What do we reckon 13 years later 
?
I’ve stumbled upon this thread by accident, but it was quite a pleasure to go through, with some outstanding comments of some much missed contributors…
Can’t remember any British walk-through cab in the 70s, or ever.
It’s not just HP it’s what you want to live in and not destroy your spine & the rest of your body.
If you want a British truck to challenge the Allegro as the symbol of Brexit - where would you start ■■
Atkinson with a wooden frame cab that would challenge Kenworths for 1950s styling ■■?
First of all: better is a very risky subject as the circumstances normally are very different.
At least here on the continent the regulations on total weight (in Holland 50 tonnes!!!) were
‘higher’ and hence the need of extensive horsepower.
Coming from let’s say 265hp (a Krupp-■■■■■■■ powered Krupp) in 1965 you could obtain 335hp
with also a ■■■■■■■ in an ERF-NGC by 1972-3…or an 70hp increase…do I need to say more?
One thing that’s not changed in the last twelve years is Carryfast. The closest he’s ever been to a Kenworth, is drooling over a keyboard as he dreams about an Aerodyne on the screen, like a ten year old boy.
He’s never been past the Post Office, never owned a truck, never held a position of responsibility, never succeeded at any endeavour, yet wants to argue black is white, with respected, knowledgeable and experienced experts in their respective fields.
My Answer:
Continental Lorry - would drive any of them from the 70s today
British Lorry from the 70s - Collector’s item or museum piece
I’ll take one of these please - an ERF NGC European: UK built with ■■■■■■■ Fuller Kirstall driveline. High spec Euro truck for the time. Excelled itself on Middle-East work. Could out perform most of the Euro opposition; and contrary to bad press, it actually had good back-up. Well-appointed cab and generally well-equipped lorry. Very comfortable to drive. In fact, I’ll have two!! 
(Pic: Chris Till)
When continental lorries first came over in the 60s they were usually less powerful than quite a few of the British lorries of the time but they were more comfortable and quieter. Mercedes were one of the first and it was a 1418 ( 180 bhp ) the first DAF was of a similar bhp and Maggie Deutz around the 200 bhp,
Then came Scania Vabis (LB76 ) which I think was around 220 and the Volvo’s F86 was 202 and the F88 240. British Lorries were powered by Gardner 180s Leyland power plus 212 AEC 760 which was similar and then the ■■■■■■■ 180, 205, 220 and 250 and this continued until the back end of the 70s and taking into account that most continental lorries were plated for 38 tons GTW against 32 tons and the Swedes were plated up to 48 tons so in reality they were behind us in the horse power stakes before catching up and passing us.
The vehicles which I drove in the early 70s did improve as an Atkinson Viewline was reasonably comfortable and the Scammell Samson and Crusader were fine for the time and the continentals would be under your feet on hills quite regular and would past you on the flat. The europeans used a different format to work out bhp which was less than what we used so a continental 240 would only equate to around a 220 of a british lorry and the transport journals did quote both at the time.
I drove a Volvo FB88 6x4 around 74 ish which was Pickfords Birtley depot ( ex Siddle C. Cook’s ) for a night shift and it did not compare very favorably with the Samson carrying the same weight as the synchromesh box was ponderous against the 15 speed fuller in the Samson and the 6 speed ZF in the viewline was far lighter to use. I am unable to comment on other British manufacturers as I had not driven them at that time. I know that from the late 70s onwards the continental manufacturers started to leave the british manufacturers behind and eventually wipe them out.
cheers Johnnie
I’m sure Carryfast will put us all right on this one
I started with a 150 Gardner in an Ash framed Seddon with a 6 speed David Brown box and plated at 32 tons. Not very fast but would pull anywhere.
Then in 1972 I got a Motor Panels cabbed Seddon with a 220 Roller and 10 speed Fuller box . The work was subbing for Merryfasters whose own trucks at the time were F86’s Which of course were considered SLEEPER CABS which was by and away far more important than engine size.
By the end of the decade I’d graduated to a 240 straight eight fitted in an ERF equipped with a pigeon coop stuck on the back. Euro trucks were by now F88’s 110’s or 1924’s all far superior in comfort and looks
zzarbean:
I started with a 150 Gardner in an Ash framed Seddon with a 6 speed David Brown box and plated at 32 tons. Not very fast but would pull anywhere.
