Ah! You are thinking like a '70s Dutch haulier: use the lorry until it is worn out! Robert 
Quite a write-off when you operate such a nice/good lorry only five years, LHD or not?
ERF-Continental:
Quite a write-off when you operate such a nice/good lorry only five years, LHD or not?
That’s true, but the handful that did the Middle-East run should have been making plenty of money. Trans Arabia reckoned on an average life-span of 7 years for the NGCs, which were worked hard. Cees Willemstein got 15 years out of his.
I’ve just totted up all the British-run NGCs taking into account all the changing of hands, but including those run by British companies in the Middle East. The figure comes to about half the total we know about - a bit less if you exclude the UK ERF demonstrators. It’s more than I thought!
Robert
So you include the ViJoRe’s thinking of exchanging their NGC’s via Beech’s?
What happened that there are suddenly more than Commart, Greer, and the ones I stated?
[zb]
anorak:
Here’s another for sale, on the next page of the same issue:
0
Ah! That’ll be Pountain’s ERF MDC. It was Cossington’s who re-cabbed and re-engined it. Robert
ERF-Continental:
So you include the ViJoRe’s thinking of exchanging their NGC’s via Beech’s?What happened that there are suddenly more than Commart, Greer, and the ones I stated?
VIJORE had six. Two went to Trans Arabia, one went to Shamara, one was damaged and magicked into a RHD B-series by Reads so that leaves NFH 120P that might have gone anywhere, including Beaches garage.
Then there was Commart, Greer, Beresford / Trans Arabia, (Corbishley we wouldn’t count), Albert Dale / Simmonds, ■■■■■■■ /Pountain / Redcap, BFI Recovery, Trans Arabia (6 brand new units), Horridge, Falcon Freight (10 brand new units), Cunard-CAMEL (2), Calor, and Pountains MDC if you want to count 7MW cabs. That adds up to: 31, 32 if you count the MDC, 35 if you count UK ERF demos.
31 is a safer figure, but it’s still quite a lot considering that ERF only seemed to offer them to the home market as a sort of afterthought. Robert
ERF-Continental:
In a timeframe of 1974-1979 operations you can exclude quite some out of your UK-listing I guess.Perhaps the Comart? For sure not the Eric Vick’s or the Richard Read’s and Jones’ one
Sorry A-J! Here is your original question. To be honest, I didn’t quite understand it at first! But now I can see what you want to know: which of the UK-based units might the one at Beaches Garage have been?
So yes: the one’s you mentioned plus one of Read’s appears to be the answer! Robert
You’ve lost me…we are dealing with an ERF NGC which was operational from 1974-1979 and
THEN sold by Beech’s Garages…at THAT moment…never mind, it will pop up somehow and
somewhere I guess…your attachment in the book is quite clear on 1974 issued NGC’s and some
with unknown year of first registration just like the Comart’s
To be brief…the advertisement is on a 1974 NGC which was offered for sale in 1979 by Beech’s Garages,
so quite a deal to be excluded I guess…no hard feelings…it’s only about lorries and friday-night 
Accomplished! Time for your Shepperd’s Neame now, while Saviem opens his Bollinger
Accomplished! Time for your Shepperd’s Neame now, while Saviem opens his Bollinger
Hiya Albert had DVT 979T which would be 1979…it was DVT the one Andrew had in 1984 thats when albert had the B reg 362 Man
79-84 is 5 years 74 -79 5 years thats about right i think…what we need to know is when did John buy Alberts lorry, did it sell quickly
or did it hang around…
.ive just looked on page one where it said Colin Wallace said John Simmonds bought GEH from Beeches but no date.
John
ERF-Continental:
You’ve lost me…we are dealing with an ERF NGC which was operational from 1974-1979 and
THEN sold by Beech’s Garages…at THAT moment…never mind, it will pop up somehow and
somewhere I guess…your attachment in the book is quite clear on 1974 issued NGC’s and some
with unknown year of first registration just like the Comart’s
Alas, we cannot know. We can only speculate! Your detective work is going in the right direction. And you are right: it is Friday night! Have a wonderful weekend! Robert
Ah-ha! I think I have the answer. I knew I had a reference somewhere to an NGC being sold second-hand via Beaches Garage so I looked through my book and I couldn’t find the solution. Then I looked through the draft of my new More Lorries of Arabia book and sure enough 
, there was the probable answer: GEH 513N passed to John Simmons Heavy Haulage via Beaches Garage. The timing is about right. Robert
EDIT: sorry John3300, I’ve just seen that you’ve already said the same thing in the post above, which I missed in the crossover of posts. 
