From the Oulton park erf 60th anniversary programme regarding GEH 513N
chassis no 28685
GEH 513N
model NGC420.260
BUILT 1974
■■■■■■■■ NTC 335
Type,tractor
New to Albert Dale,who operated to the middle east and the continent.Purchased by present owner in 1980
and was fitted out for lowloader work and operating with a dolly up to 105 tons with a 9 speed box.
The 335 American built ■■■■■■■ would certainly graft but with the usual ‘yankee smoke’
A second continental erf was purchased from Belgium (chassis no 27979) This was never used in the uk,but
the engine,13 speed box and jake brake were transferred to GEH, along with the dutch rear springs that would
carry 20 tons on each axle with ease.when the special types plating regs were altered a 70 ton plate was fitted.
Sadly the cab is in a poor state of repair and now requires extensive preservation,but time has not been available.
Owned by John Simmons,Rothley,Leicester.
no new info i guess but some more history.
vwvanman0:
From the Oulton park erf 60th anniversary programme regarding GEH 513N
chassis no 28685
GEH 513N
model NGC420.260
BUILT 1974
■■■■■■■■ NTC 335
Type,tractor
New to Albert Dale,who operated to the middle east and the continent.Purchased by present owner in 1980
and was fitted out for lowloader work and operating with a dolly up to 105 tons with a 9 speed box.
The 335 American built ■■■■■■■ would certainly graft but with the usual ‘yankee smoke’
A second continental erf was purchased from Belgium (chassis no 27979) This was never used in the uk,but
the engine,13 speed box and jake brake were transferred to GEH, along with the dutch rear springs that would
carry 20 tons on each axle with ease.when the special types plating regs were altered a 70 ton plate was fitted.
Sadly the cab is in a poor state of repair and now requires extensive preservation,but time has not been available.
Owned by John Simmons,Rothley,Leicester.
no new info i guess but some more history.
Thanks for that! Actually, it is word for word what is written on the back of my photograph, cited above! So the photographer must have copied it from the programme. However, it is important that you have brought this programme to our attention, because it confirms and ratifies the ‘essay’ on the back of the photo. It gives us a certain chassis number for the Belgian doner vehicle too. Cheers. Robert 
robert1952:
01
TIR needs a few stone chips, and a handful of desert dust.
colinwallace1:
robert1952:
01
TIR needs a few stone chips, and a handful of desert dust.
That’s true! And rust round the rivet holes; and one of the corners bent up. Robert
robert1952:
0
Have to watch the high unladen weight,probably 1 to 1.5t heavier than their A series.
Colin.
colinwallace1:
robert1952:
0
Have to watch the high unladen weight,probably 1 to 1.5t heavier than their A series.
Colin.
Yeah - sleeper cabs versus day cabs! Robert
Found this pic on Facebook
newmercman:
Found this pic on Facebook
0
Clever man! I’ve spent mega-hours scouring threads and scrutinising Middle-East line-ups for a picture like this. Superb!
I can identify the unit as Eric Vick’s KFH 248P, by its ‘■■■■■■■ Turbo 6’ plate above the ERF badge, and by its white water filler flap, both of which it acquired later in its life while on the Middle-East run. Robert
PS: regarding the picture above: does anybody recognise the location? Robert
The pic was captioned “Waiting on customs clearance in Turtus Harbour”
The “line up” was taken by Jeff Johnson and posted on Facebook by his mate Phil Beddington.
Jeff was driving the green/white DAF owned by Euroroute and painted in Davies Turner colours.
Irony from Adrian, his name is Phillip Bennington
newmercman:
The pic was captioned “Waiting on customs clearance in Turtus Harbour”
That’s very interesting. Turtus (or Tartus / Tartous) is Syria’s second port, Lattakia being the main one. Were they tipping there, I wonder, or was there at that time a ferry across from Greece or Turkey?
truckerash:
The “line up” was taken by Jeff Johnson and posted on Facebook by his mate Phil Beddington.
Jeff was driving the green/white DAF owned by Euroroute and painted in Davies Turner colours.
Thanks, Ashley, I had already ‘clocked’ the Davies Turner DAF; but do you think those other DAF DKS’s are Whittle’s perchance? Robert 
And did Jeff Johnson take any more like this? The photo is very evocative of the period and destination…
Also, I’ve been a-Googlin’ and discovered on a German site, a reference to a lorry ferry crossing from Volos in Greece to Tartus, complete with a period picture (below) Robert
I’ve found a little more on the Volos to Tartus ferry crossing. Here are some more pics of lorries of the ERF NGC period waiting in Tartus docks (Syria) for the ferry to Volos (Greece). Robert
Oh, and a reminder that ERF NGCs were not the only lorries with the tall version of the Motor Panels Mk4 cab to be doing Middle-East at that time: here a Scammell Crusader… Robert
A little detail about PDF 444R, the Vijore liveried ERF NGC that Pete Robson drove to to Saudi, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. I was in contact recently with his son Adrian, gathering last-minute gleanings for my book, and he said, ‘I do remember him telling me of putting the gas burner under the diesel tank, for when crossing the Afghan mountains in winter the diesel would freeze at nights.’ Pete Robson drove that NGC across the Khyber pass. Below is a picture of a Scania of the same period, but it serves as a good reminder of the practice of keeping the diesel from waxing with flames! Robert
