I attended the excellent Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza today. There were lots of good old lorries there. I presented myself at the REVS (ERF preservation /history) stand where the staff were most helpful, and chatted about my forthcoming NGC book. I also bought some photographs from the shoe boxes.
Among them were a few pics of KCH 95N, but two in particular caught my eye. The first one was this picture of GEH 513N taken at a show:
I haven’t seen this picture before, but what was most revealing and interesting was the little ‘essay’ written on the back by the photographer (who didn’t write his name). He mentions the usual history that we already know, about Albert Dale / Beresford / John Simmons; and he even mentions the De Meulemeester unit John acquired from Pittem in Belgium, to cannibalise.
But he adds new information: for a start he states that the Belgian unit’s chassis number was 27979; that it was not operated in UK but only bought for spares; that the ■■■■■■■ 335 engine, a 13-speed gearbox and a Jake-brake were transferred to GEH 513N. In addition he says that the Belgian unit had Dutch springs that were able to carry 20 tons on each axle ‘with ease’; and that John had GEH re-plated at 70 tons STGO afterwards. He also tells us that John acquired GEH in 1980 and mentions that Albert Dale did Middle-East as well as Europe, though he doesn’t say whether GEH ever went beyond Europe.
All that fascinating info in biro on the back of one photo - marvellous! Robert 
The other picture which particularly interested me was this rear-end photo of the Eyckmans /Corbishley unit that became KCH 95N. The pic was clearly taken in England shortly after being brought back here to complete its restoration, a process that Marcel Eyckmans started himself. Robert 
And the finished product:
One of those rare pics that enable you to compare the 5MW with the 7MW cabs. Robert
On this thread, history is revealed in slow motion! As a result of the intelligence gleaned from the flip-side of the photo (see above), this brings the number of NGCs with the combination of ■■■■■■■ 335 and 13-speed Fuller to four: Corbishley’s preserved vehicle (KCH 95N); GEH 513N (Albert Dale, later John Symmons), which received a second-hand one later in life from a Belgian donor vehicle, which was another ERF NGC operated by De Meulemeester of Pittem; and 1557 PF89, a French NGC operated by R Collin. There may of course have been others but on this thread we only know about these four. Robert
Tip-top (Eric) has just posted this picture on the B-series thread. It actually appears to show the French draw-bar ERF NGC registered 4644FX94. No idea who operated it. Below Eric’s picture I have posted a front-end view of it (from Jerry Cooke’s collection). I have a very clear picture of this from Wobbe Reitsma, that will appear in ‘Lorries of Arabia: ERF NGC’ when it comes out. Both pictures seem to have been taken by the same person at the same time (ref rear wheel of the Fiat in the 2nd pic; and notice the folded in mirror); so I wonder if there are any more in the batch. A good find, Eric! Robert
3300John:
Hiya Robert…i see on a earlier post about Albert doing M/E that must have been early 70,s
Albert always did Swiss as a specialty for Berresford,s. if anyone can come up with a trucking mag
with Albert s 362 MAN on the cover. it said something like Swiss and back.
in the mag it covers the works Albert was doing at the time…(which was quite a lot)he wouldn’t
have got on with this 56 mph lark. GEH was a 32 tonner there was quite some power with a 335
■■■■■■■■ in those days and Albert used all of it…i think Berresfords only had 2 tri axles SF 750
(step frame 750)was one it had the small wheels but still only 32 tons…we used to pick up Case
track dozer,s with that. they would go into the tilt without stripping down.
Robert you need to open a new site asking if anyone has this mag. the MAN was a B reg so the
magazine must be from 1984 i would think. i have looked on E bay and Amazon for you with no
success
John
Cheers for that John! Here’s a picture of GEH in Beresford’s livery, pulling one of their box trailers. Robert:)
3300John:
Hiya that trailer was used for bringing paper back well on two occasions. i took the paper to Bristol
it was Bonville road Brislington where we delivered…hows that for sad…
John
You’re lucky you can recall the names! I have to look them up in the old log-book I used to keep of my trips. Robert 
With all respect…where does this ERF-Western Star belongs?
Compliments for your endless endeavours in placing ERF where it belongs!
