IRIED always done well in the municipal market, but they are also well thought of in a number of other niche areas, such as fuel-oil, beer and soft drinks. RUSTED Phaser 160T 119kW (160hp) turbocharged, or engines.The ZF S6-36 six-speed synchromesh gearbox was fitted as standard with the option of an Allison.
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Seddon Atkinson's venerable Perkins powered 2-11 17tonner may have been eclipsed by more modern models, but it's kept on running— much to the satisfaction of its operators—long after some of its younger rivals have fallen by the wayside.
Spageddon Atkinson 2-11 ri gids are ' lily regarded in a number of sectors, from municipals to general haulage. But the drop-frame examle that came our way in August 1988, soon after the arrival of the 17-tonne limit, was from a brewery fleet. Although Seddon Atkinson builds lowered rigid chassis on-line, Allied Lyons' 2-11 R17 P18 had its wheelbase stretched to 5.92m with a frame conversion courtesy of the group's engineering arm, Tachograph Services. Taylor Brothers added the cab extension and bodywork. There was good all-round access to the 560mm-high loadbed which held a 14-pallet load Despite sensitive power steering, that long axle span made it decidedly cumbersome at T-junctions. Uprated wheel and tyre equipment gave a 10.13tonne payload, but there was only 110kg of loading tolerance between the axles. This was our third 17-tonner and it beat its predecessors on acceleration and all-round performance. No wonder that in 1988 it earned our Testers Choice award in the two-axled rigid class. Around our Welsh route its 23.9lit/100km (11.8mpg) at 62.2km/h (38.7mph) was slightly more frugal than the Iveco Ford 175.17, which was also a mite slower The Mercedes 161 7 fared better at 22.6lit/100km (12.5mpg) but was slower still 0ane drawback was that its pace, especially ver motorways, underlined the need for a more effective exhaust brake. But apart from a slight ir leak we found little reason to criticise the service brakes. The lower load bed countered any need for anti-roll bars, and there were no adverse effects when traversing twisty A-roads apart from the body rubbing against the tyres on left-handers. Apart from a noisy roof vent the sleepI er conversion blended well with the i rather dated Motor Panels cab, and I was comfortable and practical Items that didn't impress our tester's eye included a high clutch pedal, an annoying eyelevel side window frame and a noisy heater fan. At the time,the rigid drop-frame sector accounted for fewer than two hundred units a year, but as this \ vehicle was such an efficient distribution tool it easily justified its high initial investment.
• Seddon Atkinson's two-axled rigids have With a greater use of 6x2/4 chassis for waste handling the split is now roughly 55/45 in favour of haulage, so there is as wide a range of models, wheelbases and driveline options to choose from as ever.
The smallest truck in the 17-tonne rigid range was the 2-11 municipal, built for waste collection duties. It was available in M17 P16 (standard) or N17 P16 (narrow) guises, on a 3.94m wheelbase.
They came with a choice of the Perkins body installations, such as restyled wheelarches and shorter asymmetric springs for a reduced rear overhang.
180Ti 134kW (180hp) charge-cooled crew-cab with a number of features to ease elling on its cabs, Seddon Atkinson was able to offer a fiveyear anti-corrosion warranty (sheet moulding compound) and plastic panAll had Seddon's venerable Motor Panels Having used Zintec zinc-coated steel, SMC 44,4 for crew, day and low / sleeper versions.
\\&40..11 / Despite the antiquated cab, such was the chassis' popularity with opertators that Jack Allen's Britannia Trucks off-shoot based a municipal vehicle on it, complete with its own distinctive Walter Alexander-made cab.
For tipper work Seddon offered a short (3.81m) model; general hauliers could choose from five wheelbases, from 4.47m to 6.25m.
• EVOLUTION In the early eighties ENASA of Spain bought Seddon from the American International Harvester group and by mid-1986 Perkins Phaser engines had replaced the older International diesel units.
In the summer of 1990 the R17, P16 and P18 models were joined by the 1721P, powered by a Phaser 210Ti engine rated at 156kW (209hp). The driveline may have been updated but many potential customers were put off by the range's old-fashioned looks.
