I havent really been on here for a few weeks but this is sad news ,ive only just seen it RIP and my condolences to his family, i think everything`s been said by the contributors on this thread so sorry
Rip saviem a real class act will miss your knowledgeable posts
very sad ,condoleances from finland ,benkku
Sad news
Very sad news, and like everyone else I offer my condolences to his family, there is no doubt he will be sorely missed with his wealth of industry knowledge and pleasant way with words that informed many, many people whilst always keeping a sense of humour.
A great loss to the forum
RIP
Regards
Spud
Just checked in after a few days away.
What sad news. Like many , I much enjoyed Johns posts.
Amazing knowledge and great anectdotes all delivered in that unique literary style.
I’m sure he must have had a great book in him.
What a shame he never had the chance to write it.
I hope his family see all the comments on his sad passing and see the great esteem in which he was held.
Baldrick.
Only just seen this sad news. I never met the man, I only knew him from on here, I read his postings and he always seemed a decent knowledgeable man.
Sincere condolences. RIP.
What a loss to this forum and our industry in general.
I never met or spoke to John (except for the odd exchange on here) but feel like I did know him through his long, detailed, erudite and witty postings on here. His depth of recalled detail and informed opinion would have filled several books that would have sold like hot cakes to anyone with a knowledge and enthusiasm (even passion) for our industry, and he put it all on here for us to delight in for free!
TN members such as John, Bewick and many other time-served chaps make this particular forum (disregarding the little boys ranting and whining that make up the majority of ‘Professional Drivers’ forum postings) the delight it is for folks such as us.
Sincere condolences to his family and friends, and salut to you Saviem!
To All of John’s well wishers,
John was blowing a tyre up on his Star Flyer (his vintage lorry) and the tyre “blew” on him, this was last Friday evening and John sadly had passed away before the Air Ambulance had arrived, out of all the miles John had traveled around various parts of the world, a simple task as inflating a tyre has brought the end to one of life’s most knowledgeable Gentleman, R.I.P John,
How very, very unfortunate. Words fail me, what are the odds on such an occurrence?
What Terrible news I had the pleasure of knowing john, and I always looked forward to reading his posts on trucknet
A Truck fanatic
RIP John
From The Ponsonbys
Mike…
R.I.P.SAVIEM
Wednesday,21st September,2016.Old Time Lorries,TruckNetUK.VALKYRIE.
Although I haven’t posted much on TruckNetUK of late I’m always keeping up to date with the posts on this Old Lorries page,and I always
read SAVIEM’s posts.Besides being a charming man he certainly was very knowlegable on the commercial vehicle industry and the road haulage industry,although he obviously didn’t know everything.It’s a shock that SAVIEM has passed on.I always thought that he had a colourful and interesting life:Lorry driver-owner,commercial vehicle salesman,a road haulier,sales representative for,and employee of,several commercial vehicle manufacturers,a friend of founder-editor of Truck Magazine,Pat Kennett,a friend of several people who were employed in the commercial vehicle industry,a farmer,a owner of several historic commercial vehicles,etc…I wonder how he achieved all these things.
WHEEL BLOW UP.
Re the way John passed on:I recall reading in one of the 1984 editions of the great WHEELS & TRACKS Historic & Modern Military Vehicles Magazine,edited by the late great Bart Vanderveen,how a young military vehicle restorer tragically passed on - Patrick was restoring a World War Two Dodge 4x4 and,obviously due to metal fatigue and/or a fault in the welding in the wheel,one of the Dodge’s wheels blew up as Patrick was attending to it…
My prayers go to his family and friends.
As a believer in Life After Death,John - SAVIEM will now be having a great time with his hobbies and interests in the Elysian Fields forevermore 
VALKYRIE
Asad loss ,R.I P.Saviem…
What a tragic waste of life.
That is so tragic. RIP Saviem
Just spotted this very tragic news,i always looked forward to reading about Saviem`s vast knowelge of the transport industry, a really interesting poster on Trucknet who will be sadly missed by so many.
