55 minute read
MANOR SCAFFOLDING
The Ready-to-Go DAF LF scaffold truck with Bevan body brings a smart, professional image to scaffolding companies.
There’s an outdated perception of scaffolding companies that comprise of a battered old lorry turning up late for a job, with a team of a burly individuals not recognised for their customer relations skills. Let Manor Scaffolding disavow you of that. The Buxton-based business is as far removed from that dodgy rogue-trader cliché than you could possibly get. It’s an extremely reputable operation built on customer service, and DAF Truck’s Ready-to-Go programme has helped the company reach its impressively high standard of professionalism.
Looking the part
DAF Driver caught-up with Damien and his workmates at an industrial site run by one of the company’s high-profile clients, Lhoist UK in Hindlow, where we found the trucks – and the chaps – hard at work. “The new DAFs have really helped put us on the map,” says Damien Healy, Managing Director at Manor Scaffolding “we arrive on site looking the part – our clients can see straight away that we’re a thoroughly professional outfit. The lads are turned-out in Manor uniform too, and the high quality of work we deliver is reflected in the DAF vehicles we run. “We’re certainly raising our own standards and, I like to think, for the scaffolding profession generally. And my lads definitely don’t fit the stereotypical mould of a scaffolder. We did a job at a care home recently, and I received brilliant feedback saying that our lads helped some of the residents with shopping and other chores. It’s this courteous, extramile attitude, which is setting us apart and, I have to say, our new DAFs are helping us build a great image for the business.” DAF Trucks’ Ready-to-Go programme represents the market-leader’s ready-bodied, UK network-wide portfolio of construction, waste and utility trucks. The programme is designed for operators requiring a role-specific truck at short notice, often to fulfil last-minute contractual obligations, but also simply because the truck’s exacting specification is the perfect tool for the job.
Boxes ticked
“Our new DAF LFs have ticked every single box for us,” says Healy, “the truck, the bodywork equipment, the dealer support from Motus Commercials – everything – it’s as though the trucks have been built specifically for us. The guys at DAF who put together the Ready-toGo package really know what they’re doing and we’ve also established a great partnership with them.”
Burdensome repair bills
Healy described to DAF Driver how operating older Ivecos and Isuzus was becoming a financial burden, and that having bought a used, but newer, DAF LF on a 56-plate had turned him onto the market-leading, built-inBritain brand. Fed-up with those burdensome repair bills for the older trucks, Healy went online to find his nearest DAF Dealer. “I found Motus Commercials in Stoke was my nearest DAF Dealer,” says Healy, “so I called and Matt Durose picked up the ‘phone. I simply asked if he did scaffold lorries and he said ‘yes we do’ before describing the vehicle he had in stock on the Ready-to-Go programme. Big three-seat cab, 21ft six-inch drop-side Bevan body, stepclimb and all the bells-andwhistles. It was exactly what we needed,” he says, “Matt then told me I could have it for £55,000 – brand new – I couldn’t believe my ears! I bought the truck unseen there and then.”
Different league
“Key for me,” he says, “is that we now arrive on site in purpose built, high-quality trucks that present a highly professional image for my business. It’s like operating in a different league, and feedback from our customers has underlined this. We’ve definitely won new business on the back of it.” From care homes to major clients, Manor Scaffolding tackles jobs for a diverse client base including industrial, heritage / restoration, newbuild projects and residential, with high-profile contracts successfully completed with companies including Tarmac, CEMEX, BOC, HSE and National Grid. Healy started the company in 2008 having previously worked for the aforementioned ‘typical’ scaffolding company. He then worked off-shore for a time before returning home to Buxton to set-up his own business with the objective of securing a more reliable income. The company is now thriving with 11 employees, with contracts secured for the foreseeable future and plans to grow the busines further.
Right tool for the job
The DAF / Bevan combination also provides Manor Scaffolding with side cameras, rearview camera, beacon lights and a low-level window in the passenger door. Height adjusting rear air-suspension is also, Healy says, “a massive plus for loading and unloading”, while task-lights on the steel-head board also come in for praise, making the job just that much easier in low-level light. For scaffolding operations generally, the DAF / Bevan combination presents a compelling business proposition – as has been evidenced by Manor Scaffolding which now runs three DAF LFs with Bevan equipment. “Matt Durose has been excellent,” explains Healy, “he’s very involved in our truck requirements. It’s a real partnership. That first new 19-plate DAF LF was a revelation for us, and, in anticipation of more work ahead after Covid restrictions are lifted, we’ve taken two more with the same specification – both fully-kitted out with Bevan bodywork and ready for work.”
Available right now
Key to the appeal of DAF Trucks’ Ready-to-Go programme is the immediate availability of a complete vehicle – often an urgent requirement for operators, like Manor Scaffolding, facing unforeseen and unbudgeted VOR workshop repairs or confronted by fast-moving and unexpected contract demands. The Readyto-Go range also includes hookloaders, tippers, mixers and now curtainsiders too, with DAF Trucks having seen a steady increase in demand for these vehicle types. This was precipitated last year as operators ‘upgraded’ to Euro VI ahead of the introduction of Low Emission Zone standards in March this year, in London, for trucks above 3.5-tonnes. During last year’s COVID-19 lockdown, when the UK saw a significant upturn in the home improvement market, DAF’s Ready-to-Go programme also saw a spike in demand for role-specific vehicles with immediate availability – especially for DAF LF Skiploaders with Hyva bodywork and, fitting the bill perfectly for Manor Scaffolding, DAF LF Scaffold trucks with Bevan bodies. Alongside the Bevan Group, DAF Trucks works with a number of the UK’s leading bodybuilders to ensure exacting specifications meet with a wide range of customer demands – all supplied through the DAF Dealer network, cutting delivery from months to weeks, or even days. DAF Driver left Damien and the Manor Scaffolding team with a huge amount of respect for their efforts to raise their own industry’s standards. “Lots of scaffold companies operate top-of-therange trucks, and lots provide an excellent service,” says Healy, “What sets us apart from them is that we deliver on both. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so turning up on site looking the part with the DAFs, certainly fills our clients and our customers with a great deal of confidence right from the get-go.”
Managing Director Damien Healy and the Manor Scaffolding team are over the moon with their DAF LFs.