This was remedied in 1991 when Iveco bought a majority stake in the Pegaso group which allowed Seddon to use the Iveco EuroCargo cab with a thicker, unflitched chassis frame—the first such change in 20 years.
The EuroCargo cabs have four-point coil springing which have given Seddon its first suspended cab at this weight.
Sleeper-cab versions are available with 5.64 and 6.25m wheelbases but municipal-type crewcabs remain based on the Motor Panels design. Seddon's Strato and municipal 4x2s now come equipped with the Cummins 157kW (210hp) 6BTAA or Perkins Phaser 160Ti/210Ti engines and a choice of ZF or Eaton 4106 boxes.
One of the first examples of the new range took pride of place at the Scottish IRTE show three months ago, and quite a number are in the bodyshops, on their way to active service.
• OPERATORS Allied Distribution Services, the delivery arm of the Gaymer group, has used Seddon Atkinson 16/17-tonners since 1977. It expects to get at least 10 years from a chassis and up to six out of the bodywork.
The company's Shepton Mallet depot runs a mixed fleet, but its 17 Seddon Atkinson 4x2 drop-frame rigids are all engaged on secondary distribution to Cornwall, South Wales and the Midlands.
Chief Transport Engineer Rodney Neale, now in his 18th year with the group, is reasonably satisfied with their performance, particularly since the arrival of the Perkins Phaser.
"They're clocking up between 45,000 and 50,000km a year," he says, "and apart from their major service there's no problems with the engines. We're getting 12mpg (23.51it/100km) on quite hilly distribution work," he adds, "while the Attleborough depot vehicles are doing even better around East Anglia."
The fleet gained its first-drop frame 2-11s in 1987. Seddon's narrow-track rear axle allows the bodywork to run outside the rear wheels without exceeding the width limit.
As curtainsiders tend to attract opportunist thieves ADS opted for sliding sided bodywork. Its top-hung doors provide far more security for high-value loads but they are vulnerable to damage from fork lift trucks, and although interior safety nets take care of foreand-aft movement, they do get a fair bashing from lateral load movement.
"When the runners wear and doors begin to chatter, we do most of our own repairs via Tachograph Services," says Neale.
Early on there were problems with the short municipal rear spring, which was too stiff and caused cracked flanges and broken spring leaves. ADS tried Norde rubber, but it gave too hard a ride: "Bottles were leaping out of their crates," Neale recalls. He is now considering Dunlop air suspension.
Some of the company's early 2-11s had minor selection problems with the ZF gearboxes which were dealt with under warranty One of Neale's biggest headaches is damage to the front corners: "This is occurring every other week and is costing up to £300 a time," he says. "To be fair we've had our money's worth from them, and now that SA has the full backing of Iveco,we'll probably stay with them."
Ticknell Fuels of nearby Wells is a small family firm that keeps busy delivering heating and agricultural oils to customers in urban and rural areas: there can be no harder test for a chassis, says transport manager Richard Beck.
The fleet includes 21 Seddon tankers which are all expected to earn their keep. Some are more than 10 years old and, says Beck, they're holding together better than any other make the company has used.
They cover an average of 56,000km a year and apart from one early water pump failure there have been few problems with the Phaser engines. The vehicle in question, a 1987 2-11 with the 160Ti engine, has now covered 180,000Iun (113,000 miles) and performs well.
On some ruis into remote parts of Devon Ticknells tank 's are slogging up hills all day, with their bra es taking a pounding going down the other ide.
Its early Sed ons had Spanish-made axles which had problems; first with cracking drums caused by heavy wear and overheating, then with non-availability of parts. "We j3ec know that the n ture of the job was at the centre of it," says k, "but we weren't happy about the Ion delay nor the high cost of the parts."
Axle overloads have been a problem in the past and wherever possible, 7.1-tonne front axles are specified. Springs take a hammering too, which is why Ticknells will be replacing one or two 4x2s with short-wheelbase 6x4s.
