Say pre 1974 which one of these premium manufacturers in order from 1 to 5 was the best ( 1 being No 1 etc etc.)
Got to be the Atkinson for me but other TN members will vehemently disagree ( why they would I can’t understand 
AAAA ) Bewick.
Bewick:
Say pre 1974 which one of these premium manufacturers in order from 1 to 5 was the best ( 1 being No 1 etc etc.)
Got to be the Atkinson for me but other TN members will vehemently disagree ( why they would I can’t understand
The ERF for me
atlas man:
Bewick:
Say pre 1974 which one of these premium manufacturers in order from 1 to 5 was the best ( 1 being No 1 etc etc.)
Got to be the Atkinson for me but other TN members will vehemently disagree ( why they would I can’t understandThe ERF for me
ERF were producing some Europe-class units by 1973. ERF for me.
If I’d have been a gaffer Foden, driver AEC.
i drove a 71 atkinson , ■■■■■■■ ,6 speed ZF , i bought a 74 A series gardner 180,david brown 6 speed and 2 speed axle and my dad bought a 71 scammell handyman, leyland 680 , epicyclic semi auto box , we also had a 74 ERF 5mw, ■■■■■■■ 220 , roadranger 9 speed , they all had their good points and bad points ,
good bits
the a series was econimical on caravans ,
the 5MW had the best gearbox and a ■■■■■■■■ and i found it the most comfortable, bostrom seats ,
the scammell a close 2nd in the gearbox stakes (loved that box)
the atkinson had a ■■■■■■■ engine, and a train horn
bad bits
the a series, i just didn’t like that david brown box, not fond of the engine either.
the atkinson leaked water in the cab at the top of the windscreen ,a gearbox bolt kept breaking ( i carried spares and a cranked spanner), wish dad had bought the one with the roadranger but atkins wanted too much for it, no fuel guage ( i had a stick) , wasn’t a fan of the ZF box and it had the chapman seats , not exactly major comfort.
the scammell was a bugger to reverse with out a clutch pedal , bloody cold in the winter.
the 5mw didn’t really have any built in bad points i can think of.
so 1st ERF 5MW , 2nd Atkinson (nostalgic, my 1st lorry and for all her faults i loved her - and she’s still around somewhere), 3rd Scammell - only for the gearbox , 4th ERF A series - sorry cant do with the 180 + david brown box ( i did later have a B series gardner 240 + roadranger , much better , i liked that )
tony
coomsey:
If I’d have been a gaffer Foden, driver AEC.
Up in derbyshire Foden was king for many years . Most of the work was ICI lime , who paid premium rates and Fodens carried half a ton more legally . The road stone quarries also used Foden because of their rugged build , most problems were solved with a hammer and crowbar . After Paccar took over at Foden their popularity declined and erf and Atkins started making inroads into the area .
For me F0den twin steer, leyland 680 engine 12 speed box,brilliant, went like the proverbial sh-- off a shovel and pulled like a train. Ted.
Foden for me, The S 36 Artic 680 Leyland PP, 12 Speed Foden Gearbox G Reg Ex BOC, Great bit of gear, Larry.
I cant comment on the older versions but my dad was always AEC , he got a new J reg Atki and wasn’t keen at all , he did like the ERFs he drove at Harold Woods much more than the Atki , and his Marathon topped the lot. I have driven ERFs and Foden and i would take a Foden every time.
Why didn’t you like Fodens Dennis they were available with the same running gear as the Atkis , ERFs and GUYs you ran . I keep meaning to ask why did you also avoid DAFs ?
ramone:
I cant comment on the older versions but my dad was always AEC , he got a new J reg Atki and wasn’t keen at all , he did like the ERFs he drove at Harold Woods much more than the Atki , and his Marathon topped the lot. I have driven ERFs and Foden and i would take a Foden every time.
Why didn’t you like Fodens Dennis they were available with the same running gear as the Atkis , ERFs and GUYs you ran . I keep meaning to ask why did you also avoid DAFs ?
Hiya “ramone” how’s it going ! By the time I was able, financially, to buy premium units in 71/72 IMHO Fodens were then past their “sell by date” and I never really showed any interest in them. DAF’s along with MAN’s I considered to be too heavy and too thirsty and although we had a number of long term demos off both Manufacturers neither of them could match the Scania or the Volvos for that matter ! Looking back now over the years I operated I am still confident that I made the right choices over the years first off with the Atkinsons/ERF’s ? Seddons & Big J’s and in later years with a predominately Scania fleet. But definitely my “black list” was Leyland , Foden ,DAF & MAN !! Obviously times and fashions change over 25 years but I can say that my Pal Mike Ponsonby is very happy with his all Scania fleet and is not about to change the fleet profile any time soon !Cheers Dennis.
rigsby:
coomsey:
If I’d have been a gaffer Foden, driver AEC.Up in derbyshire Foden was king for many years . Most of the work was ICI lime , who paid premium rates and Fodens carried half a ton more legally . The road stone quarries also used Foden because of their rugged build , most problems were solved with a hammer and crowbar . After Paccar took over at Foden their popularity declined and erf and Atkins started making inroads into the area .
I think Denzil got it right in the heading IMO
toxic gas man:
For me F0den twin steer, leyland 680 engine 12 speed box,brilliant, went like the proverbial sh-- off a shovel and pulled like a train. Ted.
Have you seen the YouTube clips of one being restored and driven?
