Britain produces also cauliflowers and there a typical drawbar Unic “Izoard” from the beginning of the 60 th bodied to haul this product.
Saviem:
Evening all,Oh where do I start…at the beginning I suppose…
Davidoff, now there is a problem worthy of M Poirot!..The little grey cells do recall…
January 1978, and the Geneve Motor Show…and a lot of bruised egos! For this was the Show, where at last Berliet and Saviem would be shown as one marque…Renault…and from both camps there was real animosity…I remember rushing about trying to get “executives” from each side to even speak to each other! Even worse the striped background to the ten lorry, and three engine display was in Saviems Corporate colours! Even worse, the name Berliet was in lower case letters, and Saviem in capitals…boy oh boy there were some real sore heads here!!!
Then there was the “problem” of the multilingual Suisse operators…my French was decidedly, (Factory), Norman, Italian was …well patchy…so we had a delightful young lady from Paris, Marie-Chantelle…whose linguistic ability encompassed French, Italian, German, Serbo Croat, and Russian…plus a rather charming mix of BBC English…and Liverpudlian Scouse!!!..And during the duration of the Show she, and I were to spend quite a few hours together…for she had a devastating sense of fun…together .trying to make calm the turmoil of the Corporate “blood letting”…also perusing the shop windows of Geneve…and introducing her to the delights of travelling upon a bus…and the shared delights of many Coffee shops…and trying to teach her “proper” English…as spake around Dudlie!..but that is of little consequence in our search to help David!..So to business…
The stand presented the new Renault Vehicules Industriels product line up,
From Saviem,
SG 3.5 tonne
Serie J 7.5/13 tonne.
Our new “Flagships”
Berliet TR305 4x2 and 6x4 tractor and Porteur, (rigid).
Berliet TR350 4x2 and 6x4 tractor and rigid drawbar…Actually the 356hp versions.
The Engines.
Saviem 798 turbo 130 hp,
Berliet 12 litre 06.35.40.
Berliet MIVS 08.35.30. V8 14.88Litre turbo@356 hp.The stand also introduced “our” new Importer / Concessionaire for Suisse/ Liechtenstein, Nubag AG, of Prattelin, Nr Basle, located close to the Zurich-Basle highway. I was later to spend quite some time working with Nubag on the “drop frame” Saviem Distribution lorry, that Coca Cola so liked in Europe, and “we” adapted for the Mack Midliner in the USA…which became such a volume seller!
Now to the “nub” of the question regarding Welti Furrer, and their TRH!
Following the show I was speaking with some people from Nubag, and they told me that the TRH, (Which had been classified in documentation by Venissieux as a model TRS), was “almost sold” to a prominent haulier! The vehicle was rated , (if my memory serves me correctly), as 28 tonnes solo, 38 tonnes articulated combination, and 120 tonnes as a special types.And she had the ZF Range change option. In France the TRHs were rated at 150/180 tonnes, and often easily worked at 200 tonnes plus!
While we were , (suffering), at the Geneve Show, I contacted the “Mad Monk”, Graham Montgomerie, of the UK Commercial Motor, to see if there was a potential article regarding the similarity between the UK and Suisse operations being out of step with mainland Europe regarding weights…and any benefit in positive reporting about the Show offerings…I think that we flew Graham, or one of his colleagues out to do a report, but I do not know if anything was written…if it was it should be around the end of Jan, start of Feb 1978.But I hoped to major on the TR Range.
Me , I was back in Milano…and clutching a very funny letter from Marie-Chantelle, written in her version of “Black Country Dialect”…and it was good!..
So David, I feel that there is a good chance the TRH, from the Show Stand, is the Welti Furrer one, and the documentation to the Authorities may read TRS, or TRH/TRS…
Hope that this helps.
Now another conundrum…Fergie posts a picture of a Blue TRH, complete with “big” 5th wheel…looking at the 94 number plate, and the splayed beacons on the roof, I suspect that this TRH is one of the four operated bty Vitry sur Seine Operator, Dessierer H Zucchoni. Perhaps France`s equivalent of our Wynns. Dessierer had some of its TRHs, and later TRH360s fitted with torque converters,and the lorries so fitted carried large cooling fans behind the cabs…But surely if this was her pedigree, one would paint her in her original colours?
The strength of the TRH was that unlike the earlier, (and mighty) TBO, and GBOs, the TRHs could run at normal Highway speeds when running light, or inside the code of 38 tonnes gtw. The older versions could cope with unbelievable weights…but were as a consequence quite “sedate” when returning empty!