II had one, and you probably had one too, I’m talking about the Corgi model of James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5. I say this with confidence because not only was it Corgi’s best-selling model, but actually the best-selling toy car of all time. The toy version emerged in 1965 following the release of the 3rd Bond film Goldfinger the year before, which debuted what is widely-regarded as the most famous film car of all time. The Corgi model is still in production today, whereas the full-size car ceased production in 1965. At the end of the credits of every Bond movie it says “James Bond will return” …and like 007 himself, his car is back again too, as Aston Martin recently struck a deal with EON Productions; owner of the Bond film franchise to build a short run of this classic Aston Martin.
...Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation!
12 DAF DRIVER SPRING 2021 GARETH JONES ASTON MARTINWords by Photographs by DAF DRIVER MAGAZINEProduced by
Above: DB stood for David Brown, who bought Aston Martin in 1947. DB5 was built between 1963 and 1965.
Below: David Brown Aston Martin badge was used until 1971. The new-build car is known correctly as the Aston Marin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation. Continuation is where a manufacturer returns to a model they built & sold in the past, and pick up production again, often after a considerable gap. Jaguar have done it with the D-Type, AC with the Cobra, and Bentley with the 4.5 litre “Blower”. Aston Martin have ‘previous’ in the field of continuation cars: a few years ago, they returned to production of the beautiful DB4 Zagato. Yet it is the better-known DB5 Goldfinger that will have most of us salivating, because it comes with all Bond’s gadgets, and they work too, they really do. Let me take you through them.
Rear Oil Slick Generator If you squirted crude oil out of the back of your car today, you’d immediately be fined by environmental protection groups, so in this version dark-coloured water is squirted out with Super Soaker intensity. Rear Bullet-Proof Screen Rising majestically out of the space immediately behind the rear window, is a bullet-resistant screen and this isn’t just a gimmick. It is made of carbonKevlar, and truly is bullet resistant, capable of stopping a .357 calibre shell. However, with a nod to modern efficiency, it automatically retracts at speeds over 20 MPH so as not to produce too much aerodynamic drag. Revolving Number Plates Hit the right button and the front and rear number plates rotate to reveal any one of three registrations. You can spec them with any digits and letters you like of course, but to be really authentic you have to have BMT 216A as the British plate, because that was the reg worn by Bond’s car in Goldfinger.
GPS Dashboard Something that we have got used to seeing in cars for over 40 years now, but in 1965 the idea of being able to track your position, or the position of the car you were covertly following, was nothing short of science fiction. I’m not just talking about a TomTom teetering atop your dashboard. The Continuation DB5 authentically recreates the look of the original tracking unit, discretely hidden until revealed by the drawing back of an elegant, motorised cover.
Tyre Slashers This is one of the few items on the car which deviates from the original, you can’t really drive around with sharp objects protruding from your wheel hubs, so in the new car these Ben-Hur like protuberances are stored in the boot and you can fit them only for show when the car is static. Despite this, you can’t fault Aston for their commitment to authenticity, as each Continuation car even comes with cross-ply tyres, so it looks and handles just like the original.
Top: Removable panel above the front passenger recalls the Bond DB5 ejector seat.
Above: Aston Martin engine features twin overhead camshafts and triple carburettors. The task of building a transmission that hasn’t been manufactured for over 30 years was given to engineering specialists ZF, the very firm who supplied the original 5-speed box back in the 1960s. ZF’s Heritage Division used original blueprints for the spec. The result of restarting production means that owners of original DB5s now have a source of factory-new parts for their cars too, so apart from building 25 brand-new cars, the Goldfinger project has also added a new lease-of-life to the 900 or so cars built in Newport Pagnell 55 years ago and still running today.
Telescopic Over-Riders Remember when over-riders were a thing on bumpers? They were banished by car frontal safety regulations, but they are fitted here. Trigger them to extend forwards and you can ram your way out of any gate without denting the hand-shaped aluminium bodywork of this piece of fine automotive art. Thoughtful!
Ejector Seat OK, we’ve all wanted to be able to flip open the top of a gear knob and press a red button to eject an unpleasant passenger from the front seat of our car at some point, but in practical terms this might not be advisable. To avoid any owner of the Continuation DB5 from being banged-up by the law, this gadget isn’t fitted to the car, however the red button on the gearstick is. Plus, a removable panel over the passenger seat is available, should the owner choose to source an ejector seat from Martin-Baker and retro-fit one at their own risk. For avoidance of all doubt, and my own personal legal position, I am not actually suggesting this.
Smoke Screen Faster acting than the original smoke generators used in the film prop car which took 15 mins to warm up the oil, this 2021 version acts instantly. Just the thing when being chased by villains, or perhaps the police when you are doing the 145 mph that this car is capable of. Although sadly this is highly unlikely to happen as none of these continuation cars are actually road-legal.
Arm Rest Controls Imagine, for a moment, the sheer joy of sitting in the driver’s seat of this car and flipping open the cover of the central arm rest to reveal a faithful replication of the 1960s style buttons and dials that operate all these spy gadgets. The sheer visual and tactile delight of doing that to actually activate all the on-board devices is deeply satisfying. Front Wing Machine Guns Yes, this car comes with machine guns, which emerge threateningly from behind the front indicator glass, I should point out that these aren’t actually working death inducing weapons, but accurate facsimiles that not only have LED lights at the end of the barrel to make them look like they are really firing, but also produce an appropriate sound. In fact, the noise they make, is an audio sample of the very sound effect of a Browning machine gun that was used in Goldfinger, nice detail.
However this car also has a couple of features that not even 007 had on his car. First of all a remote control so you can show off all the gadgets to your deeply jealous friends by operating them from outside the vehicle. And you just have to see that remote control, it is perfectly 1960s Q dept styled. The other elements of this car that would make Bond deeply envious, are the modern anticorrosion measures that have been lovingly applied to the steel birdcage-style chassis, as well as to the hand-beaten and shaped bodywork. This isn’t a 1:1 scale model, it is a real car, built by Aston Martin themselves, or rather their Works Division which normally handles service and restoration in Newport Pagnell, where the original DB5 was built.
4,500 man-hours of artisan quality engineering means each car costs a whopping £3.3 million. At that price you’d think that only one or two people would be bonkers enough to pay that kind of money for a car, but the limited run of 25 cars all finished in the same “Silver Birch” colour as Bond’s original, has completely sold out. Believe-it-or-not, this is only the 2nd most expensive production car every built, but the priciest was also an Aston Martin; the 6 million quid Continuation DB4 Zagato. If you had bought one of those, for your money Aston also “throws in” a current model limited-edition Aston Martin DBS Zagato. Bargain!
