Hi rivits, had a Eaton synchro box in a ERF unit as you say not the best was like the renault gearbox you had
to sort of have a double take at each gear with the gearlever in and out of each gear 
not a patch on the ZF synchro box 
or the Twin-Splitter Eaton some instalations were better than others
though.
Not doubting you just I haven’t seen any ,sounds like a 16 speed eaton with no split on low range .
Dan Punchard:
Not doubting you just I haven’t seen any ,sounds like a 16 speed eaton with no split on low range .[/quoteIt worked the same way as the 13 speed Eaton Dan with the 3 way switch, my acquaintance with them was fairly brief, funnily enough its rare to get a truck these days with any form of manual 'box
rivits:
Dan Punchard:
Not doubting you just I haven’t seen any ,sounds like a 16 speed eaton with no split on low range .
[/quoteIt worked the same way as the 13 speed Eaton Dan with the 3 way switch, my acquaintance with them was fairly brief, funnily enough its rare to get a truck these days with any form of manual 'box
I liked those, my Alpha had one. The only criticism was it was a slow ‘box. Thankfully with a Cat C12 in a 6wheeler it wasn’t a problem…Except when the two front bolts on the gearbox sheared off climbing Birdlip Hill. I think the Smiths driver following mes’ arsecheeks chewed his seat. 
I got it home but it gave me great block changing practice.
My Alphas got a 16 speed eaton not sure that iam going to be keen on all this clutch pressing ,I’ve only really ever driven lorries with eaton ts in other than the Dennis 5 speed constant with eaton 2 speed axle.
The last truck I drove before I went off for my knee replacement was a MAN TGX which had the Fleet Spec AStronic gearbox which was fully automatic with no manual override. The powers that be reckon they are better on fuel that way even though the DAF XF’s they run have manual override & kick down on the same gearbox… Strange!!!
Anyway Foden seems to be the top tipper, was speaking to my Dad today who at 75 yrs of age and still driving trucks , has a fair amount of experience under his belt, He has no doubt in his mind the top tipper is…FODEN
In my last job I drove one of these hardy beasts,my last one was a 3380 fitted with a 380 Cat and an Eaton 13sp constant mesh 'box. Quite possibly the most uncomfortable truck ever made but oh my my, it was a flying machine. You could have sworn North East Scotland was as flat as The Netherlands the way it never seemed to see a hill!!! It was if I remember 100% reliable too. Has to be said though the newer models with the DAF cab were immeasurably superior when it came to driver comfort.
rivits:
In my last job I drove one of these hardy beasts,my last one was a 3380 fitted with a 380 Cat and an Eaton 13sp constant mesh 'box. Quite possibly the most uncomfortable truck ever made but oh my my, it was a flying machine. You could have sworn North East Scotland was as flat as The Netherlands the way it never seemed to see a hill!!! It was if I remember 100% reliable too. Has to be said though the newer models with the DAF cab were immeasurably superior when it came to driver comfort.
And not the greatest steering lock either, as I discovered. Cracking payload though.
This Foden with a Perkins Eagle engine was a good wagon,run by a good operator Bill McQueen.
Muckaway:
rivits:
In my last job I drove one of these hardy beasts,my last one was a 3380 fitted with a 380 Cat and an Eaton 13sp constant mesh 'box. Quite possibly the most uncomfortable truck ever made but oh my my, it was a flying machine. You could have sworn North East Scotland was as flat as The Netherlands the way it never seemed to see a hill!!! It was if I remember 100% reliable too. Has to be said though the newer models with the DAF cab were immeasurably superior when it came to driver comfort.And not the greatest steering lock either, as I discovered. Cracking payload though.
Aye you’re right, I had a 3325 with a ■■■■■■■ L10 & Eaton Twin Splitter before that 3380, was on it a week before I hit a dirt bunn in the quarry bending the bumper & smashing the headlight, I could have sworn I had plenty room!!!
rivits:
In my last job I drove one of these hardy beasts,my last one was a 3380 fitted with a 380 Cat and an Eaton 13sp constant mesh 'box. Quite possibly the most uncomfortable truck ever made but oh my my, it was a flying machine. You could have sworn North East Scotland was as flat as The Netherlands the way it never seemed to see a hill!!! It was if I remember 100% reliable too. Has to be said though the newer models with the DAF cab were immeasurably superior when it came to driver comfort.
Is this a ex Amberhill from Holme Hall Quarry,stainton,doncaster?
I drove this from new for 12 month’s, 335 Perkins and 13 speed Eaton/Fuller, and it wasn’t too bad. Wasn’t keen on the narrow cab after having a full cab for 10+ years but it did have a different pedal layout compared to the previous years model which gave more room for my size elevens! The steering lock wasn’t quite as good as the earlier Foden’s, but far better than the Sed/ Ak 400 I drove which required a shunt to get around some roundabouts. 
A downside was that it was high geared in reverse and struggled to reverse up some hills loaded. It was downplated to 31 Tonnes which gave a payload of 20 tonnes.
Photo taken on the road to the quarry five minutes before I left the company, I believe it ended up with a Tarmac O/D in the Bristol area?
Pete.
I see this post has gone a little quiet so how did you professional tipper men rate this classic beast■■?
rivits:
0I see this post has gone a little quiet so how did you professional tipper men rate this classic beast■■?
We had an Octopus new in about 1976 (P reg) 502 fixed head with Fuller range change. Despite what everyone has said we got good service out of the 502 and the gear box was well matched. It had a heavy duty alloy body as we did some open cast some quarry work and some muck shifting. Decent payload and was a good all rounder for local tipping work. we were a totally Leyland fleet of Bison’s and Reivers so cannot compare to other marques.
My late father Hugh Robinson drove a maudsley badged AEC mammoth major mark three for the whitwick granite company in coalville Leicestershire .It was one of five new in 1950 licence plate number HAY492. It lasted until 1964 don’t know the final mileage but it was a fantastic motor hardly ever broke down. It was often used at night internally in the quarry .Its top speed was 35 mph it helped to build the M1 motorway and the Ross spur.I took my first trip down the M1 the 4 th day it was opened in 1959 as a 9 year old its something I ll never forget . It covered mainly central and eastern England with just the occasional trip up north as well as lots of local tarmac work. The motorways ironical made this motor and thousands like it obsolete…35 mph couldn’t cut it anymore. It was one of five bought over a two year period in the early 1950 s all lasted until 1964. All were scrapped then.
I don’t remember anyone running Leyland Octopuses around here, did production cease along with the Bison2? I remember a lot of those.
I think it did Muckaway, I remember the last Ergomatic cabbed Leylands being the 4x2 Lynx, the 6x4 Bison, the 8x4 Octopus and the 4x2 tractor unit, the Buffalo and not forgetting the prime mover, the Marathon the later ones being Mk2 models, They gave way to the Freighter, Constructor , Cruiser and Roadtrain models in the early 1980’s
I remember seeing Constructors, Freighters and Roadtrains. The odd Marathon and Super Comet but the only Octopus I ever saw away from rallies was on the funfair.