I remember the 20mph plates on wagons and also drivers used to turn back lights on and off several times when stopping in the days before brake lights.Also “caution air brakes” plates in later years.
So what do the panel think a Dodge Parrot with a Perkins 6cyl would have been capable of in the mid to late 50s. Dad always reckoned the BMC FF 4 wheeler tipper was quite fast. The 1969 Mercury was capable of 60mph plus on a flat road loaded 16ton GVW. I remember scrambling over the bonnet a bit to see the speedo.
essexpete:
So what do the panel think a Dodge Parrot with a Perkins 6cyl would have been capable of in the mid to late 50s. Dad always reckoned the BMC FF 4 wheeler tipper was quite fast. The 1969 Mercury was capable of 60mph plus on a flat road loaded 16ton GVW. I remember scrambling over the bonnet a bit to see the speedo.
With BRS early 50s , I had a Seddon artic /24ft trailer and with up to 12 ton loads.and with a Perkins P6 and DB 5 speed plus an Eaton 2 speed axle was hardly a speed wagon loaded ,and with the BRS expected average of 16.5 mph was easily managable so it was a 11 hrs driving day max --about 180 mls and then park up - no pressure.
However it usually meant a visit from the shop steward and Depot manager if a summons was issued for speeding. I myself got done once in Somerset and fined £10 for doing 26 mph in a 30 mph limit by an unmarked Rover who simply overtook and pulled down his rear sunblind printed STOP POLICE . those days with wages around £12 a week was quite an amount ,how well would a weeks wages go down today with claimed (on here ) some £800 – £1000 weekly ? Any way i was just a young 21 year old tear ■■■ and learnt my lesson. I remember having moan at the shop steward who later
obtained reimbursment from the Union ‘distress’ fund for me !! -------- toshboy
When Foden were producing their S30s cabbed models with an 8 legger and trailer were they limited to 20 or 30mph on ordinary main roads?
When Foden were producing their S30s cabbed models with an 8 legger and trailer were they limited to 20 or 30mph on ordinary main roads?
The 40 mph limit for Wagon and Drag over 7.5 tonnes GVW didn’t come in until 1984 so with the S30’s tilt cabs being introduced 1964 it would have been 30mph until then. I put the list of dates and limits above. Just had to edit this as I even misread what I had posted earlier. Franky.
Geordielad:
When Foden were producing their S30s cabbed models with an 8 legger and trailer were they limited to 20 or 30mph on ordinary main roads?The 40 mph limit for Wagon and Drag didn’t come in until 1967 so with the S30’s tilt cabs being introduced 1964 it would have been 30mph. I put the list of dates and limits above. Franky.
Franky,it was a 30mph limit for wagon and drags in 70s and 80s,60mph was allowed on motorways.
So I broke the law every night,hard work trying to keep a Ford Transcontinental to 30mph. 
Geordielad:
When Foden were producing their S30s cabbed models with an 8 legger and trailer were they limited to 20 or 30mph on ordinary main roads?The 40 mph limit for Wagon and Drag didn’t come in until 1967 so with the S30’s tilt cabs being introduced 1964 it would have been 30mph. I put the list of dates and limits above. Franky.
Thanks! Just re read. I suppose I did not realise as a small child in the 60s just how slow the UK truck fleet was.
Were the continentals similar?
I am certain that the local tippers did not adhere to all the speed limits, probably were not capable of more than 40mph flat out anyway.
Chris Webb wrote;
Franky, it was a 30mph limit for wagon and drags in 70s and 80s, 60mph was allowed on motorways. So I broke the law every night, hard work trying to keep a Ford Transcontinental to 30mph.
Yes Chris I misread and typed even what I had posted earlier, it didn’t change to 40mph for Wagon and Drag over 7.5 tonnes until 1984, 50 for outfits below 7.5 tonnes. I’ve edited the post I replied to Essexpete too although it didn’t change the answer to his question on Eight Wheeler Wagon and Drag limits in the 60’s. Franky.