ERF 'European' (1975)

[robert1952]

Kenb:

robert1952:
I have now posted some new Trans Arabia pictures on the LHD B-series ERF thread: watch that space! Robert

0

The first deliveries to Almasame in deep Saidi Nr Najran carrying flat package accom and refrigeration units for camp site
After these first runs we had to put 10tons of bagged cement on pallets over the drive axle to give us traction up th steep off-road inclines

The three drivers Taffe Bill, Goggie Robatham and Eric Bowers all RIP and top drivers and very capable

The ERF s on this job were not good. - they shook themselves to pieces - always ended up back in the Garage in Jeddah for days being put back together - the Macks were much better especially in the right hands.

Ken Broster

Was a lot of that work off-road? Robert

[robert1952]

Carryfast:

robert1952:

Carryfast:
It would probably have been more logical to just concentrate on the European for both the UK and Euro markets and keep it in production longer at least in the case of the max weight market.Then go from the European directly into the C series thereby rationalising the production operation and development programme.

The major spanner in the works regarding that idea probably being the combination of the ridiculous UK gross weight regime and backward customer base.

Although I don’t think there would have been anything to lose in that regard by just saying to the customers you’ve got the choice of either taking the European or nothing.

Re bold type above: isn’t that exactly what the B-series LHD Euro-spec model was designed to do? Robert

In view of fact that the European was obviously a different ( arguably at least as good/good enough if not superior ? ) product to the B series and bearing in mind the time line between the European entering and finishing production and the C series entering production.It seems difficult to make a case for the B series.It seeming to be a waste of resources.Albeit,as I said,possibly an understandable one bearing in mind the hostile domestic market in terms of its acceptance of progress both in terms of legislation and customer thinking.

I have some sympathy with your viewpoint, and a number of drivers reported that both comfort and performance of the NGC were superior. However, the B-series were more frugal. Robert

[carryfast]

robert1952:

Carryfast:

robert1952:

Carryfast:
It would probably have been more logical to just concentrate on the European for both the UK and Euro markets and keep it in production longer at least in the case of the max weight market.Then go from the European directly into the C series thereby rationalising the production operation and development programme.

The major spanner in the works regarding that idea probably being the combination of the ridiculous UK gross weight regime and backward customer base.

Although I don’t think there would have been anything to lose in that regard by just saying to the customers you’ve got the choice of either taking the European or nothing.

Re bold type above: isn’t that exactly what the B-series LHD Euro-spec model was designed to do? Robert

In view of fact that the European was obviously a different ( arguably at least as good/good enough if not superior ? ) product to the B series and bearing in mind the time line between the European entering and finishing production and the C series entering production.It seems difficult to make a case for the B series.It seeming to be a waste of resources.Albeit,as I said,possibly an understandable one bearing in mind the hostile domestic market in terms of its acceptance of progress both in terms of legislation and customer thinking.

I have some sympathy with your viewpoint, and a number of drivers reported that both comfort and performance of the NGC were superior. However, the B-series were more frugal. Robert

That question might look a bit different if you factor in the possible availability of more advanced ■■■■■■■ engine/13 speed drivelines of a longer/increased production run European ( assuming that is what gave the B series its fuel efficiency edge ) then running directly into the C series.

Alhough having said that I’d personally prefer an all steel cab design in which case both the B and C series both seemed to be a retrograde design in that respect.

[kenb]

robert1952:

Kenb:

robert1952:
I have now posted some new Trans Arabia pictures on the LHD B-series ERF thread: watch that space! Robert

0

The first deliveries to Almasame in deep Saudi Nr Najran carrying flat package accom and refrigeration units for camp site
After these first runs we had to put 10tons of bagged cement on pallets over the drive axle to give us traction up th steep off-road inclines

The three drivers Taffe Bill, Goggie Robatham and Eric Bowers all RIP and top drivers and very capable

The ERF s on this job were not good. - they shook themselves to pieces - always ended up back in the Garage in Jeddah for days being put back together - the Macks were much better especially in the right hands.

