ERF
In March 2015 the late Tom Riding recalled in detail below why the company decided to introduce the first ERF tractor units into their fleet in October 1988…..
“As a company we were obsessed with unladen weight as almost all our traffic was to the max gross vehicle weight.
Due to Seddon Atkinson not fitting the Cummins L10 325 engine to their vehicles in 1988, whereas ERF did, we switched from Seddon Atkinson and gave ERF an order for nineteen 4×2 tractor units which was the biggest we had ever placed.
However we subsequently stopped using the Cummins L10 engine and all future orders in my tenure were for the Perkins 335TX and this proved to be a great engine.
The first two ERF tractor units in the fleet were Reg No F540 THG Fleet No 102 ‘Skiddaw’ and Reg No F810 TCK Fleet No 103 ‘Cross Fell’ both E10 Series day cabbed units based at our Thornaby depot on Teesside..
These were built specifically to achieve an unladen weight of six tons fully fueled up with the driver included”.
The very first ERF 4×2 tractor unit to enter service with W & J Riding was Reg No F540 THG Fleet No 102 ‘Skiddaw’ an ERF E10 powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Purchased new from ERF Ltd at Sandbach on the 31st of August 1988 it cost £29,841 plus vat and was first registered for road use on the 1st of October 1988.
Based at Riding’s Thornaby depot on Teesside it is pictured fueling up while coupled up to a tri-axle Carmichael bulk powder tanker trailer.
The late Tom Riding recalled below….
“The tanker trailers were built by Carmichael of Worcester and weighted fractionally under 5 tons.
This gave us an incredible payload of 27 tons which was the main reason we got the job of moving terephthalic acid powder from ICI WIlton to Eastman Kodak at Workington.
Four tractor units and eight tankers were used on the job with each loaded tanker dropped on a tipping ramp and tipped by gravity.
Under normal circumstances we did a load every 3 hours which amounted to a total of 56 loads a week.“.
Pictured here when brand new after coming out of the paint is the second ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit to enter service with W & J Riding on the 1st of October 1988 which was Reg No F810 TCK Fleet No 103 ‘Cross Fell’, also powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Purchased new from ERF Ltd on the 31st of August 1988, at a cost of £29,861 plus vat, it was based at Riding’s Thornaby depot on Teesside.
Another picture showing the second ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit to enter service with Riding’s on the 1st of October 1988, Reg No F810 TCK Fleet No 103 ‘Cross Fell’.
A final shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F810 TCK Fleet No 103 ‘Cross Fell’ which was the second ERF to enter service with Riding’s on the 1st of October 1988.
This time, rather than hauling a powder tanker, it is seen here towards the end of it’s working life at Riding’s being utilised on general haulage work heading down Kenmore Road on the Outwood 41 Industrial Park Wakefield approaching the A650 roundabout.
It is hauling a forty foot tri-axle flat trailer with a full load of empty GKN pallets on board destined for the Heinz factory at Kitt Green Wigan
ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F250 XFV Fleet No 48 ‘Swiftsure’ was a brand new purchase from ERF Ltd on the 12th of January 1989 at a cost of £30,056 plus vat and was first registered a month later on the 10th of February 1989.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it was double shifted, driven on days by Jimmy Taylor and on nights by Alan Dixon.
It is seen here coupled to a tandem axle curtain-sider trailer in the contact livery of Timax exhaust systems which Riding’s operated out of the Timax factory at Squires Gate Blackpool and Glasson Dock near Lancaster.
Seen here while loading up at the Timax Bainbridge depot at Glasson Dock in November 1992 is another shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F250 XFV Fleet No 48 ‘Swiftsure’.
Coupled to a tri-axle step frame trailer this particular tractor unit was double shifted, driven on days by Jimmy Taylor and on nights by Alan Dixon.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F260 XRN Fleet No 105 ‘Ingleborough’, powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine, was another brand new purchase from ERF Ltd on the 12th of January 1989 at a cost of £30,056 plus vat.
Frst registered a month later on the 10th of February 1989 it was driven from new by Vinnie Chambers and is seen here towards the end of its working life with Riding’s in June 1997 travelling down the A6 approaching Broughton traffic lights.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Previously F260 XRN had suffered an electrical problem causing it to burst in to flames in June 1991 resulting in the cab being totally burnt out. >
It was later fitted with a new cab and remained in service with Riding’s for another six years until 1997.
