Ralph is Back

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I love repeating myself (so Mrs Blog says), so I’ve probably told you before that I must have somewhere close to 750 Herpa 1:87 scale truck models these days, no idea why as they all have to stay in my Mothers loft for now. Saying that the models are amazing and Herpa’s tooling is by a million miles the most detailed in HO or 1:87 scale. This latest model is a new Volvo FH4 in the famous black and red that makes Ralph Davies trucks some of the most recognisable on the road. The trailer is based on a Chereau frigo and uses some new tooling in the production. I think Herpa may just have created their best looking trailer yet! This model has the name “Master Liam” on the front grille and I am told this is one of Ralph’s grandchildren. Herpa are now related to Dutch 1:50 scale model maker Tekno, consequently there will be a 1:50 scale model being released later this year and that model will bear the name “Master Henry”. I have managed to collect 8 or 9 of the previous Herpa Scania Centurion models and I can see myself trying to get hold of the same for this gorgeous Volvo! 

As a side note there are 8 confirmed new UK models from Herpa this year and may be a 9th if they get on with it. 

  

Been There & Done it

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One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is the variety of people I get to meet. Some days it will be directors in suits and big board rooms, the next day it could be a scrap yard with nothing but metal, dirt and sheep skin coats, then on other days you get the ones somewhere in the middle. Often you meet the directors and no matter the size of business I think the transport industry is still a place where a vast majority of the big bosses have been there and done some of it. A recent meeting with a pair of directors unvailed not only two good old boys who have clearly worked hard to get where they are today but also a pair who have started at the bottom and worked their way up. I often here drivers moaning about how their bosses have no idea how to do the job but it’s worth remembering that those bosses have to have experience of something to get where they are. Anyway these two directors have built up a great business and are definitely still on the up, putting the hours in is nothing new to getting to where you want to be and one of the two told me how he started out.

 

“Back in the day, 1983, I joined PHS as a 19 year old not knowing what to do with myself, after 6 months as a trainee accountant for an insurance business.

So day 1 I remember being given the keys for a Dodge Commodore and one delivery to CNC in Horley, Surrey – no training, no showing where the controls were, just off you go! I reckon in a while I will be able to remember the reg number. I then had a year driving all over the country in a variety of 7.5tonners. I met and worked with some amazing people at PHS, many of which I am still in touch with now. 30 years ago one of our part time Saturday workers went on to become the MD of the business I currently work for. Just proves that great relationships last over time.

 Fast forward 3 years I was the Operations Director of a business that went on to become a £12m business with about 100 staff over 4 locations. PHS Transport was bought by Nightfreight on 5th November 1993 and I then became a regional Director of Nightfreight in the South of England.”

And that as they say was that! Onwards and upwards from the days of PHS and Nightfreight to where he is now, with a successful worldwide freight forwarding, transport and distribution business. If your reading this as a boss, a manager or a director then please feel free to email me with your story. We all started somewhere and most forget that applies to those at the top as well as the bottom! 

 

MAN Down on Shap (Nearly!)

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Back when I were a lad and a fairly infant owner driver, I remember a time that certainly put hairs on my chest if nothing else. When we all start out as young drivers we are entrusted with a truck and asked to set out on our own across the UK or where ever. Naturally there is a learning process, somethings are common sense, some things are taught by others, some taught by making mistakes and some taught by Mother Nature! I’ve always been one to listen to older drivers as in my experience what they have to say is worth listening too. Most older drivers have been there and done it and I think they have nearly always been in a situation that the younger generation will learn from. I’m all for learning and all for taking advice and it’s only natural that as inquisitive beingswe might not always make the right decision when faced with a situation we have not encounter before. It’s called thinking on your feet. 

 

Having delivered another load of new sunbeds to Larkhall, Scotland there was a single unpacked, salon ready sunbed to return to Braintree. I strapped it against the headboard and headed south. Just enough time to get back Penrith Truckstop for the night. Overnight the wind got up. When I say it got up I mean it was howling! The buzz around the Truckstop was a couple of trucks had gone over on the A66 and drivers were trying to decide whether to wait it out or head off into the wind. Now here’s the decision for a 19 year old owner driver. I had to get back to Braintree that day to get my next job loaded, but I had to go via Manchester to collect some parts. Penrith to Manchester is a beautiful drive on a lovely day but for those who don’t know the UK, driving the M6 motorway between these two places involved probably the windiest section of motorway in the UK. Near the town of Shap the motorway claims no end of trucks during the year, with high winds, ice, snow and what ever else comes out of mother natures purse! So I had on an expensive piece of electrical machinery that couldn’t get wet, I had to get back to base to load, I also had to go over Shap to get my second collection on. Should I go or should I stay?? I decided I’d give it a go.   

