@Ash, is it just me or I have managed to forget the reason why Mr. Michael Woodman ‘will not contribute anything to do with Astran’? I don’t recall having read anything stated by yourself or anyone else as to why this may be. If for some reason this is a taboo topic, then I sincerely apologise in advance. Cheers.
Great info and brilliant pics again Ash mate thanks.
How bizarre that no one recalls the Marathon,a coup perhaps by British Leyland?
You’d think they would have remembered BL using a trailer for the pics.
Here’s another pic of it taken from a 70’s kids book about trucks. It doesn’t look like it was taken in either Kent or Lancashire to me.
what2do71:
@Ash, is it just me or I have managed to forget the reason why Mr. Michael Woodman ‘will not contribute anything to do with Astran’? I don’t recall having read anything stated by yourself or anyone else as to why this may be. If for some reason this is a taboo topic, then I sincerely apologise in advance. Cheers.
Woodman left the company when the administrator came in (end of 1970’s). When I was writing/researching for the book, I managed to locate and contact him. I explained exactly what I was doing, but he insisted he wanted nothing to do with it. Reading between the lines; perhaps it had…or still has…something to do with his “depature”. Even though I contacted Woddman for a second time, and gave him more info, he was still adamant. Unfortunately, there was nothing more I could do. It was such a sad day when I “gave up the chase” and resigned myself to the fact that he was not interested.
…and bizarrly; there’s someone on here called - woodmanmichael !
truckerash:
…and bizarrly; there’s someone on here called - woodmanmichael !
Were the Marathons (AEC) any good Ash reading that they only did 1 trip seems they werent or was it that the Scanias were more suitable?
truckerash:
…and bizarrly; there’s someone on here called - woodmanmichael !
Yes iv noticed that name,and his from Kent definatly bizarr 
ramone:
Were the Marathons (AEC) any good Ash reading that they only did 1 trip seems they werent or was it that the Scanias were more suitable?
In a word…NO! Scania’s were far superior in all ways. Cab comfort, relaibility and speed. There were service garages all over Europe for the Scanias whereas Leyland’s were few and far between. It was Michael Woodman who wanted to try a British truck as he was a running a British co, carrying British goods and he wanted to “fly the flag” so to say. Unfortunately, neither the Leylands or a Scammell Crusader he had on trial proved any good.
Ironically though; during the making of Destination Doha it was a Scania which broke down first! 
Some BRS contracts did use Marathons but mostly the organisation used the Rolls 265 engined versions as wreckers.
The Marathon that I used on one contract was however fitted with the ■■■■■■■ E290 and a 13 speed Fuller, the first thing that our depot did was move the foot valve and unusually for BRS the vehicle was fitted with a Telma retarder, as required by the contract specs, usually you started to stop using the retarder but also pressed the foot brake at the same time so as to get the main brakes working so that they could bring you to the final halt after the retarder became ineffective at approx 5 mph.
From what I saw on the road the TL12 engined versions were very prone to blowing head gaskets and timing gears. The cab was old fashioned and as a sleeper was way behind the continental trucks both for space and comfort, mind you air con came as standard, the wind coming through the holes eaten away by the rot.
I once had the ‘honour’ of taking an unmodified Mk1a Marathon over the water, normally I used a Bulldog Mack for the run which took in he Pennines, the Alps and the Appenines, the only good thing about the run was that it had a Rolls 290 with a 9 speed Fuller. My pick up meant that I had to take Shap, on the way up I was able to pass a Volvo F88/290 but going down was a ■■■■■, the engine provided he bulk of the braking, thankfully the Fuller never needed the clutch, just slip the lever into neutral, blip the throttle and then slide the lever into the next cog down the box, if I remember correctly it was fourth and third all the way down and still the brakes although stone cold did nothing. Fortunately for me the Marathon could only get as far as Charles de Gaulle where it collapsed and I had to wait two days before the company got my Mack down to me for I dread to think what would have happened in the Alpne descents, some of the drops are truelly scary. What luck!
Few more of my favouite Marathon pics. The only one for me is the “big sleeper”.
Love the spot lamp mounted on air con unit!
The best photo ever (IMHO) of a BRS Marathon. Think Sandman Norman had this one?
Looks like it’s loading/tipping at Davies Turner terminal London.
PIE ran some very impressive Volvo F89’s and DAF 2800’s. Wonder why they had a Marathon? 
