Doing a Double Dutch

Posted on July 9, 2014 by truckbloguk

In the last week I have been sent a couple of decent DAF photos. If you want to get technical DAF do have approximately a 16% market share of the European heavy vehicle market so it’s not surprising that you see one on two on your travels. The one above was a top spot it has to be said. Blog favourite Steve Marsh spotted this white DAF in Dublin port, nothing unusual about a white DAF in Dublin I hear you say. The reason it’s a top spot is that the Space Cabbed XF105 is over 3200KM from its base in Casablanca. I have no idea what he was loaded with coming to Dublin from North Africa but I’m guessing it was clothing, well why not?! What I’d love is for it to have reloaded is a full load of Guiness bound for warmer climbs. Marshy was driving in Dublin port and spotted something different about the truck, on further inspection it turns out it is from some where different. I’m fairly confident there have not been many trucks from Casablanca to Ireland although I guess it could be a regular run?? With a lack of photos on the social media sites I think it could be more of a one off trip.

Next up from not so far away, is another blog favourite, Transam Trucking. This one was spotted on the M25 in Essex near the QE2 bridge by Dodgy Dave. Nothing too out of the ordinary in a big black Transam Trucking DAF truck I know but have another look…….this one is the little short one axle trailer. This makes it almost a mini artic I guess, so top spotting Dodgy!

Spotted something a bit different from the rest?? Then why not share it on the blog. You can email me; ben@truckblog.co.uk or you can post your photos on the TB Facebook page, just search for http://www.truckblog.co.uk in the Facebook search bar.

Hold The Front Page

Posted on July 7, 2014 by truckbloguk

Who else’s diary has a front page line up like that?! Uncle Dick Snows that’s who’s. It’s kept a rulers length from my head every night and I have to say hardly a week (or a day, Mrs Blog would argue) goes by without me flicking through the pages of the 1969 diary Uncle Dick kept. I never met him as he was always away but I knew why he wasn’t there and I think he’s partly to blame for my crazy obsession with bloody old trucks! If you want to read one of the trips in the diary then all you’ve got to do is buy a copy of Ashley Coghill’s book; The Long Haul Pioneers, all about the history of legendary Middle East trucking company Astran nee Asian Transport.

And now the important bit…….

Posted on July 3, 2014 by truckbloguk

Over to Sophie Baker-Britton to tell you all about it;

Hi There,
We at Walker Movements hope you’re having a great week and have managed to catch some of the summer sun before it all goes downhill and the rain begins to pour yet again!

Below, you’ll see an infographic we’ve been working on all about the life of a lorry driver, broken down by numbers. As we researched, we began to realise that if you’re not a trucker, you can’t really begin to understand how tough life on the road can be, particularly when it comes to looking after our health!

We discovered that a whopping 78% of lorry drivers aren’t getting their 5 a day, and that 28% of lorry drivers are obese or morbidly obese, which isn’t that hard to comprehend given that we spend an average of 1,040 hours a year on the road.

Given our findings, we wanted to share these with you and offer a couple of tips for remaining safe and healthy on the road.

1) Avoid the trucker cafes! Okay, nip in for a coffee when needed – but when it comes to those fry ups and other greasy treats, try to avoid them at all costs. Keep a few healthy non-perishable snacks such as dried fruit and almonds in your wagon to avoid stopping off for a snickers!

2) Use your resting time wisely! You need a good sleep that’s for sure, but try to work in a little exercise too. A walk around the area you’ve stopped at (provided it’s safe to do so) to stretch out those legs will not only give you time out of the cab, it will also help to keep the waistline in check.

It may be tough on the road at times, but let’s face it, would we rather be cooped up in an office all day?!

Have a great week all and enjoy this infographic from the guys at Walker Movements.