If my curtains had been like this and I wasn’t loaded, the worst would have been losing the fibreglass sheet roof, but as I was loaded the curtains were shut. Off I set out of Penrith Truckstop and south onto the M6. A mile or two south and I was already thinking I had made the wrong decision, the wind was strong, stronger than I’d felt before and it seemed to be directly side on. A 7.5 tonner with closed curtains might as well be described as a kite. A couple more miles passed and I passed some over turned trucks. I have to say not many vehicles were on the motorway at all, I slowed right down and was struggling along at 20-30 mph at most. I caught up with another 7.5 tonner that had lost its roof and was taking shelter under a large bridge over the motorway. Perhaps that’s were experience should have taken over. I carried on and was virtually at Shap and the worst weather I had encountered, howling wind and rain straight from my right had side. A few gusts really knocked my sideways and I was on the hard shoulder, managing to get back to the main carriageway another strong gust caught me so I eased off the throttle and then a second huge huge gust hit and put me up on just two wheels. You know the saying “time stands still”, that must have been the longest few seconds of my life!! Luckily for me the gust passed and I managed to get the little MAN back on all fours, so close to being blown over is a feeling I won’t forget and in someways I don’t like to think would could have happened. Anyway there was no shelter what so ever, so I carried on trying to get my heart rate back down to normalish and work out what I should do. Just then I noticed in my mirrors a truck catching me up. It turned out to be a couple of Irish fridges. Known for running at full legal weight these two were obviously not as affected by the wind as I was in m my little German kite. I grabbed my CB in the hope these two may be on channel 19. My luck was in, truck 2 replied and asked if I was alright. I noticed when they were passing I was clearly in the safe zone and taking the brunt of wind, lightbulb moment!! “Can you stay in the middle lane and I stay on your inside until we get further south?” I asked. The reply was “of course” so off we went. Me in my little truck being chaperoned by these two big Irish fridge trucks taking the wind on my behalf. I stayed there for the 35 miles or so to Lancaster and I was more than grateful to the two Irish drivers whose names I can’t remember. Thank you. 

Anyway it just goes to show that driving trucks is a permanent learning curve no matter what your age. Yes I was young at the time and perhaps a few years later I would have made the other decision and stayed put at Penrith for a few hours til the wind dropped, but without a bit of comradeship the job can be a lot harder. It saddens me to think that  my friends who still drive say there is no comradeship in the UK anymore. Just remember if you see a driver struggling and your thinking “what a plonker why doesn’t he/she just do that?” Perhaps take five minutes to help them or pass on what you probably learned from someone else. There are enough pressures and deadlines to make the job of driving trucks theses days hard enough, perhaps if more drivers helped in other out it would make your day or there just that little bit easier. 

Oh look a step down off this soapbox…..

TBHQ

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So here it is people the selfless plea for all you unwanted trucking guff. Way back up in the woods among the evergreens, or down at the bottom of a Colchester garden is the home of the blog. Ok ok it’s a shed full of all the truck stuff I’ve gained and collected over the years. You will be able to make out no end of familiar items, cab flags, photos, badges and show stuff to name a few.  
 

Now, if like me you have a wife that would rather your stuff is outside the house as they just don’t appreciate truck memorobillia, then here’s the plug. If you have anything you want to get rid of and go to a good appreciative home then please feel free to contact me. If you have old stickers, badges or freebies from ferries or truck manufacturers  then send me a message with what you have and I’ll happily give it a new home!! As you can see, things like stickers are all mounted on plywood boards so I can move them onto the next TBHQ as and when I might move house. Any donations will of course be well loved and looked after. Message me and I’ll come back to you.   

English Driver Attacked in Calais

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Mick Youngs life was at risk as a metal pole was shoved through the windscreen of his Scania, is this what lorry drivers should have to put up with in European member state as they are trying to get home with another load of chips for our supermarkets shelves???? NO ITS BLOODY NOT!! And what’s being done about it?? The useless thoughtless celebrities of the U.K. are gifting these thugs with food and double decker buses to live in. What idiots these people are and it clearly shows they know and care as little as our politicians. I give it a week or two before that double decker bus is wrecked and burnt out by the immigrants. They have no interest in what they are offered by those wanting to improve their own celebrity status. All they are interested in is  putting lives at risk and all in the name of getting into the UK to live a free and supported life. But why should the unsung heroes who bring all of our worldly goods and supplies from Europe who are going about their daily jobs driving the trucks that keep Britain moving/eating/drinking etc etc have to continue to put up with the violence and damage that these mindless thugs are doing to the trucks and trailers that are more than imperative to the way the UK lives and breathes. 

