Brilliant! Thank you. I wait with baited breath. To be honest, so long as 8MW cabs were retro-fitted to older model ERFs and not to NGCs, it won’t compromise anything I’ve said in the book!
Nonetheless, I’m fascinated to see what one looks like, and what history can be found about them. Cheers, Robert 
Were all ERF ranges so complex? Or was the seemingly endless combination of cabs, chassis and engines restricted to the European models?
I know they tried to harmonise the range with the introduction of the CP, but by then Gardner was out of the game, Rolls Royce were bit part players, DB boxes were outclassed by Eaton Fuller and this didn’t leave them with much choice in buying in components.
Was this a lesson learned from the entire history of the company or just from the European?
ERF:
We have ‘evidence’ that at least 2 8MW cabs were built Robert, as these were supplied to CD Belgium for retrospective fitment to old chassis.
For these 8MW cabs shipped to CDB I only could think of delivery to Loste in Lille-region who were frequent users of all kinds of army-surplus
since WW2 (sold by S.A. Denonville then) as well as ‘current’ vehicles out of (later called) CDB’s range like Whites, Autocar and ERF.
newmercman:
Were all ERF ranges so complex? Or was the seemingly endless combination of cabs, chassis and engines restricted to the European models?I know they tried to harmonise the range with the introduction of the CP, but by then Gardner was out of the game, Rolls Royce were bit part players, DB boxes were outclassed by Eaton Fuller and this didn’t leave them with much choice in buying in components.
Was this a lesson learned from the entire history of the company or just from the European?
Well it seems to be much the same across the board with ERF, Newmercman. And there were plenty of Gardner-engined CP-cabbed C-series and onward into the E-series (think of the 15-litre 6YLT). 
The last ERFs with Gardner engines were E16s in the late '80s.
There were still quite a few variants among the E-series and even the EC-series: think EC8, EC10, EC11, EC12, EC14 etc. I drove one EC12with a Perkins LNG engine and Twin-Splitter at one time! Robert
ERF-Continental:
ERF:
We have ‘evidence’ that at least 2 8MW cabs were built Robert, as these were supplied to CD Belgium for retrospective fitment to old chassis.For these 8MW cabs shipped to CDB I only could think of delivery to Loste in Lille-region who were frequent users of all kinds of army-surplus
since WW2 (sold by S.A. Denonville then) as well as ‘current’ vehicles out of (later called) CDB’s range like Whites, Autocar and ERF.
I did mention Loste and showed pictures of their 7MW-cabbed Pacific in our discussion about the 8MW cab on the 5MW thread very recently. But the cab on that Pacific is clearly a 7MW. Loste also had two standard NGCs which I have pictures of. However, you point out that Loste had all sorts of other ‘odd’ vehicles (many of which I have pictures of), so might it be possible that Loste ordered 7MW or 8MW cabs for some of its other heavy-haulage tractors? Just a thought. Robert
Is it not also possible that Belgian 4MW-cabbed vehicles, like the one shown below, might have been re-cabbed with an 8MW replacement supplied via CDB? Robert
Robert…the ERF for operator André Lecoq is a 3MW and not a 4MW …see his quote
3MW
The first 3MW cabbed ERF is chassis 17099, a model 6.6CU220, 12’7" wheelbase tipper/tractor despatched ex Sun Works on the 10th March 1969 via the dealer ‘■■■■■■■ Distributor Belgium’ for customer Lecoq.
ERF-Continental:
Robert…the ERF for operator André Lecoq is a 3MW and not a 4MW …see his quote3MW
The first 3MW cabbed ERF is chassis 17099, a model 6.6CU220, 12’7" wheelbase tipper/tractor despatched ex Sun Works on the 10th March 1969 via the dealer ‘■■■■■■■ Distributor Belgium’ for customer Lecoq.
