minister of defence is still up for grabs . we would need a very experienced arctic or b train operator , adept at awkward reverses as the french army seems to excel at going backwards .
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A few Saviems for Saviem…need all the details Mr Saviem SVP…
Also Photo bucket keeps f’in around, 2 of the pic’s won’t show full view…also, I know the last isn’t a Saviem, but the AEC badge indicates a story which I KNOW Saviem will know
[
And while he’s giving us the benefit of his experience, would he have a gander at the trailer behind the Willeme and tell us if we can see fancy landing legs or a Gallic form of tipping ram?
Hi Saviem, I think you ought to have a minister of strikes, he would have to be a hard line union man and you must know a suitable character for this position. When they strike they don’t ■■■■ about they do it and they all stick together. One of the few things I admire about the frogs even though there action cost us money and grief in the past, cheers Buzzer
Evening all, Fergie, what a feast of photographs!!
Starting at the bottom, (as befits me), for today, …yet another 1500gallons from the odious depths of the domestic septic tank…and more rain tonight…so I have left her coupled up, for there is little to do on fields so wet that they do not allow any water to soak away…now how can one grow rice■■?
Andre Bonifay, of La Garde, Var, has a quite remarkable collection of old French equipment, many, well preserved , await renovation, (or sale…but he knows the values)! Plus some beautifully restored pieces. The image shows his 230hp, AEC engined Willeme , LF202H, fitted with the Cottard, (Bourg en Bresse), Horizon cab. It is coupled to one of his old tipping trailers, I cannot remember if this is a Coder, or Heulitz, but to answer your question ROF is fitted with the contemporary French tipping rams, outside of the chassis rails. With the body down, they point forward, as the body is tipped they rise to vertical at maximum elevation. The trailer is quite stable, even on uneven ground, or with a “sticky” load, but this type of ram is heavy, and in some cases Coder fitted two more “helper” rams inside the chassis rails, slightly rearward of the outside ones…the speed that some of these articulated trailers could tip at was amazing, particularly those on “Traveaux Publics” work, and the weights that they carried…wow!!! But they were incredibly stable when compared to the UK type of front end gear.
Same thing with the universal 6x4 TP tippers, Mack, Berliet, Saviem,and Unic. Heavy construction, solid stable underfloor tipping gear…but they did work at 26tonnes…32…40…plus tonnes!!!
Bonifay also has a delectable "Nez de Requin, Willeme LD610T, often seen with this trailer…and I think he has an R356 or R360 Berliet/Renault as well…if Michel reads this he will know and advise us, for I think that he knows both Bonifay, and Casalet quite well. I think that in the collection is also a Willeme-PRP TG 6x4 ballast tractor 150 tonner, with a ■■■■■■■ 335, now that is some lorry! But those AEC engine Willeme`s were a great hit with French operators, and Willeme also marketed the BMC range under their name, again popular…then Leyland killed it dead! Willeme needed assistance, either a joint venture/partner, or cash injection, (the French truck market of the 60s was dire), but Leyland chose to walk away…why? Never ever explained!
Then Fergie shows the finest French lorry never sent to the UK, the Saviem PS30. Powered by the upright MAN PR6T,280 net DINhp, 6 cylinder, with the double reduction P1332 rear axle, and either Saviems own synchromesh GV350 10 speed box, or the Saint Nazaire built RTO9513 Fuller. Weighed less than 7 tonnes ready to go, full of fuel , and on some of our press tests.....Poids Lourd, LOfficiel des Transporter, La Vie des Transporter, at 38 tonnes averaged out at 39 litres per 100 kms, and an average speed of 65kph…pretty outstanding back in 78.
An absolute dream to drive, ultra quiet, flat floor, real ventilation without a/c, very precise steering, a gearchange to dream about, (Fuller of course), and a creamy, responsive, grunt filled sweet six cylinder…who did not drink a lot! Hills…what hills…you just did not notice them. Oh I loved to drive that lorry! But she got me expelled from school!
