Saviem, did I pass you on Tuesday in Chadwell on an old John Deere with a tipping trailer, I gave a toot of the horn just in case 
.
Hi Trev, no sorry, …all my Deeres are fairly new!! ( Im getting on and need the warmth of a proper cab). The one I drive has tracks, and on the front flies a Union Jack, and a Manx flag. You may see me on the A5, or A41, but I try and stay on the quiet roads, (and my lads do as well)! They all sport a Union Jack on the front!
Not the weather for riding a Gold Star yet is it,
Cheerio for now.
Saviem:
Hi Trev, no sorry, …all my Deeres are fairly new!! ( Im getting on and need the warmth of a proper cab). The one I drive has tracks, and on the front flies a Union Jack, and a Manx flag. You may see me on the A5, or A41, but I try and stay on the quiet roads, (and my lads do as well)! They all sport a Union Jack on the front!Not the weather for riding a Gold Star yet is it,
Cheerio for now.
Some old boy is scratching his head wondering who keeps waving to him in a Daf xf ! 
You must be neighbours with Mr. Maddock then ?
A mate of mine Eric, drives his white FH.
Regarding Le Centaure and the strong marketing campaigns for it and the TR305/350, most people in GB still think the Volvo Globetrotter was the first high-roof cab in production, despite that fact that it was launched a year after Le Centaure. There was an article on BLB a year or so, in which this myth was repeated. Were any of the first batch- 1978 of Le Centaures- 1978 models, with all the interior extras, sold in this country?
Hi Trev, Anorak, Gentlemen,
No not far from Peter Trev!
No fully equipped Le Centaures were sold in the UK. If I remember correctly the CV show, 80/81ish, Renault Truck and Bus exhibited a rhd TR 305 Le Centaure trim, raised bunk, TV, kitchen pack, a/c, 4x2 in white. I think that Bob Wilson, the Birmingham Showman, was interested in her, but did not buy her. As was someone with a White Road Commode from the London area, but no deal there!
Then I think Dunstable, registered her and used her for promotions coupled to a Scammel tandem box, in white with the corporate stripe livery, (not at all impressive)! Really do not know what happened to her in the end, (Im better on the French ones …sad is it not)! I cannot recollect any more rhd ones being built. But remember RVI had taken over/merged Dodge in the UK and Spain, and the UK people were used to selling into volume business,so something as individualistic as Le Centaure probably would not have excited them! Also they, and their dealers had enjoyed a disasterous time with the Baerreiros tractors and rigids, so were very reticent about the 28ton plus market sector. Yet RT&B had run a market penetration of around 3.something %, with a very limited range, and dealer network. Very respectable, with a good repeat business ratio. Like all things, this became lost in the merger, and it was some time before it was regained, and then only with an enhanced range,TF, G, and TR…
As I said earlier, the Le Centaure lorry was a flagship, but actually a genre, you could mix and match to meet your budget, and of course eventually it led to the Turbo liner range. But it gave RVI a real flagship, that was easily recognised, and became an item of desire for many in the industry. Fit and finish was really excellent, and the interiors stayed together very well.
Just going back to our black and reds. The 6x4 TRHs, really cought the eye of the “Heavy Hitters”, and a number were sold into major Hors Code operators like Stag, Zucchoni, Scales etc. The TRH was rated at 38000kgs/60000kgs, or 120000kgs…and many ran reliably in excess of this!! The French Nuclear industry was in full swing, and there was lots of work in the Heavy haulage field. They were a real work horse with a comfortable cab, and a superb mechanical specification.
The final evolution of the Black and Red Demos incorporated rather garish stripes swooping down the cab sides, incorporating either, 300ch, (TR305), or 352ch, (V8)…Oh and a large Cockrels head on each door!!(the Rugby influence), but very spectacular to see on the road.
Cheerio for now.
Hi Saviem,
By the sounds of it, your marketing strategy was a master stroke. It is great to have the background to these stories. Can i ask how did you evolve from hauling frieght over Mont Cenis in your Gardner powered Foden to selling/marketing a leading brand of trucks in France?
Is this one of your creations below? It certainly looks alot better in the Saviem guise than the MAN.
Riverstick:
The famous le Centaure ‘Shower Scene’
I guess the French guys really like to replay nostalgia after restoring their Berliets…Great to see the Ladies helping them along…I wonder will they be in Gaydon this year?
Hmmm…It looks like the moral police have tried to twart my ‘Freedom of Expression’…Well here is another way to look at a French lady’s attractive bottom
Hey, never did one offer the centaure shower even not the Magnum,it’s a pity otherwise I should have welcomed more ladydrivers because it’s not only for boys, shouldn’t we encourage the weaker ■■■. Looks at it but don’t touch it otherwise we could be the weaker ■■■
don’t we.
