can you remember

[dave]

can you remember
the first truck to have a lift axle,
or twin steer,
disc brakes,
heated mirrors,
air suspension,
night heater,
a proper sleeper cab
a syncro box.

[milky bar kid]

Although I cant think of exact items on models who can remember when the volvo F10 first came out. For me nothing had made such an impresion since the Ford Transcontinental years before. It had some of the things you list. I was still at school [honest] when the firm my Dad worked at got some of the original 240bhp ones with the flat roof and the splitter seperate from the gear lever on the dash. I think the first ones were S or T reg and I really wished for my Dad to be given one but he got a B series ERF instead. Doh!
The only truck to seem so radical since would have to be the Magnum and I am hopefully getting a new one my self in the new year. [cant wait!]
P.S. my Dad still drives for same firm and now has a FH Globetrotter.

[Guest]

I would hazard a guess that a lot of the stuff might have been on a Swede of one type or another, I seem to remember reading an AEC Mercury had a synchro box, though I never drove one! I'll be very interested to see what the answers are, and I'll bet theres a surprise or two!

Mal.

[BryanH]

I bet its something obscure and British,dating from the mid 60s?? Leyland or ERF or something like that??

[Pat Hasler]

I would hazard a guess that the first european truck to have a proper sleeper, syncromesh box etc was the Volvo F88.

[TONY]

Was it a Leyland Comet by any chance,(only kidd`in!!) u needed heated mirrors going over shap fell Not that i ever went over shap i am only 38!! cheers Tone..........

[Craig 111]

I guess a Volvo F10 would be the one that you could tick almost all the boxes against, although it didn't have disc brakes. The first heavy truck with discs was the Renault Magnum, or AE as I think it was called at the time. It only had them on the front axle, and I seem to remember they weren't the most reliable of items - now that'll prompt someone to come on here and tell us they had 500k out of their original set of discs!

Craig

[Guest]

Come on Dave, put me out of me misery, Im a truck geek that needs tellin!

Mal.

[dave]

ok, ok. i will put you out of your misery mal.

I HAVE,NT GOT A CLUE.
thats why i asked.

[dave]

right , i have a book called the world encyclopedia of trucks and here are some facts mentioned in it.
1.1909, knox fifth wheel patented.
2.1909, first air suspension tried on commercial vehicles.
3.1919, cummins begins engine production.
4.1924,first rigid six wheelers announced.
5.1924,man announce worlds first direct injection diesel engine.
6.1928, hydraulic brakes introduced on trucks.
7.1929, air brakes for trucks.
8.1929, first british built diesel truck, the kerr stuart.
9.1930, first rigid eight wheeler from sentinel.
10.1933,kenworth offer sleeper cab.
11.1937,sterling introduces tilt cab
12.1954, volvo introduces turbocharged diesel engines.
13.1960, syncromesh gearboxes appear on heavy trucks.
14.1962,first uk truck with tilt cab, the foden s24.
15.1986,abs introduced on trucks
16.1998, volvo introduces drivers airbag.

there is a picture of a 1973 volvo f88 which appears to have a tag axle

[Guest]

That sounds like a good book Dave, I can feel a Xmas present coming on! .....

Mal.

[Guest]

right , i have a book called the world encyclopedia of trucks and here are some facts mentioned in it.
:

Fascinating stuff, Dave.

If I was asked to guess when that stuff first appeared, I would have been out by several decades on all points.

Vince

[dave]

cheers guys.
incidentally if you want a copy of this book you can get it of

www.amazon.co.uk

"world encyclopedia of trucks" author peter j davies.
its around £14.00.
275 odd pages, lots of pictures and facts and recommended by me.
ideal for all them hours on loading docks, which i dont do
ps. i dont know the author

[Pat Hasler]

I guess a Volvo F10 would be the one that you could tick almost all the boxes against, although it didn't have disc brakes. The first heavy truck with discs was the Renault Magnum, or AE as I think it was called at the time. It only had them on the front axle, and I seem to remember they weren't the most reliable of items - now that'll prompt someone to come on here and tell us they had 500k out of their original set of discs!