More detailed information regarding the fire can be found in the Accidents Happen (3) gallery.
ERF E10 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F270 YBV Fleet No 20 ‘Royal Sovereign’ was a brand new purchase from ERF Ltd on the 13th of January 1989 at a cost of £29,588 + vat.
First registered on the 1st of March 1989 it was powered by a Cummins L10 290 engine and driven from new by the late Ted Woods and was also the first tractor unit to be assigned to the EVC contract.
Painted in the grey and white contract livery of European Vinyl’s Corporation Ltd it is pictured here while coupled to a Riding’s liveried Carmichael 2000 cubic foot tipping powder tanker.
After nine years service with Riding’s F270 YBV was sold on the 19th of March 1998 to D.G. Taylor of Driffield in East Yorkshire.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F550 ABV Fleet No 35 ‘Pen-Y-Ghent’ had quite an eventful life while at Riding’s.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it was purchased new from ERF Ltd on the 16th of January 1989 at a cost of £29,313 plus vat and originally came from the ERF factory fitted with a day cab as can be seen in the picture above.
Registered on the 1st of March 1989 it is seen here parked at Penrith where it was out-based being was used on a night and day operation on a bulk lime job working round the clock between Ravenscraig steel works in Scotland and the Shap lime works in Cumbria.
On one particular journey, at the time the M74 roadwork’s were in progress, the driver unfortunately got the front near side wheel off the road resulting in the whole outfit turning over on to its side.
The tanker was loaded with 25 tons of GBL which had to be pumped out before it could be recovered.
The Crane Fruehauf power tanker was quite old at the time and a decision was made that it should be scrapped.
F550 ABV suffered severe damage to it’s cab in the accident and due to the steelworks being on the point of closure at that time it was decided that it would be more useful when repaired if it was fitted with a full sleeper cab.
This is actually what happened and when F550 ABV was put back on the road it was allocated to the general haulage fleet as can be seen in the two pictures below.
Originally new to W & J Riding on the 1st of March 1989 ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F550 ABV Fleet No 35 ‘Pen-Y-Ghent’ came supplied with a factory fitted day cab at a cost of £29,313 plus vat.
After suffering severe accident damage it was fitted with a full sleeper cab as can be seen in this picture above.
After 11 years service with Riding’s F550 ABV was sold on the 19th of March 1998 to D & G Commercials of Driffield East Yorkshire for an unknown amount.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Another shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F550 ABV Fleet No 35 ‘Pen-Y-Ghent’ pictured after receiving a new sleeper cab.
Seen here parked in Penrith it is coupled up to a brand new Metalair-Fiilliat tri-axle 25 ton payload cement tanker.
This was one of a number in the fleet which were used to transport cement from the Castle Cement works at Clitheroe in Lancashire up to Coatbridge in Scotland.
ERF E10 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F290 YRN Fleet No 49 ‘Whernside’ was a day cabbed ERF powered by a L10 325 Cummins engine.
Purchased new from ERF on the 18th of January 1989 at a cost of £29,241 plus vat it was not registered until almost two months later on the 1st of March after which time it was used on a twenty four hour basis, driven on days by Fred Stannard and on nights by Peter Fallowfield.
Normally running between Motherwell -Penrith -Longridge-and Teesside on general haulage it is pictured here in the depot at Longridge with a full load of GKN pallets destined for H J Heinz Co Ltd at Kitt Green near Wigan.
After eight years service with Riding’s F290 YRN was eventually sold to D.G. Taylor Commercial Vehicles on the 19th of March 1997 for an unknown amount.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
Another shot of day cabbed ERF E10 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F290 YRN Fleet No 49 ‘Whernside’.
Pictured here at Penrith, with a forty foot tri-axle flat trailer, it usually operated between Motherwell -Penrith -Longridge-and Teesside on general haulage.
Clocking up the miles working on a twenty four hour basis it was driven on days by Fred Stannard and on nights by Peter Fallowfield.
ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F670 BHG Fleet No No 53 ‘Robert the Bruce’ was purchased new from ERF on the 20th of March 1989 at a cost of £30,056 and was registered for road use on the 1st of May 1989.
One of a batch of ERF E10 tractor units bought at the time with Cummins L10 325 engines it is pictured here at Riding’s Thornaby depot in 1989 and was driven from new by Joe Gannon.
Utilised on general duties it was also equipped with tipping and blowing gear for when hauling non tipping powder tankers.
