Saviem's fan club (Part 1)

[fergie47]

Bewick:
[
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 [zb] 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.

Dennis, Dennis, Dennis…YOU always chose the haulage contractor, obviously you just cant get it right, so I’ve now chosen for you, French of course, reliable, punctual, guaranteed service, sending it over early this year, so you and the lovely Anne can enjoy an happy Xmas.

The Brie being loaded as we speak…the vin rouge was loaded yesterday ( its better a few days older they say )

[jsutherland]

Hi

Excellent Fergie47. Could you send some up to Germany as well please?

Excuse my ignorance, but I was wondering what the advantage was for having 2 trailers if the weight limit was the same. Of course, for light goods where volume was of more importance I could understand the advantage.

Regards
Johnny

[jsutherland]

Hi

I saw this “interesting” combination. I guess it was where traction was important.

Johnny

[fergie47]

Saviem and Bernards, to cheer Saviem up after his enforced “holiday”…

[fergie47]

jsutherland:
Hi

Excellent Fergie47. Could you send some up to Germany as well please?

Excuse my ignorance, but I was wondering what the advantage was for having 2 trailers if the weight limit was the same. Of course, for light goods where volume was of more importance I could understand the advantage.

Regards
Johnny

Germany ? have to work out a rate for that John…could be expensive. However, with the Rhine and Mossel making excellent blancs, then I must question your sanity in hauling it from here, however, if you prefer a decent rouge I fully understand…

No idea ref the double trailer configuration, Saviem will put us right when he rejoins us after sobering up !!!

[bewick]

Fergie47:

Bewick:
[
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 [zb] 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.

Dennis, Dennis, Dennis…YOU always chose the haulage contractor, obviously you just cant get it right, so I’ve now chosen for you, French of course, reliable, punctual, guaranteed service, sending it over early this year, so you and the lovely Anne can enjoy an happy Xmas.

The Brie being loaded as we speak…the vin rouge was loaded yesterday ( its better a few days older they say )

fair enough Dave but it will still have to clear Customs at Leatherhead I believe, so there could still be a “foul up” if it is at “CF”'s office Cheers Dennis.

[jsutherland]

You are correct about the white wine. I live in the region and we are spoilt for choice - and price… I was thinking more about the brie. We can buy it here, but it always seems to taste better when we pop over the border into France and buy it, and other French cheeses in a local shop.
Regards
Johnny

[fergie47]

jsutherland:
Hi

I saw this “interesting” combination. I guess it was where traction was important.

Johnny

interesting indeed, those little Renault’s seemed to do the job though, even if they didn’t look like they could…

(Not 100% sure the last pic is a Renault)

[maggied]

Hi Dave,

Hope you and Liz are OK,tell her she can come and see us whilst you and Mappo cover some kms and burn some diesel this week Sorry we can’t be there but Lord March has asked us to the Goodwood Revival

Angie was helping out at a celebrity wedding in Porthcawl over the last few days,and sent me a photo of the china that was being used !!

Regards
Richard

[fergie47]

Richard…After the first day, and Mappo has regailed Liz with his 4 Italy’s a month, every month, for 5 years, she’d wished she had taken a holiday…in Siberia.
If he thinks he’s come for a holiday, he’s gonna be disappointed, we’ve a few chores in mind for him, the list is too long to post here, but you won’t recognise him next time you see him, he’ll have lost at least 15 stone, back down to a reasonable 12…

Regarding the crockery Angie spotted at the “posh” do…can’t have been Saviems bash, that’s not a V8…and if it was, the caterers would by now be seriously short of a few dinner service sets…keep your eye out on e-bay in the not to distant future… cracking plate though !!!

[fergie47]

A few old’ns

[parkroyal2100]

Fergie47:
A few old’ns
http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/download/file.php?id=158463&t=1

I have to say these bonneted wagons (Berliet?) fascinate me. They beat any Yankee ‘conventional’ hands down for looks, but the front overhang must have been a swine to deal with - sort of like tail-swing (anyone who’s driven big furniture pantechs, especially ones with drop wells, will understand) but t’other way round.

