Berefords of Stoke on Trent ran some fitted with 240 Gardners
gazsa401:
Berefords of Stoke on Trent ran some fitted with 240 Gardners
There were two NGC 420s (7MW cab)in Beresford colours. One of them was a subbie unit (Albert Dale) which ended up with John Symmonds heavy haulage. The other eventually passed to Trans Arabia of Jeddah. Both were fitted with ■■■■■■■ 335 / 9-speed Fuller. Of the 15 or so 5MW-cabbed Beresford units, only one was LHD as far as I know: registered PVT 646R, it had a Rolls Royce 220 and 10-speed Fuller 'box. Hope that’s helpful. Robert
hiya gone
3300John:
Hiya…did trans Arabia transport belong to S Jones from Aldridge, Robert■■?
i was told Jones had some transport in the middle east and was registered under another name
John
Yes John, that’s correct and it explains why the livery is almost identical. They ran Trans Arabia with a Saudi partner for many years doing ‘internals’ from the container ports on the peninsula. Robert
hiya
My apologies I do also remember seeing a firm called Cadwallder who used to run similar ERFs with Gardner 240 badges fitted on the near side front bumpers
gazsa401:
My apologie
Thanks again mate for your info
John is quite right about the Beresford and Cadwallader 5MWs being Belgium cabbed left-hookers. By the way the registration numbers of the two NGC 420s in Beresford livery were GEH 513N (the Albert Dale / John Symmons one) and JDF 132N (the one that ended up in Jeddah with Trans Arabia). Pictures of both these lorries appear on page one of this thread. I enjoy your continued interest in this subject. Robert 
I was towed into S Jones Aldridge this was 83/84 and there was a couple of Eric Vicks ERFs in for repair I can always remember the sand and how it had got in every ■■■■ and cranny, that was the nearest I ever got to the middle-east. Eddie.
erfguy:
I was towed into S Jones Aldridge this was 83/84 and there was a couple of Eric Vicks ERFs in for repair I can always remember the sand and how it had got in every ■■■■ and cranny, that was the nearest I ever got to the middle-east. Eddie.
Wow, erfguy, you were witness to a special moment in transport history - a wonderful little cameo: those two Eric Vick ERF NGC 420s were almost certainly being prepared and repainted in Trans Arabia colours for their new role in Jeddah. When you saw them, they had completed multiple Middle-East trips for Eric Vick. In my book you will, I hope, see them in their new colours. The Eric Vick pair were ERF masterpieces to my mind. Robert
Intresting thread this one 
, does anybody know where the Q-plate example run by Shamara southhampton came from?? Tony Kimber ran it on container work in the mid 80’s as a 4x2 and later on i think he converted it into a 6x4 heavy haulage unit to push a cable carrying girder trailer with his Scammell Samson. Who owned it berfore Samara and where is it now i wonder??
Regards, Chris.
STRAIGHT EIGHT:
Intresting thread this one
Regards, Chris.
Now I too would like to know where this vehicle came from. It was registered Q691 NTR when it ran for Shamara, so it was presumably repatriated from abroad (almost certainly France, Belgium, Holland or Switzerland). Of the three NGC 420s that were converted to 6x4 (and that doesn’t include Pountain’s non-NGC 420), Q691 NTR had a nice compactness about it because it was the only short wheel-base 6x4 conversion, as far as I know. The one that the Cauvas heavy haulage ran in France appears to be a one-off factory supplied 6x4, which ERF designated NGC 852 (NG cab, ■■■■■■■■ 85-tonner, double-drive). The third example, as has already been shown on this thread, was the vehicle now preserved by Corbishley, re-registered KCH 95N.
I have some great pictures of it but these daft ‘permission’ laws prevent me from sharing them. It is SO frustrating because I’d love to share every single one of my NGC 420 pics with the world, just as I’ve shared my own happy snaps on other threads. Never mind, some good 'uns are in the book. Best wishes, Robert
I meant to mention this earlier: ‘ERF-Continental’ has now twice suggested that a register of NGC 420s might make ‘a good harvest’, as he so picturesquely put it! I have actually included my own register of NGC 420s in the appendix of my forthcoming book. I can account for approximately 70 lorries. Once the book is out, I can easily paste my copy of the register on this thread and everyone can keep their own tally thereafter (and I will too of course).
A few pages back, Cookie made an interesting contribution with regard to NGC 420s that served with Trans Arabia in Jeddah. I hope he adds some more, as he is a fund of information. By the way, I have visited him more than once and he has made a fantastic contribution to my book, because he actually worked with NGC 420s out in Saudi as both mechanic and driver in the early '80s. Robert
robert1952:
I wasn’t aware that any of the Richard Read / Vick NGC 420s got to North Africa: I’m intrigued! Have you any more details on this, such as which countries (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia…)? I love these little nuggets of info: useful to add into the book at the last minute if necessary! Robert
Eric Vick bought CW.Vicks (No relation) sometime in or after 1983 and took over the Lister Engine work to North Africa. CW Vicks ran DAFs at the time, much preferred by some of the drivers for their comfort but no so by the fitter. I think there were three but they didn’t last that long after change of ownership, one burnt out, one I think was wrecked and the other no doubt fell apart.