After eight years service with Riding’s F670 BHG was eventually sold to D.G. Taylor Commercial Vehicles on the 27th of March 1997 for an unknown amount.
Another shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F670 BHG Fleet No No 53 ‘Robert the Bruce’ which was purchased new from ERF on the 20th of March 1989 at a cost of £30,056.
This time it is seen here IN 1991 heading North on the old A74 towards Beattock summit in the southern lowlands of Scotland while hauling a forty foot tri-axle flat trailer loaded with steel.
Photograph courtesy of renown lorry photographer Peter J Davies.
Another shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F670 BHG Fleet No No 53 ‘Robert the Bruce’.
Seen here in later years it is coupled to a 2000 cubic foot tri-axle Carmichael non tipping powder tanker as it heads North past the Watford Gap service area on the M1 in Northamptonshire.
Photograph courtesy of Ade Portlock.
ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F680 BRN Fleet No 56 ‘John O’ Gaunt’ powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine was another of the many brand new ERF’s to enter service with W & J Riding in the first five months of 1989.
Purchased new from ERF Ltd Sandbach on the 15th of March 1989 at a cost of £30,056 plus vat it was not registered until the 1st of May 1989.
Driven from new by long time Riding’s man, Rex Rich, the vehicle is shown here at rest in the depot at Longridge while coupled to a 40 foot tautliner trailer.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
Another shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F680 BRN Fleet No 56 ‘John O’ Gaunt’ which was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Purchased new from ERF Ltd Sandbach on the 15th of March 1989 at a cost of £30,056 plus vat it was not registered until the 1st of May 1989.
Driven from new by long time Riding’s man, Rex Rich it is pictured here while coupled to a 40 foot tautliner trailer used on the Bainbridge Timax exhaust contract.
A final shot of ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F680 BRN Fleet No 56 ‘John O’ Gaunt’ this time coupled to a flat trailer loaded with cardboard containers (Octoboxes) which had plastic liners inside filled with plastic granules.
These were collected at the ICI Welvic plant in Thornton and brought to Longridge depot to be transferred into a powder tank for onward delivery to Veka Plastics at Burnley.
Day cabbed ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F720 CBV Fleet No 39 ‘Lord President’ was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Costing £29,003 plus vat from ERF Ltd on the 16th of March 1989 it was put on the road on the 1st of May 1989.
This was one of several tractor unit’s bought specifically for the Wilton-Workington traffic and as such was out based at Riding’s Thornaby Teesside depot.
F720 CBV is shown here earning its keep while hauling a Carmichael bulk powder tanker trailer.
The late Tom Riding recalled below……
“These tri-axle tanker trailers were built by Carmichael of Worcester and weighted fractionally at just under 5 tons.
This gave us an incredible payload of 27 tons which was the main reason we got the job of moving terephthalic acid powder from the ICI plant WIlton on Teesside to Eastman Kodak at Workington”.
Lorry photographer the late Michael Deuchars cajoled the yard men at Longridge depot into setting out these five ERF E10 4X2 tractor units in the form of a letter E, presumably a publicity shot for ERF.
All identical specification they are from left to right……
F680 BRN Fleet No 56 ‘ John O’ Gaunt’,
F560 ACK Fleet No 106 ‘Scafell Pike’,
G790 JCW Fleet No 2 ‘Knight of the Thistle’,
G770 HHG Fleet No 3 ‘Snowdon’
G310 HFR Fleet No 50 ‘Alfred the Great’.
Photograph courtesy of the late Michael Deuchars
‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G770 HHG Fleet No 3 ‘Snowdon’ was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Purchased new by Riding’s on the 14th of July 1989, at a cost of £31,636 plus vat it was registered on the 1st of September and was immediately allocated to the EVC contract.
Driven from new by long serving Riding’s driver Ken Moon It is pictured hooked up to a tri-axle Carmichael tipping tank which was used to deliver Corvic powder paste to Nairn’s of Kirkcaldy.
This product was sticky and the tipping gear on this particular tank had an additional ram section built in which enabled it to tip at a very steep angle.
After being in service for just over eight years G770 HHG was eventually sold on to D. G. Taylor Commercial Vehicles of Driffield on the 19th of March 1998 for an undisclosed sum, three years after Tom Riding had retired from the company.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Fitted with a Cummins 325 L10 engine it was registered for road use on the 1st of September 1989.
