PS - to be fair, the ‘promise’ of the SA 400 did eventually manifest itself in the much-improved SA 401. Robert
reverse gate 9 speed road ranger springs to mind in the sa400 i used , luckily only local round corby and only for a day ,eaton gearbox in the sa301 i used was way better
robert1952:
8LXBV8BRIAN:
It`s a Seddon not a Seddon-Atkinson
OH how i wish they had kept the badge like that and not put the Atkinson name on .
I think the picture may be a prototype that they used for most of their early LHD promotional literature. Further back on the thread there is a more ‘mature’ example in a brochure (posted by En-tour-age) in full OHS livery. Robert
I think that this was the prototype exhibited at the 1974 Amsterdam Show. BUt everyone knew that it was essentially Atkinson engineering, apart from the silly Seddon axles
The more I find out about this odd export model, the more I like it! Early on this page ‘ERF-continental’ provided us with a Belgian pamphlet. I have just managed to get my hands on the English language version of it entitled, ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’. So I have scanned it for all to enjoy. Robert 
continued below…
Not a 400, but a left-■■■■■■ Seddon anyway. Regards Chris
robert1952:
The more I find out about this odd export model, the more I like it! Early on this page ‘ERF-continental’ provided us with a Belgian pamphlet. I have just managed to get my hands on the English language version of it entitled, ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’. So I have scanned it for all to enjoy. Robert543210
continued below…
I’m going to go with the same statement as in the case of the ERF European and Bedford TM in that all of them,if specced right,were more than a match for their contemporary Euro and Scandinavian competition. 
adr:
Not a 400, but a left-■■■■■■ Seddon anyway. Regards Chris
Gosh! That’s quite a find! I wonder what powered it…
Robert
Carryfast:
robert1952:
The more I find out about this odd export model, the more I like it! Early on this page ‘ERF-continental’ provided us with a Belgian pamphlet. I have just managed to get my hands on the English language version of it entitled, ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’. So I have scanned it for all to enjoy. Robert543210
continued below…
I’m going to go with the same statement as in the case of the ERF European and Bedford TM in that all of them,if specced right,were more than a match for their contemporary Euro and Scandinavian competition.
Yep, I’d have thought so too. Robert
Regarding this pic that ADR posted further up the page…
…I’ve found a cutting that describes it. It was powered by a Rolls Royce 280 through a 9-speed Fuller:
I seem to remember Saviem commenting on this vehicle somewhere - I’m pretty sure it turned out to be a troublesome vehicle. I’ll see if I can find his post. Robert
I’ve just found Saviem’s brief comments on this Seddon, which he reckons was on a L-reg from 72/73 and which he describes as ‘an abomination’ on the 9-speed Fuller thread. Here is the link: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=112191&start=150
Robert
Returning to the subject of LHD SA 400s, it turns out that BRS was a bit of dark horse! Here’s a picture of one operated by (possibly Eastern) BRS, complete with TIR-plate. It’s reg no. is UNE 570S. I wonder what work it did. Or if it had the ■■■■■■■ 335 and Fuller 9sp like the others. Any of you BRS buffs know anything about it? Robert
robert1952:
Returning to the subject of LHD SA 400s, it turns out that BRS was a bit of dark horse! Here’s a picture of one operated by (possibly Eastern) BRS, complete with TIR-plate. It’s reg no. is UNE 570S. I wonder what work it did. Or if it had the ■■■■■■■ 335 and Fuller 9sp like the others. Any of you BRS buffs know anything about it? Robert[ Western BRS based in Newton Abbot. That’s all I know; sorry
Peter
TIDDERSON:
robert1952:
Returning to the subject of LHD SA 400s, it turns out that BRS was a bit of dark horse! Here’s a picture of one operated by (possibly Eastern) BRS, complete with TIR-plate. It’s reg no. is UNE 570S. I wonder what work it did. Or if it had the ■■■■■■■ 335 and Fuller 9sp like the others. Any of you BRS buffs know anything about it? Robert[ Western BRS based in Newton Abbot. That’s all I know; sorry
Peter
I was hoping you’d respond, Tidderson, and you’ve come up trumps with another good picture! Cheers. Robert
This is how i remember the LHD brs motors the hire/rental side made a push to get more work
and they said that they could supply even lhd motors and each depot had a couple errrmmm 1 
i think
was a long time ago now Robert. 