Cheers! Robert
I’ve managed at last to get hold of a copy of Heritage Commercial April 2011, which has that article about Jerry Cooke in (referred to much earlier in the thread). It is also referred to in Lorries of Arabia: ERF NGC. Enjoy! Robert
Evening all,
just a few random thoughts regarding the ERF European, and ERF in Europe, as they have sort of buzzed around my head today, while I was doing battle with a particularly virulent bunch of Brambles. Believe me you need something positive to think about when battling those blighters!
1975, ERF ran a series of adverts on full pages for the European…“Home from the Market-the ERF European”
Then followed a specification, 40000kgs/60000 kgs low loader,335 ■■■■■■■■ Tilt cab, 2 bunk sleeper,…“European available in Britain now”…with a tear off request slip at the bottom for more information.
I remember a rather pleasant SMMT, (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) dinner in central London back in 1980, where having enjoyed the repast, some rather excellent Bordeaux, the interminalable speeches, more Bordeaux, a little of M Napoleons Brandy, the assembled throng relaxed, and perhaps the defensive guards were lowered by one and all, and convivial conversation flowed.
The state of the UK lorry market,following the totally unexpected surge in the UK during 78/79, and the malaise affecting most mainland European markets was the topic for discussion on our table. Peter Foden used a phrase that I had never heard used before, when describing ERFs strategy…“Import substitution”…That ERF, (and hopefully other UK manufacturers), concentrate on the domestic market, and repel the surge in Imported vehicle sales. For by following that strategy the United Kingdom balance of payments would improve, and employment across the whole industry would rise. “Why should a company such as ERF go to attack European markets, (which were depressed), for to gain market share business would have to be “bought”, resulting in reduced potential profitability”…and of course a poor return on the capital employed.
When the discussion turned to various manufacturing techniques, PFs opinion was that ERF held a great advantage over vertically integrated manufacturers, (such as my employer), in that they, (ERF) were able to use the R&D facilities of their component suppliers at nil cost to themselves, and if necessary swop, and change to respond to market changes far more rapidly than any vertically integrated manufacturer could do.
I enjoyed the evening, to sup at the same table as the “Grand Fromages” of the lorry business was a privilege…but then I was back to a totally different world in the US where my concerns were Mercedes, Magirus, and anticeptic Volvo…the UK, and European markets were a long way away.
But as I sat on the ditch edge today, listening to the Red Leg Partridges, the warm spring sunlight on my back, (and a blooming cold spring wind blowing on my front), eating my cheese and (wife`s) pickle sandwiches, I thought about the scenario that surrounded that evening…
`79 was a poor year for the UK, The Engineering go slow, the Drivers strike, and the Steel strike.
The lorry market for 1980 was anticipated to fall from 79s figure of 77k, to 60k in ``80.......with a potential rise in 81/85!!!
But ERF was financially strong…c 16million shareholders funds, yet borrowings of only 1 million. Forecast profits of 3.6 million
Component purchases were running a c 60 million, Gardner, ■■■■■■■ Rolls, Rubery Owen, ZF, Eaton, David Brown, Motor Panels Bifort Engineering, (SMC moulded panels), et al…, Airflow Streamline, and everone was getting paid…unlike what was happening a couple of miles down the road!
ERF had negotiated a financial deal to expand production, from 78/79, 1760 average to 3000 units, and to 4000 in 82, rising to 5500 in 84/85. Including new 16 ton, and multiaxle products. Jobs would rise from c400 to 1000 by 85.
How so?
Funding from the European Coal and Steel Community…(remember them)? of 5 million, at a rate of 8.25% for the first 5 years, then 11.5% for the remaining 3 years. The United Kingdom Department of Industry granting 1.7 million, and of course all the capital expenditure on equipment would attract 25% Capital Allowances against tax. Overall cost of the proposed new facility for production would be c 10 million pounds
Sensible, or foolhardy ? One cannot argue against protecting one own market, (where profitability is known), against attacking, (depressed) overseas markets where cost will almost certainly outweigh potential profitability in the short/medium term. But to invest so heavily, (and with such a high debt ratio), in a market place where the short term future was unpredictable, seems very" Lion Hearted" indeed.
Perhaps those with more intimate knowledge of ERF would care to put more flesh on these bones!!!
Im away to my Bollinger, for tomorrow there are more Brambles, and a Greenhouse to finish.
Cheerio for now.
.
Saviem:
Perhaps those with more intimate knowledge of ERF would care to put more flesh on these bones!!!
A nice piece of insight, Saviem! In my new book I do hint at the issue: One of the reasons for ERF’s apparent lack of success on the the continent was that the truck markets were significantly more depressed than in Britain during the late seventies.
However, it would be interesting - as you state yourself - to have a little more flesh put on these bones.
By the way, here is that ERF Advert you quoted from (see below). It too appears in the appendix of my book, Lorries of Arabia: ERF NGC Robert