Craig

But the F88 was by far earlier than the F10.

[boden]

Twin steers seem to have first appeared in the 1930's possibly from converted 4 wheelers, as do single tyred trailing axles, at least one of the latter,an AEC, remains in preservation. Back in 73(!), I was a drivers mate on Bedford KM twin steer skip loader.

I'm also aware of a late 50's Atki 6 legger that had super singles on the front, and sleeper cabs were available on Ergo cabbed Leyland and AEC's in the 60's. A company called Anglo-Continental operated abroad with a high-roof version on a Mandator.

The first sleeper cab I can recall seeing was probably on a Merc 1418 of C&S from Birtley in the late 60's. They also operated the first LHD UK registered wagon I saw, around 70/71 which was an F88. An F88 was also the first vehicle I heard about with a lifting trailing axle and that was from Finland delivering pork into Bolton one Saturday morning in late 68. My dad told me about it and could'nt believe they did'nt have double drive, coming from Finland. I can't be certain but lifting axles may have been available from York/Primrose/Boys who did third axle add on conversions in the 60's.

Regent/Texaco operated some Guy and AEC rigids in the 60's which were called rear-steers though I dont know whether they were castor or positively steered and looked like a mid-lift of today and Foden had an experimental disc-braked 8 wheeler in the very early 60's which as far as I know also remains intact.

[Craig 111]

[quote="Pat Hasler
But the F88 was by far earlier than the F10.[/quote]

Pat, I know that the F88 was earlier than the 10 (1965 vs 1977) but as I said I think the F10 would have been the first standard production truck to have met all those criteria, bar the disc brakes. I don't believe that the F88 was offered on air from the factory. I've only ever driven refurbished 88s, so I'm not certain if they even had heated mirrors off the production line?

Craig

[Guest]

Been on Amazon, and saw a pretty big book called " Companion to British Road Haulage History" its listed with the other one Dave suggested, and I wondered has anyone got this book, or seen it? Is it good or bad?

Mal.

[boden]

The book "Companion to British Road Haulage History" is in the form of an A-Z of every aspect of the the industry, a lot of names are mentioned and some omitted. It was put together with what information was or is available.At around £40 for over 400 pages it may seem dear but is well worth the money.

[Pat Hasler]

Craig,

I had an 88 in 76 before the F10 came out, believe me apart from no disc brakes etc it had everything the F10 had and yes it had the sane mirrors as the first F10's.

16 speed with the overdrive lever sticking out of the dash, it may have been slightly more dated but even after the F10 came on the market and my company then bought 12 of them I still loved to get back in an 88 whenever I got the chance.

[Guest]

thanks for that info Boden, I might have that one for Xmas, and just treat meself to the cheaper one as well!

Mal.

[truckyboy]

What about the chinese 6..Tate& Lyle had them specially built on a TK Bedford chassis..i dont believe they were twin steer but was like a floating axle just to conform to the weight regulations..similar to the pusher..but nonetheless 2 axles on the front..seemed a bit weird in their day..cos they were unique
have a nice day

[egg on legs]

right , i have a book called the world encyclopedia of trucks and here are some facts mentioned in it.
1.1909, knox fifth wheel patented.
2.1909, first air suspension tried on commercial vehicles.
3.1919, cummins begins engine production.
4.1924,first rigid six wheelers announced.
5.1924,man announce worlds first direct injection diesel engine.
6.1928, hydraulic brakes introduced on trucks.
7.1929, air brakes for trucks.
8.1929, first british built diesel truck, the kerr stuart.
9.1930, first rigid eight wheeler from sentinel.
10.1933,kenworth offer sleeper cab.
11.1937,sterling introduces tilt cab
12.1954, volvo introduces turbocharged diesel engines.
13.1960, syncromesh gearboxes appear on heavy trucks.
14.1962,first uk truck with tilt cab, the foden s24.
15.1986,abs introduced on trucks
16.1998, volvo introduces drivers airbag.

there is a picture of a 1973 volvo f88 which appears to have a tag axle

the frist twin steer was i think a scammel we called it a chinise six what year i don,t know egg on legs

[SMUDGER]

My guess would have been a Scania 111 so I was way out of the running!!!!

