ERF-Continental:
When the quality was good (and it was according to a majority of owners/operators/drivers/mechanics)
the service-network is more or less minor…
It probably wasn’t realistic for anyone to base their buying decisions on Euro wide service back up during the time in question.At that time Europe was still mostly a place made up of seperate foreign countries each with their own very specific automotive industries and back up.In which case I’d doubt that it would have been much more of an issue in that regard for a Scandinavian or German operator using their domestically made products to be running into France or Italy or vice versa than their British counterparts doing the same.Those issues obviously would have been even greater in the case of running into Eastern Europe and beyond.
The fact is there is no way that any of the Euro manufacturers were going to be able to provide the type of international service back up to cater for all the,at that time,much more nationality specific types in use on international haulage operations.Especially in the case of the under funded fighting for survival Brit manufacturers.Anything major,or possibly even minor,was probably most likely to result in the need for the services of an international recovery operation back to the truck’s country of manufacture to get the problem fixed.In which case any international journey would have meant taking that into account in terms of speccing the best truck for the job with a second to none maintenance regime on the basis of it all being about avoiding a foreign breakdown not trying and inevitably probably failing to get a foreign, truck fixed outside of its country of manufacture.Although considering the similarity of truck design that probably would have been more an issue of parts stocks than one of actual local garage abilities and knowledge in getting the job done if/when the parts were available.The Euro manufacturers obviously having the greatest advantage regarding that as time went on as they started standardising on Euro manufactured componentry.As opposed to the Brits mostly locally sourced/American based componentry.On that note the Brits should have concentrated on their domestic market and providing subsidised international recovery and replacement truck capability as the basis of their international service backup as part of that.
As opposed to the almost impossible mountain to climb of selling British trucks to Germans etc operators and/or international parts and service backup in every international operating environment.
ERF-Continental:
When the quality was good (and it was according to a majority of owners/operators/drivers/mechanics)
the service-network is more or less minor…compare Rolls Royce, Ferrari who have small coverage, BUT
do have excellent providing as it should also be the case because with every maruq you have warranty and
even possibilities to achieve extended-warranty oor as in the contract on operational lease…ofcourse
some operators were smart enough to handle their own on the road service, Eric Vick and Van Steenbergen
to mention some with quite a continetal jobtrack when it comes on ERF!!! I agree that time, energy, ideas
and money could have been better spent but that’s an experience we all have I assume?
Who has reading-experience with the attached special on ERF…92 pages?
92 pages and not a single photo or mention of the ERF NGC!!! Robert
What a shame…as the development/heritage is quite interesting and being important for the
future of ERF, however as being said service and too many types in the range at the same time,
production capacity (space) etc…however with this thread many participants and visitors liked
(and still do) the many gems others did not write nor mention! Big compliments for this thread!
Unfortunately without the ERF B (ASAM) and NGC (Scammell) in miniature, but herewith
a small overview on the then first attempt to imitate/copy the premisses in scale 1:25
I just happened to glance at this pic of a model I took at Gaydon this year, and I wondered if perhaps it contained clues to a real-life vehicle.
The registration number, LKJ 195P would be authentic for the period. The company name on the door is KN Euroliner. I wonder if this vehicle actually existed but is not yet on our list. Robert
vwvanman0:
That reg no is what the kit maker italeri provided as a British reg in its kits in the 1980/90s.
Oh! Well thanks for that, anyway . I’ve also realised that the livery appears to be one of Kuehne + Nagel’s efforts and I’m not sure that they would have entertained ERFs. Here’s an example from 1981. Robert
robert1952:
I’m still sniffing them out! Here’s a clipping from a TRUCK mag. It uses a much clearer picture than we’ve seen before on this thread, of the unit used for the Trans Euro Test in '75. Robert
Ah Robert!
When I regard my derrière, as Winston Churchill said, I can see all the mistakes I and others, made. If only Erf had brought this cab out 5 years earlier!
I remember talking to a driver of an Atkinson in about 1970. I was in my Mastiff, which actually was a decent truck, power steering, comfortable seat, a heater that worked…
I said to him that Atkinson designed the perfect chassis and drive line, then realised they’d forgotten the cab, so they found a garden shed and stuck it on! ( ah, the arrogance of youth!)
His reply was that 'if I’ve got the garden shed- you’ve got the lawn mower!
Think we we were both right!
Give us that cab then and our trucks would still be in production!