Yes, you’re right. I even posted that picture elsewhere as a 3MW so I should have known better! Actually, instead of looking at the caption I was looking at the optical illusion that the cab was 4MW. Never mind 
. It still begs the question: what local 4MW-cabbed units might have been due for a a cab replacement when the 4MW rotted before the chassis was worn out? Robert
robert1952:
…And there were plenty of Gardner-engined CP-cabbed C-series…
I know exactly what you are saying here Robert, and it is pedantic (sorry!), but of course there were no CP ERF’s with Gardner’s.
CP stood for ‘Common Parts’ and all had ■■■■■■■■ Eaton/Fuller, Rockwell driveline. There were about eight variations of the CP package 4x2, 6x4, day cab, sleeper cab, various ■■■■■■■ engines…etc.
…And there were plenty of Gardner-engined SP3-cabbed C-series…
In last nights trawl through lists and manuals, I found more reference to an 8MW, but this time it was… an 8MW tilt day cab!.
I just don’t know what to say.
I’ve been through the many photos I have, and I can’t find a photo of one. I did find a couple of nice 7MW works photos though, which I will post as time allows.
Ever wish you had never started on something?
I also found new reference last night to a 6MW cab, a cab which had been previously illusive in all my information, including the master parts lists.
It is mentioned as a cab “…of the same dimension and structure as the set back axle 5MW, but with a forward axle and sharing the 5MW’s improved lighting, heating, ventilation, soundproofing and cab suspension system to reduce driver fatigue”.
I will ask my friend the ERF archivist to do another scan of the records to see if any were fitted and when, but I know fatigue is setting in with him too!.
@ ‘ERF’:
Point taken re CP - I was only following on from Newmercman’s useage (he said lamely!). Thanks for reminding me.
An 8MW day cab actually makes some sense: it would simply have served as an up-to-date replacement for an MV cab on 6x4 units build for, say, the construction industry.
The 6MW as a ‘posh’ 4MW makes sense too; and it makes me wonder if a lot of the pictures we are referring to as 4MWs are not actually 6MWs (Leicester’s R-reg heavy hauler, for example).
I certainly look forward to the 7MW works pics.
I realise that your labours are exhausting but the treasures you are revealing certainly make them worthwhile for those of us perched on the edge of this ‘archeological ERF dig’ of yours!!! Thank you.
Robert
@ ‘ERF-continental’:
NGC Register
Now that I’m no longer working on the book, I’m tidying up some of my files. I have kept my rather crude ‘register’ of NGCs going because I didn’t want to change my system till the book was completed. This is because my system uses a reference code number for each unit regardless of how many times it changes registration number, owner, country etc. And that reference code agrees with all 73 of my folders with pictures and information about each NGC unit.
However, your system is better. A while back you shared an Excel-based system of recording that works very well. It does everything my system does, but more (and better). If I abandoned my old system for yours, all I would have to do is to re-number all my individual folders, using the ‘hash’ numbers in your system.
The other advantage of my adopting your system is that we can rationalise the information, and hopefully end up with the same number of vehicles! Furthermore, we can refer to each vehicle by its ‘hash’ number in discussions.
To this end, perhaps you would update your system and make it available (for viewing). Then all we’d need to do is to inform you of any new developments and additions. In that way, you would end up being the ‘keeper’ of the NGC register. What do you think?
Regards, Robert
@Robert…the treasurer of gems and pearls of european transport:
Thank you for your compliments, however nothing wrong with your
system as long as info is available and clear for the record-owner.
With regard to some possible developments as now the production-
archives is more or less available, we might expand with columns.
Indeed with main components (engine, gearbox) all kind of numbers
and information on delivery. As cab-info now shines light on stages
of production and production-years, we gain a far better overview,
certainly if we miss links to similar chassis.
At this moment I have no recent or updated registers available but
expect some vital information from Robert Aebi (CH), Rik Gruwez
(B), Damco, van der Heijden (NL) on the 3-, 5-, 7MW and B-series.
Will come back on that in the near future.
Perhaps we might ask ourselves why the REVS-register ‘only’ states
deliveries to BTI (Best Truck Import) and not on CDB, them being
by far the most active importer when it comes to quantities?
On the various types of cabs…perhaps a matrix with/without thick
boxes and an example picture could be interesting?