That picture of the (I suspect Suisse registered ) deep blue Unic “over the edge”, with the steering bogie trailer seems in a familier place, is it on the Simplon■■?
And that elegant TR 305, in the distinctive colours of the TR305 version of Le Centaure, lettered in Capelle Meubles…that is a rare lorry indeed!
And lastly Robert, Max Meynier, a phenominem that we never experienced in this Sceptered Isle, a media personality that introduced our industry, and the personalities within, to the general public, creating an image that was so positive, and gave the drivers and associated staff a status that we all truly deserve…and he was a “hoot”…could take the Michael…and take it back…from that glass studio atop the Calberson multi story warehouse in Paris…there has never ever been anyone like him…and he was good at Shakespeare!!!
Im away for a refreshing Bollinger…and quietly to remember the slender Marie Chantelle…where did she put those Pastries that she consumed so elegantly…and easily?
Cheerio for now.
Hello John,
As usual, your input is as rich in substance as it is entertaining. I can picture the sight of Marie-Chantal and her multi-lingual abilities.
And of course, amazing that 38 years after the facts, this forum is able to resurrect the existence of what indeed was probably the same motor.
I intend to soon meet in person with my contact at Welti-Furrer for he seems a true gentleman.
Rest assured, juicy details about this vehicle or indeed the firm’s history will be posted on here, just for us to enjoy more of your wonderful insights.
As for Roland the former TRH350 driver, with him too I intend to soon have another meal and hopefully be able to ■■■■■■ some pictures of his beautiful collection of Steyrs and Saurers.
Like you I am off to a well deserved brew. Though in my case not a bollinger but probably a nice and smokey Laphroaig.
Je vous souhaite une bonne soirée
Davidoff
Hiya,
Can anyone tell me why the fridge unit is always placed over the cab and I
assume making it nigh impossible for the driver to get a proper sleep, is it
not possible to site the “fridge gubbins” at the rear of the trailer maybe
between the last axle and the rear under run bar, as you can possibly tell
I’ve never done fridge work but have sat in the cab of a wagon with the
over cab system and the sound was terrible I had to keep saying Eh’.
thanks harry, long retired.
Evening Gentlemen when I shipped abroad in the 70’s and 80’s I used to see a lot of these “Loheic” (spelling) trucks someone told me they were home built with bought in parts, can any one of you wise men tell me the story behind these very basic looking trucks, cheers Buzzer.
In French, a link :
transports-loheac.com/historique_059.htm
Fergie47:
Hello young David ! Hope you’re well… Nice post, and some great pictures…another history lesson…this thread becomes more interesting and informative every day…perhaps a couple of more pictures of your own lorries, just to remind us that the young lads are interested in the old wagons…!!!Here’s a very bad quality picture of your beautiful 142…
Hello Dave Senior
If I am not mistaken that is from page 37 of Charge Utile Magazine, the July 2014 edition, after the Locomotion en fête festival 
Yes there are a few (relatively) young ones who for some odd reason have decided they were interested in lorries which were sometimes long on the road before they were actually born… Personally I am a late 1975 model so still (just) in my 30s, and indeed belong in this category of oddities .
My oldest vehicle is a 1968 F88 (still in pre-restoration state) but the record probably goes to Bruno, our friend Michel’s son, who pushes the boundaries further. For he owns a magnificent Willeme from the mid-1950’s complete with wine tank and trailer. A magnificent motor.
But it’s is not just about hoarding old steel, it’s about using them for what they were best at - clocking miles and burning diesel!
This year my contribution to global warming (I love my EURO 0 carbon footprint) will be my attendance of the ■■■■■■■■ Trunk which will take place the weekend of Sept 5th and 6th, so very soon.
I will be taking the 142 in trailerless mode so hopefully the migrants will leave me alone and not try and climb on board once I reach Calais or Dunkirk (haven’t decided yet) 
Here are a few pictures dating back to Locomotion 2014, the same lorries will be united again in the Lake District in just over two weeks, which I look forward to immensely.