The closest the vast majority of us will ever get to owning a fully gadget-equipped DB5 is the famous Corgi model, a quick glance at eBay reveals that a near mint-condition example costs anything from £300 to £800. How I wish I’d kept the one I had as a kid, and done as Q instructed 007 when he first issued him with this expensive piece of British engineering, “Keep it intact Bond”.
POWDER STRUGGLE
DAF XF takes on Vovlo
Amidst an abundance of top-of-the-range Volvo FHs, the arrival of a brand-new DAF XF 530 into the 44-strong NJ Docksey fleet, was bound to raise some eyebrows among local operators. Courtesy of our friends at TRUCKING magazine, we’re able to bring you Ronnie Hitchens’ report after he quizzed the company’s owner, Nigel Docksey, to see if the Dutch brand is a match for the Swedes!
For more than a quarter of a century, Staffordshire-based NJ Docksey has been a big player in the bulk powder sector, so it’s fair to say that Nigel and his team know what they like. “I’m definitely a Volvo man,” states Nigel, unapologetically, “The FH provides us with everything we need from a truck, so we’ve never really moved away from them.”
Difficult nut to crack
The company’s relationship with the Gothenburg marque began in the late 1980s and has continued uninterrupted ever since. In the more than three decades since Nigel picked up his first Volvo, a mere five Scania tractors and four Ivecos have managed to find their way onto the fleet. So, for any aspiring truck salesperson from Volvo’s competitors, NJ Docksey is clearly a difficult nut to crack.
Despite the ‘no cold calling’ sign on the door, it was Nigel’s long-standing relationship with Andrew Ridgway at MOTUS Commercials [previously Imperial Commercials] in Stoke-on-Trent, that sees a new DAF XF 530 become the latest addition to the operator’s portfolio. But, will it be the last? “I’ve known Andrew for a very long time,” Nigel explains, “and the MOTUS group itself for more than 20 years. He’s always trying to get me behind the wheel of a DAF, but I’ve never really been convinced. It’s taken five years for Andrew to sell me one.”
Cracking deal
We asked Nigel if he’d got a good deal, and, frankly, he did! “The long and short of it,” he says, “is that Andrew managed to get us a deal on a new unit that was just too good to turn down, so we decided to get the big DAF XF on our books to see what it’s all about.”
To be fair to the DAF XF, it is a decent machine and it remains one of the most popular tractor units in the UK. Longevity in the market is testament to its reliability, and it’s picked up a sideboard-full of awards over the years. You’d be hard pushed to find a driver who’s disappointed with the Super Space Cab either; masses of space, plenty of creature comforts and arguably a best-in-class bunk make for a driving environment that, while perhaps slightly less refined than some of the more modern trucks on the market, certainly offers benchmark credentials. Combined with decent fuel economy, 130 dealers and possibly the best road-side assistance programme in the business, the XF offers appeal for both operators and drivers alike.
“From the outset,” says Nigel, “We knew we wanted the power – that was critical. We specify all of our trucks with the biggest, most powerful engine available at the time. DAF’s 13-litre 530bhp unit is their highest rated engine so that was really the only option that would fit with our fleet profile. Bulk powder haulage is a heavy business,” says Nigel,
Family matters – Nigel Docksey (right) with his son, Christopher. “And we need to maximise our payload on each and every journey. I was pleasantly surprised with the big DAF’s kerb-weight.
“That’s certainly one thing that does make the DAF stand out to me from the outset,” confesses Nigel, “and that’s unladen weight. Again, when you’re trying to max-out your payload with every ounce up to the 44-tonne mark, any saving on the weight of the vehicle itself really can make all the difference.”
Going underground
From its headquarters in Leek at the foot of the Peak District National Park, NJ Docksey distributes raw powders, sourced from the area’s numerous quarries and pits, to construction sites right acrosss the country. Carrying anything from sand and cement to lime and minerals, the firm has a strong history and proven track record in the sector, servicing major projects including the Thames Tideway super sewer and, more recently, the London Underground Northern Line extension project to Battersea.
With nearly six months of active, frontline service under its belt, the XF has quickly become a key part of NJ Docksey’s fleet. But has the truck, five years in the selling, managed to change the mind of a die-hard Volvo man?
“Overall, it’s a very competent truck, and I’m impressed,” Nigel explains. “However, I’m Volvo through and through,
Docksey’s DAF has broken the mould for the bulk powder specialist’s fleet.
NJ Docksey’s ‘one driver, one truck’ policy has seen the keys to the DAF XF 530 thrown to experienced driver, Andy Hudson. Two-and-ahalf years into his second stint working for the company, we were keen to learn how he felt the DAF had settled into operations. “It’s a really sound vehicle,” Andy reports. “On the road, it’s a very comfortable ride, and the cab layout has been well thought through. I particularly like its ‘good driving’ feature [DAF Information Panel], which always challenges you to improve on the economy. “Power-wise,” says Andy, “I definitely think 530hp is plenty for our needs. Now that I’ve had it for six months and it’s loosened up a bit, I’m accustomed to its performance and understand how to get the best out of it. Fully loaded, it’ll tackle hills comfortably, and I’m a big fan of the DAF engine brake, which is very effective at slowing the truck down. I’m also really impressed with the TraXon automatic gearbox,” he says, “and it definitely kicks-down better than other trucks I’ve driven.”
While not a full-time tramper, Andy will typically make use of the XF’s sleeping quarters between one and three nights a week, depending on his job list. “Although I’m not overnighting in it all week, I wouldn’t have any problem if I had to,” says Andy. “The Super Space Cab is very spacious, and it’s just a nice place to be. My bunk really is very comfortable, and I make use of the other one for storage. The fridge works well, as does the night heater which gets the whole cab toasty really fast. The lockers too are a generous size. My only slight gripe is that there’s nowhere readily available to put a TV, but I’m nit-picking really.”
so no truck can topple that crown for me. That’s not to say that the DAF is lacking, though. But the big Volvos have served me over the years, and at the end of the day, I’m staying put with a tried and tested combination.”
