

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