Juddian:
Personally i’d like to see return to those old Scammells Fodens etc with real gearboxes, you’d see a mass exodus of the steering wheel attending class which would be good news for the industry
I personally loved Volvos 16speed range change and splitter. Even tried to get my new 16 specced with a manual but it had to be the double clutch I shift box. Its a great thing to drive but im still old school ref manual box’s also…
With the exception of the Euro built wagons almost all on this '‘Old Timers Thread’ could fit the bill as punishment trucks
And you want out of Europe ■■
Longing to drive a spine crusher??
whisperingsmith:
With the exception of the Euro built wagons almost all on this '‘Old Timers Thread’ could fit the bill as punishment trucksAnd you want out of Europe ■■
Longing to drive a spine crusher??
^
This
All those brit trucks without exception have ‘punishment’ and ‘■■■■■■ hard work’ written all over them.
It really is no wonder all went out of business…
And if you want even worse try going round a corner in a conventional Kenworth or similar
Juddian, could them old Crusaders have been Spiers & Hartwell? I’m well aware they now run blue Scanny’s on fridge work but your description rung some distant bells and I think this may be the kiddies.
Of course it’s entirely possible that like you I am losing my marbles too. 
the maoster:
Juddian, could them old Crusaders have been Spiers & Hartwell? I’m well aware they now run blue Scanny’s on fridge work but your description rung some distant bells and I think this may be the kiddies.Of course it’s entirely possible that like you I am losing my marbles too.
I really don’t know now to be honest Maoster, i can see them in my minds eye on the A43 at Middleton Stoney back in day but the names so far mentioned don’t ring that gong.
whisperingsmith:
With the exception of the Euro built wagons almost all on this '‘Old Timers Thread’ could fit the bill as punishment trucksAnd you want out of Europe ■■
Longing to drive a spine crusher??
It’s so much better to eventually end up like Greece when we’ve been bled dry by the combination of our unsustainable trade deficit and net contributions for the privilege of being told what to do by Juncker and Merkel and Tusk.
As for the Euro wagons from memory the Leyland WF was more comfortable and better to drive than the DAF 2500 or Volvo F7 or Merc 2534,let alone a Foden S85 or Bedford TM.
Bennetts were Thame , fine fleet in there day .
Carryfast:
As for the Euro wagons from memory the Leyland WF was more comfortable and better to drive than the DAF 2500 or Volvo F7 or Merc 2534,let alone a Foden S85 or Bedford TM.
Are you sure you’re not getting your Leyland models mixed up Carry? WF wasn’t the Marathon, it was the bonnetted rigid flatbed built for the export market, stuff about it on page 24 of this thread in the “rose tinted glasses” section on here.Wouldn’t want to do Europe in one of those things no matter how comfortable they might’ve been!
Sidevalve:
Carryfast:
As for the Euro wagons from memory the Leyland WF was more comfortable and better to drive than the DAF 2500 or Volvo F7 or Merc 2534,let alone a Foden S85 or Bedford TM.Are you sure you’re not getting your Leyland models mixed up Carry? WF wasn’t the Marathon, it was the bonnetted rigid flatbed built for the export market, stuff about it on page 24 of this thread in the “rose tinted glasses” section on here.Wouldn’t want to do Europe in one of those things no matter how comfortable they might’ve been!
Why did British Leyland fail? - OLD TIME LORRIES, COMPANIES AND DRIVERS (INTERACT - Trucknet UK
No we still had quite a lot of old WF’s and Bedford TJ tippers on the council fleet which I drove when I was a council driver in the early 80’s.As I said the WF was better to drive than the hateful nasty DAF 2300/2500 or Volvo F7,let alone Renault G290,a least.While the Foden S85 was also a great truck to drive as was the Bedford TM and I preferred either of those older Brits to the evil 1990’s Merc 2534 which I ended my time on.IE there was good and bad among both Brit or foreign and ironically I didn’t like the Marathon either.Maybe check out Robert’s ERF NGC European topic v its Volvo F88 rival in the day for another example that busts the stereotypical myths. 
Horses for courses I suppose; I quite liked the F7, but the FL6 was and still is a bloody horrible thing; didn’t find those old DAF’s too bad either once you got used to that long gearstick. Pretty much a Leyland engine weren’t they?