Elbows out
With the big DAF unlikely to elbow the Volvo FH off the fleet, the XF does seem to have wooed its regular driver, Andy Hudson [see box-out]. “Andy really likes it,” says Nigel. “He says it performs well under heavy loads, handles well and it has a big, comfortable cab. Like our other units, the XF has a mid-lift to give us more stability when we’re at capacity. The drivers are the ones who spend their time in the trucks, so their feedback is really important, and a good benchmark of the vehicles’ capabilities,” says Nigel.
When it comes to fuel efficiency and performance, Nigel says the new DAF is in line with the rest of the fleet. However, the truck still needs bedding-in and it’s still a little early to draw any definite conclusions. What is certain is that the DAF, along with the rest of the fleet, has a busy few months ahead.
A new marque in the workshop, maintenance, we are told, hasn’t proved to be an issue either. Docksey’s look after repair and maintain in house, with Nigel’s son, Chris, leading the service team.
Docksey’s have been buying Volvos in one form or another from Volvo dealer, Hartshorne, for over 20-years. Nigel introduced the Swedish brand onto the fleet in 1988 when he was 24-years-old – an FL7 which notched-up over a million miles over its 22-year lifespan. Nigel hasn’t looked back, staying resolutely with flagship Volvo models ever since. Evidently, aftersales support from Hartshorne has been excellent.
Red and green will always be seen, “Our livery is very important to us as a business,” Nigel tells us, “The red and green was a big part of my childhood. They’ve always been the main colours on our trucks. The new XF wasn’t going to be an exception, and I think it looks the business – we’re happy with how it represents us as a company.”
Evidently then, for the time being at least, NJ Docksey will continue to operate with a Volvo-focused fleet. However, with son Chris slowly starting to take-up the reins of the business and a fast-growing pipeline of work on the horizon, and with at least one driver won over, perhaps the new XF has found a chink in Volvo’s armour.
ROAD TO RECOVERY
DAF and Boniface Engineering have built two state-of-the-art 8x4 recovery trucks, ready for the most challenging rescue missions.
Words: John Kendall Photographs: Karl Hopkinson
Few companies can claim as much specialist knowledge of recovery vehicles as Boniface Engineering, one of the best known manufacturers of vehicle recovery equipment in the UK. So it’s no surprise to find that two recently completed heavy-duty recovery trucks, both based on DAF chassis, feature bodywork from the Norfolk-based specialist.
The two vehicles are joining the recovery fleets at Alpha Recovery in the north-east and Jackson’s Recovery in the north-west respectively. Both are based on 8x4 DAF chassis and in both cases join other DAF vehicles on their company fleets.
The new DAF CF 530 8x4, for Wigton-based Jackson’s Recovery, represents a substantial investment at £350,000. It comes equipped with a stainless steel Boniface Recoverer 9055 Trident body, which includes Sidewinder XP legs fitted with two 13.0-tonne winches, which will provide a stable platform for working in places where space is restricted. Other equipment includes specialist low-height coupling gear from Dutch equipment provider VDZ. The boom is rated at 45-tonnes, while a 33-tonne capacity under-lift with Maxireach K boom, completes the heavy lifting gear.
According to Boniface Engineering Sales Manager, John Coldwell, the Maxireach K boom is the most up-to-date under-lift that the company fits, “It’s got 4.4 metres of reach and will pull in and go out on full load, which is nine tonnes. That’s a bit of an unusual thing. It’s also fitted with sidewinders.” These are the legs that come out from the side of the vehicle to provide greater stability when the recovery team is working in restricted areas, enabling them to work from the side of the truck in safety.
The total of four winches provide a great deal of flexibility, in that they can pull from the sides and the rear, meaning that all four could be pulling from the rear of the truck if needed. The truck was designed to work on farm tracks and narrow roads, which is why Jackson’s opted for the CF cab. Cab height also determines how tall the bodywork will be as it is designed to match the cab. Joining the fleet of Alpha Recovery who are based over the Pennines at Cramlongton near Newcastle, is another new 8x4 DAF which is also fitted with a Boniface Recoverer 9055 Trident body. In this case designed to match Alpha’s choice of the XF Super Space Cab, which will provide high levels of space and comfort for the driver when it is called out on overnight operations. The Boniface body is also equipped with a top boom and the same Maxireach K boom under-lift. “It’s got the rotator style rear outboard legs”, explains John Coldwell, “The hydraulic legs come out the side to give it more side stability as well.”
Long service life
Both the Jackson’s and Alpha vehicles will go to work alongside older DAF vehicles. In Jackson’s case this will be a 17-year old DAF 85.430 6x2 wrecker which the company bought new. It will continue on frontline operations. Jackson’s new DAF CF has been specified with 16-speed manual transmission, “We opted for a manual ‘box – we know it’s a little old fashioned but it’s still ideal for recovery work, and DAF is one of only very few manufacturers to offer
Ross Sinclair, “We struck a fantastic partnership with DAF Trucks”.
Jackson’s CF530 is fitted with sidewinder legs to provide greater stability when working in restricted areas with a boom rated at 45-tonnes and underlift with 4.4m reach rated at 33-tonnes. Below: (left) Richard Jackson, (middle) David Jackson, (right) Ross Sinclair.
a manual option”, explains Ross Sinclair who will be responsible for the new truck with his cousin Richard Jackson – both members of the Jackson family.
“We’ve struck-up a fantastic partnership with DAF Trucks,” says Sinclair, “and especially with Solway DAF in Carlisle. We have three excellent DAF Dealers within a 20-mile radius which means we’re extremely well supported. The new CF 530 is a big investment,” he said, “but, if it’s as reliable as our old 6x2 DAF, it’ll be good for 20-years.”
The Alpha Recovery XF will be working alongside a 21-year old converted ex-military Leyland DROPS 8x6. Michael Burke of Alpha Recovery describes the Leyland as the company’s favourite truck, despite its cab offering ‘zero comfort’ as a result of its stripped-back military cab specification. “The simplicity and clarity of the deal was a real bonus for us,” says Burke, “The technical support from DAF and Boniface ensured we took delivery of exactly the right tool for the job. And the service we always get from Evans Halshaw at Stockton and Birtley is second-tonone.
Return on investment
“The new DAF XF Boniface combination really is built to last,” said Burke, “the build quality is unmatched and we’ll have the truck working on our fleet for ten years. It’s a significant initial outlay, but it’ll certainly earn its keep and the used market for recovery equipment like this is very strong, so we’ll get an excellent return on it.”
