Category Archives: Truck Detective

Centurions – Stand up 

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Having spent the day yesterday with Richard Payne and having more than in depth run through on the 100 trucks, we have filled in a lot of gaps. 

Now are you a current Centurion owner?? Or did you own a Centurion at some point?? If so please please please can you substantiate your claim with a truck photo and a photo showing the Centurion badge thank you. 

DJ Ponsonby had, K7 DJP a 113 360 Topline Streamline but even Mike Ponsonby can’t remember what number it was. Any proof any where??

JR Smith from Tring were rumoured to have a Centurion reg number JES 200. Any proof any where??

I will be publishing the updated list this week. Although there are still queries but not many. 

Who’s Centurion and what number is this one?? 

 

Foden Keeping it in The Family

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When you work with a woman who’s name is Foden what would you expect her to send you photos of?? Yep my thoughts exactly, something with wheels and an engine. It turns out that she might not actually be related to the Cheshire family but she is aware of her potential family heritage, although a bit of extra training may be needed. Anyway whilst Miss Foden was out for a romantic stroll round a boat yard in Woodbridge, Suffolk yesterday she came across this old beast. Miss Foden is clearly not mistaken by the slightly jaded family badge on the front grill but I have my suspicions to what the crane actually is. Anyone got any ideas to who the manufacturer is?? No doubt one of you has. 

 

The crane is still is regular use at the boat yard but could use a polish up next your up there Miss Foden. Also spotted in the boat yard is this rather nice, tidy and probably these days rare AEC Mercury. I have no idea what this would be used for in a boat yard so I can only imagine it’s been parked and left. Anyway top spotting Foden, I look forward to your next walk!

If anyone has any info on either truck please feel free to comment below.

 

The Centurion Book

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What number Centurion is the above??

As some of you may know both Richard Payne and myself have been gathering information on the original 100 trucks that Scania GB released in 1991. Thanks to a lot of you truck buffs I have collated a lot of info but I could always do with more as we are still missing info on a lot of trucks and by that I don’t just mean there where abouts or what happened to them, but missing any info on the edition number at all. The original list I managed to lay my hands on was only a type-written list and was by no means anywhere near complete so there are lots of gaps and trying to find out what each blank edition number on the list is, is proving somewhat tricky, especially when the manufacturer themselves have no interest in the past what has made them into what they are today.

So to start with, can anyone shed any light what so ever on the following Centurions as we have no info, not even a model or cab type; 36, 37, 38, 39, 43, 54, 71, 72.

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Onwards….As you will all be aware there are what only can called fakes out there and although they are all gorgeous trucks, they are. But what I want someone like you to clarify is if any of the following info/rumours are true, untrue, or what ever. This is a list of trucks that may or may not be Centurions;

ROBERT BURNS  4X2 STANDARD R STREAMLINE  J282 GVV?
PETER ROFF  4X2 TOPLINE STREAMLINE  J5 ROF – DE-BADGED?
4X2 143 450  J50 GFB – A CURRIES EUROPEAN SUBBIE?
143 500 STANDARD R STREAMLINE  –  J79 RNS – CENTURION NUMBER?
DJ PONSONBY – K7 DJP – TOPLINE STREAMLINE  113 380?
GEORGE GREEN – J625 HOE – STREAMLINE R CAB  4X2  113 380?
CAMBRIAN PET FOODS –  J272 TRO – STANDARD R STREAMLINE?
AIG – J205 HGK 6X2  113 360?
JR SMITH, TRING – JES 200 – CENTURION?
J88 JBL – 143 450 6X2 – CENTURION?

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The next thing we will need for the book is at least one photo of every truck, that’s a minimum of 100 photos, which will be a fair challenge as there are at least the 8 trucks I mentioned earlier may or may not even have been produced. There are loads of photos out there and I know as well we you do which photos have been around for a while. What I need to see are the photos which aren’t quite so main stream on the internet, whether its on Trucknetuk, Facebook or wherever, if there is a photo that you think isn’t already out there please, please email me a copy. My email address is ben@truckblog.co.uk and also please free to use this email for everything else Centurion. The one truck I am desperate to find a photo of is #021. This is the one and only P-Cab Centurion. Reg number is J2 FFM, sold by Scania dealer Reliable of Renfrew, it was a 4×2 sold to a Mr Andrew Malcolm. The first photo will win a few TB goodies! Now there’s an incentive.

The actual book writing is underway and I hope that it will make a good read, but this will only be possible with the amount and quality of info we can find out. This is down to you. Email me, leave comments below or send me a message on multimedia, but if you know anything please share it, it could make a link.

 

Info Required Please….