"One of our biggest beefs," says Beck, "and one which our drivers are forever reminding us about, is the awful steering lock. It's inadequate and they all seem to have different amounts of turning angle. Making deliveries to farms attracts manure which packs into crevices under the cab. It's very corrosive and you have to dig it out before it eats the metal away.
"We've had Ford D-types and Cargo cabs that have completely rotted out," he adds, "causing the company great expense in the past In contrast, we've had very little trouble with the Seddon cab, despite it being outdated and prone to peripheral fittings shaking themselves loose."
Ticknell is another 2-11 user to suffer from damage to the front bumper surround, but Beck says: "All in all, we're more than satisfied with the driveline and like the looks of the new cab."
As long as Tiknells can get the Perkins it will take the new Iveco/Seddon Atkinson. "If not," Beck concludes, "we'll look to ERF's ES8 17-tonner, whic 1 looks a good proposition too."
Seddon Atkin son's 2-11 has its admirers in the general haulage world too, although Burton's Biscuits fleet engineer Bill Littlewood says: "Its new cab is not a minute too soon. There's nothing wrong with the old one now, but it really has had its day".
Burton's has a fair sized trunking and distribution fleet, including about 20 Seddon 21 ls. Despite a few problems, Littlewood reckons it's an under-rated truck: "Many reject it because of its old `British-built' image," he says, "yet anyone concerned about the present state of our economy should look to see how many imported chassis they are running and ask themselves why they don't support our own industry more. It's a situation that doesn't arise in France or Germany."
He finds that Seddon 17-tonner parts are among the cheapest on the market, and the Cummins-powered driveline is first rate.
One of the fleet's earlier 200 models with the older Perkins engine is performing extremely well, but Littlewood prefers the Cummins BSeries to the Phaser: "It's half a mile per gallon better on fuel; more accessible for maintenance, and its performance is better too. Apart from an early experience with flywheels, we're simply wear-monitors at the moment."
One of the company's older B-Series-powered Cargos had the 330mm-diameter ceramic clutch plate, which Burton's replaced with twin organic plates, and by shopping around Littlewood discovered that there were a range of prices for the same flywheel. Cummins charged around £500, ERF charged £465 and Ford £350.
With its 2-11s, Burton changed over to Eaton gearboxes after a number of ZF units began giving selection problems. "You could engage second gear and actually be in reverse," says Littlewood. "ZF wanted us to persevere with them but we objected to being used as guinea pigs."
The Eaton box used to carry a premium. Now it comes as a free choice, but Littlewood has never been too impressed with the gear change linkage over the inlet manifold: "Seddon Atkinson can do wonderful things with angle iron...rather than make a mounting that looks neat and functional, they would rather cut and weld bits together.
One of Seddon's great strengths is its reasonably priced spares, and Littlewood warns 44 about altering - thnisseebathlaencen.seHine ,,„ -0 17, 4 centralising the - group's parts distribution operation at Winsford, but is wary about future price hikes.
Burton has taken four of the new Seddon Stratos with the Cummins/Eaton combination; they are being bodied now. "They're just what we want," says Littlewood. "An excellent driveline with a Euro-1 engine and a modern, good-looking cab."
To make room for them Burton sold several older 2-11s with Phaser 160T engines. Littlewood isn't saying what they fetched, except to say it was only half what they were worth!
West Midlands general haulier Blair Trading & Transport runs 10 Seddon Atkinson 17-tonners, from a D-reg 200-Series to J-registered 17.21s. The company is well satisfied with them.
Robert Blair, always keen to promote UKmade products, says the Phaser has done remarkably well: "Some of our early ones have covered nearly half-a-million Ks (300,000 miles) and downtime is minimal on them.
"The only problem with a ZF box that shook itself to bits turned out to be a seized propshaft," he says, "and apart from the occasional spring pins and bushes it's a likeable, boring little vehicle."
He's impressed by the latest Iveco cab but Blair has never had any real problems with the old one, apart from the headlamp alignment—the screws rust up solid, making a simple job like beam adjustment a major task.
Blair says he'll stay with SA as it's still the only four-wheeler that gives him a payload of nearly 11 tonnes. As most of the firm's contract work involves loads of more than 10 tonnes a time this gives it a good edge over its competitors.