An order for a further identical vehicle for Alpha, through local DAF Dealer Evans Halshaw in Stocktonon-Tees, is expected shortly.
Words: Peter Symons Photographs: Suzuki GB Plc & Mortons Archive With special thanks to Steve Parrish Tim Davies & Suzuki Vintage Parts Programme SUZUKI WORKS XR45 1983
Capacity / power: 500cc 125 hp Maximum speed: 185 mph (297 km/h) Pilots: Barry Sheene / Randy Mamola Best results: 1983 – 3rd 500cc World Championship 1984 – 6th in World Championship (best result 3rd Assen TT) This is one of the machines used by Barry Sheene in his final year of GP racing in 1984. Same instance as 1983, Barry was not given new works machinery from Suzuki, but was supplied with machinery used by Randy Mamola in the GP campaign of 1983. In 1984 Barry was given the XR45 that was destined to be Randy Mamola’s bike as Randy signed for Honda in 84. For all of 1984, Barry used this Harris framed XR45 in all the GP races in his final year of racing. This was part of a number of Barry’s original race machines that were brought back from Barry’s house in Australia in 2019 and was refurbished by Martyn Ogborne and Nigel Everett at the 2019 MCL show at the NEC, the bodywork remains original. This machine original had an aluminium frame that the factory supplied but Barry didn’t like that and worked with Harris to design a new tubular frame for it. Complete with original DAF Trucks sponsor colours. At the end of the 1984 season (after finishing 6th in the world championships) when Barry quit GP racing, this machine was returned back the Suzuki GB, before it was given to Barry for him to add it to his collection of race bikes from his career. This machine was the last true factory Suzuki that Barry rode in GPs.
FIRST ON THE GRID: GETTING THE NAME OUT FRONT!
Cars, vans, trucks: it’s all about brand projection - making sure buyers know who you are, so when they’re considering a new vehicle, your name gets on the shopping list. Not least when you’re still a relatively new kid on the block!
Capacity / power: 500cc 120 hp Maximum speed: 180 mph (290 km/h) Pilots: Barry Sheene / Randy Mamola Best results: 1981 – 2nd 500cc World Championship won at Austria & Yugoslavian (Mamola) 1983 – 14th 500cc World Championship best result was 7th in France (Sheene) This is one of the machines used by Barry Sheene in his comeback season to Suzuki, in the year of 1983. Barry was not given a works machine that year and started the year on a standard Suzuki RG500MK8, but gradually through the year, was given, works machinery used by Randy Mamola in 1981 and ridden that year by Randy to 2nd place in the world championship. This machine has the Ex Mamola 1981 XR35 aluminium works chassis & engine fitted short stroke XR35 barrels and many other later XR40 parts that were later supplied to Barry by Suzuki GB, and is the machine that Barry contested the last five GP’s of 1983 in mixed HB Suzuki / DAF Trucks sponsor colours. The paintwork on this bike is original and unrestored. At the end of the 1983 season, this machine was returned to Suzuki GB where it was later rebuilt by Martyn Ogborne, Barry’s long term Suzuki Technical Manager, before being sold at the end of 1986 when the Suzuki GB team was disbanded.
A rather unique machine having been ridden by Randy Mamola and Barry Sheene in 1981 and 83 respectively.
By the late 1970s, things were going well for DAF. They’d begun to build a head of steam here in the UK registering 1,720 trucks in 1978, a strong performance against the likes of Volvo - already up to 3,725 registrations - and Scania up to 1,400.
Yet DAF still had a long way to go. In the same year, Seddon Atkinson sold more than 3,800. ERF registered some 2,650, whilst market leaders Leyland were still delivering over 12,300 trucks a year.
So where to take it from there? After all, DAF was doing well with tractors and drawbars in the highprofile Middle East transport sector, thanks to companies such as PIE and Concorde Express. It was becoming popular with all-important fleet operators such as Conoco too. And already it was capitalising on the strongest of reputations for excellence in driver and customer support, something it has retained even to this day.
But back in 1978, many still regarded the brand as a bit of an oddity. Too often it was still being associated with ‘those strange rubber band DAF cars’, even though DAF had sold its car division to Volvo in 1974.
The challenge facing Marketing Director, Chris Thorneycroft-Smith, was getting the DAF brand out there in front of operators, and changing perceptions amongst the people who mattered.
His answer? Sports advertising - and in particular, football ground advertising. Cue a campaign that enabled DAF within 18 months to quite rightly claim they’d been on Match of the Day ‘more times than Liverpool’!
But football was only one such opportunity. Boxing was another high profile sport, and DAF already had a sponsorship deal with twice European Middleweight Champion, Alan Minter.
Of course, there’s always been a high degree of synergy between truck operators and bike racing, and one Friday afternoon, Chris was at a meeting at Central TV. By chance, Barry Sheene was there too - and almost inevitably, they got talking. Twice 500cc World Champion in 1976 and 1977, 2nd in 1978 and 3rd in 1979, Barry had already decided to split from Heron Suzuki to form his own race team. As a privateer, he was going to ride a Yamaha and already he had support from sponsors AKAI and Texaco.
But key to making it all happen was having a transporter! He needed something he could use not just to transport bikes and equipment to races, but also to project the new Barry Sheene Team Yamaha profile - to stand out, both on the road and in the paddock.
Barry with wife Steph
Initially, the plan was for a 50/50 deal with Barry paying towards ownership and use of the truck. But that was short-lived - Barry was as gifted at business and self-promotion as he was at bike racing - and that wasn’t lost on DAF’s then-Managing Director, Phil Ives. By the age of 14, Phil had already built his first motorcycle. In 1941, he’d enlisted into the Royal Signals as a motorcycle dispatch rider, and post-war he competed in local motorcycle trials and scramble events, before becoming General Sales Manager of the Motorcycle Division of George McLean & Son of Dundee. It was - as they say - a marriage almost made in heaven! And in April 1980, the new custom-built EDP 777V - a box-bodied DAF FA 2105 DHR - hit both road and race track.
Now much has been written about Barry’s high profile lifestyle and socialising, and the launch of his new race team was no exception. Held at London’s Royal Garden Hotel, everyone who was anyone was there, with friends George Harrison of Beatles fame and 1976 F1 World Champion, James Hunt, joining the celebrations. It only added appeal to DAF’s positioning at the event.