Another shot of ERF E10 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G790 JCW Fleet No 2 ‘Knight of the Thistle’.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it is pictured here having just arrived back home at Longridge coupled to a Murfitt 1600 cubic foot non tipping powder tank.
An on the road shot of ‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G790 JCW Fleet No 2 ‘Knight of the Thistle’ which was a brand new addition to the fleet on the 17th of July 1989 at a cost of £30,951 plus VAT.
After nine years service with Riding’s it was sold on to a dealer in Liverpool in January 1998 for £2,000 plus vat.
‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G310 HFR Fleet No 50 ‘Alfred the Great’ was another of the batch of ERF’S purchased brand new in July 1989.
Costing £30,951 plus vat it was first registered for road use on the 1st of September 1989.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine G310 HFR was driven from new by Neil Jackson who lived over in Great Harwood.
It is seen here parked up in Longridge depot with a neatly sheeted load of Scottish steel plates from the BSC Dalzell Works at Motherwell of which Riding’s moved thousands of tons of over the years.
G310 HFR was eventually sold on to D G Taylor of Driffield on the 19th of July 1998 for an unrecorded amount.
Another shot of ‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G310 HFR Fleet No 50 ‘Alfred the Great’ which was brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of September 1989.
Purchased two months earlier on the 7th of July 1989, at a cost of £30,951 plus vat it was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Driven from new by Neil Jackson, aka Jacko it is pictured here parked up in Longridge while coupled to one of Riding’s standard tri-axle curtain sider trailers.
After nine years service with Riding’s G310 HFR was eventually sold on to D G Taylor of Driffield East Yorkshire on the 19th of July 1998 for an unrecorded amount.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
Three brand new ‘E’ Series ERF E12TX Perkins engined 4X2 chassis cabs are seen here after delivery direct from the ERF factory at Sandbach to Riding’s Longridge depot.
These were part of the largest order ever placed by the company and are pictured here on the 31st of October 1992 shortly before having their 5th wheel coupling assembly, mudguards and rear lights fitted in W & J Riding’s own workshops.
In 2018 the late Tom Riding recalled..
“I always thought that any new vehicle joining our fleet was lucky i.e. it would be worked hard but maintained to a very high standard also i find it difficult to accept that the ERF company is no longer with us”.
Contrast in styles and age yet both these tractor units had the same engine and drive-line.
On the left ‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K930 AEC Fleet No 86 ‘Sir Barnaby’ was registered new on the 1st of February 1993 and was asigned to Riding’s EVC contract.
On the right Foden 4335 4×2 tractor unit Reg No M240 WRN Fleet No 66 ‘Sir Winston was registered new two years later on the 1st of May 1995 and was assigned to the general haulage fleet.
E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K730 URN Fleet No 6 ‘Sir Lancelot’ was registered new on the 1st of February 1993 and assigned to the ECV contract.
Powered by a Perkins E12TX 325 engine and driven by Fred Bretherton it is seen in Longridge depot while coupled to a step frame skeletal trailer built by Municipal Trailers of Bamber Bridge.
Originally when new the trailer was a tandem axle but acquired it’s third axle in 1983 when legislation increased the gross vehicle weight to 38 tons.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K350 EEO Fleet No 23 ‘Auld Reekie’ was registered new on the 1st of February 1993.
Powered by a Perkins E12TX 325 engine it is pictured here on the 28th of October 1995 in the depot at Longridge while coupled up to one of Riding’s tri-axle cement tankers which ran out of the nearby Castle Cement works at Clitheroe.
K350 EEO was one of the first ERF’s to receive the scarab green Transport Development Group livery. >
Seen here in December 1995 it has just come out of the paint shop and is yet to have it’s TDG graphics applied to the doors and front panels.
Photographs courtesy of Chris Richards.
‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K620 VHG Fleet No 30 ‘Patriot’ was registered new on the 17th of February 1993.
Powered by a Perkins E12TX 325 engine this was one of many brand new ERF tractor unit’s introduced into the fleet in 1993.
Penrith based it is seen here after dropping into Longridge depot with 24 tons of steel plate from the BSC Dalzell Works plant at Motherwell prior to changing it’s trailer with one loaded with 24 tons of Castle cement for it’s return trip up to Coatbridge Scotland
After the retirement of Tom Riding in October 1995 TDG immediately set to work and re-branded the fleet in their own ‘Transport Development Group’ livery.