Thank you for this NGC-picture…euh, you saw the details? umh
Nice day, A-J
ERF:
I also found new reference last night to a 6MW cab, a cab which had been previously illusive in all my information, including the master parts lists.
It is mentioned as a cab “…of the same dimension and structure as the set back axle 5MW, but with a forward axle and sharing the 5MW’s improved lighting, heating, ventilation, soundproofing and cab suspension system to reduce driver fatigue”.
That clears up my previous error- there was never a 2MW but, after 18(?)th January 1973, the 1968(?)-introduced 4MW became the new, improved 6MW. Many forward-axle, 7" headlamp MWs on these threads will have been wrongly christened 4, when they were actually 6.
ERF:
I will ask my friend the ERF archivist to do another scan of the records to see if any were fitted and when, but I know fatigue is setting in with him too!.
There is no rush. Only do it when the curiosity exceeds the slothfulness. Look what you have achieved so far- a definitive history of steel-cabbed ERFs. Sandbach was not built in a day.
ERF-Continental:
@Robert…the treasurer of gems and pearls of european transport:Thank you for your compliments, however nothing wrong with your
system as long as info is available and clear for the record-owner.
With regard to some possible developments as now the production-
archives is more or less available, we might expand with columns.
Indeed with main components (engine, gearbox) all kind of numbers
and information on delivery. As cab-info now shines light on stages
of production and production-years, we gain a far better overview,
certainly if we miss links to similar chassis.At this moment I have no recent or updated registers available but
expect some vital information from Robert Aebi (CH), Rik Gruwez
(B), Damco, van der Heijden (NL) on the 3-, 5-, 7MW and B-series.Will come back on that in the near future.
Perhaps we might ask ourselves why the REVS-register ‘only’ states
deliveries to BTI (Best Truck Import) and not on CDB, them being
by far the most active importer when it comes to quantities?On the various types of cabs…perhaps a matrix with/without thick
boxes and an example picture could be interesting?Thank you for this NGC-picture…euh, you saw the details? umh
Nice day, A-J
Thank you for those thoughts. And you mention the Damco etc possibilities: maybe we should have a sort of ghost register for suspicions and scraps of info. I was looking back through some emails for something this afternoon and I found an old one from Wobbe in which he seems certain that there were around 100 NGCs…! Robert
By the way, I notice that on my NGC register the five Falcon Freight units are dated 1974/5, so I must have got those dates from Wobbe. That made me wonder if the final one (ones?) delivered in December 1977 were another batch (or perhaps another one-off). More units for the ‘ghost’ register then, along with a handful of Calor Transport units perhaps…Robert
Here’s an even stronger case for my suspicion that the 1977 Falcon Freight unit wasn’t one of the 1974/5 batch: ‘ERF’ has just given details of this vehicle (on the LHD 5MW thread). As you can see it has an NTC 290 instead of a 335 (which the earlier batch had).
7MW #31927 tractor for Falcon Freight (being the last 7MW)
5.34 Metre Wheelbase.
Despatched 22nd December 1977.
■■■■■■■ NTC E290, Engine Not Recorded. Gearbox - Fuller RT 9509A 54705. Axle ratio not recorded.
I’m recording this as a new ‘find’ for now
And here are the other details, kindly supplied by ‘ERF’ after much research. One shows the details for the first NGC, as supplied to Van Steenbergen. The second shows the details of the rigid NGC supplied to Thibault, also of Belgium (in this case, Stree). Robert
Van Steenbergen via CDB
10’ 1" Wheelbase tractor.
■■■■■■■ NTC 335FFD, Engine Not Recorded. Gearbox - Fuller RTO 9509A 50314. Rear axle ratio 5.60:1.
Thibault, Stree.
15’ 9" Wheelbase LWB.
Despatched 14th August 1973.
■■■■■■■ NTC 335FFC, Engine 51900. Gearbox - Fuller RTO 9509A 50314. Rear axle ratio 5.60:1.
.
By morning I should be able to tell you how many 7MW’s went out to Falcon Freight in that 1977 batch Robert. That might help?.
