ramone:
My dad drove 1 identical to this for years , 9.6 with a 5 speed box 38 mph , it refused some hills .
This AEC MM is coupled to a “turn table” drawbar which has two points where it can pivot. 1) The turntable itself and 2) where the pin goes through the “eye” at the front of the drawbar. I am obviously not clued up on the exact designations but any trailer without a turntable is a “boys” trailer and whether it has an “A” frame that is fixed to the trailer bogie or has a straight single bar close coupled to the motor they are both “boys” trailers in my book. I rest my case and I would like to see “CF” reverse that Henry Long MM ! Cheers Bewick.
Not wishing to brag.I think that I could at least still put that Hovis type outfit through a reverse slalom course.Then maybe even put the trailer under a demount box from 90 degrees blindside in the dark with only one hand on the wheel at any time and without needing a shunt.But unfortunately never got the chance to drive and 8 wheeler and trailer but sure I’d have enjoyed that even more just so long as it had power steering.
You will never know what you missed “CF” and yes the Octopus did have exceptionally light power steering, but sorry pal I’ll not be sat in the mates seat with a lunatic behind the wheel, give Hitler or Elvis a “bell” I’m sure one of them will be brave enough to ride shotgun ! Cheers Bewick.
ramone:
My dad drove 1 identical to this for years , 9.6 with a 5 speed box 38 mph , it refused some hills .
This AEC MM is coupled to a “turn table” drawbar which has two points where it can pivot. 1) The turntable itself and 2) where the pin goes through the “eye” at the front of the drawbar. I am obviously not clued up on the exact designations but any trailer without a turntable is a “boys” trailer and whether it has an “A” frame that is fixed to the trailer bogie or has a straight single bar close coupled to the motor they are both “boys” trailers in my book. I rest my case and I would like to see “CF” reverse that Henry Long MM ! Cheers Bewick.
This must be a Barrow term Dennis, because to the rest of the world what you have described so accurately is called an A frame trailer.
I’d guess the A frame type as we know it was probably only given that term at the point when the solid bar close coupled type started to appear in common use and which wasn’t necessarily an A frame drawbar it could be just a single straight bar or at least not a proper letter A shape ?.
Before that point it was just a trailer and taken for granted as being ‘A frame/turntable’ type design ?.While close coupled would expected to have been laughed at by operators because why would anyone with any sense want to have all the needless aggro of weight transfer from the trailer onto the rear axle/s of the prime mover thereby wrecking its axle weight capacity in the case of solid bar close coupled.IE operators going for the close coupled solid bar type trailers really just means dumbing down the job and an insult to drivers while shooting themselves in the foot by compromising the weight capacity of the outfit.
Unless of couse you are after maximum cube, and not weight in which case the centre axled close coupled drawbar is a far more efficient combination, then either an “A” frame or artic
Like Dennis I cut my teeth on 8 wheelers with draw - bar trailers. The technique for reversing (never snout!) was to go backwards really slowly and never let the trailer go out of control - correct before you needed to, otherwise it was to late. The Mk.3 AECs were the perfect machine to learn on. When the Mk5 came in they seemed easy, but the Ergo or as we knew them the tilt cab with lock to lock power steering was better still. Then we got a Scania 110 and that was a car to drive. In those days you reversed on to a lot of cross channel ferries. With a Mk 3 you got the hang of it fast. I would put the wagon and trailer on the boat whilst the driver sorted the “paper-work” ( mostly had a pint !). The only Faff was going from daylight into relative darkness and staying in a narrow lane. Horses for courses or practice makes perfect - cliches that spring to mind. Jim.
ITT ran a drawbar unit which went each week to East Kilbride from Paddock Wood then returning and going out solo on day work delivery. The Bedford had a system installed to prevent damage to the drawbar and sound the horn if the drawbar touched electrical contacts on a rubber buffer attached to the rear of the chassis frame. This was actually a Mini exhaust mounting cotton reel, so very cheap to replace if damaged. The lorry’s rear marker board was also hinged. Looking at the picture the York manufacturer’s nameplate on the trailer has partially melted, this was because the trailer had been parked a little too close to the rubbish brazier one day.
Spud1960:
Unless of couse you are after maximum cube, and not weight in which case the centre axled close coupled drawbar is a far more efficient combination, then either an “A” frame or artic
MrJake:
Drove an ‘A’ frame drawbar for many years with no problems reversing them, the main advice I would give is never let the angle of the trailer get more than 45 degrees from the prime mover. Probably the fact that I learnt to drive on a farm tractor at 10 years old and and could reverse an ‘A’ frame farm trailer at 11 years helped. Became a drawbar instructor on United Carriers/Soverign Distribution for my sins but would agree a 44 foot artic trailer is a hell of a lot easier to reverse.