Wilson Wednesday – Geoff Special

Posted on July 2, 2014 by truckbloguk

He’s back!! (For one week only?? Who knows) Geoff and Daisy DAF have taken a break from there holidays and this week they are putting in a shift or two. Not to over do it HC Wilson gave Geoff a steady export that was just over length. At 1.5 metres over length from the North West out to the Netherlands dear Daisy and her ever-tanned pilot should have a nice little run out to the land of Cloggs and Cheese.

Scania Operates Longer Vehicles in Sweden.

Posted on June 30, 2014 by truckbloguk

What isn’t there to like about Sweden?? Does anyone know anything bad about the place?? The trucks are great, the country is full of stunning scenery, the people are beautiful and the government have their heads screwed on!! Read this from Scania’s press department;

By driving with two full-length trailers, Scania reduces fuel consumption by up to 30 percent with an equivalent reduction in harmful carbon dioxide emissions. Following Scania’s request, the Swedish Transport Agency has now granted permission to operate rigs of 31.5 metres in total length between Södertälje and Helsingborg in Sweden.

Scania Transport Laboratory has been conducting research activities on the road for the past six years by transporting the company’s own materials under realistic operating conditions between Scania’s production units in Södertälje, Sweden and Zwolle in the Netherlands. The Transport Laboratory has already been able to demonstrate a halving of CO2emissions per tonne-kilometre from 2008 to 2012, thanks to skilful drivers, optimised vehicles and lower average speed. Another step is now being taken to show how heavy vehicles through new ways of thinking can dramatically reduce climate emissions to 20 grams per tonne-kilometre. The haulage service has been operated to date using rigs of 16.5 metres, which is the maximum permitted length today for the tractor-semitrailer vehicle combination in most European states, with the exception of countries such as Sweden and Finland. For the truck-trailer combination, a maximum length of 18.75 metres applies in most European states, while countries such as Sweden and Finland, permit 25.25 metres.

“There are positive environmental effects of longer vehicle combinations but unfortunately it is difficult to find support for this issue in many European countries,” comments Erik Ljungberg, Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations at Scania. “It is really gratifying that the Swedish authorities are taking action to obtain these benefits. To achieve an equivalent climate effect through vehicle development would take several years.”

The decision of the Swedish Transport Agency was preceded by the Swedish Transport Administration’s stability tests on vehicle combinations of 31.5 metres in order to ensure that these vehicles do not present any risk, for example during sudden evasive manoeuvres.

“Our long haulage services will not cause any disruptions to the pace of traffic and we will quite easily be able to maintain the legal speed limit of 80 km/hour,” assures Anders Gustavsson, Managing Director of Scania Transport Laboratory.

MAN in Black

Posted on June 28, 2014 by truckbloguk

Trying to think of a title with the words “black” and “M.A.N.” In the title was no easy task I can tell you. In the end I’ve gone for the song title option courtesy of Johnny Cash.

These photos how ever are courtesy of @steviebloke on Twitter. Mr Bloke is a professional driver working for Bestlog UK delivering vehicles across the UK and Europe in his little green MAN TGL. There is also a Bestlog GMBH, the German parent company if you like. As you’d imagine between the 2 companies there are a fleet of top specced trucks and on the German side there is also a subbie or 2. Now as it stands I can’t tell you anything about this German subbie that Steviebloke saw in Bestlog UK’s yard this week but really what else do you need to know?? A picture tells a 1000 words and all that.

Just look at the shine on the bodywork. The truck is a Euro 5 MAN TGL LX 12.250. It must be Euro 5 as it’s not got the Euro 6 grill. So for a truck that is a year or 2 old to have such a shiny paint job is fairly impressive. The truck has an internal ramp that can lift a car enabling a second car to be put on the lower deck, or even his trailer can be put on the ramp to avoid paying road tolls on 4 axles. Even with painted wheels it makes for a truck that delivers the kind of impact and professionalism you’d want the driver to have when delivering supercars. Hopefully we will see or even hear from this truck/driver again in the near future but in the mean time I’ll thank @steviebloke again for the photos.

