michel:
Last Saturday for the first “Route des Vacances” in Langres.
Berliet GLM 10 R with 6 cylinders engine and 2 sticks gearchange.
Another smashing photo Michel - Thank you
Steve
Steve
Steve, I think there is a post for Saviem. The Berliet purist don’t always appreciate…
Berliet GLM 10M breakdown lorry on the return of our rally Saturday evening.
michel:
Steve, I think there is a post for Saviem. The Berliet purist don’t always appreciate…
Berliet GLM 10M breakdown lorry on the return of our rally Saturday evening.
I’ll look for the SAVIEM topic - Thanks Michel
Steve
Steve
Evening all, oh Dear friends, the management of Berliet made a complete “■■■■”, of it all…too many models…too many facilities…too much “ego”. Great to look back on, but to work with, they were an unmitigated disaster…arrogant, unaware of their opposition…and worse unaware in the market place, and of the people who invested “THEIR” cash in the product…no wonder Volvo, and Scania became established in France!!!
Cheerio for now!
The main disaster came at the Paris Motor Show when Berliet launched the TR 12 with 240 cv which was well attempted by the customers
but the engine was not ready and suffered from overheat.The market was at present very semi-trailer oriented
so many customers changed in a few months to German Henschel,Magirus,Mercedes and to Swedish Scania-Vabis and Volvo.
In 1973, the TR280 was a better tractor but it was too late.
Berliet TR12 from early 1965.
The launch of the Berliet TR 12 at 1964 Paris Motor Show in a white color.
Are there any known surviving LE CENTAURE models around, i.e. Berliet not Renault?
Does anyone know how many were pruduced before it became Renault and its Turboleader?
Ownership of a LE CENTAURE on decent condition would arguably be one of the rarest around
Great Tour de France stage through Lyon today Saviem 
Steve
Onatra TR 280.
Spardo:
anorak:
Maybe this is what happened to Spardo- the dealer may have been inundated with chancers after a freebie, so tended not to take enquiries seriously. However, it is clear from Spardo’s post that he was a genuine customer, with a real hope to buy a Renault. It seems that if the dealer had granted him another five minutes’ chatting time, they would have been able to suss him out as genuine.Spot on, as an ex-driver in an own account manufacturing firm I was the only one, apart from my own drivers, who knew the first thing about transport. This fact, the weight my recommendations had, coupled with the fact that I obviously went to some trouble to make the arrangemernt well in advance should have given them a clue. 5 minutes chatting, as you put it, would have convinced them that first of all I wanted a vehicle which would meet our needs, secondly would be a good financial move for the company (I had directors to convince after all) and last but not least I had the interests of a happy workforce in my mind. If I would like to drive the wagon I knew my drivers would.
Not sure if my chairmanship of the local FTA for 3 years running should have convinced them of my professionalism or not, but I bet they didn’t bother to find out.
same with Chattfields DAF in leeds the demos just go to there mates you dont even get a look in one demo went to a guy how just own 8 wheel tippers 
neversweat1:
0Steve
Steve good evening, boy, you do have a collection of pictures…and there is a story behind most of them!
Now the two Gendarmes and the TR305 demo with the tandem Savoyard… Feeling was running high about road safety in France. There had been a terrible accident involving a Chemical Tanker operated by Onatra, causing loss of life, and a number of incidents involving “maxi-code” vehicles, that had aroused public concern about the safety of Road Haulage.
So “we” created an initiative, in conjunction with the National Road Police force. A programme of "Road Safety Initiatives across France. Actually the course content was excellent, and it was taught in a totally “non condecending” way. It helped that “we”, (in conjunction with the Dealer Network), provided our best Demonstrators as tuition vehicles, for the participants to drive, (as well as loads of freebies…anoraks, shirts, key rings, Flasks, overnight bags), for all concerned.
To give maximum exposure we hammered at the door of the National, rather than the Industry Press…and did we get a “take up”, the Media, both Press and Radio /TV really took it on board. In marketing terms it was a real success, and great for the Haulage Industry in promoting the Professionalism and integrity of the Industry, as well as our Berliet Brand. Some of my “bosses” actually appeared on National TV…
But we needed a really “evocative” picture to headline the campaign. Now my neighbour, in the apartment below mine in Lyon, was a “motorcycle cop”, and we often used to spend evenings discussing the merits, (or not), of BMW, Triumph, and my beloved Gold Star BSAs. But to the picture…not all wonderful images are the creation of an “arty-■■■■■” photographer/Director, and mega buck budget!
Oh no, my friend and his colleague, “moonlighting”, on a normal Saturday morning patrol, a new “Works” Demonstrator, (with the Routier Safety symbol quickly applied)…the first new Savoyard Tilt that we could find coupled to it, (hence the tandem axle), a bit of quiet road , just down from Bourg en Bresse, and a “pool” photographer. That photograph got into most of France`s newspapers, National, and Regional… The bill…dinner for eight , numerous rather fine bottles of Bordeaux, and friendships that endure to this day!!
But then you have the other side of things…
Potentially a mega shoot, our “best” 352cv TRH, 6x4, coupled to M Lamberet`s shiny white frigo…and Arianne, a rather “fiesty” young model from a rather expensive Paris Agency. All co-ordinated by creative Director from an Agency well respected by the motor car side of the Regie! What could go wrong?
Well it was a warm day, 30 degrees from memory, Arianne, and the Creative Director, (who it has to be said, “batted for the other side”, just did not “hit it off”. As he created scenes…Arianne disposed of her clothing…readily!!! The hysterical rantings occasioned by one party wanting those knitted red socks on…and the other wanting them off…most of us could not stand up for laughing. Then of course came the “reveal”, using the right hand side Frigo door. This shot came after a particularly violent dialogue between all parties involved.
The scene was called…nothing happened…the Director bellowed through his loud hailer,…nothing…he bellowed again…and a naked leg slinkily waved through the door, sensually followed by a very lithe Arieanne, removing the relevant bits of her clothing…but not the Red socks!!!
Phillipe, the model posing as the driver just could not understand the applause that we all were giving…and just nodded to us thinking that it was for him!!! And the “in cab shots”, well they were done the following day…Gosh those photographs cost a fortune!!
And to think, Arianne must be a Grand Mother by now…and probably wearing red knitted socks!!
Cheerio for now.
The photo above brings back memories o LAD cabbed Leyland Badgers leaping like that. Eddie.
neversweat1:
It’s really great hearing the stories behind some of these images Saviem - Thank you0
Steve
Ah, but I have the full sequence 1in 4 grade, loose surface, at Le Valbonne, 150 tonnes, start from rest, (and the hand brake held)!, tick over to 1500 revs, up in the air, then down on the ground, then 2nd low, 4th low, 7th (high 2nd), and away…tough old Bird eh!!!
Try that with a Crusader Scammell!!!..and collect the diff bits later!!!
Cheerio for now.