Cheers Eric,
MaggieD:
Saviem:
neversweat1:
MaggieD:
Hi Steve,Thanks for the info, it’s nice to know Dudley didn’t change,he was always chasing that elusive deal at Tilburys in Southampton
Peter Tilbury ran Southampton and his brother Michael ran Winchester happy days, I used to deal with a chap called Barry Gibson at the factory nice people to deal with.Regards
RichardHe was a very nice man Barry Gibson - Sadly no longer with us
Steve
Yes Gentlemen, Barry Gibson was an absoluteley superb man, both in connection with Renault Trucks, and also as a person. I would say that he did more to keep Renault customers going, and remain with the marque than anyone within the organisation in the UK. His product knowledge was immense, and his ability to solve problems was without bounds. And he did it all with a smile! I knew Barry from about 76, right up untill he was solving problems with my own Renaults for me in the 90s. He and Margaret were a lovely couple, sadly both have past on, a rare man indeed, and I miss his friendship.
Hi Steve and Saviem,
I am so sorry to hear Barry has passed away,as you say Saviem nothing was too much trouble for him, I remember one day the driver of one of my Magnums phoned in en route from Hamburg to UK to say there was a knock in the engine,an experienced lad who had driven the truck from new,and it had now done in excess of 400,000 kms. He said he would nurse it to Zeebrugge and get the ferry to Dover,I duly sent my wrecker with a spare unit to meet him in Dover. It just happened that Barry phoned that day to say hello and catch up,I told him about the Magnum 420,he said when it arrives at Dover could I take it to the Renault dealer in Kent and get them to look at it, I explained the mileage and it was well out of warranty and I was going to bring it back to our workshop,but he still wanted me to go to the dealer, which we did as Barry insisted. A few hours later the service manager from the dealership phoned to say they were going to fit a new engine !! and I was not to worry as Renault were paying the bill !! and Barry had organised it,and the new engine was already on it’s way from France.
After a quick call to Barry he informed me that this Magnum was an early 420 and synthetic anti freeze has been used at the factory which caused air bubbles to get in the system,and mine happened to have been the first to fail.
He could quite easily have said hard luck you’ll have to sort it yourself, I shall raise a glass to him tonight,now where is that Bollinger !
Regards
RichardPS I remember Barry in Roger Bastable’s (Abbey Hill) helicopter landing in the car park of a pub in Somerset for lunch,I think it took him a few years to get over it.
Hello Richard
Did you ever come across Trevor Walker the area technical manager 
Steve
neversweat1:
MaggieD:
Saviem:
neversweat1:
MaggieD:
Hi Steve,Thanks for the info, it’s nice to know Dudley didn’t change,he was always chasing that elusive deal at Tilburys in Southampton
Peter Tilbury ran Southampton and his brother Michael ran Winchester happy days, I used to deal with a chap called Barry Gibson at the factory nice people to deal with.Regards
RichardHe was a very nice man Barry Gibson - Sadly no longer with us
Steve
Yes Gentlemen, Barry Gibson was an absoluteley superb man, both in connection with Renault Trucks, and also as a person. I would say that he did more to keep Renault customers going, and remain with the marque than anyone within the organisation in the UK. His product knowledge was immense, and his ability to solve problems was without bounds. And he did it all with a smile! I knew Barry from about 76, right up untill he was solving problems with my own Renaults for me in the 90s. He and Margaret were a lovely couple, sadly both have past on, a rare man indeed, and I miss his friendship.
Hi Steve and Saviem,
I am so sorry to hear Barry has passed away,as you say Saviem nothing was too much trouble for him, I remember one day the driver of one of my Magnums phoned in en route from Hamburg to UK to say there was a knock in the engine,an experienced lad who had driven the truck from new,and it had now done in excess of 400,000 kms. He said he would nurse it to Zeebrugge and get the ferry to Dover,I duly sent my wrecker with a spare unit to meet him in Dover. It just happened that Barry phoned that day to say hello and catch up,I told him about the Magnum 420,he said when it arrives at Dover could I take it to the Renault dealer in Kent and get them to look at it, I explained the mileage and it was well out of warranty and I was going to bring it back to our workshop,but he still wanted me to go to the dealer, which we did as Barry insisted. A few hours later the service manager from the dealership phoned to say they were going to fit a new engine !! and I was not to worry as Renault were paying the bill !! and Barry had organised it,and the new engine was already on it’s way from France.
After a quick call to Barry he informed me that this Magnum was an early 420 and synthetic anti freeze has been used at the factory which caused air bubbles to get in the system,and mine happened to have been the first to fail.