Did we have them? I learnt to drive one in Howden Depot then went down the road. I had a KM on C&D beforehand though
A trailer on a converter dolly and an A frame have exactly the same characteristics. They both have two pivot points. The converter dolly is the turntable pivot, the pin is the other pivot.
If you imagine the prime mover and the trailer as identical. Like two rigid lorries, you steer the rear “lorry” with the front pivot. The biggest mistake people make is losing sight of the front axle.
Chris Webb:
Here’s photos of the two wagon and drags I had on nights for about 6 years.
I see that you attended the Harry Gill school of lorry washing Chris . If it was left long enough the muck fell off when you hit a pothole .
Aye Dave. They were double shifted like all wagons MFS had,so weshed twice a day,honest.That Ford had a body off another four legger when it was new as you can see. They were handy tools though as all 24ft trailers were on a dolly,we did a changeover at our Altrincham depot then carried on and tipped either Liverpool or Ellesmere Port plus Bury,Manchester,Kirkby (dodgy place at night) Runcorn and Chester if there was room ont header.We would pick bread up at Globe Bakery Dukinfield ont way home,load ourselves as we had a key.The trailers ex Altrincham would be loaded with Burtons Biscuits etc after day shift had tipped a Wirral/Lancashire/Cheshire/Shropshire store.
Best job I ever had.
ramone:
My dad drove 1 identical to this for years , 9.6 with a 5 speed box 38 mph , it refused some hills .
This AEC MM is coupled to a “turn table” drawbar which has two points where it can pivot. 1) The turntable itself and 2) where the pin goes through the “eye” at the front of the drawbar. I am obviously not clued up on the exact designations but any trailer without a turntable is a “boys” trailer and whether it has an “A” frame that is fixed to the trailer bogie or has a straight single bar close coupled to the motor they are both “boys” trailers in my book. I rest my case and I would like to see “CF” reverse that Henry Long MM ! Cheers Bewick.
Not wishing to brag.I think that I could at least still put that Hovis type outfit through a reverse slalom course.Then maybe even put the trailer under a demount box from 90 degrees blindside in the dark with only one hand on the wheel at any time and without needing a shunt.But unfortunately never got the chance to drive and 8 wheeler and trailer but sure I’d have enjoyed that even more just so long as it had power steering.
If i am not mistaken that trailer behind longs 8 wheeler is Dyson kid and they were about afoot narrower than the AEC
and you would not see it behind the motor but them Bradford lads could put them into bad yards round Bradford.
JAKEY:
Chris ,what was that like when they replaced the Transcon with a day cabbed SCania ? I would have been gutted and said I keep the Transcon !!!
Jakey,it broke me heart pal. That Ford were a grand tool and I had it from when it was nearly new,we had six,they were kept for two years and replaced by those Scania 82s.We used Woodhead every night when possible and those 82s were no comparison to the Transcontis for pulling,although I have to say the Scania was far more manouverable - and that’s about it.
We had a Scania 81 with auto box on an “R” plate and it was pressed into service with a drag when needs be,talk about hard work.We also inherited an 81 from our Hitchin depot which was a bit newer and used as spare but it was never any good with a drag ont back,just had to put up with it now and again.This is the one…
Thank you Chris , I guessed you say some thing like that , I never drove a transcon but heard they were great tools ,except the brakes and cab suspension .
JAKEY:
Thank you Chris , I guessed you say some thing like that , I never drove a transcon but heard they were great tools ,except the brakes and cab suspension .
Aye,the brakes were fine with a trailer ont back but not so good solo.And cab suspension,well it was like being at sea going over Woodhead.
We had a Transcontinental at Cannons of Milton driven by Fuzzy, when they got rid of it they gave him a Volvo FL7 Talk about moving from a flat into a bungalow I drove it a couple of times & the ride on the Transcon could have been better with cab-nod being an issue, but they did go The only better thing about the FL7 would have been the ride, but you needed it to be because it took you twice as long to get there Chris
JAKEY:
:lol: , why did they not want sleeper cabs any more ?
All the wagons were double shifted Jakey,no nights out on that job.A lot of trunking done out of Maltby to depots at Hitchin/North Luton,Ross/Chepstow and changeovers done at Carlisle,Penrith,Morpeth,Lockerbie,Washington services with our Edinburgh depot and also at Oxford.Drivers outbased at Penrith,Newcastle,Bristol,Basingstoke and Sleaford.
I had a Wagon & Drag (A-frame0 on Luker Bros Removals, Oxford, good for Bulk & light-goods, so great for parcels/Trunking etc but a bloody knightmare when in the centre of Paris doing multiple drops/collections round the back streets finding Antique shops etc. Chris
Cheers Bewick.
Talk about moving from a flat into a bungalow 
Chris