Rest in piece John, thoughts are with your family & friends at this sad time… Dave Barber
RIP. SAVIEM. Condolences to The Family.
R.I.P.SAVIEM
Friday,23rd September,2016.Old Time Lorries,TruckNetUK.VALKYRIE.
I’m sorry about this,but I’ve just got to correct a mistake which I made in the following post:-
R.I.P.SAVIEM
Wednesday,21st September,2016.Old Time Lorries,TruckNetUK.VALKYRIE.
Here is the post’s second part:-
WHEEL BLOW UP.
Re the way John passed on:I recall reading in one of the 1984 editions of the great WHEELS & TRACKS Historic & Modern Military Vehicles Magazine,edited by the late great Bart Vanderveen,how a young military vehicle restorer tragically passed on - Patrick was restoring a World War Two Dodge 4x4 and,obviously due to metal fatigue and/or a fault in the welding in the wheel,one of the Dodge’s wheels blew up as Patrick was attending to it…
The correction:So John - SAVIEM went the same way as Patrick,inflating a tyre of his Star Flyer lorry,but the tyre’s wheel disintegrated and blew up,fatally injuring John.
I’ve just re-checked the WHEELS & TRACKS,No.10,news piece on Patrick Hulin of Belgium (which I ought to have done in the first place!),and for the sake of accuracy and respect,it was not the wheel of his WW2 Dodge 4x4 Ambulance that blew up but one of the wheel’s of his WW2 Ford-Willys Jeep that he was restoring.
I well remember how shocked I was when I read this…I had never come across something like this happening before…it was so unexpected…so seemingly unusual.But it was also a brutal REALITY CHECK which I have never forgotten. How many more cases of wheel blow ups have there been? I do urge restorers of historic motor vehicles to carefully check the wheels of their motor vehicles,and to deflate the tyres before taking the wheels off. The wheels want checking in modern testing equipment for cracks,metal fatigue,etc. SAFETY FIRST
And,as I say:-
My prayers go to John’s family and friends.
As a believer in Life After Death,John - SAVIEM will now be having a great time with his hobbies and interests in the Elysian Fields forevermore
VALKYRIE
Sorry to hear the sad news, Saviem was a fountain of knowledge and will be sadly missed on these pages.
He always had something interesting to say and share.
Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot,
and day’s o’ Lang Syne?
God Bless you John.
Alex
I was on a trip overseas the last two weeks, I finally got the information when David/Fergie47 kindly emailed me with the disastrous news.
Shocking, and as so many have suggested, not only the loss of a great human being but also the definitive evaporation of a unique encyclopedia of trucking knowledge and experience.
Sometimes pictures and/or music speak better than words. Here are a few SAVIEM-specific memorablia in respectful memory of John.
I did share these pictures with him on PM, sadly never the videos.
[Click on the picture and it will go upright as it should]
Over the past years John posted a number of stories on here about VIT (Valenton International Transports), a fairly well-known Middle-East haulage firm in the 70s, operating out of France. He was always very complimentary about them.
This particular unit is owned by my friend Julien in France, who restored her back into VIT’s exact livery 2 years ago or so.
Julien’s passion for this firm is natural - his father used to be a Middle-East driver with VIT during the 70s and this lorry is the exact replica of his unit number P44.
Still powered by the original MAN V8, before SAVIEM introduced the “SM 280 TU” powered by a straight-6 engine which, apart from much better fuel economy was also known for its characteristic turbo whistle.
Much credit to Julien who does a fantastic job keeping his many classic motors in roadworthy condition and available for shows.
Last year I told John I was trying to organise a “Frenchy presence” at the Gaydon retro show with a few mates including Julien and his SAVIEM. I was hoping I could finally meet John in person and at the same time allow him to climb inside a SAVIEM cabin once more.
Sadly it wasn’t to be…
I hope up there in the routier above us you are able to enjoy all the memories of your exceptionally rich life.
Grateful for your presence on TN and all the knowledge and stories you shared with all of us over the years.
Rest in peace John.