1980 was a tough introduction for the team, with Barry managing as well as riding for the team, ably supported by father Franco and partner Steph. In 1977, he’d purchased a 700-year old manor house in Charlwood, Surrey and the team - including Kiwi head tecchie, Ken Fletcher - operated out of a small warehouse on site. It was a year of learning more than anything else, and Barry could only finish 15th
Cont. page 36
1976 XR14 RG500 Barry’s World Championship winning bike.
1975 XR14 - Barry’s first full factory RG500, this bike was the actual bike that he won his first 500 GP race on and it was also Suzuki’s first ever 500 GP race win. 1977 XR14A RG500 Barry’s second World Championship winning machine.
Barry’s Bikes - a selection of the Sheene Suzukis on which he won many races and took the 1976 World Championship. Seeley TR500 1971 XR05 Sheene rode this in 71 just as he was becoming to be a big star.
Sheene was close friends with his Suzuki team-mate Steve Parrish, who became a successful truck racing driver too. Parrish tells many stories in his book, “My Life As a Racer”, available from www.steveparrishracing.com
“I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THE DAF TURNED UP IT SEEMED LIKE A MONSTER AS WE WERE ALL STILL USING TRANSITS AND CARAVANS. BUT THAT WAS ALWAYS BARRY.” STEVE PARRISH
1978 XR22A RG500 finished second in the World Championship that year.
XR35 / 40 1983 RG500 - actual bike is a 1981 model XR35 but as the season progressed Barry got some later parts from the newer model XR40, this is an ex factory Randy Momola bike that finished 2nd in the 81 season.
XR45A 1983 ex Randy Momola machine that Barry used in his final year of racing in 1984. It was also the very last bike he rode at Olivers Mount and also recorded his final victory at that event in Scarborough.
in the 500cc championship, the title being taken by his long-term adversary Kenny Roberts for the third year in succession.
1981 saw Barry back on a more competitive factory bike, however, winning the year’s last Grand Prix in Sweden. Once again, the Sheene/Roberts rivalry was rejoined - but that dominated their thinking so much, they allowed Suzuki riders Marco Lucchinelli of Italy and American Randy Mamola to come through and take the year’s two top spots.
It was a crash whilst practising for the 1982 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, that signalled the end of Barry’s career. He kept racing - still supported by DAF - through to 1984, but he could no longer claim to be competitive.
Yet even that wasn’t the end of Barry’s association with DAF. The 1980s saw the start of truck racing here in the UK, and in 1985 Barry - through then DAF Dealer Sherwood - went truck racing. Of course, in a DAF 2800! But he was a 2-wheel man at heart and could only manage limited success, not least against his old biker team mate and friend, Steve Parrish.
STEVE PARRISH
In 1987, injury-induced arthritis persuaded Barry and now-wife Steph to move their family to Australia’s Gold Coast to enjoy a warmer, healthier climate. Even then, he maintained his relationship with DAF, calling it - and his friendship with Chris ThorneycroftSmith - ‘the best working relationship I have had in my life. DAF would do anything for me, and I would do anything for them ...’
Sheene and Minter’s relationships, were the first of several DAF enjoyed with leading sports stars of the 1980s. Footballer, Peter Shilton, and showjumper, Jean Germany, joined the fold, whilst perhaps the most successful during his time with the brand was none other than rower, Steve Redgrave. In a mid 80s interview, Chris ThorneycroftSmith was asked about the sports star programme, questioning his decision to ‘support a rower no-one had ever heard of.’ “Oh they will”, he said, “they will” - and he was right: Redgrave went on to win a record-breaking five consecutive Olympic golds ...
Barry was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. A long-time smoker, he refused conventional treatment, opting instead for holistic treatment, but died in 2003, aged 52, surrounded by his family. DDM
THE SHEENEMOBILE ...
Right from the get-go, Barry Sheene’s race truck was known internally at DAF as the ‘Sheenemobile’! It seemed appropriate. After all, the Pope was due to visit Britain in 1982, and it was already known he would be greeting the crowds from one of two specially-constructed Leyland Constructor 6s, heralded as the ‘Popemobile’ ... Barry’s truck was an FA 2105 DHR - a 2 axle 16.26 tonner. The model was positioned in DAF’s range as a lighter-weight ‘cube out’ drawbar, the kind of truck widely used by companies such as Habitat who needed big body space and lower weight payloads. Its 210 bhp gave it the edge on performance, and DAF even fitted a coach rear axle ratio to Barry’s truck to maintain top speeds with a bigger body. Barry had a hand in the spec right from the start. DAF were close to Northampton-based Besco Bodies at the time and Managing Director, Don Wilson, was keen to get involved. So a maximum dimension Besco body was agreed with a separate crew living area to the front, fully kitted out by ABI Caravans of Beverley, and a workshop to the rear. Of course, it had to look right. So an original design and colour scheme was devised by an old colleague of Barry’s, known colloquially as John the Paint, whilst the actual painting was done in a recently-opened, state-of-the-art paint shop belonging to Terry Williams of Colnbrook’s Commercial Recovery & Repairs. It was a stunning vehicle. Yet Barry didn’t have anyone to drive it! So for the early events, Ron Sinclair and Peter Symons - DAF driver training and marketing colleagues - shared the honours ...
CURRENTLY...
Peter Darbyshire is restoring the transporter and hoping to get it back on the road, with the view to loaning it out to classic events.
Mortons Archive
OPERATOR PROFILE NEW DAF CF 480S ‘CHECK-OUT’ AT BOOTHS
North of England high-end supermarket chain takes four DAF CF three-axle tractors
Words: Ronnie Hitchens Photographs: Karl Hopkinson
High-end supermarket chain, Booths, has added four DAF CF 480 6x2 tractor units for inter-urban operations among its 28 store locations throughout the north-west. The trucks feature DAF’s ‘FTG’ twin-steer axle configuration to provide enhanced manoeuvrability on local routes and at supermarket locations with restricted access.
The long-established store has strong links with local communities in the north-west, and was keen to preserve a British procurement policy. Booths’ latest truck fleet was supplied by the local Preston-based DAF Dealer, Lancashire DAF, and, along with the vast majority of right-handdrive DAF vehicles in the UK, was built locally at Leyland Trucks in Lancashire.