Cheers
David
Buzzer, I also saw quite a few of the Lohaec,s and they were mostly on tanker work some were in shell and Elf livery but they could have been contract wagons another picture of the net
cheers Johnnie
P S I am sure that Saviem as already wrote about them on this thread as well
Davidoff:
Hello Dave SeniorIf I am not mistaken that is from page 37 of Charge Utile Magazine, the July 2014 edition, after the Locomotion en fête festival
Cheers
David
Hi Junior…correct…if I remember rightly there is also one in “camion et hommes”
I’ll have to check it out…
sammyopisite:
Fergie 47 this ain’t you parked up outside a cafe is it
0
cheers Johnnie
Hi John…close, but a bit early, all the tanks were blue, and only the old cabbed F89 road trains were still there, the rest were F7 / F10 / F12’s…otherwise it could have been me !!!
sammyopisite:
Buzzer, I also saw quite a few of the Lohaec,s and they were mostly on tanker work some were in shell and Elf livery but they could have been contract wagons another picture of the net0
cheers Johnnie
P S I am sure that Saviem as already wrote about them on this thread as well
To be fair on ‘Saviem’: he has posted time and time again about the Loheacs, as the man who produced them was a personal pal of his. If you simply type LOHEAC into the search window at the top of this forum, you will reveal a veritable treasure-trove of information about the ‘Ton-tons’ and their drive-lines, history etc. Cheers, Robert
Found this on the Loheac site linked above:
transports-loheac.com/Files/own_trucks.jpg
It is the most comprehensive article on the Loheac vehicles that I have read. Transport Engineer is a cut above CM and Truck, if you just want the facts and lots of them. The Loheac vehicles are superb, in my opinion. The engineers were not held back by the large corporations penny-pinching, so were able to do such radical things as coat the entire chassis in resin. They were not short of modern technology either- did any mainstream manufacturers use Kevlar in 1984? The attention to detail is fabulous- just how you would do it if you were… errr… building them for yourself! Note that they would have liked to try Gardner engines, but the cost of type approval made it less then worthwhile.
The modern fleet is Iveco. I would like to read a Transport Engineer report of Loheac’s decision to stop building the vehicles.
[zb]
anorak:
Found this on the Loheac site linked above:transports-loheac.com/Files/own_trucks.jpg
It is the most comprehensive article on the Loheac vehicles that I have read. Transport Engineer is a cut above CM and Truck, if you just want the facts and lots of them. The Loheac vehicles are superb, in my opinion. The engineers were not held back by the large corporations penny-pinching, so were able to do such radical things as coat the entire chassis in resin. They were not short of modern technology either- did any mainstream manufacturers use Kevlar in 1984? The attention to detail is fabulous- just how you would do it if you were… errr… building them for yourself! Note that they would have liked to try Gardner engines, but the cost of type approval made it less then worthwhile.
The modern fleet is Iveco. I would like to read a Transport Engineer report of Loheac’s decision to stop building the vehicles.
Excellent! Robert
Mid 80s 38 ton Loheac.
Henschel, flanked by a couple of Berliet’. Chris
robert1952:
[zb]
anorak:
Found this on the Loheac site linked above:transports-loheac.com/Files/own_trucks.jpg
It is the most comprehensive article on the Loheac vehicles that I have read. Transport Engineer is a cut above CM and Truck, if you just want the facts and lots of them. The Loheac vehicles are superb, in my opinion. The engineers were not held back by the large corporations penny-pinching, so were able to do such radical things as coat the entire chassis in resin. They were not short of modern technology either- did any mainstream manufacturers use Kevlar in 1984? The attention to detail is fabulous- just how you would do it if you were… errr… building them for yourself! Note that they would have liked to try Gardner engines, but the cost of type approval made it less then worthwhile.
The modern fleet is Iveco. I would like to read a Transport Engineer report of Loheac’s decision to stop building the vehicles.
Excellent! Robert
Evening all,
What a day…my new “Tenant” was short of staff when getting the Baley…so I volunteered…(much to great domestic rumblings)…and Ive only just got home…covered in that delectable filth that is the residue of a good days work!
Im finding it darned hard at Harvest not to be working…and the sounds and smells are driving me wild…but to have 15 hours luging a very smart new trailer, up and down …has been extasy to this old boy!!!
But to business…Robert , thank you for saving me so much work, in re-posting my memories of Antoines operation…Loheac, truly worthy of several tones of manuscript! None of the published articles ever reflect on his provision of “affordable housing” for his work force, (and they were very comfortable homes indeed), for the philantrophic employer was out of favour in the Socialist France, as in Britain. Or his provision of company welfare, or the excellent working conditions…your “ton ton” may only have been capable of 60 kph…but your work schedule was costed and timed on this…no crazy running hours at all…and your wages reflected this…(plus 5% on the Tankerville operation of Onatra)!..Now that takes some business brain to work it out!
Anorak, the Transport Engineer report only dwells on a few specific details of Antoines operation, and what it truly fails to recognise is the fact that all, and I mean all, of the design and specification of Antoines lorries came from the brain of Antoine, and him alone. I briefly touched on the ethos of his operation in my previous posts, (as detailed by Robert). That the lorry should be light, ultra reliable, and easy to repair. All of Antoines designes, from the very first Ton Ton, to the very last Groupe Gail “Renault Ton Tons”, followed this ethos.