One other question (possibly something for Saviem to expound on): if the French have had so many successful HGV, PSV and car manufacturers over the decades, why were they not equally as successful at making motorbikes? Off the top of my head I can only think of Peugeot and Mobylette, yet the English had Triumph, Norton, BSA, Matchless, Ariel, Velocette, Rudge…

[fergie47]

ParkRoyal2100:

Fergie47:
A few old’ns
http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/download/file.php?id=158463&t=1

I have to say these bonneted wagons (Berliet?) fascinate me. They beat any Yankee ‘conventional’ hands down for looks, but the front overhang must have been a swine to deal with - sort of like tail-swing (anyone who’s driven big furniture pantechs, especially ones with drop wells, will understand) but t’other way round.

One other question (possibly something for Saviem to expound on): if the French have had so many successful HGV, PSV and car manufacturers over the decades, why were they not equally as successful at making motorbikes? Off the top of my head I can only think of Peugeot and Mobylette, yet the English had Triumph, Norton, BSA, Matchless, Ariel, Velocette, Rudge…

France did some spectacular bonnet-ted and cab overs in the past, some beautiful with fantastic lines, some down right ugly that only a mother could love. What they were, and I know several won’t agree, is, they were way in front design wise and weight wise than the old Brits. Being here in the late '60’s early '70’s was an eye opener, and compared to what we were driving before the influx of Swedish and European sleeper cabs, we we’re in the dark ages…

Regards French motorbikes, ( the most famous being the Terrot, but not a big capacity bike)

Here’s my theory as to why they were not big in bike production.

Prior to WW1 bike manufacturing was still in its infancy, then along came the war…France lost more men that the British, their allies, and and the Germans put together a total of 8.4 million people, both civilian and military…after the war ended they struggled to get back to normal, most young men were put to rebuilding their home land, the need for utility vehicles, vans, lorries, trains, had priority over bikes. Within 20 years it started all over again, another million persons, again, after WW2 the emphases was on building, first vans and lorries to aid the recovery of the country, then afterwards cars, so bikes really didn’t get a look in, apart from the famous Solex and various mopeds and scooters. By the time the French economy was back on its feet in the mid '50’s, there was enough money to buy in bikes for those who wanted them from, well, mostly the UK!

A throw back from the lack of bike manufactures in France is still with us to-day,…most of the EU countries signed up to a
an agreement to limit the capacity to 100 bhp max, however, not too long after this agreement countries who produced bikes, like Italy, Germany, Austria, Briton, decided if they were going to match the Japanese, they had to produce big bikes, so they scrapped it, but France, who don’t produce them, didn’t, meaning that all bikes imported into France today have to comply with the 100bhp ( + a small leeway, so your VFR would squeeze in at 106) Although this I think will one day get thrown out as it’s becoming un-workable. If for instance, as an example, you have a 200bhp BMKAWASUKIONDAYAMDUCTKTM, because if it was manufactured after 2004 it will have an EU certificate of conformity, and as such and as a European citizen they are obliged to accept your bike into the country, making of course a mockery of the 100 limit, but that’s a personal import, the bike dealers can’t import them…officially that is !!
but hey, that’s France…

[fergie47]

So for ParkRoyal2100…a few with bonnets !!!

[fergie47]

Some more, resting in peace…

[saviem]

Evening all,

Relieved to be back from the warm clutches of “the famile”…great time in South Wales…it always is…Black Country folk at heart…remember the South Wales Steel industry started with Bilston based Lysaghts “relocating” to foreign parts…The Orb was theirs!..and the Mills at Ebbow Vale, and Lanwern were designed by my late Father.

