I had the dubious pleasure last week of driving a Bedford TL, the luxury no power steering model . ‘A’ Prefix registration, we have a Merc 813 of the same vintage which has power steering.
If the day driving the TL wasn’t an education in effective push pull techniques, I don’t know what is. Certainly a lesson in planning ahead, proper speed regulation and forward thinking.
Was just wondering at what point did power steering become standard across truck ranges?
I assume it was introduced earlier to the heavier trucks. This was 7.5t obviously, I dread to think of an 18t or even an artic without it fitted.
Just goes to show how much the ‘driving’ experience has been removed from our control you could argue, although in the case of power steering it was definately the way ahead. Maybe in 20-30 years I will feel the same about auto boxes Being a younger driver, not often will the opportunity come up to drive a proper old truck. Can anyone recall any decent memories of pre-power steering trucking?
Bet truck drivers had arms like popeye, back in the day. Probably a ■■■■ sight thinner too
My first artic was a AEC Mandator NDV921M that was in 1980. Had just passeed my test at 21 and was keen as mustard then worked for a fruit and veg merchent then and had a drop at Gateway’s Bishopsworth depot in Bristol. You entered the yard at the top of a steep slope and then had to turn 90" left down to the bottom of the yard the jack knife right round tight back up the hill so you could the back into the doorway. Had to lean out the open door at the bottom of hill so i could get the cab round quick in the limited space One day sliped and nearley fell out the cab Still was a lot fitter in them days
i used to drive a bedford tk without power steering and you learnt to load it back end heavy, then we got a newer one with …power assisted steering ,we thought it was the dogs goolies. i then moved to a different firm and got a motor which had full power steering AND air brakes whooooooooooooo what a motor. all this was about 30 years ago.
I used to have a D series ford as my first own truck for moving my vintage tractors about…it had power assisted steering which was basically a power ram it didnt do a lot at standstill really.
This had no power steering. None of our Fodens or Leylands (Artics) had it either. We also only had one 6" X 4" mirror on either side, but that was all we new in those days.
It all added to the rope calluses on your hands.
Artics were easier than heavy rigids because you could blip the throttle to momentarily lift the weight off the front axle and pull it round a tight turn in short jumps.
The first wagon I drove with power steering was an Atkinson Viewline but because of the that they only provided a tiny little steering wheel about the size of a small car’s. Felt really strange.
Later I drove Mercs with power and the German’s insisted on a minimum size for the wheel which was large as a safety measure to give some leverage and control in the event of a power failure.
I was given a Bedford KM with power steering and a proper handbrake that made a psss, whoosh sound as you released it. I knew than that I was a proper lorry driver
My old man used to go on at me about him doing Scotland in his diamond “T” with no heater and holes in floor, nothing but a engine cover blanket to keep some warmth in.
First wagon I drove that did have PAS was probably a Leyland Martian, the 6x6 army recovery truck of the 1960’s; this would have been around 1979/80.
When I reached Civvy Street in the early 80’s, it was still a rare luxury on rigids under 13 tons; think the first one I had was a Ford D1314.
As WildGoose rightly observes, far more forward planning, together with a more measured approach to obstacles, is necessary without such “luxuries” as power steering, lift axles, diff-locks and the thousand and one things which today’s drivers take for granted.
It causes me to wonder if the improvements in technology, equipment and safety over the last twenty-five years or so have indirectly contributed towards the gradual decrease in driving standards across the board ? Not that I’d want to go back to the old days of course but I frequently come across similar themes on the car and motorcycle boards which I read or contribute to.
Perhaps a subject worthy of a seperate discussion; this thread’s got the potential for some interesting replies yet.
on a similar theme we used to have a removal wagon with a vanplan body (doors were just like they had been cut out of bodywork with a hacksaw)
we put a full load on one day tight fit so every bit of space was used.
when we tried to get into cab the weight was so great over the luton we couldn’t open the doors, we eventually had 2 choices ,either unload and redistribute it or do a “dukes of hazzard” and climb in thru windows.the customer thought we was mad and wondered what we was up to till we explained. then i could hardly turn the steering wheel cos of the weight.
them were the days
Spardo:
The first wagon I drove with power steering was an Atkinson Viewline but because of the that they only provided a tiny little steering wheel about the size of a small car’s. Felt really strange.
I got to drive my Viewline with the tiny wheel AND a dead power steering pump - fortunately, it was only with an empty trailer but I woudn’t want to repeat the experience!
. ‘A’ Prefix registration, we have a Merc 813 of the same vintage which has power steering.
Being a younger driver, not often will the opportunity come up to drive a proper old truck. Can anyone recall any decent memories of pre-power steering trucking?
One day sliped and nearley fell out the cab 
Still was a lot fitter in them days 
