Burton was in a village named Roches sur Marne and begun with Saviem because the dealer for the district was a strong one called “Chaumont Poids Lourds” owned by Mr Desnouveaux and later this man died in a plane crasch and his wife managed alone the dealership.
The colour of Burton 's fleet was cream and red (Saviem) and later white and orange (Renault), many factories were nearby : Isorel,Sollac and Mac Cormick which gave business close to the premises. In the 90th ,the company was sold to Giraud and close a few years later.
Thanks for the information, Michel. Good paying contracts directly with manufacturers is the reason for such a good-looking fleet and probably why they were bought-out by Giraud. I just looked on Google Maps and it seems Giraud are still servicing those contracts.
Black and white pics.
That gate-change looks like a bit of a nightmare!
robert1952:
That gate-change looks like a bit of a nightmare!
Semi-auto box / pre-select perhaps ? …perhaps Michel will know… 
Society of Transports Burton = SOTRABUR. The owner Mr Burton has the tie…
Saviem:
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…
Onatra
s 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.
The carbon black plant was operated by Ashland Chemicals at 76 Lillebonne.who took their feedstock from Esso’s Port Jerome refinery
across the road. Their UK operation was based at Ellesmere Port,but their distribution warehouse was adjacent to Old Trafford in Manchester. Ashland’s European operations were acquired by Cabot Carbon. Bulk Tankers carried most of the carbon black,but standard tilts were extensively used for the UK which was fine,unless bad weather in the channel caused the load to move whilst on the ferry
I was once told that if ever you had to share a communal shower with Frenchmen ,the safest place to hide your wallet was under the soap.! Cheers Bewick. 
Bewick:
I was once told that if ever you had to share a communal shower with Frenchmen ,the safest place to hide your wallet was under the soap.! Cheers Bewick.
That’s your Christmas rouge and brie down the pan for this year…Mr.Bewick…
Here’s me trying to foster geneial relations between our two countries, and you’ve just blown it,
Wait till Saviem gets back, he’s got negatives of you and those moorland sheep… 
Fergie47:
Bewick:
I was once told that if ever you had to share a communal shower with Frenchmen ,the safest place to hide your wallet was under the soap.! Cheers Bewick.That’s your Christmas rouge and brie down the pan for this year…Mr.Bewick…
Here’s me trying to foster geneial relations between our two countries, and you’ve just blown it,
Wait till Saviem gets back, he’s got negatives of you and those moorland sheep…
Well that’s not much of a threat Dave! As by the time “Carryfast Couriers” (Leatherhead) Ltd finally make my Christmas delivery at the end of January it has turned to inedible and undrinkable ■■■■■ and ■■■■ in the box !! And then again that is maybe what state it was in when it was packed by the Sender The carrier is adamant the box was “dripping” when it arrived at his depot in Leatherhead in 3rd week December but he did apologise for the length of time it took him to deliver said box but his drivers Sat nav won’t function north of Watford, he only had a white screen so he sat in a layby on the A5 in Dunstable crying,until someone showed him how to read a map but he had it up-side down and kept on ending up in Sam’ton. “CF” said he would use a Drone next time so the package will be have to be weight restricted to a half bottle and a sliver of brie ! Cheers Dennis.
The carbon black plant was operated by Ashland Chemicals at 76 Lillebonne.who took their feedstock from Esso’s Port Jerome refinery
across the road. Their UK operation was based at Ellesmere Port,but their distribution warehouse was adjacent to Old Trafford in Manchester. Ashland’s European operations were acquired by Cabot Carbon. Bulk Tankers carried most of the carbon black,but standard tilts were extensively used for the UK which was fine,unless bad weather in the channel caused the load to move whilst on the ferry
[/quote]
Hi roolechat,
Great pic,looks like one of LTS Freight’s tilts I remember one losing it’s load unaccompanied on one of Thoresens Viking boats,they had to take it out of service for a few days, as the dreaded carbon black had got down to the passenger area and covered everything
We also loaded out of Avonmouth with carbon black,the houses near the factory had problems with it getting underneath the milk bottle tops on doorsteps. 