Then I find out that Pete 359, had a Truck Show on Porthcawl while I was enduring Salmon Sandwiches and "polite " conversation…oh chagrin…

But at least when I was nearly home , and stopped to refuel the Jeep, in comes a real Scania Streamline 143, on a B reg…the good ladies were not impressed with my enthusiasm…

So everyone departs for the land of nod…and I switch this “window on the world” on…oh boy…what have I missed…so much…

Thank you all for the memories…“Je Suis un Routier Moscle”…Richard, that plate is a collectors item!..Yes Fergie , its not a V8…but a 280TuT Turbo, and at the Paris Salon I had some T shirts printed, Black letters on a vivid yellow cotton…and “our girls”, dispensed with their Laurent suit jackets, and white silk blouses"…and squeezed, (I only was able…for reasons of economy), to obtain on quick order “modest” sizes…into the rather tight vestments…

Made a great impression on visitors…particularly as I gave them “generous " brakes”…provided that they found time to loiter around our competitors stands!..and then, “slink” back to ours…got me a fearsome rebuke from my resident “big cheese”…and a picture in Figaro!..and a lot of free Beer…

Fergie, those two old boys sharing a glass of wine in front of their, (relieved), Berliet of Maison Ladreyt", at the summit of the Col de Rochpot, you must remember that spot…and the beautiful Chateau, with the unique tiled roof to their right…I certainly do, (my little Foden was a similar horsepower…but not running at 35 tonnes)!!! But I loved to stop at the Bell air at the top, one of my favourite Routiers.

Johnny, those little Renault “Fainart”, (Lazy Bones, on account of the engine position), tractors, with the horizontal engine wer e very tough. Some went into the military as 4x4s, and all had the column gearchange that was adopted by Saviem for their heavies. Bet that 6x4 was a pig to reverse, let alone the centre of gravity!..Great little lorry , took massive overloads with modest power. But the “suicide” cab doors were a bugger in a high wind!

Park Royal, the big difference between the French bonneted lorries and those of our transatlantic cousins was vision. The French “capot” allowed the driver to see the road ahead, whil`st our US cousins used the bonnet as a “■■■■■ substitute”…big…massive…so you cannot see anything immediately infront of you…only 20 ft away!

Driving wise, well on a sharp in town turn, you let the bonnet get ahead of the turn, (without pulling over to the middle or opposite side of the carriageway), then turn into the curve, (remember you are sitting within the wheelbase), and around she goes, with minimal cut in, artic, or drawbar. Real gems to drive…killed off by impending European legislation on overall vehicle length…that made us all sit on top of the engine and front axle…boing, boing, boing!!!

Chis`s query ref Transports Burton, Michel answered well, Xavier Burton ran a very professional company, and as Michel said their were strong ties to our Saviem Dealer, (still in existence but now owned by RVI). Xavier was absorbed by Groupe Giraud, as they began their personal battle with Norbert, over who would be the biggest in France…Norbert won, and Xaviers fleet, as so many became a casualty. But it was a nice operation, with good staff. Red and white, then orange…stood out well…(perhaps too well)!!!

Fergie, that is a good and accurate description of the ills of the French Motor Cycle industry, the Pons Plan had a lot to answer for…but they were trying to rebuild a shattered country…I always fancied a Velo Solex…never owned one, and today about all I could handle…or perhaps not…

Gentlemen, really great posts, thank you for your work…

But me…I am away to my first Bollinger for many a day…(did I mention that my South Wales family are strong Chapel…and Tee Total…OH YES THEY ARE!!!

Cheerio for now.

[jsutherland]

Great to have you back Saviem!

[fergie47]

Fergie …How did you get on at your family bash John. ?

Saviem …Great thanks, l saw a Streamline 143 on a B plate…

Glad you still get your priorities right John, only a ex driver would say that…

[michel]

Chaumont PL is owned by Mr Desboudard who was formely an RVi man and bought the company a few years ago with the Troyes dealership.

[saviem]

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
[/quote]
Hello Pete,
Bradburn and Wedge, a true institution, and of course via Bob Bradburn, the first Scania Distributor in the the UK. The names on that building in Darlington Street say it all…Rolls Royce, Sunbeam, Morris Commercial, Austin, Morris…

Turner Cars purchased all their A series engines via Bradburns......and never paid for them!.....Jack Bradburn was a Gentleman, its all gone now......a car park, by the Methodist Church, a Bowling Alley, a Gymn, and Derry Street, where started Scanias assault on Britain…little units!..Trev H can probably tell some story`s, but I have close friendships with the family, and I will not criticise them…but what a company…and what a lost opportunity!!!

Cheerio for now,