Ken Broster

Was a lot of that work off-road? Robert

All of the Almasame contract was off road after the hard to leg down to the turn off - 2 day journey -.we had 2 vehicles running trailers into site from drop point just off main road
Lots of our out of town work included a lot of off road work at some point

Ken broster

[kenb]

robert1952:

Kenb:

robert1952:

En-Tour-Age:
Nice photos on KW, most probably suplied through Paccar Belgium, Rue Genève in Brussels where export-department had HQ
and where large quantities of trucks for oil-field-exploration and logistics were sold! ■■■■■■■ Distributor Belgium often piggy-
backed on the group of drivers delivering the trucks to their final destination. Same did DAF with orders to Iran and Turkey.

I believe that S Jones’s Saudi partner imported them directly from USA. Robert

Robert - Wrong they were ordered from the Saudi Agent General Contracting Co (GCC) in Dammam by myself and were transferred to there Jeddah site for customer delivery and sign writing - the finance was raised via Citi Bank Jeddah

Ken Broster

I stand corrected. I can’t remember where I got that idea from. Robert

[john_west]

Kenb:

robert1952:

Kenb:

robert1952:
I have now posted some new Trans Arabia pictures on the LHD B-series ERF thread: watch that space! Robert

0

The first deliveries to Almasame in deep Saudi Nr Najran carrying flat package accom and refrigeration units for camp site
After these first runs we had to put 10tons of bagged cement on pallets over the drive axle to give us traction up th steep off-road inclines

The three drivers Taffe Bill, Goggie Robatham and Eric Bowers all RIP and top drivers and very capable

The ERF s on this job were not good. - they shook themselves to pieces - always ended up back in the Garage in Jeddah for days being put back together - the Macks were much better especially in the right hands.

Ken Broster

Was a lot of that work off-road? Robert

All of the Almasame contract was off road after the hard to leg down to the turn off - 2 day journey -.we had 2 vehicles running trailers into site from drop point just off main road
Lots of our out of town work included a lot of off road work at some point

Ken broster

The road to Khamis Mushayt from Taif was finished by 1979. It was very steep in places, but all the rivers were bridged and it was all Tarmac.

Before that, some Europeans had made a lot of money running down the Asir, but there were also a lot of wrecks. I remember being shown photos. The road just finished where they were building a bridge and became a mud diversion down through the river then up the other side. One guy had sequential photos of of a truck pulling out of the river, with the cab at 90 degrees to the trailer, then the trailer pulling the whole rig over and back into the river.

They earned the money!

Even in 1979, I seem to remember that the road from Khamis to Najran wasn’t all tarmacced. And of coursethe hard packed sand tended to ripple like the beach after the tide has gone out. This was jaw judderingly hard on truck and driver!

Also, somewhere on that road was a police post in the middle of nowhere, with a small hut and a barrier across the road.

This was unlit, so easily hit at night. The penalty for this was to be put in prison until you’d paid for someone to come out and rebuild it.

It didn’t happen to me, but John Longhorn hit it when tired one night.

He said there was a Saudi prisoner in that Jail who was under sentence of death. He didn’t know when this would happen - except that it would be after prayers one Friday. Thursday evenings can’t have been much fun for him!

John

[robert1952]

Thanks for all those details Ken and John. Robert

[robert1952]

Another picture of that rolled NGC in Saudi, posted by Ron on the Trans Arabia thread - Robert

[john_west]

robert1952:
Another picture of that rolled NGC in Saudi, posted by Ron on the Trans Arabia thread - Robert

0

Hello Robert,

Welcome back. Great pictures on the North African threads.

We employed several Somalian Yemenis at Caravan, Ahmed Yahya ,and Mohammed Hassan who became transport manager, among them. These guys were among the nicest people I have ever met. Also many others who came and went.

