Berliet

[saviem]

Evening everybody, boy, we are in the middle of the mother and father of thunderstorms…lightning to barbeque anything by! And I`m soaking, just folded the wheels of the Forage Harvester back, and about to couple up the trailer, and wham…the best “hot” shower ever…except I did not wish for it!! So I will be brief…

Davidoff, yes we are (probably) all well over 70, ( I am, BUT still feel 21…but a lot slower now)!!

Yes I ran out of memory…the 420, et al came later. The air/discs were a direct result of “Virage”, probably the best “real” research/development project in Europe.

14.88 Litre Block, 1974/1989 not a bad life, and remember at the 1978 Paris Salon, “we” showed her as a design potential 450HP motor!

Oh, and “le Centaure” was shown a full year before Volvo followed the concept with their “Globetrotter”. The mistake that Renault made was leaving manufacturing with Lamberet, who simply did not have capacity to produce. If she had been built “in house”, then volumes could have met demand, and the two year delay would not have happened!

But a final memory, to drive a TR360 was to experience true" magic carpet" performance, hills…what hills. The road became like pure silk, it just flowed under your wheels.

Iam needing a shower, clean clothes, my tea…(if I am lucky, after last night), and a very large Bollinger.

Cheerio for now.

[davidoff]

[ZB] Anorak you made my day - well my arrival in Brussels’ Zaventem airport transit zone.
A pic of a Berliet CRUISAIR coach!!!
Thanks much for posting THAT picture, stirs some vivid memories throwing me back about three quarters of my comparatively young life.

When I went to primary school and then to le collège in my native France, and because it is a very rural area, schoolbus services existed, one of the few areas where the French would do things like the Yanks (but don’t repeat it).

‘T was in two stages:

• in primary school, my brother and I used this service between 81 and 83, a grass-green Renault Estafette. Very distinct sound, an unforgettable vehicle. It had the same engine as the Renault 12. Completely gutless even when loaded only with lightweight to(a)ddlers, but always got us there and back. Now who remembers the estafette, I don’t think I have ever seen one in my various travels in the UK. Back in the days they were much in use with the gendarmerie before the dark blue Renault Trafic was introduced in the early eighties.
• Then in 1984 I started attending le collège municipal Jean Ladignac, Saint Cyprien, Dordogne.
  Jean SEIXAS Transports & Fioul S.A.R.L. were the designated carrier, operating a fleet of one CRUISAIR (short wheelbase, exactly as your picture, [ZB] Anorak) and five or six SAVIEM S45 and S53 coaches, beside their heating fuel delivery operations.
  I recall that SAVIEM’s S45 and S53 models essentially shared the same engine design and layout, a centrally-located horizontal straight-6 (I think it was MAN), you could tell their sound between a thousand. Some 170hp if I recall correctly, they went really quite well. I always loved their 60s style dashboard, chrome dials et all.
  The CRUISAIR, I seem to remember it had the sound of a V8, always struck me as velvety soft and smooth, not a straight six. What I do remember is that one winter month in 85 or 86 it started leaving a trail of blue/white smoke. Modest at first, more pronounced as the weeks went by.
  Though I thought it looked quite alarming, nobody within Seixas’ crew seemed to care. As would prevail in those days, the drivers also served as fitters.
  Now I was not normally on the usual CRUISAIR run but on that particular day I was to follow a schoolmate and so found myself on board the CRUISAIR. Some 4 kms down the road, in a climb towards les Eyzies-de-Tayac, we all felt a sudden loss of power, Péponne the driver (RIP) could just pull it on the side before it croaked altogether. Behind us a massive blue/white smokescreen that took minutes to dissipate.
  I never got to know what had really happened but it did display clear symptoms of water getting to where it shouldn’t. All of us brats found it hugely amusing and exciting, much to Péponne’s own amusement. Monsieur Seixas less so, I recall it took him two weeks to get it back on the road. We eventually got delivered to our destinations in Madame Seixas’ Peugeot 505 GRD 7-seater station wagon and a few other similar vehicles made in Sochaux.
  Sadly Jean Seixas eventually packed up when they introduced age restrictions on schoolbuses, somewhere in 1989 or so.

