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• Might-have-beens
If you've ever wondered what happened to those prototype 40/42/44-banners built for the regulations which never came, it seems that at least some of them found a ready market overseas. And the design work wasn't entirely wasted, because much of it has not only been of value in developing homemarket heavies but has also been applied to some export models.
Harold Nancollis, Fodens' technical and administrative sales manager, told me last week that their special eight-wheeler, designed with an eye on the then-proposed 56-ton road-train combination, quickly found a home with a Johannesburg operator, pulling a three-axle 26-ton-gross drawbar trailer. And he was so pleased with it that he ordered a second eight-legger of the same specification — with a Cummins NH270 — to operate alongside the first.
As an outfit, each must be capable of carrying about 40 tons payload, which will make British trunk hauliers' mouths water, I guess.
• As Hanson does
Saturday August 12 was the 80th birthday of one of the best-known pioneers of haulage, Robert Hanson of Huddersfield. His family have been in haulage ever since his grandfather started a packhorse service over the Pennines to Lancashire for woollen and cloth manufacturers in 1846.
This was the forerunner of the big group in the thirties started by Robert Hanson and Charlie Houldsworth, known by these great names in those days: Bouts-Tillotson, Houldsworth and Hanson, Ryburn United, Queen Carriage Co and Bradford Parcels Express, etc, all of which disappeared into the nationalized orbit during the late forties.
The horse side of the business actually continued right up to the Second World War, when Mr Hanson was still supplying horses to the army. The company now runs a fleet of commercial vehicles and coaches, along with hired cars and taxis.
Robert Hanson was also known as a proud owner of many successful show-jumping horses and has been MFN since 1957.
The birthday party was held at his home, Norwood Grange, Huddersfield, and one of the guests there was his son, James Hanson, chairman of Trident Television and a number of other companies.
• Fiddle-de-dee
Jim Bradick was in expansive mood at the opening of the fine new A. J. Bradick Ltd depot at Leyton last week. He told colleague John Darker that the firm's Continental work now occupies five vehicles full time; there has been steady growth since the first trip to Portugal eight years ago.
"Are you making money?" asked J.D. "Many hauliers tell me there's little or nothing in Continental haulage."
Said Jim: "If it didn't pay we wouldn't do it. I'll tell you why very few make money at it; there are far too many 'bent' drivers about. I personally drove our first vehicle to a Continental destination and I still do occasional trips to check on the time and fuel consumption aspects. I talk to drivers of other firms frequently and I'm shocked at the corrupt practices some drivers boast about. They don't know I'm a 'gaffer' or they wouldn't be so candid."
On one occasion Jim learned about a fiddle involving false documentation of fuel consumed. The owner of the vehicle concerned was known to him and when the driver responsible for the fiddle learned that Jim was acquainted with his own boss he was terrified that he would lose his job.
"Did you split?" asked J.D. "No," said Jim. "I think any firm whose control is so loose as to allow such things to go on deserves all it gets."
Hmm....
• Dressed overall
There are some fancy rigs on the road in the States these days. The smaller US haulier — especially the owner-driver — has, like his Continental counterpart, always tended to go for de luxe interior trim, special paint jobs and a host of bolt-on goodies; now it seems the bigger operators are really making this a sizeable slice of the market.
To the extent, in fact, that Ford USA has brought out what it calls a "dress up package" for its W-series tractive units — and a woodgrained instrument panel, beige steering wheel and padded engine cover have been so much in demand that they've now been made standard.
Never using one word where three will do, the Americans call the new kits "premium appearance options". They can be purchased in three separate stages or as one glorious neapolitan jamboree. Package A comprises: chassis painted in body colour; aluminium deep-centre bumper; anodized alloy grille; front-and-side ornamentation; dual trombone air horns; torpedo (shaped!) marker lamps; btightwork vent window frame and "divisor" bar; stainless-steel mirrors, and a customized interior including nylon carpets and padded trim on the sleeper bulkhead.
Package B provides multi-tone paint treatments on the cab; Package C includes a bright metal exhaust stack and a special silencer wrap. My picture shows one of the units with some of the package features applied.