Maintenance…major repairs…old style… 
Fergie47:
Well John, you’ve got to recognize some of these faces from Onatra ■■?
After Onatra Freddy Van Gaever wrote some books and also started an airline, see attached picture.
I believe the airline was an attempt just after the SABENA-debacle and bankruptcy.
Frances Cany pictures from Wikimedia Commons and in the public domain, he lives in Athis, NE France, a retired lorry driver and author of book/books relating to his time in transport ref. here microsofttranslator.com/BV.a … ny-4616391
Oily
Havn’t a clue about this one, enlighten please.
Oily
oiltreader:
Havn’t a clue about this one, enlighten please.
Oily
Based on various chassis, they’re built for the market traders…still make them today…
That one COULD be a Citroen going by the headlights…
Oiltrader,
Alquier was a body builder in Mazamet south-west of France. They also built fridges ans before also cabs to fit on Bernard,Latil and many others.
Fergie47:
http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/download/file.php?id=156518
Blimey. Even by today’s standards that’s quite a thing for a removals wagon, never mind compared to the old dogs running around in Britain at the time
How’s this for a line up…
Fergie47:
Well John, you’ve got to recognize some of these faces from Onatra ■■?
Evening all,
Its been rather stressful “chez Saviem”…
As I was rather in the “Dog House” regarding my lack of enthusiasm for the forthcoming week of family nuptual celebrations…(how do you fancy a week around that mecca of South Pays des Galles…Porthcawl)…nothing wrong with the town…but my relations…and I have so many jobs to do here at the farm…
So last Sunday I decided, (to curry favour), to treat my good ladies to a superb lunch of roast, and sliced cold chicken, roasted with our own Honey Glaze, accompanied by scrubbed and lightly roasted in their jackets small Maris Pipers, a salad of Kos Lettuice, Mango and Avocado, and Moroccan Mandarin…with a light sauce of Rocket, Water Cress, (from my bed in the B… pasture that I cannot drain)… and blended with low fat Yoghurt…
And therin lies my undoing!
For to save valuable time…as the ladies sipped a delightful chilled Chardonay…(French NOT from Chille)…I chose to utilise the services of a piece of equipment for which I have not…(in current parlance), either being trained to use…or have the relevant Certificate of Professional Competence)…But I used it…A Food Processor…
And sadly, as I “wanged it” up to maximum revs…I had not fitted the lid correctly…and as the centrifugal force, and thrashing blades reached a crescendo of fury…the contents, (or a goodly portion), arced gracefully upwards to lodge as only an expert in the art of spray painting could achieve…in a wonderful rainbowesque stripe across our beams and plaster work…
Own up…of course not…
A wonderful lunch was enjoyed…(.but I was reprimanded for not producing more Rocket sauce)…and I chose not to reveal that it was truly, “in orbit”!!!
But today it was discovered…but thankfully I was out playing with two fine men from Central Networks who were rectifying the havoc caused by a large Crow contacting two electric lines of 11000 volts…and plunging us all into darkness yesterday…Power Company 1, Crow, 2…Good outfit this Penselvannia Power Company…(oh my spelling…apologies)!!!
Now young Fergie, and Oily, A-J, and Michel, (who knows far more than me about the French Haulage Industry), and johnney`s question, and Buzzers "double bottom " outfit…
Onatras 300th Saviem, (what a hot day that was), far too hot for suits.....but Jean Guieu like white suits, J P Josien, de Gruziia, Freddy Van Gaever, (a bit like Britains Freddy Laker, as A-Js picture, and write up shows.....(.when having destroyed Frances largest Haulier, he moved on to “greater things”), then there was a young Saviem, with my colleagues Turpin, (Savifrance Marseille), Percheron,Millot, Jaunay, Onatra`s Director from the Saint Auban, Malepeyre. Nice day, nice sun, wonderful lunch, nice lorries…(but oh so cheap)…But I loved Onatra…perhaps they gained a reputation for being “wild”, by giving a chance to so many young drivers…and that was not helped by the Tanker disaster near Arras, but it was a company where there wereno “glass ceilings”…the world was truly your Oyster if you worked for them!