Alexander, now in retirement close to saviem with/without his John Deere’s noise
Happy Retirement, Alexander! A few of these Western Star ERFs have appeared on the various Antipodean threads. But they probably can’t be classified as ‘built abroad’, like the South African ERFS because I believe some, if not all, of the Western Star version models were built in the UK and shipped overseas. I’m not entirely sure about this, perhaps John3300 would know… Robert
Thank you Robert…getting used to your retirement as well I hope?
To me that EC in Western Star make is indeed a well engineered and good international
truck! What would be his/her achievement in case ERF, ■■■■■■■■ Eaton and others would
be suited for THE job on the continent? Still remembering the Vick’s crossing over Europe.
En-Tour-Age:
Thank you Robert…getting used to your retirement as well I hope?
To me that EC in Western Star make is indeed a well engineered and good international
truck! What would be his/her achievement in case ERF, ■■■■■■■■ Eaton and others would
be suited for THE job on the continent? Still remembering the Vick’s crossing over Europe.
Well, the standard ‘Olympic’ cabbed EC was sold abroad in some quantities, to Holland, France, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain. As far as I can ascertain, they all had LHD and either a ■■■■■■■ 525 or a similar-sized Detroit (mostly Detroit, I think) engines; and a choice of two synchomesh 'boxes: the S-type Eaton or the ZF Ecosplit. Unfortunately, this coincided with a sharp rise in fuel costs and I think the big (thirstier) engines put off the buyers. The Detroit probably put a few off too.
The Western Star would have been miles more attractive because of its ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ driveline, but unfortunately Eaton-Fuller’s constant-mesh 'boxes were biting the dust in Europe because of noise emisions around that time. I would imagine that the Western Stars had 18-speed Fullers (nice). Robert (retired:))
PS
I’ve just created a new thread devoted to LHD EC-series ERFs: something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time! Robert
An earlier picture of GEH on the showground. ERF gathering at Market Drayton, at a guess early 90"s■■? Perhaps the start of Rev"s?
Robert,GEH had a 13speed before the Pittem lorry arrived.
cheers Colin.
colinwallace1:
0
An earlier picture of GEH on the showground. ERF gathering at Market Drayton, at a guess early 90"s■■? Perhaps the start of Rev"s?
Robert,GEH had a 13speed before the Pittem lorry arrived.
cheers Colin.
Ah! So it’s possible that they just replaced a worn gearbox with a ‘newer’ one from the Belgian vehicle (or even that the photo-essayist got it wrong; but its so meticulously written I imagine he’s pretty accurate). I wonder if Albert Dale had the original one fitted?
That’s a great picture you’ve just added, by the way, I’ve not seen it before. Cheers, Robert
I would assume it was fitted with a 13speed from new.
seem to remember the crank breaking, which would explain the Pittem engine going in.
The following pics show DUKW’s being moved. There would have been 2,hence 2 trailers. Dead DUKW’s requiring the straight bar treatment.
And the back of the KW that took over from GEH. ■■■■■■■ 350 and your favourite 9 speed Robert.
I will do as you suggest and assume factory fitted 13-speeder. I think the six new NGCs supplied to Trans Arabia came with 13-speeders, but they only had 290s fitted. The Eyckmans unit in Belgium (now Corbishley’s) was delivered new with one and the French one supplied to Collin had one. That makes four in all with the 13-speed / 335 combo (including the one from Pittem).
Great pics again Colin! The KW looks impressive even from that glance at the back its head! Robert
robert1952:
I will do as you suggest and assume factory fitted 13-speeder. I think the six new NGCs supplied to Trans Arabia came with 13-speeders, but they only had 290s fitted. The Eyckmans unit in Belgium (now Corbishley’s) was delivered new with one and the French one supplied to Collin had one. That makes four in all with the 13-speed / 335 combo (including the one from Pittem).
Great pics again Colin! The KW looks impressive even from that glance at the back its head! Robert
Colin is on the trail of further info regarding GEH, and his latest detective work reveals that GEH did indeed have a 9-speeder until it received its 13-speed donation from the Pittem vehicle. That still gives us four with the 335/13-sp combination. Robert
