abac007 photo.
Oily
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Posted 3 pics went to post a 4th but not allowed until someone replies so deleted one in favour of this one.
Oily
Old postcard of a truck published between 1890-1920. Carte_photo_camion_truck_rochet_schneider_chantier_des_ardennes|690x432](upload://mHuWADKI5bt0jesCBV9e7wj396e.jpeg)
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Willème LD 610 T. Here it is again, photographed by myself at the alas-defunct Locomotion en Fête in 2017.
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Coal-gas fuelled Rochet-Schneider, c. 1930.
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Froggy, Spardo, OiltreaderâŚthanks
That fantastic green Willeme, had the chance to meet the owner and sit in it at Locomotion a few years back.
What a lorry for the 6Oâs, when this was on the roads of France I was working as an apprentice on old wooden cabbed wagons with no heaters or any other cab comforts at all, the UK was way behind our European collegues in those days.
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Sad day today, lost a great friend who never let me down, weâve been together for over 19 years. Hopefully her replacement will do the sameâŚ
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Here is a picture of inside the cab of the Willème LD 610 T. I was at the same show 2 years later in 2019.
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It is certainly different, reminds me in a small way of the F 86s which arrived in Britain about the same time I think. What looks like a bunk behind the seats, must have been a bit cramped, but no more than the 86s of course, one of which I drove with such an addition. It would suffer from the same problems hanging curtains though.
Wabererâs Group - History (waberers.com)
Youâre on the right path Franglais, theyâre one of the bigger European players now.
Donât give up Senior, my excuse is that Iâm up to my balls with work, and still find the new format a bit hard to navigate. But since Iâm on the sick now, Iâll try to post a thing or two mate.
A big shout out to anyone who contributes to this fine thread, or just have a peek from time to time.
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I once had tea in a Les Routiers on a Friday night I think, I canât remember exactly where it was, but there were just a few other drivers in, I sat at a table with three French drivers, and two of them, who were about my age, were talking about the older trucks, and how those were proper trucks in the good old days etc. The third French driver, who was in his early 60s, hadnât said much, but this got him going.
Good old days? Good old days! He said. Let me tell you about those good old days! I drove a Saviem SM with a column gear change that was so knackered, that you were â â â â â â â your pants every time you had to change gear! And because of that, my left knee is now kaput! The engine noise was so loud, that Iâve lost hearing in both ears! I now drive a MAN with an auto 'box, and I wish I had that 30 years earlier!
I feel his pain, I had to change from my beloved Berlingo, in which I had driven thousands of kms all over the EU with the dogs, to a Peugeot Partner of lower spec simply because of the fact that it was an auto. My left knee and right shoulder were knackered.
Funny thing is that now when I do hardly any mileage, my right knee is playing up. 
Your meeting with the 3 French drivers was on a par with my own in La Grotte at Vierzon last June. But 2 French and a Dutchman. Great craich but at the end of the meal the 2 French went to their wagons while the Dutchman and I relaxed outside in the summer sunshine carrying on the discussion over our coffees and digestifs. Only difference was the first item on the agenda, did he prefer to carry on in French or English, as I donât speak Dutch? He chose English, of course. 
It was him who told me that the routier just up the road towards Orleans, where I might have chosen to overnight at, had been destroyed by fire. I stopped and took a couple of snapshots when I passed the next morning. It was well gutted. Had a checkered history that place. Opened on the north bound side way back, then shut down, may be twice, before moving over the road to the bigger place.
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Just think this Renault Galion was powered by a car engine; 2,2 litres and 67 bhp. Who would love climbing a steep hill with strong lateral wind?
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Not so bad in a headwind though, very aerodynamic.
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Interesting pic there Oily, as it depicts a certain Duke of Bretagne aka Senior behind the steering wheel, the Duchess of Bretagne aka Mum2 in the middle, and a certain Whippersnapper in the passenger seat 
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Sad indeed, hopefully the new owner will have as much fun with it as you had. How are you getting on with itâs âmodernâ replacement?
Would that have been the CR on Pole 45? That burned down indeed a couple of years ago, I came past it the other day, and now the parking area is blocked off as well, not sure if there are plans to build another RDC sort of thing on there?
The other one you mentioned, just North of Abbeville, has sadly been closed for a while as well, must be about a decade now I reckon? Itâs sad to see some of the old places shut down, it is what it is I guess.
Relais de La Loge on the old N 20(now D2020), massive parking areas on both sides of the road, a big shame, I have stopped there overnight on many occasions.
Chez Jo had 2 high speed servers, I think the taller one was Pascale, never knew the name of the little bloke but they both moved at the speed of light. Even more so early evening as the little one was on parking duty opposite to makes sure everyone was tight and neat and in the right position for an early start. He was the one reputed to have been a foundling on the front step one morning, and stayed there all his life, 'till it closed that is.
After it closed I migrated to La Fleurie just south of the autoroute towards Abbeville on the old N1 (now D 1001). Less parking but there was room up the side road to get everyone in. Pascale got a job serving there and I asked him where his little mate was. âRetraiteâ was the short response as he flashed past me with another armful of dishes.
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Is this the Relais de La Loge, Theillay, France (Centre-Val de Loire) you are writing about?
As it once was:
On fire
After the fire
View via GoogleMaps streetview
But if I understand correctly, it is being/or has been demolished.
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