Lorries of Arabia: The ERF NGC E-Book

Robert Hackford

• Herausgeber: Old Pond Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 92

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

This book is a tribute to ERF's world-class long-hauler, especially the Middle East examples, and to those who drove them. What did the ERF NGCs look like? How well did they perform? Where did they venture? What were they like to drive and to live in? And where did they stand in ERF's contribution to Britain's place in the history of the TIR-trail? Left-hand drive ERFs were, perhaps, one of the more beguiling elements in the exotic pageantry of 1970s Middle-East trucking - and this particular model earned a reputation for excellent performance in the mountains, a theme that runs throughout this book. The vision of these magnificent machines hauling articulated road-trains over the Saudi mountains in Trans-Arabia livery is a treat.

Leseprobe

Robert Hackford

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Ashley Coghill: for his encouragement, support and help in finding me contacts. Gary Corbishley: for his family’s hospitality, for giving me material and letting me drive KCH 95N. Jerry Cooke: for his family’s hospitality, for providing a fund of information and photographs, and for sharing his experiences. Wobbe Reitsma in Holland: for his excellent advice, support and pictures. Niels Jansen in Holland: for his support and pictures. Philippe Methurin in France: for his thoughtful contributions, support and pictures. Eric Vick: for sharing his memories. Richard Read senior and junior: for sharing valuable information. Mick Jones: for his contribution of pictures.

CONTENTS

Introduction

A general overview of the ERF NGC

Europe en route to the Middle East

Into the Middle East

Finale

Post-script

Acknowledgements

Bibliography

Further reading

About the author

INTRODUCTION

Of all the different models of tractive unit built by the truck manufacturer ERF over the years, I have the most affection for what I consider to be their masterpiece: the legendary NGC ‘European’, which epitomizes everything I admired about seventies long-haulers. Over a third of the 91 or so ERF NGCs built saw Middle East service – one venturing as far as Pakistan – and this model remains my favourite piece in the jigsaw puzzle of ‘How Britain Made a Success of the TIR-trail to the Middle East’. It was unveiled a few days before my 21st birthday in 1973 when I became eligible to drive one, or indeed any HGV, and for a while I followed its fortunes. I remember reading TRUCK magazine’s Euro Test, which included an NGC 420, with avid interest when it appeared a couple of years later. As a younger driver, I cut my teeth on the next best thing, the ERF B-series, but it wasn’t until more recently that I actually got behind the wheel of an NGC: it exceeded my already high expectations. Seventies ERFs still have that X factor for me: that unquantifiable ‘joyful driving experience’.

What to call this model is a bit of a minefield because ERF classification system was rather haphazard. It is variously known by the transport fraternity as a ‘7MW’, a ‘European’, or an ‘NGC’.

The name ‘7MW’ is ERF’s name for the cab, but many sources simply refer to this model by that name. Even ERF chief engineer who designed it, Jack Cooke, in an interview with Phil Read in Motor Transport in 1977 said: ‘From the outset the 7MW was virtually trouble-free, and there are not many trucks you can say that about’. Significantly, I have discounted the use of the name ‘European’ on its own to describe this truck because there were arguably three ‘European’ models: the 3MW-cabbed version, the 7MW-cabbed version (NGC) and the B-series version. All three of these, in left-hand-drive (LHD) form, were launched by ERF as ‘Europeans’, but only the NGC appears to have been continuously marketed with that name. For a brief period during 1976/1977, all three were built alongside each other. These ‘Europeans’ were all LHD, upgraded long-haul models that were designed very specifically for the European market. References to the launch of the 5MW ‘European’ appear in ERF’s in-house magazine, Chassis, issue no. 18 summer 1971. References to the launch of the B-series ‘European’ appear in an article by Phil Reed in Motor Transport 20 May 1977.

‘NGC 420’ was the model’s catalogue code – the ‘C’ stands for Cummins, and the ‘42’ stands for 42-tonner – but this code was variable according to individual truck specifications; for example, NGC 380s and 360s were listed but appear never to have been built. This leaves ‘NGC 420’ as a more accurate description, but for tidiness and simplicity, I refer to it here as the ‘NGC’. To avoid any confusion, then: this monograph is about the boxy-looking 7MW-cabbed ERF, and not about the tractive unit with the bow-fronted split-windscreen 5MW fixed cab.

This book is all about the life and times of ERF NGCs in general and about the Middle East examples in particular: what they looked like, how well they performed, where they ventured, what they were like to drive, what they were like to live in, and where they stood in ERF’s contribution to Britain’s place in the history of the TIR-trail. LHD ERFs were, for me, one of the most beguiling elements in the exotic pageantry of seventies Middle East trucking, and this particular model earned a reputation for excellent performance in the mountains, a theme that runs throughout. The vision of these magnificent machines hauling artic road-trains over the Saudi mountains in Trans Arabia livery is too exciting not to be written about. This is a tribute to ERF’s world-class long-hauler and to those who drove them. Enjoy!

Van Steenbergen’s no. 10 reposes in the yard, showing off the majesty of the Motor Panels Mark 4 tall cab. (Photo: Wobbe Reitsma collection)

A picture showing JDF 132N: This unit started life on French plates, operated by a Beresford subbie on Swiss work. It ended up in Jeddah for Trans Arabia. (Photo: Roy Mead)

A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE ERF NGC

The NGC ‘European’ was revealed at the Brussels Motor Show on 19 January 1973 and was produced until 1977: almost five years. At first, it was only marketed as an export model to European operators; otherwise it might have seen more recognition as ERF’s ‘flagship’ unit. However, it wasn’t announced that the NGC would also be made available to UK hauliers until it was exhibited alongside the new B-series at Earls Court in October 1974. British-registered examples then began to appear in early 1975.