Oily, those mobile shops/market stalls, are worthy of further investigation, because the variety, and technical ingenuity is truly amazing, whoever builds the coachwork. …Many 4x2s became front wheel drive courtesy of SINPAR, and a small wheeled bogie at the rear…or really upmarket were those built on Berliets air suspended Tekel, 6x2, chassis, only 500mm high!..But that one is as David says, a Citroen…as were many…
Does anyone remember the B double that Multitrans used to run regularly from France up to Manchester in the early 80s? I often used to muse how on earth did it get through Dover unchallenged…then a little more thought…and of course I realised that HM C&E, staff were probably incapable of recognising it for what it was!!! Over here Volvo, and Crane Fruehauf tried to conduct some trials of these combinations in the late 70s, but our 32 ton limit did not help, Im sure that there was a write up in Commercial Motor with Ron Cator doing the work for Volvo, and I cannot recall if it was Gibb Grace, or Graham Montgomerie for CM. Worth looking up if it is possible. Those double bottoms always followed well, but that Saviem on michels picture…bet that was hard to drive, 35 tonnes, 210 hp!
Tricky outfits to go backwards…particularly with me behind the wheel! But very popular for container work, and Im trying to think of the name of the Carbon Black outfit from Le Havre…but age and lack of Bollinger lubrication preclude its recall!
Mack`s were really popular in France Johnney, somewhere there is a thread on here about them, their Importer, MABO was an institution, and a fascinating company, and people.
Well Im away for a small Bollinger…early start…(and I need to get clear of the house before a detailed investigation of our new kitchen ceiling décor takes place…
Cheerio for now.
Citroen HY mobile shop.
Saviem:
Fergie47:
Well John, you’ve got to recognize some of these faces from Onatra ■■?Evening all,
Its been rather stressful “chez Saviem”…
…I chose to utilise the services of a piece of equipment for which I have not…(in current parlance), either being trained to use…or have the relevant Certificate of Professional Competence)…But I used it…A Food Processor…
And sadly, as I “wanged it” up to maximum revs…I had not fitted the lid correctly…and as the centrifugal force, and thrashing blades reached a crescendo of fury…the contents, (or a goodly portion), arced gracefully upwards to lodge as only an expert in the art of spray painting could achieve…in a wonderful rainbowesque stripe across our beams and plaster work…
Cheerio for now.
Thats amusing John…bet I’m not the only one on here that “bounces off” someones story, you know the kind of thing, it reminds you of a similar incident ? Well, mine involves a blender, a girlfriend on holiday, and a Golden Retriever, …and a phone call.
My cooking skills are absolute zero…girlfriend is on her way to the States for two weeks to visit friends and relatives…I’m left at home to look after myself and a rather laid back, but silly G.R…
It’s the first day home alone…I’m waiting for the call from the G.F. to make sure she’s had a good trip…I’ve decided to make a cheese cake, ably assisted I might add by a very intrigued Retriever …I’m making it out of boredom more than anything else…but, to spice it up I’m going to add some extras for the topping…out comes the blender, a big blender as it happens…in goes some black currents and some raspberries…why not, I like both, which I added to the mix supplied by the maker…add milk as per the instructions (not taking into account the extra fruit)…whack it on full bore…the second I hit the switch the phone goes, I rush out to the hallway, (phone calls from the States were expensive in the '80’s, so needed to get it quickly) the conversation was short, to the point, all was well…loves and kisses…about 60 seconds tops…time enough though…
Ever seen a slasher movie, the aftermath of walls dripping with fake blood ?, well if blood was a sort of pinkish / purple colour, that would have been it…absolutely everything covered, walls, ceiling, window, curtain, doors…everything…at some point during that 60 seconds away, the inertia over speed over weight had spun the sodden blender on to its side, with still enough ammunition left to have hit the poor dog a resounding broadside straight smack in his face…He was sat, stock still, looking so guilty (as only Retrievers can ) the complete front of him covered in, well, goo…took half a day to clean the dog, the following day and three nights after work to clean the mess up, and then paint all the walls and ceiling…before G.F got back…
Now, if Mrs Fergie ever asks me to “pass the blender from the top cupboard” I get a flash back of a slasher movie…
So John, you got off light by the sounds of it…
Enough of exploding food processors and blenders…back to lorries…
Now I’ve always thought that certain lorries have always looked right, when coupled to flats, tankers or tilts…and others didn’t,
as an axample, the old Scania’s day cab was lean and lanky, just didn’t look right, the sleeper was very box like, great lorry, but still didn’t look in symmetry to the trailer…the F86 on the other hand was too small (literally, engine as well ) was dwarfed by a tilt / tanker…
One photo that is missing for me ,is the old Guy Invincible,always seemed right regardless of the trl …nice looking British wagon for the '60’s
Here’s a few pic’s of French lorries that look about right, with either their trailer or body work… pleasing to eye so to speak … here’s my choice…
I know they’re mostly SAVIEMS, but that relax cab is just so…
Evening all,
Fergie, Im relieved to find that I am not the only poor controller of a food blender!
