A brief history of the rigid eight
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HALF a century of eightwheeler rigids on the roads is celebrated by the publication o. The Rigid Eight (Peter J. Davies; £1.20 plus 20p post am packing).
When did rigid eights first appear? Who built them? What special role do they play? Author Peter J. Davies provide: some useful facts in this brief, illustrated history.
"After reaching their peak of popularity in the Fifties, the British rigid eights declined in numbers in the late Sixties. Now they have once again found a role to play in haulage What is more, the past decade has seen a growth in rigid eights in many European countries," he writes.
"They have grown in numbers in Holland, Switzerland and Germany, having been popular in Italy fo many years. In Spain too they are a very common sight. Among the other countries where rigid eights abound are Australia and New Zealand.
"More recently Sweden and Finland have begun to adopt them for certain types of transport."
Peter J. Davies, 17 The Avenul Flitwick, Bedford MK45 1BP.