Who’s was this old girl heading south on the A12 at Colchester just now?? Lovely old girl, had Isle of Man registration but was painted in a livery from Sandbach. Answers on a postcard……
Who on ERF??
Reply
Category Archives: Truck Detective
Norske MAN
A little black beauty that’s what it is! I want to see some more photos if any one can help? Haga Traffikskule looks like it is a driver training school (and the name would suggest that too!). The little MAN doesn’t make much of an appearance on the website so i’m guessing that it is only used for publicity and promotional stuff. Although I would like to think that it is used for driving training itself, who knows??
When I passed my Class 2 (Rigid) test it was in a Leyland Freighter with a 30ft flat bed body. My Class 1 (Articulated) test was done in a Renault Premium wagon and drag which was full length and just over 4.5m high! Just imagine if you could do your license in that dear little thing, easy peasy!!
Any way can some one tell me a little more and can one of you send me a few more photos of the little black beauty please? You know how a little big-cabbed TGL is my idea of the perfect truck, so come on bloggers you are my eyes and ears, do your stuff then email me the results; ben@truckblog.co.uk — Thank you
MAN Hunt
Seeing as you are all so good at this detective lark, here’s you next assignment. Many moons ago I had a delightful and bloody hardworking MAN 8.163 which you may have heard me talk about once or twice before. It was such a good truck I rely didn’t want to let her go but needs must and all that. So when we parted company I sold her to dealer, Paul Binns Commercials. From there she ended up being cut down to a flatbed and was then used by a subbie delivering wooden sheds and things for Walton Garden Products.
What I wanted to do was trace her life after her days on the sheds. I have checked the DVLA vehicle search and she hasn’t been taxed since 2008 and it says the truck has been exported. I’d love to track it down to where it was exported too, if its an island some where there’s a chance of finding it but if its Russia or something then there is no chance.
First things first, I need to speak with the Walton Garden Buildings subbie. I am told his name was Simon Wainwright and came from Nottinghamshire some where. If you know anything about the truck or Simons whereabouts please can you email me or leave a comment, I’d love to find her, even better I’d love to see her now. I have one man on the search but he is man that’s in the category of ex Walton drivers so I’m quite hopeful. If you can add something positive then please do, surely one of you knows some thing. Truck reg was V413 KPU and was fitted with a Hatcher sky cab.
MAN Hunt
Seeing as you are all so good at this detective lark, here’s you next assignment. Many moons ago I had a delightful and bloody hardworking MAN 8.163 which you may have heard me talk about once or twice before. It was such a good truck I rely didn’t want to let her go but needs must and all that. So when we parted company I sold her to dealer, Paul Binns Commercials. From there she ended up being cut down to a flatbed and was then used by a subbie delivering wooden sheds and things for Waltons Garden Products.
What I wanted to do was trace her life after her days on the sheds. I have checked the DVLA vehicle search and she hasn’t been taxed since 2008 and it says the truck has been exported. I’d love to track it down to where it was exported too, if its an island some where there’s a chance of finding it but if its Russia or something then there is no chance.
First things first, I need to speak with the Walton Garden Buildings subbie. I am told his name was Simon Wainwright and came from Nottinghamshire some where. If you know anything about the truck or Simons whereabouts please can you email me or leave a comment, I’d love to find her, even better I’d love to see her now. I have one man on the search but he is man that’s in the category of ex Walton drivers so I’m quite hopeful. If you can add something positive then please do, surely one of you knows some thing. Truck reg was V413 KPU and was fitted with a Hatcher sky cab.
Scania Centurion #86
Yes that one, once owned by John M Phillips and once the most popular poster on many boys walls right next to the Kylie Minogue one with her permed hair style! I too had the poster on my wall and as it goes only recently, I posted it to the current driver of the new Centurian 101, operated by Coles & Sons. Well now the original Scania 143 Streamline that inspired Coles most recent master piece is finally back in a workshop and being brought back to the beauty she once was back in the 1990’s. Since the popularity of #86, she has ended up in the home of all the old V8’s…Ireland. The truck has ended up looking, well, not even half the truck she once was. Now she has an almost plain yellow cab, the rear panel is the only one left with original artwork, no exhaust stacks, but much to her current owners delight the interior has managed to survive and is actually in pretty good nick, considering the external appearance.
Current owner Michael said the plan is to get her back to her original spec:
“I have it now about 2 years but I had been trying to buy it for the last 8 years. The engine was well worked so we completely rebuilt it from top to bottom. We are at the stage now of renewing the brakes, refurbing the axles and renewing wiring before we start the cab we want everything else done first. As for the paint work it will be kept yellow and art work the same only more detailed.”