It is possible that the two Europeans did trips to North Africa with Morocco being the main destination but also Tunisia and Algeria was on the visiting list. I cannot confirm this for certain as I was not there between 1983 & 1991.
From what I understand the ■■■■■■■ developed a fault with the liners or followers or something but the fitter could not get the ■■■■■■■ engineers to accept that there was a fault and so they swapped to Gardner engined B series these were straight eights with blowers (300hp or so) It was with these B series that the North Africa run was done up until the early 90’s when 20’ sea containers replaced the road trailers.
This particular LHD B series came 2nd hand from Tony Jones of Sandbach and was originally fitter with a 330 ■■■■■■■ and did the middle east run. It was then fitted with first a 240 Gardner and then the 300 blown Gardner something which allegedly ERF engineers said could not be done. In this mode it did the North Africa run as well as Scandinavia, Italy and even Russia taking Elvers to Moscow.
When I took it over in 1993 on return to the company it’s driver who’d had it for the whole 10 years reckoned he’d driven it to every country in Europe plus a few more.
zzarbean:
robert1952:
I wasn’t aware that any of the Richard Read / Vick NGC 420s got to North Africa: I’m intrigued! Have you any more details on this, such as which countries (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia…)? I love these little nuggets of info: useful to add into the book at the last minute if necessary! RobertEric Vick bought CW.Vicks (No relation) sometime in or after 1983 and took over the Lister Engine work to North Africa. CW Vicks ran DAFs at the time, much preferred by some of the drivers for their comfort but no so by the fitter. I think there were three but they didn’t last that long after change of ownership, one burnt out, one I think was wrecked and the other no doubt fell apart.
It is possible that the two Europeans did trips to North Africa with Morocco being the main destination but also Tunisia and Algeria was on the visiting list. I cannot confirm this for certain as I was not there between 1983 & 1991.
From what I understand the ■■■■■■■ developed a fault with the liners or followers or something but the fitter could not get the ■■■■■■■ engineers to accept that there was a fault and so they swapped to Gardner engined B series these were straight eights with blowers (300hp or so) It was with these B series that the North Africa run was done up until the early 90’s when 20’ sea containers replaced the road trailers.
0
This particular LHD B series came 2nd hand from Tony Jones of Sandbach and was originally fitter with a 330 ■■■■■■■ and did the middle east run. It was then fitted with first a 240 Gardner and then the 300 blown Gardner something which allegedly ERF engineers said could not be done. In this mode it did the North Africa run as well as Scandinavia, Italy and even Russia taking Elvers to Moscow.
When I took it over in 1993 on return to the company it’s driver who’d had it for the whole 10 years reckoned he’d driven it to every country in Europe plus a few more.
Thank you for this. I have now amassed a considerable amount of information about left-hand-drive B-series ERFs (B-series ERF ‘Europeans’ even) but, as usual I am faced with the problem of sharing pictures legitimately. You have reminded me that I ought to start a new thread, nonetheless. Robert
robert1952:
Thank you for this. I have now amassed a considerable amount of information about left-hand-drive B-series ERFs (B-series ERF ‘Europeans’ even) but, as usual I am faced with the problem of sharing pictures legitimately. You have reminded me that I ought to start a new thread, nonetheless. Robert
Just post the pictures. If some miserable sod wants to complain, let him. Unless the pictures were given to you personally, on the understanding that you would not publish them, there should not be a problem. Those killjoys who use copyright law just to protect their hoarding instincts can ■■■■ off, as far as I am concerned.
[zb]
anorak:robert1952:
Thank you for this. I have now amassed a considerable amount of information about left-hand-drive B-series ERFs (B-series ERF ‘Europeans’ even) but, as usual I am faced with the problem of sharing pictures legitimately. You have reminded me that I ought to start a new thread, nonetheless. RobertJust post the pictures. If some miserable sod wants to complain, let him. Unless the pictures were given to you personally, on the understanding that you would not publish them, there should not be a problem. Those killjoys who use copyright law just to protect their hoarding instincts can ■■■■ off, as far as I am concerned.
Hi Anorak, I certainly agree that hoarders don’t help our quest for shared info and enjoyment. Many of my NGC 420 pictures actually fall into your category of images entrusted to me solely for use in the book so I must honour this. However, I have others I’ve copied from the net. I’ll share a few of the lower risk ones with you. Robert
I showed this picture to the Dutch transport historian, Wobbe Reitsma, who informed me that 87-69-RB was operated by Willemstein of Barendrecht till 1981, De Regt of Niewerkerk till 1982, then by Vermeaulen of Niewerkerk. It is seen here in the livery of De Regt. Robert
Wobbe Reitsma helped me out with info about this one too. I found the pic on a Dutch website. It’s a cracking photo and I’d would have loved to have found the owner for permission to use it in the book. However, I did obtain a later picture of it for the book. It started life with Kooy of Hendriklo-Ambacht in Holland, then it went to Willemstein of Barendrect. Cees Willemstein ran it until it was sent to the breakers in 1989 by which time it had done well over 1.3 million kms. Robert