- mind i could be wong on this
8LXBV8BRIAN:
This is how i remember the LHD brs motors the hire/rental side made a push to get more work
and they said that they could supply even lhd motors and each depot had a couple errrmmm 1
was a long time ago now Robert.
Which might answer the question as to how some LHD wagons plastered up with all the international running signage seem to have ended up running around on uk general haulage with a flat trailer.Although it might have made the driver just ‘think’/wish/pretend it was a better job than it was 
Bearing in mind that TIR plates are supposed to be closed up when not actually hauling a TIR load and flat trailers weren’t generally the type of choice for that type of work.
Carryfast:
8LXBV8BRIAN:
This is how i remember the LHD brs motors the hire/rental side made a push to get more work
and they said that they could supply even lhd motors and each depot had a couple errrmmm 1
was a long time ago now Robert.Which might answer the question as to how some LHD wagons plastered up with all the international running signage seem to have ended up running around on uk general haulage with a flat trailer.Although it might have made the driver just ‘think’/wish/pretend it was a better job than it was
CF, you have to remember that a lot of long-haulers did domestic work between big trips, with flatbeds or container skellies. As for the TIR-plate, it was only required on the trailer or the loaded bit, so you only needed the plate on the front of the cab if it was a rigid (or drawbar). And only the posh ones ‘closed up’, being hinged in two halves; otherwise you had to put a piece of black tape diagonally across it to cancel it. Having said that, I think certain Eastern bloc sov countries encouraged plates on the cab so they could tell at a glance. As for flatbeds, you could carry awkward loads on an ‘open TIR’ using a flatbed and many ran down to the Middle East on these. It was common practice to strip a tilt to a flatbed for an open TIR, strapping the tilt-boards and sheet to the load for rebuilding at the other end. Robert
robert1952:
CF, you have to remember that a lot of long-haulers did domestic work between big trips, with flatbeds or container skellies. As for the TIR-plate, it was only required on the trailer or the loaded bit, so you only needed the plate on the front of the cab if it was a rigid (or drawbar). And only the posh ones ‘closed up’, being hinged in two halves; otherwise you had to put a piece of black tape diagonally across it to cancel it. Having said that, I think certain Eastern bloc sov countries encouraged plates on the cab so they could tell at a glance. As for flatbeds, you could carry awkward loads on an ‘open TIR’ using a flatbed and many ran down to the Middle East on these. It was common practice to strip a tilt to a flatbed for an open TIR, strapping the tilt-boards and sheet to the load for rebuilding at the other end. Robert
Thanks for the info Robert.It’s probably a fair bet that at least the flat in the pic is probably more a case of a hire fleet wagon kitted up for international work being used on uk domestic general with its wishful thinking driver thinking if only .While the idea of ‘open TIR’ has always seemed a contradictory idea to GV60 conditions to me. IE it must be an approved sealed trailer/container but if its out of size and can’t fit in a sealed tilt don’t worry about it a flat is fine and just rope it but whatever you do don’t sheet it. 
As for the signs.Article 16 of the convention.Signs must be shown ‘front’ and rear on any vehicle or ‘combination’ ( artic ).
Carryfast:
robert1952:
CF, you have to remember that a lot of long-haulers did domestic work between big trips, with flatbeds or container skellies. As for the TIR-plate, it was only required on the trailer or the loaded bit, so you only needed the plate on the front of the cab if it was a rigid (or drawbar). And only the posh ones ‘closed up’, being hinged in two halves; otherwise you had to put a piece of black tape diagonally across it to cancel it. Having said that, I think certain Eastern bloc sov countries encouraged plates on the cab so they could tell at a glance. As for flatbeds, you could carry awkward loads on an ‘open TIR’ using a flatbed and many ran down to the Middle East on these. It was common practice to strip a tilt to a flatbed for an open TIR, strapping the tilt-boards and sheet to the load for rebuilding at the other end. RobertThanks for the info Robert.It’s probably a fair bet that at least the flat in the pic is probably more a case of a hire fleet wagon kitted up for international work being used on uk domestic general with its wishful thinking driver thinking if only
As for the signs.Article 16 of the convention.Signs must be shown ‘front’ and rear on any vehicle or ‘combination’ ( artic ).
You can only apply that to artics if you put a seal where the turntable dog-clip goes, like the Turks used to. The Saudis did this too, though not under TIR regs.
With regard to the BRS unit, it may have been on ‘Channel-hopping’ work, being LHD. I’ve worked for several companies that have had right-hookers for UK and left-hookers for over the water. I became quite ambidextrous! Robert
Magnificent! Robert