Within a few weeks K620 VHG had lost all it’s Riding identity after it was given this scarab green TDG Nexus livery.
Another shot of ‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K620 VHG Fleet No 30 ‘Patriot’ seen here coupled up to one of Riding’s tri-axle cement tankers.
Powered by a Perkins E12TX 325 engine it is pictured parked up at Penrith in Cumbria where it was out-based, along with four other W & J Riding’s tractor unit’s, for use on Scottish trunk change over’s.
The late Tom Riding is pictured here in May 1993 with the late Edwin Peter Foden, chairman of ERF Trucks, during the handover of ERF EC10 4X2 tractor unit Reg No K160 YCK at the factory in Sandbach Cheshire.
ERF EC10 4X2 tractor unit Reg No K160 YCK Fleet No 90 ‘Cock o’ the North’ was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
This particular ERF tractor unit was in the very first batch of the EC series produced at Sandbach in May 1993 and was used as one of the launch vehicles on the 7th of May 1993 and was first registered on the 3rd of June 1993.
Managing director the late Tom Riding continued……
“ERF painted and lettered it up at their factory but, as you can see, it was not to our style so it was re-branded at Longridge a few months after joining the fleet.
It is pictured at the TIMAX distribution centre at Squires Gate Blackpool where it spent most of its working life running double shifts clocking up around 4000 miles every week”.
An official ERF publicity taken in May 1993 showing ERF EC10 4X2 tractor unit Reg No K160 YCK Fleet No 90 ‘Cock o’ the North’.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it is seen here at the TIMAX distribution centre at Squires Gate Blackpool in the month when the ERF EC Series was officially launched.
Another shot ERF EC10 4X2 tractor unit Reg No K160 YCK Fleet No 90 ‘Cock o’ the North’.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it is seen here in Longridge depot on the 29th of August 1993, when three months old, coupled up to a 40 foot tandem axle curtain-sider trailer in still in Bainbridge contract livery.
Four months earlier on the 5th of April 1993 the Bainbridge Silencers name was dropped in favour of ‘Timax Exhaust Systems’ with a redesigned corporate logo and livery in blue,red and white.
When new ERF had painted and lettered it up at their factory but, as you can see, it was not to Riding’s style so it was re-branded a few months after joining the fleet as can be seen in the picture below.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
ERF EC10 4X2 tractor unit Reg No K160 YCK Fleet No 90 ‘Cock o’ the North’, powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine, was in the very first batch of EC series tractor units produced by ERF at Sandbach in May 1993.
Originally it came painted and lettered by ERF direct from their factory but unfortunately it was not to Riding’s style.
It is seen here at Longridge in its revised livery with the famous ‘ The Best In The Long Run’ banner across the front.
In July 2001, after eight years service, K160 YCK was sold for an undisclosed amount and exported abroad.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards
Occasionally W & J Riding would be allocated a new vehicle on demonstration from the manufactures for fleet evaluation.
In this case it is ERF EC10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K533 XVU which was registered new by ERF on the 1st of May 1993.
Pictured here at the Timax plant at Glasson Dock near Lancaster in September 1993 it is coupled up to one of Riding’s Timax contract livered forty foot step frame curtain-sider trailers.
The logo on the front of the tractor unit says ‘Driving the future” which was quite ironic really as within nine years of this picture being taken ERF lorry production at Sandbach would be no more than a just memory.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L360 DCW Fleet No 92 ‘Sir Perivale’ was registered new on the 6th of September 1993 at a cost of £37,295 plus vat.
Powered by a Perkins 335 TX engine this particular tractor unit was allocated to the Timax contract and led a busy life double shifted.
The trailer is in full Timax livery as on the 5th of April 1993 Bainbridge Silencers changed their name to ‘Timax Exhaust Systems’ with a redesigned corporate logo and livery in blue,red and white.
In October 2002, after nine years in the fleet L360 DCW was sold on for an undisclosed sum.
Another shot of ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L360 DCW Fleet No 92 ‘Sir Perivale’ this time seen here heading down the motorway hauling an unusual stepframe trailer.
Tom Riding continues below…..
“Timax sometimes had a problem collecting their own products from a site if the customer ceased trading or whatever.
They had a requirement to be able to carry a fork lift truck on a normal taut-liner to enable the driver to load himself if the need arose.
R.J. & I Wells modified this particular step frame trailer to be able to do this in such a way that a section of chassis was carved away in front of the step and suitably strengthened and pull out ramps fitted.
