A couple of Foden Coaches.
pete smith:
One old girl that has seen some action!
This would be a barnsley based motor[J b] depot code,on old numbers.
pete smith:
A couple of Foden Coaches.
That bottom Foden coach was rear engined and was ex Salopia Whitchurch , they had 2 and were very rare , thank you Trevor
pete smith:
One old girl that has seen some action!
the very model i cut my driving teeth on . first a 6 wheeler and then the 8 wheeler . when you’d come off a j type bedford it was a steep learning curve .it was the best of the early fodens with the booster pump brakes , as long as you kept the revs up and they didn’t have a fridge , aircon or a microwave to worry about , or a heater . dave
Punchy Dan:
0what model would you call this grill and light arrangement .
Anyone ■■
Punchy Dan:
Punchy Dan:
0what model would you call this grill and light arrangement .Anyone ■■
Hi Dan It may have been a conversion job or perhaps an export model, Ive never seen this type at all, Regards Larry.
Punchy Dan:
0what model would you call this grill and light arrangement .
Hello Dan. I seems to be more like an S83 cab than any other as far as I can see, but the front panel and grille have been replaced with what looks like an accident replacement. Don’t know for sure. Robert
That oddball has been mentioned on here before and, IIRC, was featured in one of the comics. The front panel is off a Marathon and the grille surround is… no wait- I’m not telling hahaha!!! 
If anyone can find the original post, it gives a fuller story than I would be able dredge out of my well-rotted memory.
James Bacon a local haulier(tippers) from the Manchester area during the 50s/60s
A couple here that have been restored.
W T Flather of Sheffield (anyone remember them)
This one was at the Smallwood rally over the bank holiday weekend in lovely condition for a working tipper.
The Foden Family
R.E 12 speed Foden gearbox
quick question, what, if any was the problem/issues with the Foden 12 speed?
i have read here and other places it was a bit of a ■■■■■!!
I have a little tale regarding this gearbox going back to the late 60s, if anyone is interested.
Patrick
patrick 68:
R.E 12 speed Foden gearboxquick question, what, if any was the problem/issues with the Foden 12 speed?
i have read here and other places it was a bit of a ■■■■■!!
I have a little tale regarding this gearbox going back to the late 60s, if anyone is interested.
Patrick
from a driving point of view i found the 12 speed bomb proof once you had mastered it . the only time i recall a problem was a foden that had the range restricting valve bypassed , the driver knocked it down a range on the m50 at 40 mph and inadvertently put it in low range , and it actually went in . end of gearbox , sheared the bell housing . i did wonder why all the grinding didn’t tell him that something was wrong . apart from that isolated incident i never heard of any problems , mechanics might have a different take on things . dave
rigsby:
patrick 68:
R.E 12 speed Foden gearboxquick question, what, if any was the problem/issues with the Foden 12 speed?
i have read here and other places it was a bit of a ■■■■■!!
I have a little tale regarding this gearbox going back to the late 60s, if anyone is interested.
Patrick
from a driving point of view i found the 12 speed bomb proof once you had mastered it . the only time i recall a problem was a foden that had the range restricting valve bypassed , the driver knocked it down a range on the m50 at 40 mph and inadvertently put it in low range , and it actually went in . end of gearbox , sheared the bell housing . i did wonder why all the grinding didn’t tell him that something was wrong . apart from that isolated incident i never heard of any problems , mechanics might have a different take on things . dave
hi Rigsby
as a driver what was it that seemed to be hard to master? was it say more difficult to master than say a twin split or a constant mesh back to front ZF?
just curious
Patrick
i think the problem most drivers had to overcome was the up and down shift between low and direct ranges . you had to be precise to get the gears without lots of grinding . for example the downshift from direct second to low fourth you had to let it lug until you could count the piston strokes and then change down . direct first to low third was easier as you could whip the main stick round and providing the auxiliary was quick straight into low third . once you had mastered all these things you could build up a natural rhythm . direct and high ranges were like using a two speed axle . dave
thanks Dave
makes sense, reminds of the story related to me by my old man.
sometime late 60s very early 70s my old man, working at Bedfords of Brighouse, was given a brand spanking new Foden with the 12sp. after a week away he still couldn’t master the box and as a experienced driver on return to the yard on the friday told Ronnie Bedford there must be something wrong with it, a couple of other drivers who were in the yard at the time took it out and came back with the same conclusion.
No probs, says Ronnie, next week you can call in at the factory as you are going over that way. the following week my old man calls into the factory, Ronnie having rung them to let them know he was coming. when he got there he was greeted by an old guy who introduced himself as Albert and said right lets see whats wrong with this gearbox. the motor was fully loaded and with my old man riding shot gun Albert set off from the factory, in 1st and made his way through the gears without even the slightest noise and then back down into first, he then looked at my old man and said **** all wrong with that son.
my old man feeling very embarrassed said ok i’ll try again. Albert explained the best time to change up and down and within the hour had it sorted.
when he got back into the yard at the end of the week Ronnie asked my old man if the gearbox fault was sorted, knowing full well what the problem had been, and my old man sheepishly had to admit it was the driver not the gearbox. Ronnie just smiled and walked back into the office.
Patrick