You might have heard of him. His ERF building saga over the last year or so on Facebook has had more twists and turns than EastEnders or Coronation Street and is a damn sight more entertaining.
He’s spent this time assembling a fleet of ERF ECs and tackling ambitious projects such as cab and roof swaps. This isn’t a hobby though, these trucks aren’t destined for the preservation scene; this is a passion and a dedication that’s in the blood. The plan is to put them to work.
You can’t establish a haulage operation with such old trucks, can you? We visited Robert at his Somerset farm to find out.
Parked there are three, complete ERF EC11 tractor units which have been refurbished and rebuilt to various degrees by Robert, including painting them. He also has a classic B-series, and a line-up of customer trucks waiting for attention. Completely self-taught when it comes to HGV mechanics and bodywork, he has now obtained a reputation as a bit of an EC specialist. Why though, does Robert have such devotion to an old British truck? To find out, we need to go all the way back to the start.
“I grew up around British lorries” says the 41 year old, “my father Chris, Uncle Phil, Grandad Colin – all drivers.” His first experience out in a truck was with his Dad in a Leyland Bison hook loader and Robert would spend as much time as he could on the road during holidays. It was always British trucks too, of varying quality as you can imagine. “He had a Seddon Atkinson 400 – that broke in half. Then a 401 and the first Strato in the UK” he says.
Early Memories
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Esta historia es de la edición June 2020 de Truck & Driver.
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Well forked Daf
Remember, we like to cover all sorts of different trucks here at T&D – like this impressive new CF rigid complete with Moffett Mounty forklift
King of the hill
Moving heavy equipment off road calls for a truck with plenty of power and traction, which is why M&J Plant chose a mighty 6x4 FH16 750
Time Machine 2015-2019
It’s the final part of our series on the history of UK haulage. Let’s look back at those innocent times before that pesky virus turned up
Original and best
There are few trucks which have been customised to the level of the Scania 143, but let’s not forget that the standard product was pretty awesome just as it left the factory, like this rare 420
GOING ALL THE WAY
Simon Rogers got behind the wheel as soon as he was able to, and nearly 30 years later, his company is going from strength to strength, with a striking all-black, top-spec Iveco S-Way 570 the latest addition to the fleet
Abnormal loads
In the distant past, when dinosaurs roamed the planet, truck drivers were a very different breed, made from sterner stuff than us mere mortals
Range change
After a gap of 13 years, Renault trucks have reappeared in the unique colours of MacRitchie Highland Distribution. T&D takes the high road to Inverness to meet owners, Donald and Catriona MacRitchie
Cutting a dash
Freshly showered and munching a healthy egg and cress sarnie in Gloucester North services, Chris has a Foden update
Air we go!
On Saturday 29 May at 6pm, 240 drivers gathered with their trucks at South Mimms Services for a parade to raise vital money for Essex & Hertfordshire Air Ambulance
A Cutt Above
From coal to turf to fencing and loads more, there’s not much the Calcutt fleet hasn’t transported over the years