That Berliet “Relax cab” was a sensation when it was introduced back in the early `60s…(remember what we had to drive in back then)!
But the Saviem “Euro Cab” of 68, was really quite something, quiet, well insulated, light, and very roomy, (a greater internal volume than the Berliet KB cab, and that of Bussing, and Mercedes).....and a design that lasted well into the 80s.
When I am doing some work on my knees…(Im always on my knees)…I use as a cushion a “pillow” that was supplied with each Euro Cab…a sort of well padded triangle of well upholstered foam rubber…and you should have seen the “dishy” ladies who produced them…I have a copious supply…wonder how I got them? But they are quality “kneelers”.
I once had a go at building a “kneeler” sidecar outfit, based around a BSA 650 engine, with 16in wheels, and leading link forks. Somehow I got the geometry right, because it handled very well, but could be quite scary on left hand corners, (particularly bumpy ones)!! Quite fancied my chances with a “chair”, but I doubt that I would have been as good as Buzzer!
Now here is a question for Maggie D, and Pete,…Kunzel Cakes, (who had a café/shop on Darlington Street Wolverhampton…(totally unaffordable to such a waif as me), Where were they based…Birmingham?..and what lorries did they use to deliver their delicious confectionary?..And how far outside the Midlands did they reach?..Anyone for a “Showboat”■■?
Off to sunny Porthcawl tomorrow…suits and boots all packed…a week of purgatory…
I need several (very), large Bollingers tonight…
And I have had to have my, (few), hairs cut…to look “presentable”…
Cheerio for now.
Saviem:
Evening all,Fergie, Im relieved to find that I am not the only poor controller of a food blender!
That Berliet “Relax cab” was a sensation when it was introduced back in the early `60s…(remember what we had to drive in back then)!
But the Saviem “Euro Cab” of
68, was really quite something, quiet, well insulated, light, and very roomy, (a greater internal volume than the Berliet KB cab, and that of Bussing, and Mercedes).....and a design that lasted well into the80s.When I am doing some work on my knees…(Im always on my knees)…I use as a cushion a “pillow” that was supplied with each Euro Cab…a sort of well padded triangle of well upholstered foam rubber…and you should have seen the “dishy” ladies who produced them…I have a copious supply…wonder how I got them? But they are quality “kneelers”.
I once had a go at building a “kneeler” sidecar outfit, based around a BSA 650 engine, with 16in wheels, and leading link forks. Somehow I got the geometry right, because it handled very well, but could be quite scary on left hand corners, (particularly bumpy ones)!! Quite fancied my chances with a “chair”, but I doubt that I would have been as good as Buzzer!
Now here is a question for Maggie D, and Pete,…Kunzel Cakes, (who had a café/shop on Darlington Street Wolverhampton…(totally unaffordable to such a waif as me), Where were they based…Birmingham?..and what lorries did they use to deliver their delicious confectionary?..And how far outside the Midlands did they reach?..Anyone for a “Showboat”■■?
Off to sunny Porthcawl tomorrow…suits and boots all packed…a week of purgatory…
I need several (very), large Bollingers tonight…
And I have had to have my, (few), hairs cut…to look “presentable”…
Cheerio for now.
Hi Saviem, Now was there a clue in that question about Kunzle Cakes? If showboat was the clue did they use Fisher Renwick? I trying to find picture of shop in Darlington Street but for the meantime will you settle for a pic of Bradburn and Wedge? Cheer’s Pete
pete smith:
Saviem:
Evening all,Fergie, Im relieved to find that I am not the only poor controller of a food blender!