The Bedford TM was a hateful thing, horrible driving position, uncomfortable seat, a real bone shaker of a ride and to make matters even worse they either fitted Bedfords asthmatic coach engine or the gutless 2T Detroit. Learnt to drive in one… 
As for doing Europe in an ERF, that really must have been a risk…
Sidevalve:
Horses for courses I suppose; I quite liked the F7, but the FL6 was and still is a bloody horrible thing; didn’t find those old DAF’s too bad either once you got used to that long gearstick. Pretty much a Leyland engine weren’t they?
I drove 2300 2600 2100 2800 and 3300 in my time, the 2600 was the previous generation cab and the gears back to front ZF splitter as i recall with 1st beside you and back and 6th furthest away forwards, but a decent enough lorry, also had the similar gear arrangment in an ex Gelders 2800 DKTD which must have been breathed on when Gelders cos it passed everything on the road.
2300 i loathed, wouldn’t pull you out of bed, then i got to use a brand new 2500 regularly, which was a lovely little motor and IIRC the first DAF chassis to run on roller bearing king pins as i recall, whatever it was the steering and handling was streets ahead of anything else i’d driven up till then and with a short tipper trailer behind at 32 ton it fair flew and could corner at stupid speeds so what it lost in power it made up for in handling and slick gearchanges.
Juddian:
Sidevalve:
Horses for courses I suppose; I quite liked the F7, but the FL6 was and still is a bloody horrible thing; didn’t find those old DAF’s too bad either once you got used to that long gearstick. Pretty much a Leyland engine weren’t they?I drove 2300 2600 2100 2800 and 3300 in my time, the 2600 was the previous generation cab and the gears back to front ZF splitter as i recall with 1st beside you and back and 6th furthest away forwards, but a decent enough lorry, also had the similar gear arrangment in an ex Gelders 2800 DKTD which must have been breathed on when Gelders cos it passed everything on the road.
2300 i loathed, wouldn’t pull you out of bed, then i got to use a brand new 2500 regularly, which was a lovely little motor and IIRC the first DAF chassis to run on roller bearing king pins as i recall, whatever it was the steering and handling was streets ahead of anything else i’d driven up till then and with a short tipper trailer behind at 32 ton it fair flew and could corner at stupid speeds so what it lost in power it made up for in handling and slick gearchanges.
Roffes used to have 2300’s pulling fully freighted ( 38t and some) Norfolk Line tilts years ago. Must have been a real ball of fire… 
Bloody Hell Andrew, milk floats cyclists and tractors were flashing you out the way at 32 ton 
Juddian:
Bloody Hell Andrew, milk floats cyclists and tractors were flashing you out the way at 32 ton
They used to crawl out of Gt Yarmouth and down the acle straight could barely top 45mph…
Juddian:
Sidevalve:
Horses for courses I suppose; I quite liked the F7, but the FL6 was and still is a bloody horrible thing; didn’t find those old DAF’s too bad either once you got used to that long gearstick. Pretty much a Leyland engine weren’t they?I drove 2300 2600 2100 2800 and 3300 in my time, the 2600 was the previous generation cab and the gears back to front ZF splitter as i recall with 1st beside you and back and 6th furthest away forwards, but a decent enough lorry, also had the similar gear arrangment in an ex Gelders 2800 DKTD which must have been breathed on when Gelders cos it passed everything on the road.
2300 i loathed, wouldn’t pull you out of bed, then i got to use a brand new 2500 regularly, which was a lovely little motor and IIRC the first DAF chassis to run on roller bearing king pins as i recall, whatever it was the steering and handling was streets ahead of anything else i’d driven up till then and with a short tipper trailer behind at 32 ton it fair flew and could corner at stupid speeds so what it lost in power it made up for in handling and slick gearchanges.
Blimey Juddian have you got your memory a bit mixed up between 2600/2800 v 2500 ?.
The 2500 had the silly small wheel and resulting horrible over geared steering action combined with the just as nasty obstructive synchro 12 speed splitter compared to the constant mesh splitter used in the 2600/2800.Then there was that evil uncomfortable air suspension seat which varied between providing suspension when it felt like it to solid collapsed on the base when it didn’t.Combined with silly over gearing providing 70 + on the flat with a following wind but which went backwards at the first sight of a hill.While ironically I actually preferred the 2300 and especially the later 2300 ATI if it had to be any of those cheap and nasty heaps.On that note I’d still put the 2500,F7 and Renault G290 followed closely by the Scania 93 and Merc 2534 as 5 of the worst pieces of junk I had the misfortune to drive.With mainly just the Bedford TK and TL as the worst that the Brits had to offer.With the Foden S85 being one of the best to drive,including Scania 112 and DAF 2800/85/95.