[davidoff]

I just remembered this video, watched it some time ago and then forgot it existed. May stir some memories with Monsieur Saviem, though this being a TRH 350, it would logicallly be before the R360’s “magic carpet” performance

youtu.be/5rpI4yKLW2Q
Or perhaps this:
youtu.be/A5tfRl7■■9Q

[zb_anorak]

Berliets from the 1970s and earlier are still in production in Algeria, assuming these websites are not out of date:
youtube.com/watch?v=qw5A4Bn0HvM
snvi-ouargla.com/
snvi-dz.blogspot.co.uk/?view=classic

That last link is the best- it gives a comprehensive overview of SNVI, including specification sheets for some of the vehicles. There is even (what looks like) a Cruisair coach available, for those of us wishing to indulge in schooldays nostalgia! Tracteur routier monsieur? Nous vous presente le TB350! That has a 6 cylinder Renault engine, although they also mention a TB400- I wonder if that has the V8? I could not find any details of it, although I have not looked properly, yet. The KB2400 cab still looks modern. To my eye, it is far more elegant than those Chinese lorries which are flooding Africa at the moment.

[unclegargameld]

I had a turboliner for a short time , not a great puller but very comfy & roomy . but bits had a tendency to fall of it on a regular basis. but it was only a stopgap rental till the arrival of some Daf cf 400’s

[zb_anorak]

unclegargameld:
I had a turboliner for a short time , not a great puller but very comfy & roomy . but bits had a tendency to fall of it on a regular basis. but it was only a stopgap rental till the arrival of some Daf cf 400’s

Which bits used to fall off?

[adr]

Lots of Berliet wagon-drags in Europe (France), never many over here!

[neversweat1]

Steve

[neversweat1]

Steve

[davidoff]

neversweat1:
Davidoff please post the R370 photo when you can. I would be most interested

Steve

Steve, I just spent 30 minutes searching my pictures on my hard disk, just no luck. I am really sorry.

To make up, here are a few pictures of a lorry I photographed on Dec 24th 2006, just outside Egletons, Corrèze, France. NB: this is about as rural as it gets, typically the kind of area where you can still find some goodies on occasion.

I had seen this vehicle attached to a lowloader on many occasions, she belonged to a logging equipment dealer, timberjack etc.
Then all of a sudden she was parked up in the back of their yard with some intrusive vegetation around her, typically had been there for a few months already. On closer inspection the 5th wheel was gone, as was the diesel tank cap. All of a sudden she had become a very sorry sight, and sadly the next time I came past that place (would have been Feb 2007) she was gone altogether.
I have little illusion as to her fate, this was the time that scrap iron was selling for 250 eur per metric tonne on the back of the first Chinese industrial boom, this is wen many a dealer cleared up their cellars and storages. Most unfortunate.

Anyway here goes, I hope you enjoy.

Cheers
David

→ The picture above is hugely annoying, have reworked it with my PC and on photobucket it looks straight, then here it’s on its side. I can’t help it

[job74]

Does anyone know where a bumper and both grill panels might be got ,need them for a 305 they seem the same as the R series

[spardo]

Davidoff:
To make up, here are a few pictures of a lorry I photographed on Dec 24th 2006, just outside Egletons, Corrèze, France. NB: this is about as rural as it gets, typically the kind of area where you can still find some goodies on occasion.

Reckon I might have seen that too David, a regular route, and stopover for me over several years. On the old N89 isn’t it? Not only the wagon but the routier, La Diligence, have disappeared. Sign of the times I suppose.

[davidoff]

Morning David, long time, I hope you are well.
Yes, the old N89, you are right.
La diligence, indeed a sorry sight nowadays. I had a bite there one evening around the same time when I took these pictures. By then they were about to commission (or already had) the last section of the A89. All of these typical, often charming digs were gradually choked out. A shame.
I had a chat with the landlord then (not difficult, I was the only customer), and he was coldly realistic about the new autoroute his grim outlook…
I guess at that time yourselves at Gautier, Vialle, Doumen, Migot will have formed a significant part of the patronage?

So as a regular N89 user, you will no doubt remember the usual mess in Ussel, when it was still two-way in the centre and no ban on heavies?

All the best

[spardo]

Davidoff:
So as a regular N89 user, you will no doubt remember the usual mess in Ussel, when it was still two-way in the centre and no ban on heavies?

All the best

Sorry to temporarily divert this thread but you are right. It was incredible that town,even when I go through now in the Berlingo it is hairy.

I tried to post a link to Google Street’s view of the routier but it didn’t work. It shows the place just after closure I think with a stack of logs on the lorry park. Was the place with the Berliet in nearby? The patron there wanted to buy my Breton Spaniel. Even the routier further west. Moustache, which had a massive park and served similar sized meals, is no more.

[davidoff]

When I last called on la Diligence there was indeed a whole pile of timber, I seem to recall there was an Italian ferrying all of that to Italy, as if they don’t have any of their own■■?
As for the R390, it was litterally on the outskirts of Égletons, West side. I too tried to post a Google maps link, no luck

[neversweat1]

Thank you Davidoff for looking for the photo - I like photos of vehicles belonging to Renault dealers and photos of the different Dealerships.
I know this isn’t a Berliet but it keeps in with the air disc discussion

Steve

[davidoff]

Steve, VISA’s R370 won’t escape my lens, they seldom do
(Véhicules Industriels SA, Saxon) - here is some info: gate24.ch/fr/v-i-s-a-vehicul … saxon-4087
I was hoping that by googling their garage I might actually catch a glimpse of the R370, but no luck.