That Berliet “Relax cab” was a sensation when it was introduced back in the early `60s…(remember what we had to drive in back then)!
But the Saviem “Euro Cab” of
68, was really quite something, quiet, well insulated, light, and very roomy, (a greater internal volume than the Berliet KB cab, and that of Bussing, and Mercedes).....and a design that lasted well into the80s.When I am doing some work on my knees…(Im always on my knees)…I use as a cushion a “pillow” that was supplied with each Euro Cab…a sort of well padded triangle of well upholstered foam rubber…and you should have seen the “dishy” ladies who produced them…I have a copious supply…wonder how I got them? But they are quality “kneelers”.
I once had a go at building a “kneeler” sidecar outfit, based around a BSA 650 engine, with 16in wheels, and leading link forks. Somehow I got the geometry right, because it handled very well, but could be quite scary on left hand corners, (particularly bumpy ones)!! Quite fancied my chances with a “chair”, but I doubt that I would have been as good as Buzzer!
Now here is a question for Maggie D, and Pete,…Kunzel Cakes, (who had a café/shop on Darlington Street Wolverhampton…(totally unaffordable to such a waif as me), Where were they based…Birmingham?..and what lorries did they use to deliver their delicious confectionary?..And how far outside the Midlands did they reach?..Anyone for a “Showboat”■■?
Off to sunny Porthcawl tomorrow…suits and boots all packed…a week of purgatory…
I need several (very), large Bollingers tonight…
And I have had to have my, (few), hairs cut…to look “presentable”…
Cheerio for now.
Hi Saviem, Now was there a clue in that question about Kunzle Cakes? If showboat was the clue did they use Fisher Renwick? I trying to find picture of shop in Darlington Street but for the meantime will you settle for a pic of Bradburn and Wedge? Cheer’s Pete
Hi Pete,
I think Saviem was referring to the cakes, if I remember they were called Showboats and we’re encased in a hard chocolate shell and my Mother would always buy some when we visited Beatties Department store in Wolverhampton.
Regards
Richard
Saviem:
Quite fancied my chances with a “chair”.
A little while back (1985 to be exact) I took myself and my bike off to the Isle of Man for TT week. I have several indelible memories of that week, but perhaps the most abiding is that of the sidecar races. I’d taken up position at a number of places for the solo senior TT (Keppel Gate remains a favourite, not to forget Creg - bike racing and a pub to hand, what more could one ask for?). But nothing at all that I’d seen prepared me for the complete, balls-out lunacy of the sidecar outfits.
I’ve been to several GP’s and WSBK events since and though I enjoyed them, none has come near the spectacle of the chairs on the IoM.
Apologies for being tangential; we return you to your scheduled broadcasting.
I loved Kunzel cakes as a kid, though I guess that my gnashers didn’t long term!
Pete.
Hi Richard,
Should have done some research on these cakes, here is the showboat connection!! Cheer’s Pete
Interesting stuff about Onatra; I for one believed the stories about Onassis being the owner. It made sense when you considered how they financed all that new equipment. I have always been puzzled by how some companies managed to always have a fleet of first rate vehicles while others made do with just a couple of new units every year.
I remember back when I was running to Italy on a regular basis. In to a Milan Customs, first thing Monday morning after sitting the Sunday at Macon and running over the Blanc after the curfew was lifted. I ran down the Route Nationales from Calais, via Reims and Saint Dizier. Somewhere along that road was a French haulier by the name of “Burton Sa” who had a very smart fleet of orange Berliet, high-top, 310s and 340s. At the weekend they all sat, lined-up, facing the road with orange tilt trailers on their backs. A very impressive sight and impressive that the company got all their drivers home at the weekend.
Then, one Saturday afternoon, I drove past and the whole fleet of Berliets had been replaced by orange Renault Magnums. It was straight after the launch of the Magnum and I thought to myself then; How the hell could they afford to do that? Saviem, do you have any memories of “Burton”?
I’ve a feeling that you’ll have to wait a bit for a reply, Chris, the great man has been dragged off to a family “do” in foreign parts.