He could quite easily have said hard luck you’ll have to sort it yourself, I shall raise a glass to him tonight,now where is that Bollinger !
Regards
RichardPS I remember Barry in Roger Bastable’s (Abbey Hill) helicopter landing in the car park of a pub in Somerset for lunch,I think it took him a few years to get over it.
Hello Richard
Did you ever come across Trevor Walker the area technical manager2
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Steve
Hi Steve,
Yes met Trevor on a few occasions another decent chap who would always help you out,I guess he’s retired now ? I’m trying to think of the chap Colin … who left Spartrucks and went to Reading as dealer principal I think ?
All the Renault guys were helpful, I ran about 20 G290/310/340/365/Turboliners & Magnums at one time Happy Days ! Also a Saviem which had a whistle that sounded like Concorde coming into land when the turbo was singing.
Regards
Richard
Hello Richard
Trevor is long retired now tending to his sheep - We used to call him Man from C&A - Shirt not tucked in - Tie halfway round his collar - Covered in ■■■ Ash - Smashing bloke though Another ex Dodge man.
Is it Colin Harvey you are thinking of We have had numerous dealer principles over the years
Steve
A TR 350 6x4 from the BEC enterprise located in Clermont l’ Hérault.
MaggieD:
All the Renault guys were helpful, I ran about 20 G290/310/340/365/Turboliners & Magnums at one time Happy Days ! Also a Saviem which had a whistle that sounded like Concorde coming into land when the turbo was singing.Regards
Richard
Hi Maggie D,
Did you get good service from your Renaults. A very under rated truck which gave excellent service…just my humble opinion…
I do remeber the turbo whistle from those French Saviems…very pronounced and characteristic…
Evening Gentlemen, Maggie D, oh that turbo whistle…you got it by Blainville building the lightweight 240, and sticking in the “hot rod” SM280 engine, with the ZF and splitter. Did we call it the 36.280 or something like that for the UK? Not quite a “hooligan” motor, but one that was a delight to drive, we used to think 240hp was big power, but the gearing was spot on, so you could cover some ground, and she was fairly light. They sold quite well in the UK.
I always rated the handling of the Saviems as far more reassuring than the big TRs, I always felt that you could “feel” the road. But the TR was the way we went. I always regret the Uk never experiencing the PS30, the last true Saviem 38tonner. Almost as high as a Transcontinental, but light, and nimble…and with a 13speed Fuller what a goer!! Almost a flat floor, and loads of insulation, so a very warm cab. Riversticks picture shows one of the “custom” ones that RVI built to appease the Saviem network, after Le Centaure appeared. Then of course came the PX30, which was a 350 Berliet with a Saviem badge on the front. Universally, operators of the old SM300 V8, did not buy it, it was at least a thousand KG heavier.
Riverstick, the explanation for your image is as above, in the flesh they looked really good. All sales forcasts were broken, so rapidly did operators buy this, the last “real” Saviem tractor.
As for my career…well its a bit like the AAs undulating road, Ive just bumbled along enjoying myself,…and creating ■■■■ ups everywhere!! That is probably why I experienced so many different areas of business…Im still doing it today!!
Neversweat1, was it Geoff Harvey, ex Dodge Dunstable who ended up at Reading Garage? Little chap with spectacles, lived in Wokingham I believe…liked a drop of the hard stuff…most of the ex Dodge people did, could have been their trials with Chrysler!!
Cheerio for now.
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Steve
[/quote]
That TRH was done for a showin Tunis, via our importer STIA,and ended up being operated by STM also based in Tunis, who invested 9million dinars in a fleet of 50 TRHs. The photograph was taken on a dull and misty day at our test facility at Valbonne, a 50 hectare test site out on the Geneva Road, associated with Saint Priest. The driver is Francois Mouton. This was the first time that we tried to “dress up” a lorry for the Arabian market.
Jacques Breton, Directeur des affaires Internationales, was not keen at first, but the lorry grew favourable responses, so we kept on doing it, particularly with the bonneted GB range.
Cheerio for now.
Hello Saviem
Geoff Harvey (aka “Groucho”) was our M.D at Reading Garage - He then went back to RVI and did a stint at the Park Royal dealership before setting up and running Renault Trucks Reading for RVI.He retired early and lives Paighton way now ( If i remember correctly M.S was involved)
Colin Harvey arrived with us late 1990’s after Arthur Whiteside left.