The defeat of the individual, and the defeat of the individual free thinking engineer, is the total control of the State…and the European Union, and its army of clerks has achieved just this goal! “You will build only to this rule” is now the mantra…and abhorred by any free thinking person.
The article cited by Anorak, only deals on a few details of the Loheac thinking…but note them all, for they wee there for any free thinking person to see, and exploit.
And for us the mention of the “magic” Gardner should resonate…but Antoine had been turned down by Eduard Bernard`s family, for supply of a Bernard Licence built Gardner, (all be it…producing 185 hp), for fear that it would take away sales from their product…and when he asked for an AEC 760…he was sent a Leyland 680…which was never unpacked from its crate so insulted did he feel by the attitude of the Leyland Management!!!
But to us as drivers, this is what mattered…what did a Ton Ton drive like?
Well, an early Ton Ton, with a “little” DAF engine, and Fuller 9509A…was a sweet thing…it did not bounce around…true it was fairly modest in performance terms…(but their are speed limits to observe)…and we are not crossing the Alps!..but drove nicely, (even if the cab lacked a second seat…and a lot of trim…but ventilation was good, steering precise and light, and the gearchange…so much like a thought process…eat your heart out ERF…never was there such a light clutchless change!
The lights worked adequately for the performance, the brakes were spot on, with plenty of feel, and the windscreen did not mist over in the rain…and the mirrors stayed clear in bad weather…
But the same held good for the later, (and last), Ton Ton cab Renaults…I often said, (to great opposition), that we could have learned from Antoine…but of course our engineers were “qualified”…not a former Café Owner!!!..Little did they know
I am happy to endeavour to reply to any questions regarding Antoine Loheac`s operation, either as a Manufacturer, or as a Haulier, (both of which he performed to perfection), or as a truly concerned and honest employer.
But as a statement, I simply cannot surpass Francoise Zanottis , (The enigmatic Corsican Chairman of Renault Vehicules Industriels), statement , that Antoine was Frances second lorry manufacturer…because in the `80s he really was!..and arguably my friend Antoine was ahead of the game in terms of sheer quality of design of “his” lorries!!!
But a quick aside to Davidoff, regarding the Suisse Renault operation, and following on fom my posts on the 6x4 TRH/TRS shown at the `81 Geneva show…
The following year, 82, and at the new venue of the Palais DExhibition, close , (thank you), to the Geneva Airport, (PALEXPO), our importer, Nubag, showed several RVI products outside, (as well as the ex Paris Show “driving simulater”, inside,and now repainted white from its former yellow, and boy what a hoot that was to drive)…I had great fun…(forgive me please…for it was totally innocent…believe me)…organising a driving contest for the female staff of “our rivals”…to see who could drive the best in an R360 artic on an Alpine road… beats the boredom of motor shows,…the winner was…a , (very long legged), blonde from Mercedes Benz…who won …a modest trophy model of an R360…and a dinner for two at a swish Restaurant…Wonde who she took?
But also at the show…Heinz Erath, the Director of Nubag,(our concessionaire, for Renault Master, via 34 Dealers, and the R Range, (my operation the 7.5/120 tonnes, 17 Dealers in Suisse), handed over to Welti Furer some mid range TB lorries. These were on show outside the halls, painted in their distinctive livery…alongside a 4x4 TB rigid for snow removal duties!..
Memories Gentlemen,
ButI am" cream crackered", from a superb day of pleasure…
So its to M Bollinger, and then my bed,
Cheerio for now,
pete smith:
A few for Maggie D, did you help out on any of these vehicles Richard? Cheer’s Pete
Hi Pete,
Thanks for the pics,brings back memories,the first one is very similar to the one I spent Saturdays in but it was pre Unigate days and painted in Midland Counties white. I have just realised it was 58 years ago !!
I’ll have to go and have a glass of Gold Top, and it won’t be the same as Monsieur Saviem’s Bollinger 
Once again many thanks for all the old Wolverhampton photo’s.
Regards
Richard
Here you go Richard, a couple in Mid Counties Livery and a Mier’s Guy for Saviem, Cheer’s Pete P.S Last pic a restored float with a Wolverhampton reg number.
pete smith:
Here you go Richard, a couple in Mid Counties Livery and a Mier’s Guy for Saviem, Cheer’s Pete P.S Last pic a restored float with a Wolverhampton reg number.
Hi Pete,
That restored one is exactly the same,well done,many thanks.
I’ll have to buy you a pint of M & B when I come up !
Regards
Richard