While the ‘Built-in-Britain’ credentials were key to the deal, Booths undertook a thorough evaluation of the DAF CF against two other well-known truck marques. Based on the DAF MultiSupport repair and maintenance package, proven reliability from existing DAF models and excellent fuel economy from the 480bhp 13-litre PACCAR MX-13 engine, the DAF CF emerged with clear productivity benefits and more attractive whole-life-cost savings.
Booths turned to the DAF CF model for its frontline 44-tonne GCW artic fleet 15-years ago, and still operates a 10-year-old model which is approaching one million kilometres. “Everything’s on local deliveries,” says Booths’ Transport Manager, Craig Stopforth, “so annual mileage is never excessive. However, our 10-year-old CF has delivered fantastic reliability and it’s still going strong. The 480bhp DAFs are ideal for our operation,” he says, “fully-loaded and with
Craig Stopforth, Transport Manager
double-deck trailers, they’re on regular runs over Blubberhouses and returning exceptional fuel economy. If they can do that, they can do anything. We know we’ll get longevity from these four new DAF additions.” Stopforth cites DAF’s Space Cab as another factor in the decision to opt for the market-leading DAF brand, “Our drivers really like the DAF Space Cab,” he says, “the ‘Comfort Package’ includes touch-screen navigation, leather seats, Bluetooth and lots of creature comforts. While operations rarely require an overnight,” he adds, “the bunk provides ample space and it’s well appreciated by the drivers. If they’re happy, they’ll look after their trucks and are far more likely to get the best out of them.”
Booths’ fleet now totals 35 trucks, made up of maximum weight truck and trailer combinations, and 26-tonne GVW rigids. E.H. Booth & Co. Ltd was founded in June 1847 when 19-year-old tea dealer, Edwin Henry Booth, opened a shop called the China House in Blackpool. Booths is still owned by the family and the current CEO is Edwin J Booth. Head office is in Preston just a few miles from the Leyland Trucks production facility. Booths has 28 stores in Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria and Yorkshire, and works closely with local suppliers and producers. WALK THE LINE
Right-hand-drive DAF LF, CF and XF chassis are built in Britain at the impressive Leyland Trucks assembly plant in Lancashire. Here we see one of Booths’ CF 480s on the production line and nearing the end of final assembly. Finished cabs are shipped-in from DAF’s cab-plant in Westerlo, Belgium, and are fitted to the chassis in one of the last stages of the process.
This year marks 125 years since the founding of Leyland Trucks back in 1896 and, last year, the factory notched-up its 100,000th CF / XF chassis.
Pre-coronavirus, 2019 saw Leyland Trucks produced over 19,000 DAFs for domestic and overseas markets, with vehicles exported to over 50 countries worldwide. World-class production techniques ensure the highest quality trucks, helping DAF Trucks post its best-ever annual UK registration figure in 2020, securing 32% of the market above 6.0-tonnes GVW and signalling 26 consecutive years as UK market leader.
NEW SEASON
NEW 2021 DAF COLLECTION HAS ARRIVED!
The Spring season has finally arrived and with it the new 2021 DAF Collection Merchandise, which has undergone a Winter update.
Brand new and ready for the warmer days are a brand-new Softshell jacket, Raincoat, and new look Hoodie. The new softshell jacket now features a hood for the first time along with DAF logos on the cuffs, hood & zippers. A larger DAF logo features on the back of the new raincoat and is carried over to the sleeve and front.
The now familiar DAF heritage logo takes pride of place on the front of the all new Hoodie. The heritage theme rolls over on to a new T shirt featuring the same logo and an image of a ‘classic’ DAF Truck. To complete the clothing range, a new style Polo shirt is available in Ladies & Mens styles. Both with blue collar detailing, 3 buttons and DAF logos on the front. The childrens range sees a ‘mini’ version of the Heritage T shirt & a new baseball cap added to the range. New ‘Tech’ items see the launch of wireless Bluetooth earbuds, a Bluetooth speaker, 8GB flash drive and a 10k mAh Power bank.
The DAF watch range sees updates to the Adventure, Performance, Authentic and Classic designs respectively.
So, with Spring in the air there are lots of exciting new additions to the DAF Merchandise range and enough to keep all DAF fans interested in their favourite Truck brand well into 2021 & beyond.
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Your chance to win fantastic prizes every issue
FULL NAME
ADDRESS HOW TO WIN:
DAF Trucks have supplied two pairs of DAF design Bluetooth earbuds, for two lucky winners.
Simply spot and mark the four differences on the images above. Once completed either cut out or photocopy and post to DAF Driver Magazine, 4th Floor, 19 Capesthorne Drive, Eaves Green, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 3QQ Closing date: Friday 28th May 2021
POST CODE
EMAIL TELEPHONE
Terms & Conditions: Not suitable for children under 14 years of age. The winner will be notified within 30 days of the closing date either by letter, telephone or email. All entrants will be placed in a hat and selected at random by a third party. No money alternative will be offered. The winner’s name and county will be displayed in the next issue of DAF Driver magazine.
Winner from last issue: Bill Lowe, South Wirral. Winner’s details to appear in the Summer 2021 issue of DAF Driver magazine
BLOWING HOT, BLOWING COLD
Well, what a Winter that was!
By Richard Simpson, industry pundit
Acombination of Covid, Christmas, Brexit, snow and storm contrived to make one of the most challenging seasons the transport industry has faced in recent years. It seemed like the hand of man and the hand of nature had combined to create a whirlwind of adversity for the country to sail through.
Once again, the transport industry showed its resilience; with just a few days to understand a Brexit agreement drawn up on Christmas Eve before the regulations changed on New Years Day, the snap closure of the French borders due to Covid, and the coldest, roughest winter for 25 years, somehow the wheels kept turning and freight was delivered with remarkably few shortages as far as fastmoving consumer goods were concerned.
That they did is a tribute to drivers, planners, managers and warehouse staff, who all managed to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat at the right time.
Sadly, the industry, as ever, did not get the thanks it deserved, although DAF’s generosity in distributing free hot drinks and snacks to drivers in their hour of need, was very welcome.
But with the longer days and better weather, plus the continuing roll-out of vaccines (I’ve had the first shot, and no, I didn’t notice any side-effects, I’m just as old and ugly as I was before) mean confidence has returned to society, and with it the usual attitudes of seeing trucks, and their drivers and operators, as a social evil to be tolerated at best, or run out of town at worse.