Regards
Richard
As a rookie lorry driver- grief, that seems so long ago!- I was sent to the Avonmouth carbon black plant for a return load. Our traffic clerk on the other end of the phone line said, “It’s a decent job, you can stay on it permanently if you like it”.#
It took me about half an hour to find out that my new Big J’s cab wasn’t dust proof, so I declined the kind offer. The job was more suited to Harry Gill, in my opinion!
Retired Old ■■■■:
As a rookie lorry driver- grief, that seems so long ago!- I was sent to the Avonmouth carbon black plant for a return load. Our traffic clerk on the other end of the phone line said, “It’s a decent job, you can stay on it permanently if you like it”.#
It took me about half an hour to find out that my new Big J’s cab wasn’t dust proof, so I declined the kind offer. The job was more suited to Harry Gill, in my opinion!
Hiya,
Hoi’ Rof, I did a couple of handball loads of “black” out of Avonmouth, I vowed after the
first load never again but I did get conned into doing another load “handball again” it
must have been the worst traffic in the world after the first load I always carried an
old boilersuit which was left in the washroom after the second load I vowed and kept
the promise to myself never to load it again, but I believe it became all shrink wrapped
palletised loads and sealed bins after my last load, but I never got a load of that just
the thought of going into the mucky hole put me off.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
Retired Old ■■■■:
As a rookie lorry driver- grief, that seems so long ago!- I was sent to the Avonmouth carbon black plant for a return load. Our traffic clerk on the other end of the phone line said, “It’s a decent job, you can stay on it permanently if you like it”.#
It took me about half an hour to find out that my new Big J’s cab wasn’t dust proof, so I declined the kind offer. The job was more suited to Harry Gill, in my opinion!Hiya,
Hoi’ Rof, I did a couple of handball loads of “black” out of Avonmouth, I vowed after the
first load never again but I did get conned into doing another load “handball again” it
must have been the worst traffic in the world after the first load I always carried an
old boilersuit which was left in the washroom after the second load I vowed and kept
the promise to myself never to load it again, but I believe it became all shrink wrapped
palletised loads and sealed bins after my last load, but I never got a load of that just
the thought of going into the mucky hole put me off.
thanks harry, long retired.
When brother Andy and myself started subbing from Pritchett Bros. in the 40’ vans, among the other words of advice we received were ‘never load fish, never load carbon black - if you do, the trailer is f***** and will need to have the boards and the floor removed, steam cleaned and rebuilt with new floor and boards.’ So… These are not loads that I ever carried!
John
Did a couple of loads of black out of Avonmouth for Porto, Portugal… First trip at the border at Villa Formosa, customs decided they wanted to do a strip out, I advised them perhaps they shouldn’t.
They backed me on to a bay, I dropped the trailer, the guy asked me why, I said he’d find out soon enough…think they only got 4 pallets off when they gave up…covered head to foot, the workers, the customs blokes, the forklifts, and half the warehouse…they weren’t happy. Saying I told you so, never felt better…
Fergie47:
Did a couple of loads of black out of Avonmouth for Porto, Portugal… First trip at the border at Villa Formosa, customs decided they wanted to do a strip out, I advised them perhaps they shouldn’t.
They backed me on to a bay, I dropped the trailer, the guy asked me why, I said he’d find out soon enough…think they only got 4 pallets off when they gave up…covered head to foot, the workers, the customs blokes, the forklifts, and half the warehouse…they weren’t happy. Saying I told you so, never felt better…
A shame you didn’t get a photo [emoji1]
Johnny
jsutherland:
Fergie47:
Did a couple of loads of black out of Avonmouth for Porto, Portugal… First trip at the border at Villa Formosa, customs decided they wanted to do a strip out, I advised them perhaps they shouldn’t.
They backed me on to a bay, I dropped the trailer, the guy asked me why, I said he’d find out soon enough…think they only got 4 pallets off when they gave up…covered head to foot, the workers, the customs blokes, the forklifts, and half the warehouse…they weren’t happy. Saying I told you so, never felt better…A shame you didn’t get a photo [emoji1]
Johnny
Not of the actual event John, but this was taken just prior to going into the warehouse…
