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
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200 
LIFE AFTER FODEN
Page 64
Page 65
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Foden's demise may leave a big hole in truck manufacturing, but those customers it will leave behind have nothing but praise for the historic marque.
Julian Milnes reports.
IF ONLYTHERE WERE more companies like GW Sissons in Leeds Foden may still have had a chance of survival. Having initially dealt with the manufacturer at the end of the Second World War they established a relationship that has survived to this day. So its not surprising that the first three Foden Alpha tractor units to be specified with the ZF AS Ironic automatic transmission have been allocated to the haulier.
This current batch of new arrivals, which join a fleet of 65 tractors in total, are powered by 11-litre Cummins ISMe diesels, rated at 420hp and matched to the 12speed automated transmission. These units will be involved in dry freight distribution, working on long established contacts for companies such as Britvic Soft Drinks and Caradon Plumbing.
Speaking on the closing of Foden, managing director Bryan Sissons says: "It's a really sad moment in British road transport to see them depart after all this time. We have stayed loyal to the brand thanks to the vehicles' reliability and dealer service provided by Pelican Engineering. We also found them extremely well built and the Cummins engine was a gem. It was one of the main reasons we stuck with them."
As for the future, Sissons is keeping his cards to his s chest. "We're currently being courted by several manufacturers, but we'll take our time over the decision as whoever we go with next will provide for the fleet."
IF YOU'RE GOING to order an upper-tier vehicle such as a Volvo FH16 you might as well go the whole hog and convert it into the UK's first five-axle 10x4 tractor. Designed and engineered in-house by AMC Heavy Haulage it includes three steering axlesthe other two are hydraulically actuated with lifting capability, while the rear axle, positioned behind the drive axles, contra-steers for increased manoeuvrability.
AMC's director Steve Coombe says: "With axle weights and manoeuvrability becoming more and more critical we have had to look at a number of ways to tackle both these and other issues, including five-axle trailers,jeeps and interdollies. Most have proved impractical due to being too long, too heavy or too expensive.The conversion of a tractor unit has proved to be lighter, stronger and more reliable fOr the type of work we do."
The 610hp truck has been specified with a Globetrotter XL cab in Prestige' trim, including leather seats and trim, CD player, electronic climate control and fridge and microwave.AMC will run the 150-tonne GCW truck with a specially designed Nooteboom Euro 95 trailer with a longer, heavy duty neck, transporting a wide range of heavy equipment, including piling rigs, across the UK.