Like Littlewood, Blair is concerned by the SA parts move to Winsford and the price and availablility of parts: "Over the past few months we've experienced non-availability," he says, "and we're none too happy about it.'
• DEALERS West Bromwich dealer Millwards is a familyowned Seddon Atkinson franchise holder. Although not heavily into used truck sales the firm does take them in as part exchange. Sales manager Chris Hammond reckons the 2-11 has been very successful, despite the numbers sold: "It's a lightweight chassis," he says, "and the Phaser in particular has been very reliable in service."
Cab rot was a common fault in the late seventies but this was cured by the introduction of rust treatment from new. He has found no major driveline or suspension problems.
Millwards had no secondhand Seddon 17tonners in stock during our visit; the company sold its last used 2-11, a low-mileage four-year old flatback in very good condition, to a very satisfied customer three months ago.
Hammond finds that first users tend to keep them for around five years, mainly on contract maintenance, and he has little trouble selling them on: "They go mainly to small hauliers, builders merchants, contractors and the like. Depending on their body spec they bring in between £7,000 and £8,000. For those chassis under five years old with an average of around 60/70,000 miles on the clock we may offer a driveline warranty.
"Our trade has suffered over the past 18 months," he adds, "but the new Iveco cab on the already successful Strato 210 driveline should improve our share of the market."
Delivery will not be a problem, he believes. "It's a question of seeing the market pick up and when that is likely to happen is anyone's guess."
Where used Seddon Atkinson 17-tonners are concerned the secondhand truck market is quiet, especially in the North-East.
According to John Sisterton, sales manager of Longfield Road Motors in Newcastle, his company has handled only 20 used vehicles in the past year (none of them 2-11s). It no longer gets involved in part exchange deals unless they've been placed beforehand.
"Up here," he says, "many Seddon 2-11 operators tend to run them into the deck, then cannibalise them to maintain others."
By way of contrast, secondhand dealer Yardley Commercial Vehicles, which recently took on a Mercedes franchise, handled over 1,500 used trucks last year and has begun this year with a bulk-buy of 34 former News Flow 1988-registered 2-11s.
All are Perkins Phaser-powered curtainsiders with an average of 350,000km under their wheels. "We are turning them over at £4,500 apiece," says one of YCV's sales staff. "We could ask more but we got them at a good price and we'll pass that on to the buyer."
Many dealers are over-cautious about buying in used Vehicles these days, he says. "They think our 1,300-vehicle Federal Express deal last year was asking for trouble, but we're careful about what we buy. We look for clean, tidy machines that have a good service history, engines that are sound, with gears that engage cleanly and no axle whine. In all the 211 enjoys a good reputation normally and has market acceptability, so we're confident."
Smaller used truck dealers, such as Wednesbury-based GC Rickards, also have a liking for Phaser-powered Seddon 17-tonners.
Rickards advertised a 1988 chassis-cab at £5,000 in CMs classified and sold it after four weeks: "It's a nice little lightweight fourwheeler that is popular among small hauliers, livestock hauliers and oil distribution firms. Apart from those with the older International engines, they're reasonably easy to sell on."
• SUMMARY There seems little doubt that Seddon Atkinson 17-tonners with any combination of Perkins Phaser or Cummins B-series engine; Eaton or ZF gearbox, and Rockwell axle have loyal followers.
There are criticisms, such as poor steering lock, too low a front spoiler and problems with the early cabs. But the present chassis is an old favourite with the municipal authorities and waste contractors, and is generally well proven in service with cheaper parts leading to lower maintenance costs than most of its competitors.
The Motor Panels cab has been revamped to a reasonable level; it's fairly attractive and is practical with none of the corrosion problems associated with earlier versions.
Glass's Guide and CAP's Red Book both say that a five-year-old 2-11 flatbed 17-tonner in average condition is worth around £4,750 on buy-in, and retails at around £8,300.
In recesssion-hit reality, as Burtons Biscuits' Bill Littlewood found out, a new Seddon Strata 210 buyer with one to sell on might not be so lucky.
CI by Bryan Jarvis