Saviem's fan club (Part 1)

[carryfast]

Saviem:
Evening all,

Fergie, thanks for the “horrific” Stouff pictures…they “bought”…(now there is a debatable term)…20 TR280s, to replace some fairly well worn Saviem SM 300s…6 were “disappeared”, en route to…(wherever)…

The big, big difference between Stouff, and outfits such as VIT, Chapuis, and Onatra, was the fact that the drivers were on “trip money”…not wages.

VIT pay was average French road hauliers, plus 30%, plus expenses, with a compulsory, (paid at the same rate), week off at the end of each trip. Any family problems for those at home, whilst the driver was away, were to be routed via “Mimi” at Valenton, and the Company would help out. If a driver wished to take his wife along, that was cleared and ok, no problems, and her cost was absorbed by the company…and many did just that!

No risks were taken by Valenton, either with their equipment, or, their staff. The number of movements that they achieved, particularly into Iraq, were remarkable, and if a company sub contracted to VIT, then they had to adhere to the business practice of VIT. Even Onatra, who learned a lot from VIT, and as a consequence modified their activities with bulk chemical tanks into Turkey.

VIT never failed to make a delivery, (where have I heard that phrase before)?..and their used vehicles with their Burg swop bodies were highly prized, and carryfasts correct comment regarding the ideal trunk configuration of a VIT drawbar, is only incorrect in one area, for VIT ran on a ratio of three bodies per drawing unit, fast turn around was the key on those 90 cu metre outfits, so the swop bodies were well used indeed!

I must gather my thoughts, and write a little about VIT, for the company was truly remarkable in its concept, execution, and reputation in long distance transport, right from 1963 up until the late 80s. It would bear interesting comparison with the UKs Middle East Operators.

Brilliant stuff Saviem.That sounds like it would have been my ideal employer in the day if only I’d have been old enough and probably French.Just using the demount facility on the rigid and leave the trailers mounted was also how we cut down on turn around times.While VIT obviously took that to its correct logical conclusion by not bothering with demount equipped trailers.

[bewick]

Carryfast:

Saviem:
Evening all,

Fergie, thanks for the “horrific” Stouff pictures…they “bought”…(now there is a debatable term)…20 TR280s, to replace some fairly well worn Saviem SM 300s…6 were “disappeared”, en route to…(wherever)…

The big, big difference between Stouff, and outfits such as VIT, Chapuis, and Onatra, was the fact that the drivers were on “trip money”…not wages.

VIT pay was average French road hauliers, plus 30%, plus expenses, with a compulsory, (paid at the same rate), week off at the end of each trip. Any family problems for those at home, whilst the driver was away, were to be routed via “Mimi” at Valenton, and the Company would help out. If a driver wished to take his wife along, that was cleared and ok, no problems, and her cost was absorbed by the company…and many did just that!

No risks were taken by Valenton, either with their equipment, or, their staff. The number of movements that they achieved, particularly into Iraq, were remarkable, and if a company sub contracted to VIT, then they had to adhere to the business practice of VIT. Even Onatra, who learned a lot from VIT, and as a consequence modified their activities with bulk chemical tanks into Turkey.

VIT never failed to make a delivery, (where have I heard that phrase before)?..and their used vehicles with their Burg swop bodies were highly prized, and carryfasts correct comment regarding the ideal trunk configuration of a VIT drawbar, is only incorrect in one area, for VIT ran on a ratio of three bodies per drawing unit, fast turn around was the key on those 90 cu metre outfits, so the swop bodies were well used indeed!

I must gather my thoughts, and write a little about VIT, for the company was truly remarkable in its concept, execution, and reputation in long distance transport, right from 1963 up until the late 80s. It would bear interesting comparison with the UKs Middle East Operators.

Brilliant stuff Saviem.That sounds like it would have been my ideal employer in the day if only I’d have been old enough and probably French.Just using the demount facility on the rigid and leave the trailers mounted was also how we cut down on turn around times.While VIT obviously took that to its correct logical conclusion by not bothering with demount equipped trailers.

Can’t accept this “CF” even the “hide bound” French way of operating to-gether with their restrictive practices would have been un-acceptable to you so don’t screw another great thread up or “Saviem” will very likely “top himself” as you will have singulary destroyed the high spot of his evening, prior to him imbibing with that over rated ,overpriced,French tipple. Cheers Bewick.

[carryfast]

Bewick:

Carryfast:
Brilliant stuff Saviem.That sounds like it would have been my ideal employer in the day if only I’d have been old enough and probably French.Just using the demount facility on the rigid and leave the trailers mounted was also how we cut down on turn around times.While VIT obviously took that to its correct logical conclusion by not bothering with demount equipped trailers.

Can’t accept this “CF” even the “hide bound” French way of operating to-gether with their restrictive practices would have been un-acceptable to you so don’t screw another great thread up or “Saviem” will very likely “top himself” as you will have singulary destroyed the high spot of his evening, prior to him imbibing with that over rated ,overpriced,French tipple. Cheers Bewick.

There’s nothing ‘restrictive’ about agreement between management and shop floor that demount rigids and don’t bother with demounting trailers is the quickest and most efficient way to run a drawbar trunking operation.

Although admittedly I’d prefer to wash my steak ( non cheval merci ) and frites down with half a litre of Stella and a single Remy Martin.

[buzzer]

Hi it seem’s to me that Bewick and Carryfast have a constant battle of word’s on several thread’s on TNUK contradicting each other on what ever subject is being discussed. While constructive conversation is good for all to read it is inevitable we don’t all agree with each other but you two always seem to take it to a new level head to head, for the sake of the majority of readers on these thread’s can you two not call a truce, otherwise we could arrange a boxing match under agricultural rules in a neutral arena with Saviem as referee, of course I would be in charge of ticket sales and the money raised could be given to charity, unless any one of you entrepreneur’s out there has a better idea, Buzzer.