In Kent, we’ve had widespread closure of everything other than commercial parking areas, when such areas were already full to the brim, we’ve had Transport for London introducing the Direct Vision Standard for trucks while doing very little or nothing to improve safety and awareness among cyclists, and Bath imposing stringent fines on all but Euro VI trucks and coaches in the name of ‘clean air’ while doing nothing to curb the use of cars (responsible for most of the pollution and congestion) by its own residents. Birmingham follows in June, but at least it is also targeting private motorists as well as freight.
So, it’s back to normal then? Well, not quite.
There’s no doubt that Brexit has changed the landscape for road transport, and in some ways, but not all, that has been to the good. There is already noticeably less competition for export traffic (although the total amount of goods being carried has been drastically reduced), and that competition will be diminished further, once the UK finally ‘takes back control’ of its own borders. Cheap Eastern European competition, based on a cent/ km pricing structure, can’t cope with unpredictable border delays, and that’s good news for British hauliers and drivers who can now offer a service based on professionalism rather than pricing. A return to the days pre-1992 when UK-registered trucks carried 50 per cent of the goods entering and leaving the country, would be very welcome.
Fewer EE trucks coming to the UK also means less in the way of low-cost cabotage operations, so even domestic hauliers should soon see some benefits.
This Brexit bonus, plus the phased return of ‘normal’ commerce to the British economy, gives British hauliers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build new relationships with customers, drivers and other hauliers. Hopefully they will be ones based on greater profits, better service, lower hours and higher wages, and not an opportunity lost.
The Largest Dealer Network
With 134 dealerships located across the UK and Ireland, including 55 authorised testing facilities, you are never far from DAF. Plus at DAF, we offer back-up and support that is simply unbeatable. To fi nd your nearest dealer visit www.dafdealernetwork.co.uk/ locate-your-nearest-dealer/
• Truck Sales, Parts and Service Dealers • Parts and Service Dealers
NUMPTY OR NOT NUMPTY? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
Own up. Ever been in a vehicle and gone for the indicator and got the wipers instead? Turned up the volume and cut off a handsfree call instead? Looked for the grill release on a truck and couldn’t find it? Woke up chilly coz “the cab heaters useless” or pressed for screen wash and scared the heebiejeebies out of the driver next to you because you got the hooter instead of a stream of soapy water? Yep, me too……. the list is endless.
Why does it happen huh? Well, familiarity has got to be one reason. We drive the same vehicles day in and day out, whether our own cars or the trucks we work with, and because of this we “instinctively” know where things are and use the features without thinking. That’s’ great until your boss brings in some new kit…… Although the days of being thrown the keys and expected to get on with it are becoming a thing of the past, the imparting and receiving of information between driver and manufacturer isn’t always seamless. Throw in a pandemic and the introduction of social distancing into the daily mix and you can end up looking a bit of a numpty through no fault of your own. The second reason we get in a muddle and sometimes get it wrong is I think because we don’t ask, this is particularly true if we’ve had the truck a while. Think about it, you get the truck in summer when there’s no need to use certain features, six months later winter kicks in and you need them……. Takes a brave driver to put their hand up and ask.
Whether you’re new to DAF or not there’s info a plenty at your fingertips. Remember, many of the DAF dealerships have dedicated driver trainers on site, if you’re able drop in for a chat they will be more than happy to go through any of your questions with you. If that makes you feel a bit of a numpty there are plenty of other ways to find out the info you need. There are the driver’s manuals to reference and quick start guides when time is not on your side, as well as plenty of videos and animations online. There really is something for everyone.
Safe and well now. Mandy x
WHAT, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE?
Your first port of call for truck specific info is your driver’s manual. If your DAF doesn’t have one in the cab, you can download a copy here: User manuals for DAF drivers - https://www. daf.co.uk/en-gb/daf-services/driver-services And you can download quick start guides for LF, CF & XF from the DAF Document Library DAF Document Library - https://www. daf.co.uk/en-gb/news-and-media/dafdocument-library
STILL CONFUSED?
There is a host of ‘how to’ videos on the DAF Trucks UK YouTube channel explaining how the features on your DAF work. DAF Trucks UK - YouTube
STILL IN DOUBT? ASK.
Call your local DAF Dealer if you’re not sure how something works. They will all try to assist and many have a dedicated Driver Trainer who can help to answer any questions you have.
STEVIE BROGAN
DAF now has Dealer Driver Trainers based across the country to help hand over new and used vehicles and we thought it would be good to get to know some of them a little bit better! In this edition we talk to Stevie Brogan, the DAF Dealer Driver Trainer for Motus Commercials in Glasgow, also covering Cumbernauld and the surrounding area.
Q: When did you first join Motus Commercials and what was your first job there?
A: I joined Motus three years ago and this was my first job - Driver Trainer.
Q: What did you want to be when you were at school? A: I wanted to be a train driver just like my dad.
Q: When did you take your HGV licence?
A: I passed my HGV in 1998, seems a long time ago.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?
A: Meeting new and some interesting people.
Q: Do you have a top tip for a driver getting his new DAF?
A: Arrange some time with a DAF Dealer Driver
Trainer. Use your training voucher. It’s FREE.
Q: What car do you currently drive and, if money was no object, what would you have?
A: Fiat Fullback Pickup. Bugatti Veyron
Q: What other responsibilities do you have at
MOTUS Commercials?
A: I am the DAF Connect champion. Connect is
DAF’s on-line fleet management system. I also move the new vehicles to and from the body builders.
Q: If you weren’t doing this, what would your ideal job be?
A: Astronaut, I hear the European Space Agency is recruiting just now! Stevie is married with two clever daughters 18 & 19 years old, whom he thinks, take after their mother. He worked on the Highways in Scotland for 17 years before coming to Motus, during that time he was driving a lot of different HGVs including traffic management trucks and impact protection vehicles to name but a few. Away from work he has been practising Aikido for the last 13 years and has achieved his 3rd DAN Black Belt. With lockdown last year there has been no training, so he says he can hardly touch his toes now, and really needs to get back to training. He loves to go hillwalking but due to travel restrictions this has been very limited. He is a glass-half-full kind of person so always tries to look for the positives and will be training and hillwalking soon. ‘These have been challenging times for everyone, but we will soon be out of lockdown and back at our best!’