This was a tiny magazine clipping originally;
postman paul:
This one taken from the Norfolk Line thread NCW732P ex Leyland publicity motor i think and i think was in Astran brown? Paul.
Here it is owned by O/D Malcolm Payne from Fakenham who subbed for Norfolk Line Great Yarmouth, previous to this it was owned by BRS Overland; hence the colour scheme!!
truckerash:
ramone:
Were the Marathons (AEC) any good Ash reading that they only did 1 trip seems they werent or was it that the Scanias were more suitable?In a word…NO! Scania’s were far superior in all ways. Cab comfort, relaibility and speed. There were service garages all over Europe for the Scanias whereas Leyland’s were few and far between. It was Michael Woodman who wanted to try a British truck as he was a running a British co, carrying British goods and he wanted to “fly the flag” so to say. Unfortunately, neither the Leylands or a Scammell Crusader he had on trial proved any good.
Ironically though; during the making of Destination Doha it was a Scania which broke down first!
Maybe if Leyland had provided the money needed to develop and test it properly AEC would have made a much better job of it,i`ve just watched Destination Doha for the first time and found it very interesting what do you think of it ,was it accurate?
ramone:
i`ve just watched Destination Doha for the first time and found it very interesting what do you think of it ,was it accurate?
Ramone; Where have you been for the past 35 years■■? Can’t beleive you’ve ONLY JUST watched Dest Doha 
Destination Doha IS SIMPLY THE BEST PIECE OF TRANSPORT FILM EVER MADE!..but then again I am somewhat bias!
It was/is a very accurate account of an overland trip. There was only one part which was “set up”. The bit where they get stuck in the sand for the first time. The film director was worried that they would not get the trucks stuck at all and he wanted to make the film “more appealing”, so he asked the driver’s to set it up and “get stuck”. The cameraman got the shots he wanted and it took only a matter of minutes for them to tow the stricken truck out of the sand and on down the road. It was all caught on film and that was that…
Ironically, a bit further down the road, the convoy came across “Snowy” who was indeed well and truly stuck up to his axles!!!
Ramone; You need to watch it over and over again until you know all the dialog off by heart Beleive me, there are people out there who know all the words “We’ll take that tangent”…
truckerash:
Few more of my favouite Marathon pics. The only one for me is the “big sleeper”.Love the spot lamp mounted on air con unit!
Is it me or does the legs look a bit close to the unit?
douggren50:
Some BRS contracts did use Marathons but mostly the organisation used the Rolls 265 engined versions as wreckers.
The Marathon that I used on one contract was however fitted with the ■■■■■■■ E290 and a 13 speed Fuller, the first thing that our depot did was move the foot valve and unusually for BRS the vehicle was fitted with a Telma retarder, as required by the contract specs, usually you started to stop using the retarder but also pressed the foot brake at the same time so as to get the main brakes working so that they could bring you to the final halt after the retarder became ineffective at approx 5 mph.
From what I saw on the road the TL12 engined versions were very prone to blowing head gaskets and timing gears. The cab was old fashioned and as a sleeper was way behind the continental trucks both for space and comfort, mind you air con came as standard, the wind coming through the holes eaten away by the rot.
I once had the ‘honour’ of taking an unmodified Mk1a Marathon over the water, normally I used a Bulldog Mack for the run which took in he Pennines, the Alps and the Appenines, the only good thing about the run was that it had a Rolls 290 with a 9 speed Fuller. My pick up meant that I had to take Shap, on the way up I was able to pass a Volvo F88/290 but going down was a ■■■■■, the engine provided he bulk of the braking, thankfully the Fuller never needed the clutch, just slip the lever into neutral, blip the throttle and then slide the lever into the next cog down the box, if I remember correctly it was fourth and third all the way down and still the brakes although stone cold did nothing. Fortunately for me the Marathon could only get as far as Charles de Gaulle where it collapsed and I had to wait two days before the company got my Mack down to me for I dread to think what would have happened in the Alpne descents, some of the drops are truelly scary. What luck!
I had a Marathon short sleeper, which I could quite easy drive with the bunk down, alot more room than the F88 that I had afterwards.
truckerash:
ramone:
i`ve just watched Destination Doha for the first time and found it very interesting what do you think of it ,was it accurate?Ramone; Where have you been for the past 35 years■■? Can’t beleive you’ve ONLY JUST watched Dest Doha
Destination Doha IS SIMPLY THE BEST PIECE OF TRANSPORT FILM EVER MADE!..but then again I am somewhat bias!