What Michael wants you to do is supply as many of your photos of the Super Swede as possible. He wants to recreate the truck as accurately as possible so obviously the more photos he can get hold of, the more accurate the rebuild will be. Then you will all get your reward, by being able to enjoy the truck once again at all the shows. Just imagine when Michael’s original Royal Centurian meets Coles & Sons Centurian 101…….stop it!
If you have any photos from Trucks shows, posters, what ever then please email me copies and I can pass them onto Michael. Alternatively you can post your photos on the Truckblog Facebook page, if your that way inclined! Michael and myself look forward to hopefully seeing some of your pics, so get in the back of your wardrobe and dig them out, just think you’ll be doing your wife/partner a favour by clearing out more of your truck crap……….or is that just Mrs Truckblog?!
I Need Help….
….finding this old girl. I put a thing on here a few months back and there were various Facebook threads about this Scania Centurian and where she is now. I have to say I’ve sort of lost the thread and I’m not 100% sure what the outcome was. So if you know the where abouts of J88 VJP please email me: ben@truckblog.co.uk even if you don’t know then just email me your photos of her or the sister truck. I am told this photo was taken on a farm in Monmouthshire, but I don’t think it’s there anymore. Over to you…..
Somebody Knows This 111
As some of you know I am slowly scanning many of David Scarffs photos and let me tell you there are 1000’s! Quickly flicking through the latest batch, this Scania 111 stuck out like a sore thumb. Taken as it was approaching the bottom of Jubilee Way, Dover heading for a boat. What i’d love to know, like many other photos in Scarffies collection, is who’s was it and what happened to such a good old girl. Surely it was an Owner Driver? FOO 146T, a Scania 111, 6×2?, and what a paint job, very smart for its day. A roof rack full of kit and some super smart “Bus” trims on the wheels. A very clean and tidy frigo box behind, actually you could be forgiven in saying that both truck and trailer look fairly freshly painted. Unfortunately I can’t quite make out the drivers face, so it’s down to your expert knowledge. Leave your comments below or send me a quick email: ben@truckblog.co.uk and hopefully we can name who ever was in charge of such a good looking girl. According to the DVLA the truck ran out of tax back in 1990, so another lost to the big scrapyard in the sky. T reg vehicles were launched on the road in 1978 and the reg FOO was originally registerd in Chelmsford, Essex………..Over to you……….
Truck Detectives Required
Intrepid TB reported James Cartwright, spotted this Scania 141 in Navyard, Harwich the other week. One of you must know some more about this old bus. Remember that little saying, Who What Where?? James and I both agree that it has been imported from the East, could be anywhere between Harwich, Germany, Turku and Russia!! What we need to concentrate on is who has bought it. I’m sure it is now in the UK some where, heading for a restoration shed. Did you see it on the back of a lorry leaving Harwich or heading away from Essex?? Is it parked in a yard near you now? Has it crossed the Irish sea?? If you have any answers then please feel free to leave your answers on a postcard below. It will make a cracking restoration, I’m very much a fan of a 141 rigid. I hope to see it soon on the show circuit. Get detecting!!
Hey What’s your Number…
Yes ok it’s another Scania but this one needs a bit more input from you. This dear old girl has been relegated to the corner of some ones yard these days but what secrets does she hold from her past. Was she once an international motorway pounder? Was she the pride of an English fleet when she was the newest in the yard? If any of you have any information about said wagon please leave your comments below.
What’s the reg number? My guess is D853 PKK or possibly PXK. The letter behind the greenery does seem to replicate the K at the end, does it not Mr Watson?! As I’m sure you know most truck regs come in batches from particular dealers…….I’ve just searched tinternet and it can’t be “XK” as it didn’t exist. On that style of number plate the last 2 letters of the 3 denoted the area code. If the reg is “KK” that is the code for Maidstone or “KX” is the code to Luton. As its a “D” reg she was new in 1986. This gives you a few clues, so see what you can come up with. Hopefully a few more pics if the old girl at the end of the week.
Broadly Speaking its a Crane
We need your help on this please bloggers. Spotted enjoying the peaceful surroundings of the Norfolk Broads, this old girl is now lifting few boats in and out of the water at Potter Heigham, Norfolk. Top blog spotter and these days blog reporter James Cartwright was busy enjoying a weekend away with the Mrs. Natrually photos of the local tourist spots soon make way for some top spotting! The only thing being neither of us have any clue what this is. Is it a truck with a crane or is it just a crane truck…..well I know what I mean! Is it an old Coles or Grove crane with a road cab?? Who knows, I clearly don’t have a clue what i’m on about this evening. It has a slight hint of a Foden cab although I know its not and James says Mrs Cartwright couldn’t find any type of plate! 😉 All suggestions greatly appreciated, leave your comments below or email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk
www.truckblog.co.uk 