At Trucks 79 Eurotest I was there with the Berliet TR305, black and chrome, a visual delight , and as a standard lorry a real delight. Pat, (Kennett), loved her, was surprised at her economy, and her wonderfully easy driving style. But Pat and I had known each other for years…so there was no bull between us. So I had a little wager with him that the sensational vehicle of that test would be…the MAN.
So of course when my prediction came true…Pat was after me for the details…and of course I told him…
Pat, being Pat did not let it rest there, and chased every contact that he had in RVI for details of this" hidden" gem of a lorry, the Saviem PS30. That was when the ceiling fell in on poor hapless me! For I swiftly found myself “on the carpet” for “was I not a true Renault man”, where marque loyalty, Saviem, or Berliet did not exist any longer…and did I not realise that Saviem heavies were “dead”…Berliet, and Maxi-Couple from now on…oh sackcloth and ashes would be too lenient…so I found myself back at Blainville…and studying the specification of our new Mack MS Serie…and then I was away to that other great English…(really)…, speaking nation…who drive on the right.
But I still love the PS30, and Fergies picture of the Calberson liveried example reminds me of other stories regarding that great company…and how many Transport operators do you recall having a Radio Station on their own premises, that had a captivated National audience…■■?
Transports Diguidard, Fergie they should be on the North African thread!!! A fascinating company…as was your earlier image of Mdme Stouffs SM300 V8, a “real” Middle East outfit, …wonder how many in the fleet had that same number plate■■? Never ever take a trade in from Stouff, I was advised…but in the heat of battle I did…another story for another day perhaps…
I have gone on too long, forgive me, for those pictures drown out the rain, and cold, and bring back the warmth of dear France, and those early Saviems, with the 836 cab,( a pleasant workplace), powered by the old SOMUA diesel, or in the case of the “streamlined” Bonbel outfit, with a rare, but good Henschel diesel, from the short lived joint venture, but the others have the MAN designs to move them along…
Happy days, and the sun always seemed to shine…even in Robaix!
Thank you for the memories, a small Bollinger I think before bed…
Cheerio for now.
Fascinating information once again Saviem, thanks for sharing it with us. 
The same Willeme TL 201 H before it was sold to Mr Bonifay by Mr Calsat last year.It’s true that Mr Calsat has still some 6x4 and 8x4 still to sell.
I fixed this so the lads can send the 6’ monitors back now. dd. 
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How did the PS30 differ from the contemporary MAN- was it the 16.280- it seems that both had the same cab and engine?
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Moderators- the thread has gone fat again. Sorry to be a moaner.
I knew you’d know about those trucks Saviem, but not that much…great info there.
Think I’ll post up a couple of French trucks every week, for your expertise, they won’t all be Saviems,
but mostly French, with a few “others” thrown in to test you…
Think someone needs to re-adjust that last photo…it’s too big…
Saviem, have sent you a PM…
Fergie47:
Think someone needs to re-adjust that last photo…it’s too big…
I fixed it, done and dusted 
dieseldave:
Fergie47:
Think someone needs to re-adjust that last photo…it’s too big…I fixed it, done and dusted
Good man… 
Saviem, thanks for the info on the tipping rams. Monseur leFrancais obviously puts H&S more highly up his priority list than we do! Or could it possibly be that the British tipper driver is so skilled that he can be trusted to operate a lightweight gear?
Fergie47:
Here’s the Fergie…working for a living
Couple of Saviems for Saviem…not that I’m sniveling…
I’m surprised at you Dave,not conforming to Elf & Safety by not having a “roll bar” fitted 
I’ll drop you one off this load of MF roll bars that were manufactured for a while at an Engineers we worked for in Kendal,they’ll not miss the odd one eh! Cheers Dennis.