Then in 1972 I got a Motor Panels cabbed Seddon with a 220 Roller and 10 speed Fuller box . The work was subbing for Merryfasters whose own trucks at the time were F86’s Which of course were considered SLEEPER CABS which was by and away far more important than engine size.By the end of the decade I’d graduated to a 240 straight eight fitted in an ERF equipped with a pigeon coop stuck on the back. Euro trucks were by now F88’s 110’s or 1924’s all far superior in comfort and looks
That’s a sweet looking TM there Carryfast, It’s spoiled a bit by the bull bar, but it sounds sweet, having had the pleasure of driving a V8 TM it does make me laugh to see a green band on the rev counter, not known for their frugality them screaming DD’s, mind you the noise is worth every penny 
Very nice 
newmercman:
That’s a sweet looking TM there Carryfast, It’s spoiled a bit by the bull bar, but it sounds sweet, having had the pleasure of driving a V8 TM it does make me laugh to see a green band on the rev counter, not known for their frugality them screaming DD’s, mind you the noise is worth every penny
would sound much better with a 290 ■■■■■■■ fred m
ubym344:
newmercman:
That’s a sweet looking TM there Carryfast, It’s spoiled a bit by the bull bar, but it sounds sweet, having had the pleasure of driving a V8 TM it does make me laugh to see a green band on the rev counter, not known for their frugality them screaming DD’s, mind you the noise is worth every pennywould sound much better with a 290 ■■■■■■■
There is a lovely sounding French Transcon in that bunch of clips
Le grand ■■■■■■■ et camion, tres bien. merci.
ubym344:
newmercman:
That’s a sweet looking TM there Carryfast, It’s spoiled a bit by the bull bar, but it sounds sweet, having had the pleasure of driving a V8 TM it does make me laugh to see a green band on the rev counter, not known for their frugality them screaming DD’s, mind you the noise is worth every pennywould sound much better with a 290 ■■■■■■■
The important bit is that it’s the living proof that the Brits were turning out comfortable,relatively powerful trucks in the 1970’s.It’s just a shame that so many guvnors were still using /speccing zb heaps instead like that ERF with a pigeon coupe for a sleeper that Mr Bean was complaining about and Bedford could’nt flog them at all here if they’d have put the bigger 8V92 in it and deleted the bus motor option altogether. 
ubym would probably change his mind about the all smoke and no go ■■■■■■■ in that case although even that 8V71 bus engine was putting out more power than the 290 ■■■■■■■ so you’re right worth every penny of the (arguable) extra fuel consumption but not just for the sound. and obviously the Dutch thought so too as that seemed to have been a Euro export spec one which ended up there and was obviously chosen over a home produced DAF 2800 .
Carryfast:
ubym344:
newmercman:
That’s a sweet looking TM there Carryfast, It’s spoiled a bit by the bull bar, but it sounds sweet, having had the pleasure of driving a V8 TM it does make me laugh to see a green band on the rev counter, not known for their frugality them screaming DD’s, mind you the noise is worth every pennywould sound much better with a 290 ■■■■■■■
The important bit is that it’s the living proof that the Brits were turning out comfortable,relatively powerful trucks in the 1970’s.It’s just a shame that so many guvnors were still using /speccing zb heaps instead like that ERF with a pigeon coupe for a sleeper that Mr Bean
ubym would probably change his mind about the all smoke and no go ■■■■■■■ in that case although even that 8V71 bus engine was putting out more power than the 290 ■■■■■■■ so you’re right worth every penny of the (arguable) extra fuel consumption but not just for the sound.
carryfast I am not going to start an incident here I just liked the ■■■■■■■ in the tm I drove at the time I was not bothered about fuel cost at the time are we done
If the TM was so good why didn`t anyone buy them?
ramone:
If the TM was so good why didn`t anyone buy them?
They were Crap “ramone” and I am speaking from experience as an operator in the 70’s-----absolute crap!!! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
ramone:
If the TM was so good why didn`t anyone buy them?They were Crap “ramone” and I am speaking from experience as an operator in the 70’s-----absolute crap!!! Cheers Dennis.
I think i remember my dad saying something similar , Associated Weavers had some in Bradford…i bet a certain someone doesn`t agree tho
ramone:
Bewick:
ramone:
If the TM was so good why didn`t anyone buy them?They were Crap “ramone” and I am speaking from experience as an operator in the 70’s-----absolute crap!!! Cheers Dennis.
I think i remember my dad saying something similar , Associated Weavers had some in Bradford…i bet a certain someone doesn`t agree tho
Imagine the scenario-----“carryfast” sat in either a KM or TM ( GM 2 stroke engine) leaning out of the cab window!! What an advert for a load of crap!! Bingo,full house,all the diseases on one shot!!! Cheers Dennis.