It was/is a very accurate account of an overland trip. There was only one part which was “set up”. The bit where they get stuck in the sand for the first time. The film director was worried that they would not get the trucks stuck at all and he wanted to make the film “more appealing”, so he asked the driver’s to set it up and “get stuck”. The cameraman got the shots he wanted and it took only a matter of minutes for them to tow the stricken truck out of the sand and on down the road. It was all caught on film and that was that…
Ironically, a bit further down the road, the convoy came across “Snowy” who was indeed well and truly stuck up to his axles!!!Ramone; You need to watch it over and over again until you know all the dialog off by heart
And some of the songs, " well kiss me once kiss, me twice and tell me once again its been a long long time ". " Drink up lads ". Bing Crosby .
O.k, i’ll get me coat !
gunnerheskey:
truckerash:
ramone:
i`ve just watched Destination Doha for the first time and found it very interesting what do you think of it ,was it accurate?Ramone; Where have you been for the past 35 years■■? Can’t beleive you’ve ONLY JUST watched Dest Doha
Destination Doha IS SIMPLY THE BEST PIECE OF TRANSPORT FILM EVER MADE!..but then again I am somewhat bias!
It was/is a very accurate account of an overland trip. There was only one part which was “set up”. The bit where they get stuck in the sand for the first time. The film director was worried that they would not get the trucks stuck at all and he wanted to make the film “more appealing”, so he asked the driver’s to set it up and “get stuck”. The cameraman got the shots he wanted and it took only a matter of minutes for them to tow the stricken truck out of the sand and on down the road. It was all caught on film and that was that…
Ironically, a bit further down the road, the convoy came across “Snowy” who was indeed well and truly stuck up to his axles!!!Ramone; You need to watch it over and over again until you know all the dialog off by heart
And some of the songs, " well kiss me once kiss, me twice and tell me once again its been a long long time ". " Drink up lads ". Bing Crosby .
O.k, i’ll get me coat
I had never heard of it `til i read about it on here very entertaining though and the AEC Marathon seemed to behave its self 
gunnerheskey:
And some of the songs, " well kiss me once kiss, me twice and tell me once again its been a long long time ". " Drink up lads ". Bing Crosby . …O.k, i’ll get me coat
Nice one gunnerheskey; what about:- “ear John…me choppers 'av gone again”.
truckerash:
Marathon 3 was SLO 707R and was supplied by BL complete with driver ■■■■ Rivers. Used in the film Destination Doha, then sent it “straight back” to BL…after a repaint and various demo’s, it ended up in later years on for Hayes Transport Fareham.
Hi Ash, good to see the Hayes photo.
Maybe you remember i used to drive for them, but with LNU133P.
gunnerheskey:
truckerash:
ramone:
i`ve just watched Destination Doha for the first time and found it very interesting what do you think of it ,was it accurate?Ramone; Where have you been for the past 35 years■■? Can’t beleive you’ve ONLY JUST watched Dest Doha
Destination Doha IS SIMPLY THE BEST PIECE OF TRANSPORT FILM EVER MADE!..but then again I am somewhat bias!
It was/is a very accurate account of an overland trip. There was only one part which was “set up”. The bit where they get stuck in the sand for the first time. The film director was worried that they would not get the trucks stuck at all and he wanted to make the film “more appealing”, so he asked the driver’s to set it up and “get stuck”. The cameraman got the shots he wanted and it took only a matter of minutes for them to tow the stricken truck out of the sand and on down the road. It was all caught on film and that was that…
Ironically, a bit further down the road, the convoy came across “Snowy” who was indeed well and truly stuck up to his axles!!!Ramone; You need to watch it over and over again until you know all the dialog off by heart
And some of the songs, " well kiss me once kiss, me twice and tell me once again its been a long long time ". " Drink up lads ". Bing Crosby .
O.k, i’ll get me coat
Thought it was Max Bygraves
After taking all the hubs off.
“I can only put it down to a lack of pressure on the diaphram” 
I’ve only just started watching DD today,got as far as Belgium/Deutschland border and got fed up with the paperwork,so will start again tomorrow.I will be interested to see how the Marathon performed,the sleeper version was a good - looking unit I always thought,looked on top of the job. 
Furthest east I got with a wagon was Lowestoft and thought the Middle east was Lincoln.