  

I asked the driver of this Scania, Mick Young, to write a small piece about his terrifying experience in Calais this week. You might have seen Mick in the news already, but here is what he told TB; 

“I had just loaded a full load of frozen chips in Belguim. On my way back to Calais I rang my company to find out if there was any delays on the ferries or train , they told there were no problems on either. Three drivers who were 15 and 40 mins in front of me went straight into Calais and straight on a boat, so wanting a shower and a meal I decided to go to the boat. Coming off the motorway going down towards the dock I was following a local Calais haulier , there were police on every junction as usual. We were travelling down the dual carriageway when we came to a stop, I was next to the Calais driver and he told me to wait he was on the phone to a friend who was 5 mins in front of us. The French driver then said no problem so I followed him, we got down just after diesel alley and he came to a stop again. Within  seconds we were surrounded by 100’s of immigrants they threw huge lumps of concrete and traffic cones in front of me and started throwing big rocks, bricks and concrete lumps at the lorry and then a massive metal spike came straight through the windscreen followed by lumps of granite which landed in my passenger footwell!!  I was showered in broken glass and my forehead was cut and bleeding. My right eye had glass in it and I couldn’t see, all the time the truck was getting smashed to bits, so I tried to reverse but noticed what I thought were headlights behind me. I managed to weave through the objects in the road but there were still immigrants trying to open the trailer doors and also they were trying to get on the trailer axles. While this was going on I later found out a French Police riot van had stopped on the opposite carriageway, but the scum then threw rocks at the van and the Police drove off (unbelievable). Getting to the dock the French security searched the truck and gave me medical attention i.e. cleaned the blood off my head and put plasters on and they also cleaned and bathed my eye. They said they were embarrassed to be French that this could happen in their country. They then gave me coffee and water and put me on the next ferry. I got back into Dover and got pulled by the UK Customs, who searched me and the truck looking for these dirty rotten scum. I dropped my trailer in Dover and my eye was killing me so I went straight to A&E, who cleansed my eye it’s fine now. I had a windscreen put in the truck the next morning and was told there was roughly £2500 of damage to my truck which is my pride and joy! (Any celebs willing to pay for this?? -rd.) Then shipped straight back out to Germany!!!! We shouldn’t have to experience this in any way, but nothing will ever change either government doesn’t care , I have now been told I’m a liar and attention seeker by these people who defend this and say these people have a right to a better life in this country !!! Then you get Jude Law out there yesterday saying let them all come too this country , he might have a different view if they set a camp up in Kensington or where ever he lives !!!” 

  


A couple of points, the windscreen on a truck is made of state of the art, toughened glass that is hard to  break. It’s a daily occurance for nuts, bolts, stones and what ever else to be thrown onto a windscreen by the vehicle in front and most of the time the worst you can expect is a small chip in the glass. 

Also another very valid point to remember about the ridiculous laws that the EU and UK governments apply to our lands is this – You see the photo at the top of the blog, the immigrants that are holding poles and putting them through Micks windscreen and glass in his eyes and face – if Mick is then found to have any of these thugs hiding somewhere on his truck he can be prosecuted £2000 per person. 

Yes really! Mick is attacked and his truck has thousands of pounds worth of damage, yet he is still the only one in that photo that will be prosecuted or convicted of anything. Once again this is a case of the government protecting the thugs and instigators and prosecuting the innocent victims. 

We need something to be done before the first drivers are killed. We need some celebrity support for the drivers that fill our country with all our luxuries. But I will just add it’s not just UK drivers at risk. The immigrants also seriously attacked approximately 12 trucks that night, 2 other English,  a Turkish driver (also needed medical attention),  2 French trucks and the rest were Eastern European.

Please share, read and retweet this blog to everyone and every where we can. Our lorry drivers are what keeps our country alive. We can’t live without them no matter what the out of touch celebrities and politicians tell you. Remember the fuel protests in the early 2000’s? It took one week for the shop shelves to be empty. Next time your eating a bowl of supermarket chips just remember a lorry drivers life was put at risk for your enjoyment! 

Mick Youngs truck in its former glory before the thousands of pounds worth of damage were done. 

 

Heavy Weight Modelling

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Speedbird Promotions are delighted to unveil it’s first exclusive model for IMC Models to the UK market and what a terrific choice to launch the range with! It’s been the talk of the truck forums since it’s launch onto the road two weeks ago and we are honoured to bring the Mercedes-Benz Arocs 8 x 4 with a Nooteboom 6-axle MCO-PX Lowloader in the livery of Scottish Heavy Haulage experts, West of Scotland Heavy Haulage.

 Commemorating their 70th Anniversary this year, West of Scotland Heavy Haulage decided to partner with us once again on the strength of our quality and service reputation that we delivered on through the success of the MAN TGX heavy haulage model produced last year. Just like the MAN, the model will be delivered in a specially branded West of Scotland 70th Anniversary Gift Box and accompanied with a limited edition certificate.

The unique collaboration of IMC with it’s range of Nooteboom trailers in 1:50 scale and Tekno with it’s highly detailed range of tractor-units guarantees to offer collectors the ultimate combination of one of the most highly detailed heavy haulage scale models money can buy!

Expected release date of this model is in time for Truckfest Scotland 2016 with an estimated retail price of £159.95 including free UK delivery.