Bewick:
ramone:
I cant comment on the older versions but my dad was always AEC , he got a new J reg Atki and wasn’t keen at all , he did like the ERFs he drove at Harold Woods much more than the Atki , and his Marathon topped the lot. I have driven ERFs and Foden and i would take a Foden every time.
Why didn’t you like Fodens Dennis they were available with the same running gear as the Atkis , ERFs and GUYs you ran . I keep meaning to ask why did you also avoid DAFs ?Hiya “ramone” how’s it going ! By the time I was able, financially, to buy premium units in 71/72 IMHO Fodens were then past their “sell by date” and I never really showed any interest in them. DAF’s along with MAN’s I considered to be too heavy and too thirsty and although we had a number of long term demos off both Manufacturers neither of them could match the Scania or the Volvos for that matter ! Looking back now over the years I operated I am still confident that I made the right choices over the years first off with the Atkinsons/ERF’s ? Seddons & Big J’s and in later years with a predominately Scania fleet. But definitely my “black list” was Leyland , Foden ,DAF & MAN !! Obviously times and fashions change over 25 years but I can say that my Pal Mike Ponsonby is very happy with his all Scania fleet and is not about to change the fleet profile any time soon !Cheers Dennis.
0
Im fine thanks Dennis , i hope you are too , so which did your drivers favour out of the list , were the Atkis the most popular, back then i would suspect that if they were all fitted with similar drivelines it would be down to the cab where there wouldn’t be much in it. Having said that i’m sure there would have been rumblings of discontent when the first Scanias and F88s arrived .
essexpete:
toxic gas man:
For me F0den twin steer, leyland 680 engine 12 speed box,brilliant, went like the proverbial sh-- off a shovel and pulled like a train. Ted.Have you seen the YouTube clips of one being restored and driven?
I saw that when he first got it , known the bloke since he was little and worked with his late dad . He’s a real nut and bolt man , won’t settle for less than perfect .Now that is done he has an s80 rebuild on the go .
#1 AEC
#2 Atki
#3 Foden
#4 ERF
#5 Scammell
#6 Leyland
Number 2 to 4 can be juggled, I enjoyed all three.
ramone:
Bewick:
ramone:
I cant comment on the older versions but my dad was always AEC , he got a new J reg Atki and wasn’t keen at all , he did like the ERFs he drove at Harold Woods much more than the Atki , and his Marathon topped the lot. I have driven ERFs and Foden and i would take a Foden every time.
Why didn’t you like Fodens Dennis they were available with the same running gear as the Atkis , ERFs and GUYs you ran . I keep meaning to ask why did you also avoid DAFs ?Hiya “ramone” how’s it going ! By the time I was able, financially, to buy premium units in 71/72 IMHO Fodens were then past their “sell by date” and I never really showed any interest in them. DAF’s along with MAN’s I considered to be too heavy and too thirsty and although we had a number of long term demos off both Manufacturers neither of them could match the Scania or the Volvos for that matter ! Looking back now over the years I operated I am still confident that I made the right choices over the years first off with the Atkinsons/ERF’s ? Seddons & Big J’s and in later years with a predominately Scania fleet. But definitely my “black list” was Leyland , Foden ,DAF & MAN !! Obviously times and fashions change over 25 years but I can say that my Pal Mike Ponsonby is very happy with his all Scania fleet and is not about to change the fleet profile any time soon !Cheers Dennis.
0Im fine thanks Dennis , i hope you are too , so which did your drivers favour out of the list , were the Atkis the most popular, back then i would suspect that if they were all fitted with similar drivelines it would be down to the cab where there wouldn’t be much in it. Having said that i’m sure there would have been rumblings of discontent when the first Scanias and F88s arrived .
Well “ramone” we obviously ran far more Atkis than ERF’s or Big J’s and then we moved onto Sed/Atks and B Series ERF’s and finally Scanias and a few Volvos and I can honestly say we never had problems with disgruntled Drivers as we were always fair with allocating units in the fleet and of course all our motors were maintained to the highest standards possible so was never any problem on that score. But by the mid 80’s apart from a couple of B series on double shift and a couple of Sed/Atks on the general fleet we were exclusively Scania and Volvo . Cheers Dennis.
Another annoying question for you Dennis , a little fairer maybe the Atki v Erf A series v Guy Big J v Seddon , then the Sedd Atki v B Series all similar specced and all what you ran . Leave the Swedes out otherwise no contest or maybe P112 v FL10 which came out on top and why ii your opinion?
ramone:
Another annoying question for you Dennis , a little fairer maybe the Atki v Erf A series v Guy Big J v Seddon , then the Sedd Atki v B Series all similar specced and all what you ran . Leave the Swedes out otherwise no contest or maybe P112 v FL10 which came out on top and why ii your opinion?
Well “ramone” I will separate the the wheat from the chaff by saying that the Atkys and ERF’s were the first division and the Seddons and Big J"s were in the second division ! Although both Marques were equally reliable so maybe I am being a bit harsh but it goes without saying that I’d sooner be seen driving an Atky than a Big J ! Cheers Dennis.
rigsby:
essexpete:
toxic gas man:
For me F0den twin steer, leyland 680 engine 12 speed box,brilliant, went like the proverbial sh-- off a shovel and pulled like a train. Ted.Have you seen the YouTube clips of one being restored and driven?
I saw that when he first got it , known the bloke since he was little and worked with his late dad . He’s a real nut and bolt man , won’t settle for less than perfect .Now that is done he has an s80 rebuild on the go .
Is that Steve you are talking about? He does not seem to post on YouTube at the moment. He very kindly replies to questions and comment that folk make.