Saviem's fan club (Part 1)

[saviem]

Davidoff:
Hi David,

Spardo (also a David) often writes on his own little blog (which I personally find entertaining and very well-written),
Reassuringly, his last post dates back to this August (see here: longdistancedogdiary.weebly.com/ … pdate.html), so I imagine he might just be very busy with his new form of involvement with transport.

Nb: I was lucky enough to meet David in person some years back in the Dordogne. It is a shame he did not write more of his tales in the same fashion as e.g. Jazzandy does, for he has had a hugely interesting life in trucking. This together with his writing talent would surely have delivered a very nice result.

Regards
David

Evening all, I can only echo Davidoff`s words. Spardo has a background in our industry that is truly interesting…and the career that he now enjoys is both rewarding and of great merit…and long may it continue!..and writing his blog…for some of those Dogs tug at the heart strings!

No doubt that he would have many stories to relate that would captivate us all…perhaps David you would consider relating some of them…for instance how did you come to work for those fine people from Saint Pardoux La Riviere, Transports Henri Gauthier. A very honourable company, and family. I seem to remember that Henri`s son Paul, had worked for Berliet in the Demonstration area, some short time before I arrived at Venissieux/Saint Priest, then returned to the family business.

Certainly “our” Dealer in Perigeaux, Fourcade, spoke highly of the family. I seem to remember the entire Gauthier fleet being Berliet, then Ford Transcontinentals crept in, and Iveco 190.38s, and MANs. Did Henri`s wife, Denise, become very ill in the 80s, and Paul take control, because Henri was also quite unwell?

Lovely company, and lovely people…and Spardo must have found a great difference from working for, (Uncle), Reg Cooper, from Moxley, pres de Wednesbury!..a real contrast indeed!!!

Yes Spardo, if ever you read this, Im sure that I would be not alone in loving to hear some of your memories…and relating to your blog, as detailed by Davidoff…ive still a “Chez Jo” keyring, (of ancient vintage)…from one of my frequent “refreshment” stops there!!!

Cheerio for now.

[oiltreader]

This thread needs to come to the fore again, could this be the hybrid that Saviem dreams about a combination of his youth and motorbikes through to present day Deere farming, not sure about the load.
Oily

[oiltreader]

While we are with tractors, snapped this a while back on the way to the local mart. Front and on the back
Oily

[saviem]

oiltreader:
This thread needs to come to the fore again, could this be the hybrid that Saviem dreams about a combination of his youth and motorbikes through to present day Deere farming, not sure about the load.
Oily

Oiltreader, truly, you are a winner…what a load…chains and binders, oh, surely they would be in order here!!!

Godfathers, introvenious Haliboringe…and in copious quantites surely would be needed…I shall never look at a Little Deere , ever again, in the same light!

Where is my Bollinger…

Cheerio for now…nice little International that is!

[casual_observer]

On the Deere Hybrid , I can’t see the bloke ever being successful in a whiplash injury claim , not so sure about the pillion though

[retired_old_fart]

I love the handle-barred Deere but I reckon that front axle looks a tad over weight? But I have to say, the driver’s headrest is more than adequate!

[stargazer148]

pillion be fine got her own built in airbags

[retired_old_fart]

You can’t beat a touch of Political Correctness!

[en-tour-age]

For Saviem, to remember the Overdrive-pinups and Macks! Alex

[tiptop495]

En-Tour-Age:
For Saviem, to remember the Overdrive-pinups and Macks! Alex

Think the driver needed a double overdrive to master both, but could held on longer behind the wheel or…

NOT only for drivers

Eric,

[fergie47]

I’ve been away, now I’m back…been busy.

Here’s a few trucks…

Somewhere underneath this mop…is a lorry !!!

Heavy haulage…French style

[fergie47]

[robert1952]

The side locker on that high-roof Renault’s tilt looks as if it has been made in Syria. Robert

[fergie47]

The Frenck liked the ERF’s, saw quite a few in the '70’s…here’s one used on heavy haulage. along side a Berliet and Mack

Talking of Macks, big company that used a lot of them.

And another 2 having a rest, after being worked pretty hard no doubt.

[robert1952]

Fergie47:
The Frenck liked the ERF’s, saw quite a few in the '70’s…here’s one used on heavy haulage. along side a Berliet and Mack

Talking of Macks, big company that used a lot of them.

And another 2 having a rest, after being worked pretty hard no doubt.

Terrific pics Fergie! If you want to see more pics of the Zucconi ERFs, go to the LHD B-series ERFs thread. Robert

[fergie47]

robert1952:
Terrific pics Fergie! If you want to see more pics of the Zucconi ERFs, go to the LHD B-series ERFs thread. Robert

Thanks for the heads up Robert…nice pic’s

[fergie47]

Used mainly in the road and construction industry and seen everywhere.

German version of the same thing

Still working hard in the Ivory Coast

As is this one, a good basic old lorry, nothing hi-tech, so still running.

[retired_old_fart]

What an insight to compare some of these old European motors! As a UK-only driver throughout my career I never got to see many foreign-built lorries except for the usual Scania, Volvo, Renault, etc so it’s good to catch up with what our neighbours were driving. Thanks for the photos, chaps.

[fergie47]

Retired Old ■■■■:
What an insight to compare some of these old European motors! As a UK-only driver throughout my career I never got to see many foreign-built lorries except for the usual Scania, Volvo, Renault, etc so it’s good to catch up with what our neighbours were driving. Thanks for the photos, chaps.

Started in the late sixties, early seventies, so the older stuff is what I saw. They were miles ahead of us in design, weight and power, having sleeper cabs in the '50’s and '60’s when we were in digs or over the bonnet. When the first F86’s came out, we had them as 32 ton artic units, they had them as local delivery trucks…

Here’s a few Italian wagons, some running at 40 tons in the early '70’s, most RHD and lots of axles…

[saviem]

Fergie 47, welcome back!!!

And thanks for the pictures of “real” lorries!

G Borca, what a company, whose workshop floor was surfaced in Marble tiles. A major Bernard user, and personal friends of the Bernard family, and of course when Mack took Bernard, they became Mack users. Some the peculiar Bernard, Pelpel, Mack powered conventionals, some the odd “Unic like”, Geneve cab Macks, and later the F series as your photograph.But none as handsome as their Arnault cabbed conventional Bernards.

Distributing Fridgidaire domestic products, Borca ran a large number of US box trailers,( Dorsey, and Great Dane from memory). As I type, Im trying to recall a yard where a number of rapidly decaying ex Borca Macks, and trailers were standing, as late as when I did my “road trip”, to collect my LB76 from Bordeaux. I have the details somewhere, and will put them up.

But a happy personal memory, that my friend the late Martin Phippard and I used to laugh about , was how we both visited Tpts Borca…

He with all the splendour of a valued visitor, in the company of the top brass from Mack…Champagne from gold rimmed glasses, and the conducted tour…

Me, a very harassed young lorry driver, back in the 60s, with a little Gardner powered Foden four wheeler, that had broken down, (the only time that she ever let me down), outside their premises…ushered into that marble tiled workshop, where my problem was quickly dealt with, (at more than moderate cost), by mechanics well used to working on Gardner engines, for their beautiful Bernards were powered by licence built Gardners!

But Martin and I were struck by the warmth, and modesty of the Borca company…and those marble floor tiles!

Fergie, thanks for triggering such happy memories.

Cheerio for now.