I am there on Friday 16th, will look then.
Now i hope they have not sold it in between, i would look like a muppet…

If I am really lucky, i might also be able to capture an R365 turboliner wagon (not a V8 but I am sure you will know that)

Nice picture that R380. That would have been 1990, or maybe 1991. Are you able to date this document? Am I right in saying it is a German document?

[saviem]

Evening all, Steve, Davidoff, may I share a few memories…

Switzerland, post the Saviem Berliet merger, the 1978 Geneva Motor Show.

The first International Show where the “new order” was shown. Renault Vehicules Industriels, a range of vehicles from 3.5 tonnes to 120 tonnes. On our stand we had examples of the Saviem SG2, and SG3, 3.5, and 4.5 tonnes, a Saviem JN90, and JP13, rigids, GR305 19/38 tonne drawbar, and TR356, tractor, and TRH 356 6x4 tractor, 38/120 tonnes. Plus show examples of the Saviem 788 turbo, Berliet MIDR 06 35 40 12 litre, and Berliet MIVS 08 35 30 V8 engines.

The “new order”, Saviem products as the lighter end, and Berliet as the heavies.

But contrast this with Amsterdam in the same year, where we had three stands. One as Renault, with Renault Nederland, showing the (Saviem SG2 @3.5 Tonnes, and SG 3 @4.5 Tonnes. Saviem with our new Importer, B I M (Bearijfswagen Import Nederland), with JK65, JN90, JP13, JR21, (tractor), SM12, SM280 TUT, SM340 VT 6x4, plus a sectioned turbo Saviem 798 engine. Plus dear Berliet, with their Importer/ assembler, Hoegen Dijkhof, from Doetinchem, showing (the soon to be obsolete), Berliet 610 K6 9 tonne, KB950 T6 14 tonne, the 6x4 GRH230, the TR305 tractor, and a TRH356 6x4, plus a sectioned MIVS 08 35 30 V8.

Who ever said that Leyland handled their mergers/takeovers badly!!! (but in defence, many of these Concessions were in force long before the creation of RVI, and dissolving them costs Bigggggggg money!!!

In the Suisse market we had a new Dealer, for all RVI products, Newbag AG, of Pratteln, near Basle, close by the Basle Zurich Berne Autoroute. Newbag, previously a Chrysler Dealer, held the concession for Suisse, and Lichtenstein. My contact there was Dieter Mueller. The previous Saviem Concession had been in the hands of Soc Alfag.

Newbag were quite “go ahead”, and were instrumental in selling a number of “drop frame”, Sinpar modified JNs to Coca Cola, for urban distribution. This was a very good conversion, very manoueverable and stable with small turning circle. This design was also offered in the UK , but with a frame designed by chassis developments in co-operation with engineering at Dunstable. Personally, I felt that it lacked the simplicity of the original Sinpar design. I think in the UK the only take up was via Harold Montgomerys outfit in Northern Ireland for Coca Cola, and did Bulmers have one example?

I had only a short time working in association with Nubag, but was amazed at the volume of ERF ■■■■■■■ B series tractors working with Suisse operators, Nubag`s staff told me that the ERF concession had closed, (thank goodness), so acceptable had been the product!!! Perhaps someone knows more?

I enjoyed my short time in the Suisse market, small, but intense, and the first where the future identity of Renault Vehicules Industriels was shown.

I need a Bollinger, we are cutting Wheat today…yipppeeeeee, and no rain showing as yet!!!

Cheerio for now.

[richgriff]

[neversweat1]

Davidoff:
Steve, VISA’s R370 won’t escape my lens, they seldom do
(Véhicules Industriels SA, Saxon) - here is some info: gate24.ch/fr/v-i-s-a-vehicul … saxon-4087
I was hoping that by googling their garage I might actually catch a glimpse of the R370, but no luck.

I am there on Friday 16th, will look then.
Now i hope they have not sold it in between, i would look like a muppet…

If I am really lucky, i might also be able to capture an R365 turboliner wagon (not a V8 but I am sure you will know that)

Nice picture that R380. That would have been 1990, or maybe 1991. Are you able to date this document? Am I right in saying it is a German document?

Hello Davidoff

You are quite correct it is a German Brochure and its dated 02/1991 so spot on there as well
Good luck on Friday

Steve