I can account for about 70 units. As many of them changed hands, a fully accurate figure is not easy to ascertain (see Appendix 1). The NGC was conceived by ERF designer, Jack Cooke, along with his team. It was a purpose-built long-hauler, designed for international haulage just as Britain was entering the European Common Market, and operators were looking for tractive units suitable for continental work. Importantly, it had a full sleeper cab that could be tilted to 68 degrees. Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) meant that complete trucks could be delivered to the continent without the need to deliver them in ‘completely knocked-down kit’ form to avoid high import duties, as had been the case with export 5MW-cabbed units. At the same time, the Middle East boom was really getting under way, and fantastic opportunities were opening up for the more adventurous driver and operator. This was an interesting period in the history of British road transport.

In some ways, the NGC ‘European’ was quite unique. For a start, it was only built as an LHD unit – probably the only British model ever to be so. As far as I can work out, it was the only European-built model to be offered with the combination of LHD and 9-speed Fuller as standard (rather than optional). It was also unique in that it was designed primarily as a long-hauler, although they made excellent heavy-haulers, too. Unlike other makes and models that had versions for the home market, it had no right-hand drive (RHD), lightweight, or day-cabbed versions: it had a clear identity as a long-haul truck rather than a UK domestic one. It was a purpose-built LHD, powerful, heavy-duty TIR-truck in its own right.

NGC 420 (Cummins powered 42-tonner) was ERF code for this model. ERF brochures showed two lighter options, which appear not to have materialized in reality. This table shows what was originally on offer:

Chassis/tyres

Rear axle (hub reduction)

Gross weight

NGC 420

Waisted and tapered (on 12.00×20 tyres)

Kirkstall D85 13.2, rated at 13,000 kg

GTW: 42,000 kgGVW: 19,000 kg

NGC 380 (1974/75 brochures)

Straight (on 11.00×20 tyres)

Kirkstall D85 10.2, rated at 11,000 kg

GTW: 38,000 kgGVW: 17,500 kg

NGC 360 (1973/74 brochures)

Straight (on 11.00×20 tyres)

Kirkstall D85 10.2, rated at 11,000 kg

GTW: 38,000 kgGVW: 17,500 kg

In practice, it appears that no straight-framed lightweight models were ever produced and that all NGC 420s were supplied as heavy-duty 42-tonners, which were simply plated at permissible weights according to their country of operation (32 tonnes in UK, 38 or 42 tonnes in Belgium and France, and 42 or 50 tonnes in Holland). Early brochures were clearly a declaration of ERF’s intent to supply the optional vehicles according to demand. However, operators who wanted the cheaper, lighter option could buy a Gardner-engined A-series-based 5MW. The 5MW ‘European’, which continued to be offered alongside the 7MW-cabbed ‘European’, was already being offered with a choice of straight-framed chassis or waisted heavy-duty chassis, and choice of engines and transmissions, so the ‘lightweight’ market was already covered.

The only real NGC variable was the engine and gearbox combination. The NGC 360 was offered with optional Cummins NH 240 or Gardner 240 (8LXB) engines, but none supplied with them. In theory, the Gardner option would have received the code NGG 360. Initially, a naturally aspirated Cummins NHC 250 was offered in the NGC 380, but again I know of none having been supplied. As far as I can ascertain, only eight 7MWs were supplied with the optional Cummins NTC 290/13-speed Fuller combination (seven of which went to Trans Arabia). It is possible that there were others. Where it is certain that individual units had the standard Cummins NTC 335/9-speed Fuller combination, I have made it clear in the text below and in the table in Appendix 1. All ERF NGC promotional literature indicates quite clearly that the customer could choose either 9-speed or 13-speed Fuller gearboxes. However, in practice, most NGCs fitted with NTC 335 engines had 9-speed Fullers because apparently the 13-speed ‘boxes didn’t match well to 335s because of the high torque-loads but were fine when matched to 290s. I can find only three examples of NGCs fitted with the NTC 335/13-speed Fuller combination: Corbishley’s preserved vehicle (KCH 95N); 1557 PF89; GEH 513N (Albert Dale, later John Simmons), which received a replacement for its 9-speeder later in life from a Belgian donor vehicle, which was another ERF NGC operated by De Meulemeester of Pittem. There may of course have been others. However, I rather suspect that all NGC 420s left ERF with 9-speed ‘boxes. KCH 95N still has an original 9-speed shift diagram plate riveted below the dashboard, even though it was supplied new to Eyckmans with 13-speed ‘box by CDB in Belgium, who may have converted it.

So, apart from LHD, NGC’s other standard features included: a six-cylinder, 14-litre turbocharged Cummins small-cam NTC 335 bhp engine (impressive power in 1973); a 9-speed Fuller RT 9509A (RT 9095 from 1975 onwards) constant-mesh gearbox; ZF power-assisted steering and clutch, a 13-tonne Kirkstall D85 13.2 heavy-duty rear axle with epicyclic hub reduction, a 6.5-tonne front axle and a very well-appointed sleeper cab.

This picture shows a rare glimpse of an NGC with a period ‘fridge trailer, one of Richard Read’s, seen here in the glory of the Gloucestershire countryside. (Photo: Wobbe Reitsma collection)