I remember being at Jizan at a camp where the workers were mainly Pakistani. One of the guys was quizzing me about nationality, who I liked and didn’t.

We were a very mixed bag of nationalities back in Dammam. Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Somali, Yemeni, British, Irish, Dutch, German, Philippino, Egyptian, American, Thai, Saudi - you name it.

After considering my reply for a minute, I realised and said that I liked most people that I met, but found it had nothing to do with Nationality. People are people and some are good company and some are w****rs, but it didn’t really relate to nationality.

I hadn’t really thought much about it before, but would say, 35 years later, that I would still think the same.

John.

[robert1952]

John West:

robert1952:
Another picture of that rolled NGC in Saudi, posted by Ron on the Trans Arabia thread - Robert

0

Hello Robert,

Welcome back. Great pictures on the North African threads.

We employed several Somalian Yemenis at Caravan, Ahmed Yahya ,and Mohammed Hassan who became transport manager, among them. These guys were among the nicest people I have ever met. Also many others who came and went.

I remember being at Jizan at a camp where the workers were mainly Pakistani. One of the guys was quizzing me about nationality, who I liked and didn’t.

We were a very mixed bag of nationalities back in Dammam. Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Somali, Yemeni, British, Irish, Dutch, German, Philippino, Egyptian, American, Thai, Saudi - you name it.

After considering my reply for a minute, I realised and said that I liked most people that I met, but found it had nothing to do with Nationality. People are people and some are good company and some are w****rs, but it didn’t really relate to nationality.

I hadn’t really thought much about it before, but would say, 35 years later, that I would still think the same.

John.

Absolutely my experience too! It’s too easy to generalise about a sub-set of people and make it come true by repeating it often enough. Otherwise one ends up creating enemies out of traffic wardens, Nigerians, BMW drivers, men in white socks - whatever superstition takes ones fancy! Robert

[robert1952]

I visited www.asam.co.uk/new2015.html and noticed that ASAM Models who make kits in 1:48 scale are rolling out a 2015 to 2017 programme of new items, which includes the ERF NGC (described on the webpage as ‘A 303 ERF continental type D 4x2 tractor’.

A space to watch, then! Robert

[robert1952]

A detail from one of Bubbleman’s pics. Robert

[robert1952]

B&W pic from cover of maintanence pamphlet. Robert

[david_miller]

Absolutely my experience too! It’s too easy to generalise about a sub-set of people and make it come true by repeating it often enough. Otherwise one ends up creating enemies out of traffic wardens, Nigerians, BMW drivers, men in white socks - whatever superstition takes ones fancy! Robert

I absolutely agree with you Robert, except as regards BMW drivers!

David

[robert1952]

David Miller:

Absolutely my experience too! It’s too easy to generalise about a sub-set of people and make it come true by repeating it often enough. Otherwise one ends up creating enemies out of traffic wardens, Nigerians, BMW drivers, men in white socks - whatever superstition takes ones fancy! Robert

I absolutely agree with you Robert, except as regards BMW drivers!

David

Good! That let’s me off the hook then, because I drive one! Robert

[robert1952]

One of the predecessors of the NGC (demonstrator?) attached to La Laiterie Preval of Vire, France. Robert

[robert1952]

Not too clear, but hey-ho! Robert

[robert1952]

After taking two years instead of the original six months, the book is now being printed: almost there! Robert

[robert1952]

Look what ‘Gravydavey’ has just posted on the Calor gas thread!!! He has to be hero of the week on this thread. It is a completely new find: HMO-220N in the service of Calor. Well, this is one that won’t get in the book! Robert

[robert1952]

This is the first NGC we have found on tanker work. The burning question now is: how many more of these did Calor have?? To be fair, Saviem alterted us to the fact that Calor ran ERF ‘Europeans’ with ■■■■■■■ 335s in on both this thread and the Calor thread. However, once the Calor 5MWs had come to light I rather thought they were ones he meant. The thick plottens! Robert