Spotted Forthright MC

[Forthright MC]

Fun Bus said:

One of my old bosses is Operations Manager for Maxim. Useless fact for your there.

What was the tip off you had James - able to share?

Nice. Must admit they are quite striking looking livery wise!

I saw another MP4 of theirs on the A1198 today, pulling a large tanker. first time i've seen a Maxim doing that kind of work!...

As for the tip off, i was told that SA Smiths brand new "BIG 16" (A Volvo FH16 600 8x4 Euro 5 GTXXL LHD Manual 190T Gross Tractor Unit on steel suspension with drum brakes and a wide spread front bogie) would be on the road heading past my snapping spot on the way up to Bristol with a massive piling rig on the back... alas it got diverted off some place else!... Did manage to keep myself amused for a few hours looking at some other things though (I have pics if anyones interested in seeing them?...)

See here for a bit more info on SA Smith - http://www.sa-smith.co.uk/

[Gretchen]

James, were you on the bridge this evening around 5.45pm? I'm sure as we crossed the A1 further up I could see two large loads with escorts, one heading North and one South, passing each other (at least there were flashing ambers in what looked like both lanes).

I half imagined you not knowing which way to look!

[Forthright MC]

Gretchen said:

James, were you on the bridge this evening around 5.45pm? I'm sure as we crossed the A1 further up I could see two large loads with escorts, one heading North and one South, passing each other (at least there were flashing ambers in what looked like both lanes).

I half imagined you not knowing which way to look!

Evening Sam. No i was out all day today unfortunately ...

Early evenings, starting from about 3.30 onwards are a great time to see some of the more abnormal loads turn up on the A1 round here though, i've had some real monsters in the past! Guess its due to the road being quieter before and after rush hour i s'pose.

This was by far the biggest load i've seen just recently (Late last week) Finnie (Lockerbie, Scotland based) Scania R620 8x4 moving a mahoosive great big box southbound! -

[Fun Bus]

Forthright MC said:

(I have pics if anyones interested in seeing them?...)

Always!

Forthright MC said:

As for the tip off, i was told that SA Smiths brand new "BIG 16" (A Volvo FH16 600 8x4 Euro 5 GTXXL LHD Manual 190T Gross Tractor Unit

That Smiths tractor sounds pretty epic, I'd like to have seen that myself I think.

[Forthright MC]

Fun Bus said:

Forthright MC said:

(I have pics if anyones interested in seeing them?...)

Always!

Forthright MC said:

As for the tip off, i was told that SA Smiths brand new "BIG 16" (A Volvo FH16 600 8x4 Euro 5 GTXXL LHD Manual 190T Gross Tractor Unit

That Smiths tractor sounds pretty epic, I'd like to have seen that myself I think.

I'll sort a few pics out to post ASAP

As for the BIG 16, yeah shes a beast!

Still a bit disapointed i didn't get to see it the other morning, but i guess there will be another time.

Heres a pic of it on its first job that was posted up on the firms Facebook page the other day for the time being though -



They've been delivering quite a few big piling rigs just recently. Stewart, the company gaffer (Nice bloke too), took one up to Bristol on the back of the truck ^ the day before yesterday. The whole load with the truck measured 98 foot apparently!!

[Forthright MC]

Just seen this and felt compelled to post it here! -



Thats probably the nicest MP4 i've yet seen in pics!

Operated by Caffrey Trans in Ireland, who i see a few units from every now and again, this has got straight to the top of my "must see" list now!

[Forthright MC]

Before i completely forget, heres a few pics from last week!... -



Real nice new Tierney Trans R560 Topline from Ireland



More Irish goodness courtesy of this super tidy Ewing Bros XF105!



One of the locals. H.E Payne 164 530 Topline, always a top looker!



As featured on telly last night, one of Eddies 61ft wagon and drag monsters. M442, Evie Rose (I needed this one too. Winner! )



One of my personal faves from the Robinsons (Sandy based) fleet is this mighty MAN HIAB unit seen here lugging a rather large prefab!



What a looker! F.W Cox Metals R620 Topline on scrap metal duty!



Another one of the locals. Alex Glenns (Runs out of a little warehouse next door to the Sandy veg stall a little further up the road from here!)immaculate XF105, with a witty plate considering its usual workload, is always a pleasure to see.



A fine example from one of my top 3 fave fleets at the moment. Very nicely customised Frontier TGX.

Edited by Forthright MC on Saturday 6th October 20:39

[Gretchen]

Forthright MC said:

This was by far the biggest load i've seen just recently (Late last week) Finnie (Lockerbie, Scotland based) Scania R620 8x4 moving a mahoosive great big box southbound! -

What's in that box!?!

Johnny says 'Is it a big cake?'

Even if my chickens doubled their egg laying capability I don't think I could bake one that size!

[Mr Sheen]

Spotted at 13.25 on top of the bridge today, did I see from a distance you had a coat on?

It was a bit nippy today, winter is coming

[Forthright MC]

Mr Sheen said:

Spotted at 13.25 on top of the bridge today, did I see from a distance you had a coat on?

It was a bit nippy today, winter is coming

Hi Andy. Yes that would have been me, i'd have only just got there!

The coat has been back on for a week or so now... :brrr:

I guess you must have been on an alternate route yesterday then? (I did check the time on my camera when i arrived and assumed you'd have already been past!)

Gretchen said:

Forthright MC said:

This was by far the biggest load i've seen just recently (Late last week) Finnie (Lockerbie, Scotland based) Scania R620 8x4 moving a mahoosive great big box southbound! -

What's in that box!?!