John
Just before I went to Sudan last month, I read Churchill’s first history book, The River War (about the siege of Khartoum) and I was astonished: I had no idea that he was such an accomplished writer! Robert
robert1952:
I’m still sniffing them out! Here’s a clipping from a TRUCK mag. It uses a much clearer picture than we’ve seen before on this thread, of the unit used for the Trans Euro Test in '75. Robert
Ah Robert!
When I regard my derrière, as Winston Churchill said, I can see all the mistakes I and others, made. If only Erf had brought this cab out 5 years earlier!
I remember talking to a driver of an Atkinson in about 1970. I was in my Mastiff, which actually was a decent truck, power steering, comfortable seat, a heater that worked…
I said to him that Atkinson designed the perfect chassis and drive line, then realised they’d forgotten the cab, so they found a garden shed and stuck it on! ( ah, the arrogance of youth!)
His reply was that 'if I’ve got the garden shed- you’ve got the lawn mower!
Think we we were both right!
Give us that cab then and our trucks would still be in production!
John
Just before I went to Sudan last month, I read Churchill’s first history book, The River War (about the siege of Khartoum) and I was astonished: I had no idea that he was such an accomplished writer! Robert
My dad had several of his books. I tried to start reading them at about age 12 but they were beyond me - wish I had them now though!
Now then, all you who did ‘internals’ in the Gulf in the '70s/'80s; do you know anything about the early road-transport operations of Falcon Freight of Dubai? They are now big business, but at one time they acquired 5 ERF NGCs. I have a black & white picture of them prior to shipping. Who knows anything about their ‘internal’ operations during this period? I can find no leads whatsoever… Sigh. Robert
3300John:
Hiya …look at it this way…the Guy big J …Seddon 13-4 didn’t tilt this was down to motor panels not putting strenght
into the cab where a ram could fit if you study the tilt mechanism on a cab there’s one hell of a lot of torsion on the ram
and cab section.if the other users of motor panels cabs had used a tilt method and ERF didn’t i can see where your
coming from…the A series was to use a tilt cab on the last few but that was abandoned to be used on the b series.
i,am not certain if FTF tilt or not. ERF did what Scammell didn’t achieve and look how many crusaders run around
without a tilt cab…the Ergomatic torsion bar idea was good but how much money went into that must have been
megga.the let down was the stupid safety screws. i had a MAN in 1979 all you needed to do was pull the clip open
one door and the cab went up.on the Pountains lorry the changing over from left to right wasn to much trouble
it was all down to the electrics the cab mountains was the same even the dash was the same profile the bonnet
and sides was central and equal not like in the 88 leaning slightly one way the ergomatic cab bonnet leaned to the
passanger side either lh or rhd.
Well, I like your thinking John. An interesting question might be: was the 5MW-7MW Pountains conversion a tilt cab? Yes, I know it’s a bit off-thread…Robert
That’s a Seawheel drum carrier on the trailer designed by Peter Coles ops director of Seawheel and built by North West Trailers of Lytham St Ann’s nr Blackpool in the late 60’s
That’s a Seawheel drum carrier on the trailer designed by Peter Coles ops director of Seawheel and built by North West Trailers of Lytham St Ann’s nr Blackpool in the late 60’s
That’s an interesting detail and a nice insight. The unit was registered 06-09-TB, new to Groenenboom of Ridderkirk, Holland in 1977. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Robert
For Robert some extra’s on his to-do-list…hit the 5.000 number of posts here, a succes with
the release of his book we are all so desperately waiting for and much more!
Let’s go!!!
All correct on the Groenenboom ERF NGC, the year might even be 1976 by the way…
Better drain the radiator, it’s going to be a frosty night up in the mountains, and anti-freeze the price it is even if you can get hold of any… Robert
I remember that Van Steenbergen ‘stored’ 4 of their 6 NGC’s in the workshop with ‘guards’
keeping an eye open, while some fire was made up to keep circumstances warm…
remember former/earlier days when you emptied the radiator and in the (early) morning
you had a fill up with warm water to have a start…next to you jerrycans with hot water
as a heating (Eberspacher was born but not known) was spartanic or not existing at all
Last update…I do have a strong confirmation that the (at least) 2 ERF NGC’s for Damco-GG
(GG for Goedkoop & de Geus appeared many times on the Scania-Vabis thread on the LV’s)
really existed and awaiting further information on experiences and hopefully also pictures!
That brings the total of NGC’s (euh…7MW’s ex hybrids) to 70!!!
. I’ve also realised that the livery appears to be one of Kuehne + Nagel’s efforts and I’m not sure that they would have entertained ERFs. 
Here’s an example from 1981. Robert 