Steve
neversweat1:
Hello SaviemGeoff Harvey (aka “Groucho”) was our M.D at Reading Garage - He then went back to RVI and did a stint at the Park Royal dealership before setting up and running Renault Trucks Reading for RVI.He retired early and lives Paighton way now ( If i remember correctly M.S was involved)
1
Steve
Hi neversweat1, that is a smashing picture of Geoff…and just as I remember him. A real “Londoner”, (and there is no disrespect in that statement), he used to rib me without mercy about being a “brown boot man”,( he always wore polished black court shoes), on account that I always wore “Trickers” Dealer Boots. He reckoned that was how the French knew me as English, (mind you when I was in the US I was known as “Frenchie” and I wo`nt tell you of the confusion when I told some Louisiana operators that I was from the “Black Country”…and people think that we share a common language!!!
I think that Geoff had been with Dodge for a fair number of years, probably back to Kew days, many of their people had real lorry pedigrees, but the Chrysler people had done them no favours…but in hindsight did the French??
Thanks again Cheerio for now.
Hello Saviem
I think a great deal of the old Dodge men lasted through Renaults takeover at first but started to disappear once Bernard Momin returned to France
Steve
Riverstick:
MaggieD:
All the Renault guys were helpful, I ran about 20 G290/310/340/365/Turboliners & Magnums at one time Happy Days ! Also a Saviem which had a whistle that sounded like Concorde coming into land when the turbo was singing.Regards
RichardHi Maggie D,
Did you get good service from your Renaults. A very under rated truck which gave excellent service…just my humble opinion…
I do remeber the turbo whistle from those French Saviems…very pronounced and characteristic…
Hi Steve,
I certainly remember Trevor and the ■■■ ash I recall myself,Peter Tilbury and him standing in Peter’s office,Trev smoking like a chimney trying to wangle through a warranty claim,and Peter with his shoe on the desk glueing the sole back on Happy Days !
Colin Harvey that’s the chap well done. I also met Arthur a few times I think he was on one of the Lyon trips to the factory.
My Renaults gave excellent service,they ran all over Europe and the UK, the drivers liked the comfort of the Turboliners & Magnums.
Regards
Richard
Saviem:
Evening all, I wondered if there would be any interest in this thread. Seems that there is, so may I add a few bits of “trivia” surrounding Centaure. Berliet, although technically dominating the domestic French market, was in the early seventies suffering from a “grande malaise”, similar to our own Leyland group. Too many production sites, (both in France, and overseas), gross over staffing, lousy management decisions, (being owned by Groupe Michelins Citroen Division, not renowned for their forward thinking! and a confused model line up, which did contain some gems, (the medium weight “Stadair” fully air suspended, low height chassis. and of course the new heavyweight cab on the TR ranges. Berliet had launched a high reving 12litre V8, which just like our own AEC V8, had a propensity to explode!! This was being re engineered, but Citroen, (Michelin), wanted out. First suitor was Fiat, (soon to found Iveco), who already owned Unic), then on the scene came Volvo! Panic in Paris, would be a understatement! French jobs would be at risk, (and lots of them), Government decided that Berliet would become part of the “Regie” Renault. A government controlled group of companies, that would bring together Saviem and Berliet. 1975 it all began,Berliet needed an image, and that is just how Le Centaur came into being, a flagship, but what a flagship! The “new” V8, 16litre capacity, nominally 320 (DIN) hp. Berliets engineers had been redesigning its engines on a “high torque rise principal”, as the revs go down, the torque ramps up. Add turbocharging and in its day (1977) a pretty sensational package, 356hp and creamy torque output. Then add a hi roof from quality trailer and bodybuilder Lamberet a lyon neighbour. with a luxury car quality trim interior, oodles of chrome, extra lights and a well thought out paint job, wow, she was a sensation at the Paris show, and also more importantly on the road. They sold, so well that a special line was set up, if I remember correctly over 400 of the V8 Centaures were produced, and the cab option was available on other TRs, tractor and porteur. Stunning marketing added to the image, Centaur featured in TV and Cinema, remember France had “discovered” her routiers, and the population was interested in the industry. Centaures legacy was the Turboliner cab, in standard production. The only Centaure to come to GB was mounted on a TR 305, 12litre chassis. Who bought it, I do not know, but I seem to remember that the Dodge people coupled it to a Scammell box van trailer for demos. The V8 really was a dream to drive, and the standard of fit and finish were exemplary in the Centaure cab, including the “shower”, that in the shots showing “Monique” grab so much attention. Last bit of trivia, she was English! a former dancer at the Crazy Horse in Paris, and later married the head of the agency who handled the shots. Now a very attractive grandmother of four, and living in a rather swish suberb of Paris. Bon Chance mes amis, Cheerio for now.
Hallmark Transport had 2 Beliet’s 305 Pictured Below Back in 1979 i think we Brought them to Replace our aging F88 although ill have to ask Dad J.Hall