[240 Gardner]

What about the chinese 6..Tate& Lyle had them specially built on a TK Bedford chassis..i dont believe they were twin steer but was like a floating axle just to conform to the weight regulations..similar to the pusher..but nonetheless 2 axles on the front..seemed a bit weird in their day..cos they were unique
have a nice day

ERF introuduced their first Chinese 6 about 1935, and the Leyland Steer was probably within a year or two of that. They were not uncommon in the 1940s-60s as rigids, but became obsolete with the arrival of 16T rigids in 1964.

There were quite a few Chinese 6 tractors about in the mid 60s when 32T required (in practical terms) 5 axles. Many were cut down from 8-leggers, although AEC, Leyland, Atkinson Foden and ERF had production models

[240 Gardner]

Regent/Texaco operated some Guy and AEC rigids in the 60's which were called rear-steers though I dont know whether they were castor or positively steered and looked like a mid-lift of today and Foden had an experimental disc-braked 8 wheeler in the very early 60's which as far as I know also remains intact.

The Regent vehicles were, I think, all conversions by The Primrose Third Axle Company of Blackburn.

The disc-braked Foden YAX 527 is very much alive inpreservation. ERF also built one or two disc-braked 8-leggers about 1960. Certainly BP had one, and I think that S&N may have had one too.

[240 Gardner]

"world encyclopedia of trucks" author peter j davies.
its around £14.00.
275 odd pages, lots of pictures and facts and recommended by me.
ideal for all them hours on loading docks, which i dont do
ps. i dont know the author

Pete Davies must be THE authority on the history of road haulage in the U.K. He has literally tens of thousands of photos of lorries that he has taken himself in the last 50+ years. Also, he is no mean artist, and has done some beautiful lorry paintings. His own vehicle restorations are stunning too. PLus he's a nice bloke. And all round good guy!

[SMUDGER]

"world encyclopedia of trucks" author peter j davies.
its around £14.00.
275 odd pages, lots of pictures and facts and recommended by me.
ideal for all them hours on loading docks, which i dont do
ps. i dont know the author

Pete Davies must be THE authority on the history of road haulage in the U.K. He has literally tens of thousands of photos of lorries that he has taken himself in the last 50+ years. Also, he is no mean artist, and has done some beautifuil lorry paintings. His own vehicle restorations are stunning too. PLus he's a nice bloke. And all round good guy!

Lets hope he got some commissions for some of his works eh?

[240 Gardner]

"world encyclopedia of trucks" author peter j davies.
its around £14.00.
275 odd pages, lots of pictures and facts and recommended by me.
ideal for all them hours on loading docks, which i dont do
ps. i dont know the author

Pete Davies must be THE authority on the history of road haulage in the U.K. He has literally tens of thousands of photos of lorries that he has taken himself in the last 50+ years. Also, he is no mean artist, and has done some beautifuil lorry paintings. His own vehicle restorations are stunning too. PLus he's a nice bloke. And all round good guy!

Lets hope he got some commissions for some of his works eh?

He did the 1982 BRS calendar, with an original painting for every month and another for the cover - this is quite sought after now, and I believe that people part with a quite a few quid to get one

[Spardo]

[
Pete Davies must be THE authority on the history of road haulage in the U.K. He has literally tens of thousands of photos of lorries that he has taken himself in the last 50+ years. Also, he is no mean artist, and has done some beautiful lorry paintings. His own vehicle restorations are stunning too. PLus he's a nice bloke. And all round good guy!

I'll second that 240, I have an interesting book by him 'Trucks in Britain - Drawbar Outfits', which covers these combinations from the earliest days. Very interesting, all 'traditionnels', as the French call them, no 'caravans' here - well, maybe two . Three, just spotted Stobberts on the back cover!

Salut, David.

[Limey]

I can stil remember being astounded when first seeing trucks with three windscreen wipers on them, but which was the first. In my mind I have it as a three way tie between the Transconti, B Series and Bedford TM.

First lift axles I recall seeing were on the F86 and the "York Hobo" offerings.