Bewick:
Seeing is believing I suppose ! but the 290 Sed Atk demos that we ran occaisionally “drank” fuel,they couldn’t get anywhere near the 8LXB’s or the 111’s for economy,and they were always given a very fair “shake of the dice”,the ■■■■■■■ 250 was a thirsty beggar as well IMHO. Cheers Bewick.
How did the 8LXB compare to the 111s on fuel (and journey times), Mr. Bewick? Did you run any of the later Gardners?
Bewick:
leylandlover:
Let me tell you a story,I worked alongside a mate with 180 Garder on the same job.We filled up in the morning and again after the days work.Guess who put the most fuel in? Plus he had to put lots of oil inUp hills at least 2 higher gears.The last Garder i worked on was a 4lk at Richard Reads fitted in a ex tool sales lorry.He still owns it,well i saw it in the yard in Longhope last year.
Seeing is believing I suppose ! but the 290 Sed Atk demos that we ran occaisionally “drank” fuel,they couldn’t get anywhere near the 8LXB’s or the 111’s for economy,and they were always given a very fair “shake of the dice”,the ■■■■■■■ 250 was a thirsty beggar as well IMHO. Cheers Bewick.
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=87800&p=1271468&hilit=■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
Another little story,I sold the Foden 290 ■■■■■■■ to an Irishman who also owned a Foden S80 with a Gardner.He rang me up after collecing the truck from my yard,Mason i wanted to buy a lorry not a racing car!!! 
cav551:
That Grille badge reads Gardner 150
Spotter’s badge for you Cav! - yes built with a 150 originally for Woodwards of Macclesfield - bought by J Haydon in the early 70s and refitted with a 180 when they got the drawbar mid 70s.
Another shot from 1976 (hot) - 180 badge now higher on the grille 
Need to be up early to catch you out eh?
[zb]
anorak:Bewick:
Seeing is believing I suppose ! but the 290 Sed Atk demos that we ran occaisionally “drank” fuel,they couldn’t get anywhere near the 8LXB’s or the 111’s for economy,and they were always given a very fair “shake of the dice”,the ■■■■■■■ 250 was a thirsty beggar as well IMHO. Cheers Bewick.How did the 8LXB compare to the 111s on fuel (and journey times), Mr. Bewick? Did you run any of the later Gardners?
The Gardner engined chassis were always,without doubt,consistently more frugal on diesel than the Scanias although some of our top drivers could run the Scanias close to the 8LXB’s at times.The F88’s were the thirstest motors we ever ran but the later F10’s and FL10’s did improve quite a bit but still couldn’t match the Scanias or get anywhere near the 8LXB’s.Our last Gardner engines into the fleet were two 8LXC Sed/Atks in '84.I never fancied the Turb’d Gardners and from the mid 80’s, IMO, Gardners had had their day and it all went downhill for them from then on.But I will say again we had many years of immaculate reliability from the many Gardners we did run over the years so I will never “knock” them.Cheers Bewick.
These were the last two Gardner engined units to enter service with Bewick Transport in '84,8LXC/Fuller9509/Rockwell axle.
Bewick:
These were the last two Gardner engined units to enter service with Bewick Transport in '84,8LXC
Other than that two nice wagons Bewick.I think that confirms what I’ve been saying about the unbelievably outdated buying policies in the British market.
I think this article seems to be taking the zb out that situation.Nothing to do with me either Bewick. 
commercialmotor.com/big-lorr … he-earther
Dinosaurs would have been a better description.
■■■■■■■ 350 + and a 13 speed fuller was what they needed. 
A number of reports have been made to the admin team by members regarding the tone of some of the comments on this thread.
Posting in a forum sometimes mean comments dont come over in the way you intended, a little banter to you may appear to be an attack by the person it is aimed at.
On review of the comments made, I have heard worse from the Primary school playground that my kids attend… However:
I would remind everyone that the easiest way to avoid such problems is to attack the post- not the person who posted it. keep it on topic and away from personal comments
Evidently it was the emmisions rules that finished them, I drove Atki’s and ERF"s for both Suttons and Bobby Durham,
all those Gardners starting up on a cold frosty morning used to make the old eyes water, it was worse than WW-1 mustard gas.
I had a big smile on my face when Bobby Durham replaced my Gardner 180 powered Atki with one with a 240, straight eight — same polution, only more of it !
newmercman:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Carryfast:
newmercman:
I doubt this thread is drawing to a close, but just in case, there’s one important thing to remember…A Gardner Engined Lorry would alsways be the first to arrive at its destination, the true leader of the pack…
Because everything else had caught it on the first hill and was stuck behind it
■■■■■■■■, I drove a 4 wheeler Atki with a 5 Pot Gardner & going over Standege on the old A 62 with 10 Ton on I only dropped one gear, & went all the way up at 21 MPH, So what was wrong with that in 1957, Regards Larry
Oh dear Larry, you should hang your head in shame, only 10 tons on the back, no wonder you were quick
Getting up Shap was a “bit of a drag” – but going back down in “Scotsmans overdrive” was hairy !
Rikki-UK:
A number of reports have been made to the admin team by members regarding the tone of some of the comments on this thread.Posting in a forum sometimes mean comments dont come over in the way you intended, a little banter to you may appear to be an attack by the person it is aimed at.