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Anyone recognise this Scania jacket?? The owner of said jacket in New Zealand, yep New Zealand, is keen to learn a little more. I have to say I’ve not seen one like that before but I’m surprised Scania haven’t either! I’m sure their was a 1 series Scania jacket with pictures inside. Have a read of Matt Skinners email; 

“I am just wondering if you or your members would be able to help me. I have an old Scania Jacket which was given to me many years ago by a friend as a gift when I moved overseas. I believe he got it when he bought a new truck, as long as I knew him he was an owner driver. I would love to know more about it. It has never been worn. I have emailed Scania but they tell me they have no one there who would have worked there back then so can’t give me any information about it. I have attached a couple of pictures, it has the most amazing lining.”

  

From what I can see it’s a 2 Series jacket and I’m sorry but how arrogant can Scania be?! Why is it Scania still take no interest in their fans or the very heritage that has got them the name and reputation they have today? I think if they keep going as they seem to be they will be in danger of damaging that hard earned name. Any way can anyone shed any light on the jacket? I’m guessing it was a rather superior drivers jacket. Answers on a postcard or leave a comment below. Thank you. 

  

B.W.R. (Transport), Essex

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B.W.R. (Transport), Essex – who can tell us anything about this company? A friend of the blog and blog contributor for that matter, is busy writing a top secret book and needs a little help.  B.W.R. are a company that were photographed alot through the 1980’s as they ran what I think was an all/mainly Volvo fleet. These two photos were taking by David Scarff and I know David took a few more of the red, white and blue Volvos. The only clues about the company are they must have been based in or around Basildon and both trucks have a Basildon phone number on the cabs. Please leave a comment below if you can shed any light, or email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk 



Centurions – Missing in Action….

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Retro Truck Show 2013 (19)

A little while back the owner of #69 and the owner of #27 and myself (#35 or #89 or #90!) had an early morning get together at the Gathering of the Griffin for a full sit down update on where we are with tracking all 100 original Scania Centurions on, The Centurion List. Now the list itself is getting better and better and the information on all the trucks is growing all the time especially with things like the Scania Centurion trucks page on Faceache. Bearing in mind that I for one was a little jaded, the list run through took a couple of hours, although this could have been due to Neil Jarrold’s interruptions I’m not sure, anyway I will put up the updated list when I can remember how to publish it on here!

Having gone through the list we then got onto what could possible described as “the rumours” bit. A load of info we have but all pretty inconclusive so the best thing is to share it with you and hopefully once again you can fill in some of the blanks and knock some of the useless bits on the head.

Missing Centurions

Not sure how well you can see that but I hope you can. The Peter Roff truck is a very interesting case of Chinese whispers. We have a good idea of the story behind it but we would very much like to hear it from one of you that perhaps knew the Roff fleet or even drove for him at the time. The rest of the lines on the table (not those type!) are a rumour or unsubstantiated fact each, i.e. each line should refer to one truck. Please leave your feedback below as a comment or email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk. I think the Millar Transport truck MDZ 8140 is not a Centurion. I had a fairly good font of Irish knowledge say it wasn’t on the fleet and a second person commented that reg was on a BMW?! All this info you are giving will hopefully end up in a book all about the 100, so anything you can contribute is for the greater good of 3 series Scania lovers, any genuine info on any of the 100 trucks could be of use for that matter At some point I will need to gather high quality photos of each truck, now that will be a challenge!

Click on the link to see the updated Centurion list  – Scania Centurion List
(Updated 10/01/2015)

Retro Truck Show 2013 (4)

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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Where is she now??

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VRT 238X – where is she now I wonder?? I’ve been running through my last batch of photos from David Scarff an came across this delightful Scania. I know it’s a known truck and there are photos of it about but to me this is a cracker. It really gives a great example about the golden years of UK Continental trucking, the years when the trucks from the UK used to go everywhere. I think this Scania 142 was know for running to Hellas but in sure you’ll tell me better. I searched for it on the DVLA vehicle search and it says it’s not been taxed since 22nd September 1999 and it also says it’s not been exported (although I don’t believe that section of the search!). The colour is listed as multicolour too, so if she is still in the UK then who knows where about’s it is? Who was the last known owner? Any answers then leave them below please.

J777 RDF & J888 RDF

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You will or won’t know that Richard Payne, Dion Anderson and myself are busy trying to track and trace as many of the original 100 Scania Centurions as possible. Any info please email: centurion@truckblog.co.uk

In my book the two best Centurions were #89 and #90, both belonging to Ralph Davies International. Bother trucks were LHD 143 450hp 6×2 tag axle Topline Streamlines, perfect. You can’t get a better looking wagon! What I really want to do is find out as much about these two as possible when they were in use in the UK. Do you know any of Davies drivers who piloted either of these trucks? How far have either truck travelled across Europe and Asia? Any photos, contact info or information will be highly appreciated.

I know where J777 is now but no one knows where J888 ended up. An acquaintance of mine owned J888 after Davies but we’re not sure where it went after he had it. Again any help would be great. Email me or leave a comment below.

Photos are from Facebook groups but credit to the photographers!

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