Johnny says 'Is it a big cake?'

Even if my chickens doubled their egg laying capability I don't think I could bake one that size!

Hi Sam, hope you're well?

Its a good question! Quite often bulky mechanical and machinery parts are transported in boxes like that (Last time my mate from Wisbech came down, who works for British Rail, we saw and snapped a similar load that had markings on the side of the crate belonging to a big rail engineering company IIRC. I wouldn't have known that if he hadn't been there!...)

They don't half take up some room! You always see one or more Escort vans and some times a police outrider running with them!

I snapped another one headed south this afternoon, albeit a tad smaller, but more unsually shaped... -



Leicester Heavy Haulage are a fairly numerous, but always nicely turned out, heavy haulier. I've photted their rigs with varying large lumps of metal on up and down here quite often!

Oh yeah, i saw this fly over out towards your direction earlier too -



Was a fair distance away, but i'm sure i recognise the shape of it...

[Mr Sheen]

Spotted again today

Yes different route yesterday but normal one today.

[Gretchen]

Forthright MC said:

Hi Sam, hope you're well?



Oh yeah, i saw this fly over out towards your direction earlier too -



Was a fair distance away, but i'm sure i recognise the shape of it...

I'm good thank you James working lots.

Ooooh I know this one! Recognised it straight away. It's a Dakota.

My Dad used to fly to Farnborough from Thurleigh every week on (possibly this) plane. According to 'Dakota Dave', as my Dad is known, it's (probably) the BBMF Dakota & probably the only one flying in this country. Good spot! (I think he's a bit jealous)

[Forthright MC]

Mr Sheen said:

Spotted again today

Yes different route yesterday but normal one today.

Gretchen said:

Forthright MC said:

Hi Sam, hope you're well?

Oh yeah, i saw this fly over out towards your direction earlier too -



Was a fair distance away, but i'm sure i recognise the shape of it...

I'm good thank you James working lots.

Ooooh I know this one! Recognised it straight away. It's a Dakota.

My Dad used to fly to Farnborough from Thurleigh every week on (possibly this) plane. According to 'Dakota Dave', as my Dad is known, it's (probably) the BBMF Dakota & probably the only one flying in this country. Good spot! (I think he's a bit jealous)

Excellent! i had a suspicion that it might have been a Dakota, but wasn't sure due to how far away it was from me. Sure was flying low though!

I'm quite pleased with that!

Definetely think it was the BBMF machine now after looking at this! - http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/theaircraft/dakota947.c...

Edited by Forthright MC on Friday 12th October 00:26

[Forthright MC]

Spotted this monster heading south yesterday! -



A.R Demolitions new Volvo FH16 750 (750 as in 750 BHP!) currently the most powerful truck available in Europe and only the second i've seen on the road thus far...

[Fun Bus]

What a coincidence, I saw one today too and was just about to share it here. I also saw a new Volvo FH and my eyes were immediately drawn to the black hole of a grille - spoils it for me.

[djdestiny]

Loving those over sized loads!

Spotted this at work this evening, crap phone camera doesnt do it any justice though

[Forthright MC]

Fun Bus said:

What a coincidence, I saw one today too and was just about to share it here. I also saw a new Volvo FH and my eyes were immediately drawn to the black hole of a grille - spoils it for me.

Nice one, please do share it mate, i'd certainly be interested in seeing it!


Yeah the new FHs styling is certainly a bit marmite... I saw that Test Vehicle i posted a page or two back again late last week. I also found the ex driver of that very truck through my page on Facebook too, said he's now been given another one with a slighlty larger Globetrotter cab now IIRC to run for a few months. Said said they're a cracking truck to be out a few nights in, more so than the old one, apparently!

Volvo UK have got 3-4 full production spec new FHs out and about at the moment on a publicity tour including a new gen FH16 750 too. They're up north about to head into the west country at the moment i think...
I did see some pics of their Carlisle visit though (One of the trucks had a Simon Gibson vacuum tanker on interestingly...) They stopped by Stobarts yard of course...
Will beinteresting to see how Stobarts apply the cab wrap to the new FH if ESL acquire a few, the space for the name at the front of the truck between the grilles is so much smaller... I imagine they might wrap the gash plastic lower grille too.

djdestiny said:

Loving those over sized loads!

Spotted this at work this evening, crap phone camera doesnt do it any justice though

Yeah you can't bet a serious bit of heavy haulage! I've seen everything from train carriages, yachts, plane parts and all kinds of heavy machinery in all sorts of shapes and sizes pass by on the section of the road i watch over the years!

Nice 4 Series Topline ^^ looks a tidy yoke that!

Edited by Forthright MC on Friday 12th October 00:40

[djdestiny]

We see a lot of big yachts here too, mostly coming from Fairline in Oundle/Corby where they are built

[Forthright MC]

djdestiny said:

We see a lot of big yachts here too, mostly coming from Fairline in Oundle/Corby where they are built

Yeah thats them! The Fairline yachts usually come through here once or twice or month

Boatbuoy on here (hint in the user name!...) used to work for the company in the design department IIRC. Its a shame the boats are always so tightly roped and sheeted whenever they come past as they are quite stunning looking things!

This was by and away the biggest one i've yet seen being moved (The biggest heavy load of any description i've yet seen TBH thinking about it!) -





















Took them about 5-10 minutes to lower the trailer and angle the load to fit under the bridge without peeling the roof of it off!

[Gretchen]

James next time you go out on the B645 look at how many signs are dented between the Eaton Oak & the first two villages. I've seen those boats take signs & bollards out.