[zb]
anorak:
How did the PS30 differ from the contemporary MAN- was it the 16.280- it seems that both had the same cab and engine?
Moderators- the thread has gone fat again. Sorry to be a moaner.
Evening all, oh what a day…the deluge to end all …like living within a natural power shower…the best Hay paddocks have a silver sheen of water that is going nowhere…and as for the ■■■■…its going strong, and very, very green. But as for the rest…well all that can be said is that the Hedges are so neat, for we have spent so much time cutting them!!!
Amazing, all this rain, yet when my “Ratman” came today, (looked a little like a drowned Rat when he had finished the baiting trays), we find dear Roland Rat is well alive, despite the rain, and eating the poison like mad! There can be no doubt that when mankind has destroyed itself…dear old Roland and his tribe will still be going strong!!!Amazing creatures indeed.
Anorak, main differences, front axle, rear axle, Gearbox, if the Saviem GV350 fitted, (and I have a feeling that the Fuller installation was different, but I would have to find the specification sheets and drawings out to confirm that point), totally different interior, Saviem cab mounted 50mm higher on the frame, different springing, and air suspension, (if specified). Fuel tank, air reservoirs, pipework, electrical installation instrumentation, Radio, seating and upholstery. I would also have to check on tyre equipment, 1200x20, but I think the spec differed. And the chassis was a French one!
Really a different lorry, with the same engine, but torque rise was different, and of course the 79 MAN Eurotest lorry was the uprated version with the “tuned port” technology…but would give similar performance, (but better), than the PS 30.
But logic dictated that the vertical integration, and engineering investment at Venissieux would triumph over the facilities of an “assembler”, and it meant that the product remained a French one…even if all the emgines utilised MAN combustion technology!
Cheerio for now.
I’m surprised at you Dave,not conforming to Elf & Safety by not having a “roll bar” fitted I’ll drop you one off this load of MF roll bars that were manufactured for a while at an Engineers we worked for in Kendal,they’ll not miss the odd one eh! Cheers Dennis.[
…
Dennis…P L E A S E…H&S is a priority especially in my roll as Brothel Minister,
my girls will be very Healthy and very Safe… 
I await the delivery of a Fergie anti roll bar, in exchange for half a ton of Brie,
or 2 hours with madam Fifi…your choice… 
](http://s782.photobucket.com/user/Bewick_2010/media/025_25_00_zpscb723a5a.jpg.html)
On second thoughts Dave I don’t want to temp you with "access"to a full load of roll bars otherwise every little farmer in Brittany would get one So as this trailer will be passing by on to-nights trunk I’ve told the driver to just pull up and throw this one over y
our hedge Cheers Dennis.
Nice one Den…Brie / Fifi, on their way…
Evening all, no, no, no, Fergie, Brie, and pink caravans are forbidden in ■■■■■■■■■■■■ because the locals think that is ointment for the sheeps feet…or something to prevent the cold entering ones loved ones chest…and pink caravans because the bright colour defiles the beauty of those ■■■■■■■■ hills…
but a thought, in the quest for ever more diversification have you noticed how Eddies army only wear muted shades of pink on their Hi Viz vestments…could it be that Tinkler, and the unwashed have decided to diversify into a “cash positive” business, and are employing an army,…nay a fleet of …mobile passion waggons…so that is why the middle axles are always up…up…up and away. No wonder there is a veritable army of spotters…
But there is room next to that “art nouveau” edifice on the sea front at Morecambe for a pink Caravan…but planning permission would have to be sought…and advise “fifi”, that fish nets mean just that on Morecambe Bay…and no Fergie looks right with a roll bar…particularly on such level pasture…far more breeding than a Vizeron…
Cheerio for now
Just a thought…is “Fifi” a new star on the Eddie Spotters lists…
Its driven me to the Bollinger!
Just a teaser for M. Saviem…
What tatty interior does this belong to…? and it ain’t a Saviem, but you already knew that…