[jsutherland]

I came across the following photo (a Renault I believe) and am interested to know if, once upon a time, it was legal to pull 2 trailers at once in France. Was it ever allowed in the UK?

[lawrence_dunbar]

jsutherland:
I came across the following photo (a Renault I believe) and am interested to know if, once upon a time, it was legal to pull 2 trailers at once in France. Was it ever allowed in the UK?

0

IIRC, Showman were allowed to pull two or more trailers in the UK,

[carryfast]

jsutherland:
I came across the following photo (a Renault I believe) and am interested to know if, once upon a time, it was legal to pull 2 trailers at once in France. Was it ever allowed in the UK?

0

I’m sure that I’ve seen doubles being used in France relatively recently.But they seem to be limited to short haul container work so I’d guess that they probably have some sort of exceptions for ‘intermodal’ type operations ?.

In general overall length and weight limits make their use pointless which is why we don’t see them used in Euroland.

[erf-continental]

jsutherland:
I came across the following photo (a Renault I believe) and am interested to know if, once upon a time, it was legal to pull 2 trailers at once in France. Was it ever allowed in the UK?

0

Wow a wonderful picture…those were the days…it’s a Mack NR4 IIRC and probably
also a dolly was used for the second trailer.

[bewick]

Buzzer:
Hi it seem’s to me that Bewick and Carryfast have a constant battle of word’s on several thread’s on TNUK contradicting each other on what ever subject is being discussed. While constructive conversation is good for all to read it is inevitable we don’t all agree with each other but you two always seem to take it to a new level head to head, for the sake of the majority of readers on these thread’s can you two not call a truce, otherwise we could arrange a boxing match under agricultural rules in a neutral arena with Saviem as referee, of course I would be in charge of ticket sales and the money raised could be given to charity, unless any one of you entrepreneur’s out there has a better idea, Buzzer.

Someone has to keep “CF” in check otherwise he’d run amok over the whole site Buzzer However he does seem to have been going over to France a bit lately Cheers Bewick.

[jsutherland]

How come you guys recognized the Mack immediately! Impressive. Were they also in the UK? My limited knowledge only dates from the early 80s…

[robert1952]

jsutherland:
How come you guys recognized the Mack immediately! Impressive. Were they also in the UK? My limited knowledge only dates from the early 80s…

The chap / bloke (we’re not guys, they live in America! ) who identified it as a Mack is Dutch. We saw very little Yankee metal in UK, partly because of our strict construction-and-use regs and partly because we’re RHD. However, there was much more of it on the Continent partly in consequence of the post-war Marshal Plan. Others will know much more about this corner of road transport history than I do. Robert

[jsutherland]

Thank you Robert. Oops, sorry about the guys, I’ve been living to long away from the UK.
Johnny

[fergie47]

jsutherland:
I came across the following photo (a Renault I believe) and am interested to know if, once upon a time, it was legal to pull 2 trailers at once in France. Was it ever allowed in the UK?

0

Those double trailers have been around in France for decades, lve posted a few pics on this thread of some old ones, and much newer ones, if you have the time to troll through it !!..They are still around today…however, I’ve no idea of lenghts, weights, and restrictions, if any…l use to see a lot of them running carbon black out of le harve in the late sixty’s early seventies using Saviem units and two by single axle trailers…

[michel]

Saviem JL20-200 with Henschel engine and Trailor double in the 60th.

[jsutherland]

Hi Michel,
thank you for the photo. do you know what their gross weight and overall length was?
Regards
Johnny

[erf-continental]

From what I know…the Highway’s were 9 metres long.

[fergie47]

Buzzer:
Hi it seem’s to me that Bewick and Carryfast have a constant battle of word’s on several thread’s on TNUK contradicting each other on what ever subject is being discussed. While constructive conversation is good for all to read it is inevitable we don’t all agree with each other but you two always seem to take it to a new level head to head, for the sake of the majority of readers on these thread’s can you two not call a truce, otherwise we could arrange a boxing match under agricultural rules in a neutral arena with Saviem as referee, of course I would be in charge of ticket sales and the money raised could be given to charity, unless any one of you entrepreneur’s out there has a better idea, Buzzer.

They’re brothers you know, …I blame the parents…

[erf-continental]

Fergie47:

Buzzer:
Hi it seem’s to me that Bewick and Carryfast have a constant battle of word’s on several thread’s on TNUK contradicting each other on what ever subject is being discussed. While constructive conversation is good for all to read it is inevitable we don’t all agree with each other but you two always seem to take it to a new level head to head, for the sake of the majority of readers on these thread’s can you two not call a truce, otherwise we could arrange a boxing match under agricultural rules in a neutral arena with Saviem as referee, of course I would be in charge of ticket sales and the money raised could be given to charity, unless any one of you entrepreneur’s out there has a better idea, Buzzer.

They’re brothers you know, …I blame the parents…

Funny, but the ones showing a red cloth in front of these bulls are absent for some days…laughing backstage?

It’s a pitty as posters are reluctant to show/express their pictures/opinions, but as stated earlier…I prefer the opinions of experienced
posters having a crisp opinion on what they drove, regardless being drivers, operators or mechanics. Who the shoe fits…I guess?

Let’s focus on positive energy and hoping the majority of posters/participants are grown up to make TNUK worth while to visit/read!

[fergie47]

Well John, you’ve got to recognize some of these faces from Onatra ■■?

[fergie47]

A few more old girls rusting away, some may have been saved perhaps…