On review of the comments made, I have heard worse from the Primary school playground that my kids attend… However:
I would remind everyone that the easiest way to avoid such problems is to attack the post- not the person who posted it. keep it on topic and away from personal comments
Put “like” and “dislike” buttons on the posts. If the ratio of D/L on a post exceeds say, 5, remove the post automatically. Members will soon come to terms with it, and write accordingly. The threads will become easier to read, through having the rubbish cleaned from them. More reasonable members will be encouraged to post, if there is less nonsense to put them off. At the moment, it is self-policing. It is no wonder that those who take the idiots to task lose their rags occasionally, when the same insulting garbage is posted repeatedly.
[zb]
anorak:Rikki-UK:
A number of reports have been made to the admin team by members regarding the tone of some of the comments on this thread.Posting in a forum sometimes mean comments dont come over in the way you intended, a little banter to you may appear to be an attack by the person it is aimed at.
On review of the comments made, I have heard worse from the Primary school playground that my kids attend… However:
I would remind everyone that the easiest way to avoid such problems is to attack the post- not the person who posted it. keep it on topic and away from personal comments
Put “like” and “dislike” buttons on the posts. If the ratio of D/L on a post exceeds say, 5, remove the post automatically. Members will soon come to terms with it, and write accordingly. The threads will become easier to read, through having the rubbish cleaned from them. More reasonable members will be encouraged to post, if there is less nonsense to put them off. At the moment, it is self-policing. It is no wonder that those who take the idiots to task lose their rags occasionally, when the same insulting garbage is posted repeatedly.
Like
ramone:
[zb]
anorak:Rikki-UK:
A number of reports have been made to the admin team by members regarding the tone of some of the comments on this thread.Posting in a forum sometimes mean comments dont come over in the way you intended, a little banter to you may appear to be an attack by the person it is aimed at.
On review of the comments made, I have heard worse from the Primary school playground that my kids attend… However:
I would remind everyone that the easiest way to avoid such problems is to attack the post- not the person who posted it. keep it on topic and away from personal comments
Put “like” and “dislike” buttons on the posts. If the ratio of D/L on a post exceeds say, 5, remove the post automatically. Members will soon come to terms with it, and write accordingly. The threads will become easier to read, through having the rubbish cleaned from them. More reasonable members will be encouraged to post, if there is less nonsense to put them off. At the moment, it is self-policing. It is no wonder that those who take the idiots to task lose their rags occasionally, when the same insulting garbage is posted repeatedly.
Like
Not being someone who likes to become embroiled in controvesy 
,question 1)Who was the miscreant? question 2)Who complained ? Bewick.
While you are here, Bewick, how did the 8LXCs compare to the 111s and 112s for performance? Which vehicles did the drivers prefer?
[zb]
anorak:
While you are here, Bewick, how did the 8LXCs compare to the 111s and 112s for performance? Which vehicles did the drivers prefer?
The later ERF’s and SED/ATKs with the 8LXC engines were all Sleepers and the drivers were no problem,they were IMO equivalent to the 111’s but obviously the R112’s and 113’s were superior motors,but that was progress I suppose.We never matched them against each other,they just did the work we gave them and the loads wern’t sorted out to suit either.However,the Scanias became our preferred marque in the latter years and our choice proved to be correct,a great motor the Scania during those years.Cheers Bewick.
Evening Gentlemen, I started this thread for people with far more knowledge than I to recall their memories of Gardner Engines.
There have been superb comments, from people who really know the subject, and I , as others, have learned new facts, about the product, its operation, its evolution, its service, and its demise. And many facts in between.
There have been infantile, and immature comments, that (rightly), have provoked strong reactions. We are a broad church, possibly our collective knowledge is fairly extensive, and without doubt deep, and I suspect that we all, collectively “thirst” for that little “extra” ■■■ bit!! It covers all aspects of the product, but let us all remember, we are talking “History”. Gardner are long gone, but I suspect fondly remembered!
Please , let us enjoy each others “electronic” company, and relish each others views, knowledge, and opinions. Please, however “infantile” and “provocative” some statements may seem, may I suggest that they be ignored, as the poster probably desires, from some sad logic, that he provokes vitriolic reaction…and then runs to teacher to complain!!!
Thank you all for contributing, I have learned, I hope others have! I shall raise a full glass of Bollinger to you all, Bon Nuit Mes Braves …Cheerio for now.
More comments removed - last warning - discuss the topics/posts not the person behind them
Those who cant take their petty disagreements to Private messages will no longer be able to post freely on the forums-
Bewick:
Not being someone who likes to become embroiled in controvesy
Hi Bewick,
In an attempt to help you not to become “embroiled,” I’ll explain that every post has a little triangle called a ‘report’ button, which is used by members to report posts that might be in breach of forum rules.
The reports are strictly confidential in order that members making such reports can do so without fear of being found out.
I’m sure that you can understand the need for this.
As for the “miscreants,” I’d advise them to read the forum rules and choose whether they wish to abide by them.
Here’s an idea
How about the complainer posting on here the reason for the report, this way the ‘guity’ party could take some constructive critisism on board and post accordingly
Hellow Bewick, pm for you, re j and h days, thanks trunker