Wilson Wednesday

Posted on June 25, 2014 by truckbloguk

A quick return this week for red Wednesday. HC Wilson Transport’s famous fleet pounding the roads of the UK and Europe once again. Above we have Terry Alderton and below we have Doris DAF and Slim, both trucks on locals today a little run round to Middlesex with 2 loads of machinery.

Next is driver Geordie and European Charger. Having started the week with a run to Wick, Scotland and reload from Muir of Ord back to Wilson’s Elmswell yard in Suffolk. The Charger is now heading off mainland Europe to load 3 trailers in Stromberg, Germany. Check that route out on your Google map!

Above is part time driver and part time office waller James Cartwright. Called into action this afternoon to load some military vehicles in Norfolk for delivery to Wiltshire tomorrow.

Wilson fans favourite European Dream really living its name today with 24 metre long steel rails loaded from Luxembourg back to the UK. She looks well.

Mick “Snug” Farrow today on a little reach stacker move from Doncaster down to Maidenhead. Micks big Scania, European Colossus no doubt making easy work of the big load.

Husband and wife team Dave and Sue Ramm in N5HCW also on a UK job today. Loaded with some 23 metre long beams heading down to Harwich, Essex.

Just when your thinking it’s all go go go with Wilsons trucks and trailers today, we head to Germany where top Subbie Mike Tasker and Wilson driver Mark Gladwell have been waiting all day to load storage vessels back to the UK. A warm day sat in the German sun, trying to get some sleep isn’t a great day by my reckoning especially when you’ve got a night move out of Germany back to Rotterdam. Oh don’t forget the 17metre long tank in the well of the low loader too! Thanks for all the photos.

And the morning after the first night move……

Transam Truck Spotting

Posted on June 25, 2014 by truckbloguk

Truck spotting at 0730 on a Wednesday morning?? Well it’s got to be done. A good friend of mine drives one of these black beauties and as you can imagine I very rarely get to see him and truck together. Off round Europe most of the year until this weekend when he is on tour 5 miles from my house in Colchester, but as you’d expect I’ll unlikely to see him. Transam arrived at Colchester Stadium in the early hours of this morning, so when I popped in this morning they were still asleep. Later today while I’m at work the drivers are all off home for a few days as the Gig isn’t til Sunday night. But I’m away this weekend til Sunday afternoon. Typical. Any way the black trucks were looking stunning as usual in the early Essex sun. Luckily for me they were accessible and I could get a couple I photos without disturbing anyone, although the increased Police presence at the stadium at the moment certainly gave me some funny looks!

Who owns #35??

Posted on June 24, 2014 by truckbloguk

Centurion: #35
Reg Number: J988 BYA
Current Owner: ???
(This is not my photo!)

One MAN & Someone Else’s Dog

Posted on June 23, 2014 by truckbloguk

What were you upto yesterday? Nice day at home with the family? Sunday afternoon BBQ? Trip to church to have tea with the vicar? No not our MAN and pilot Steve Marsh. The majority of us were taking it steady and quite a few of you were still sleeping after a heavy night at various truck shows around the country when Marshy was already down in Birmingham loading Aircraft parts for same day delivery to Belfast. A crate over 5 metres in length required Marshy’s talents although being aircraft parts weight wasn’t an issue. Anyway the nature of express is express so Marshy was drafted in and of course the tight time scales were met dispite the best efforts of the Cairnryan sniffer dog!

“Bloomin drugs dog in Cairnryan… They asked did I mind it in the cab, I said I’d rather not… They put it in anyway. Done my delivery and back at the boat thinking its a bit warm in Belfast… Came back to my truck after a cheeky wazz and thought which nobhead had got the nightheater on. Turns out I’m the nob coz the bloody dogs trod on all my switches and turned IT on and the my frigo off…. It didn’t find anything but had a good rummage through my bin and scattered what it didn’t lick…. Woof!! 🐶”

The dog might have nicked his Hovis and tried its best to over heat him but no matter what the job is, Steve Marsh Express gets the job done……..yes that is a shameless cheesy plug!

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