1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
Operators' spares list.
Page 56
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ROLLS ON SERVICE
THE MIXTURE OF Seddon Atkinson, Rolls-Royce and Eaton aroused great interest when we road tested the SA400 tractive unit with R-R 2651 engine. So much so, that we've been back to Oldham for more information on service back-up.
I talked to Richard Ide (marketing director) and Walter Booth (chief engineer) representing the truck manufacturer and also to Ray Miles (Chief applications engineer) from Rolls-Royce.
As far as the fuel consumption was concerned, they were all obviously very pleased with the 38.5 It/100km (7.3 mpg) achieved over the 1184km (735 miles) operational trial. One of the major changes to the vehicle's specification was the adoption of an Eaton axle in place of the normal Seddon group component because of the lack of a high enough ratio and I asked what implications this had for future designs from Oldham.
As Richard Ide said: "We weren't taking full advantage of the low revving characteristics of the engine. There was a lot of discussion on the subject before the Eaton was used."
I wondered if this meant that all future Seddon Atkinsons with the 265L would be so equipped (the Eaton has a ratio of 4.56 as against the highest Seddon ratio of 5.05). "That does not mean anything of the sort!'" was the official Oldham comment so presumably work is afoot to extent the Seddon range of ratios.
Because of the similarity in maximum engine speed between the Rolls and the Gardner, I suggested that perhaps the vehicle was aimed at taking over the 8LXB market with its relatively long waiting list. Richard Ide, ''Not as such. We have had customers who have said 'If we can't have an 9LXB then we don't want a Seddon Atkinson.
Now they are saying that the Rolls looks like a good alternative so we are getting business which we would otherwise have lost. We are not interested in replacing the Gardner market -what we want is additional business. So far, the big interest for this particular model has been shown by the large own account operator.
From Rolls-Royce point of view, Ray Miles stressed that driver training was essential to get the best from the engine in terms of economy. "The driver must be encouraged to use the efficient speed range for maximum economy. We have had reports of drivers changing down on hills at 1,700rpm because they have been used to high revving engines which wastes most of the L version's potential."' Walter Booth was understandably upset about the park brake problem which must have wasted a good couple of gallons on the test although "I'm still very satisfied with what we got. It's about what we expected."
All in all the Seddor Atkinson/265L had performec as well as its builders hac expected which makes a plea sant change for one of oul tough tests!
Of course, a truck is only good as its spares and servicE back-up so as a guide to parts, prices and service times I have included a list for some typical bits and pieces -some large, some small.
• Graham Montgomerie