What is this?

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Vanordinaire

Original Poster:

3,701 posts

161 months

Saturday 13th October 2018
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The initial message was deleted from this topic on 12 July 2019 at 22:56

and31

2,995 posts

126 months

Saturday 13th October 2018
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It’s an Armstrong Saurer
Lovely picture!!

and31

2,995 posts

126 months

Saturday 13th October 2018
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It’s an Armstrong Saurer

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 13th October 2018
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Any idea of the weight of that ?

Equivalent would be about 25 tonnes MAM now.

Vanordinaire

Original Poster:

3,701 posts

161 months

Saturday 13th October 2018
quotequote all
Pericoloso said:
Any idea of the weight of that ?

Equivalent would be about 25 tonnes MAM now.
Looks like about 160 2cwt bags so 16 ton load. I remember helping my Grandad load 2cwt wheat bags when I was a teenager back in the 70's, as that was about the only thing you still got in 2cwt bags, but he told me that most bulk stuff was in 2cwt bags when he was younger. You really knew when you'd loaded 160 x 2cwt(100kg) by hand and sheeted and roped it all. .

Vanordinaire

Original Poster:

3,701 posts

161 months

Sunday 14th October 2018
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Speed limit for commercials was 20 mph back then, so a load like the one in the picture from Edinburgh to Birmingham would have been at least a two day trip one way.
He quite often ran between Aberdeen and London so would be away from early Monday morning till late Saturday night for a single trip.

Vanordinaire

Original Poster:

3,701 posts

161 months

Sunday 14th October 2018
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He drove his first lorry in 1925 at the age of 15 till he gave up his HGV licence in 1985 at the age of 75, then carried on making local deliveries in a 7.5 tonner till he retired in 1995 at the age of 85.
70 years as a professional lorry driver, I don't think you could do that now.

chilistrucker

4,541 posts

150 months

Sunday 14th October 2018
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Cracking picture and I bet he had some cracking stories from back in the day.

piecost76

271 posts

173 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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No aircon, cruise, nav, Bluetooth or stereo!

How did they manage in those days rofl

Vanordinaire

Original Poster:

3,701 posts

161 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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I worked with Jonny Waugh, the guy on the right of the picture (my Grandad's the one on the left) when I first left school and he was an 'old man' coming up for retirement.
He was my Grandad's 'second man' for a few years. Part of his job was to work the trailer brake when they were running it as a 'wagon and drag'. The trailer brake had a wire rope which ran under the lorry and up through a hole in the back of the cab, and was worked via a ratchet handle by the second man on steep down hill stretches.
He started with my Grandad when he was 14_ just out of school, and was treated like an apprentice. He used to get to take over the driving on quiet stretches of road and eventually got his own licence when my Grandad reckoned he was ready.

grumpy52

5,565 posts

165 months

Tuesday 16th October 2018
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piecost76 said:
No aircon, cruise, nav, Bluetooth or stereo!

How did they manage in those days rofl
Very few had heaters , no power steering , very little if any assistance on the brakes no sleeper cabs , tough job back in the day .