This enabled a fork truck to climb on board and providing the driver was suitably qualified the system worked a treat.
Result, a highly satisfied customer”.
ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L360 DCW Fleet No 92 ‘Sir Perivale’ also featured in a Commercial Motor press release entitled ‘Riding High with Timax’
The article, dated the 13th of January 1994, was regarding the investment of £108,000 when W & J Riding introduced six 13.85 metre high volume curtain-sided trailers for their contract with exhaust aftermarket supplier Timax.
The six step-deckers were designed by Wheelbase Engineering and bodied by Boalloy.
Each allowed Timax to haul seven of its metal pallets compared with six in previous straight-framed trailers.
Some of the extra length was gained by recessing the necks of the Wheelbase trailers for the stillage feet and using narrower rear internal pillars and panels on the Tautliner bodies.
To comply with turning circle requirements, Boalloy included its standard Continental chamfered front corners.
Running on 265/75 R19.51n tyres and steel-sprung ROR axles, the 4.75m-high trailers had 22.5-tonne bogies on mechanical suspension which suited them for operation at 38 tonnes gross.
In addition to Timax’s new livery, Boalloy added wearing bands on the curtains to withstand abrasion from stillage feet.
ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L370 MEO Fleet No 25 ‘Great Western’ was powered by a Perkins E12 TX325 engine and was registered new on the 1st of December 1993.
Pictured here hauling a Carmichael 2000 cubic foot non tipping powder tanker, is is seen in Leeds on the Armley gyratory system heading out towards the M621 motorway.
Photograph courtesy of the late Colin Wright.
Thornaby based ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L380 MEO Fleet No 26 ‘Sanspareil’ was powered by a Perkins E12 TX325 engine and was driven from new by long time serving Riding’s driver Jimmy Renton.
Registered new on the 1st of December 1993 at a cost of £37,295 plus vat this was one of several brand new ERF EC12’s introduced into the fleet at that time.
L380 MEO was still in use in 2014 in TDG livery on Tees Dock after being converted into a ballast tractor.
ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L390 KHG Fleet No 58 ‘Resolute’ was powered by a Perkins E12 TX325 engine.
Registered new on the 1st of July 1994 this photograph was taken when it was only two months old on the 17th of September 1994.
Coupled up to a tandem axle step frame curtain-sider trailer in Timax contract livery it is seen loading up at the Timax warehouse at Glasson Dock near Lancaster.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
August 1994 and ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L390 KHG Fleet No 58 ‘Resolute’, hauling a tandam axle Timax curtainsider trailer, is seen here as it is about to turn off Whittingham Road into the depot at Longridge.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seen here while parked up in the depot at Longridge is another shot of ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L390 KHG Fleet No 58 ‘Resolute’ which was registered new on the 1st of July 1994.
Normally a Timax contract tractor unit, as seen in the previous picture, the traffic office at that time are obviously taking advantage to use it on general traffic between jobs.
In the last of a series of pictures of ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L390 KHG Fleet No 58 ‘Resolute’ this on the road shot shows it heading North on the M1 in Northamptonshire as it passes the Watford Gap service area.
Seen hauling an old Bainbridge Silencer livered trailer it would soon be changed as on the 5th of April 1993 Bainbridge Silencers had changed their name to ‘Timax Exhaust Systems’ with a redesigned corporate logo and livery in blue,red and white.
Photograph courtesy of Ade Portlock.
ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No M980 TCK Fleet No 10 ‘Relentless’ was a brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of November 1994.
Powered by a Perkins E12 TX325 engine it is seen here hauling a Timax liveried tandem axle curtain-sider as it proceeds along the A585 heading towards J3 of the M55 on the 20th of September 1995.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
A close up shot of ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No M980 TCK Fleet No 10 ‘Relentless’ which was a brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of November 1994.
Powered by a Perkins E12 TX325 engine it is seen here parked up in the depot while coupled up to forty foot Timax liveried step frame tandem axle curtain-sider trailer.
ERF EC12 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No M710 WCW Fleet No 52 ‘Lode Star’ was a brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of April 1995.
It is seen here at the Timax warehouse at Glasson Dock near Lancaster with driver Neil Jackson in the process of opening the curtains of the trailer for unloading.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
ERF EC12 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No M710 WCW Fleet No 52 ‘Lode Star’, a brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of April 1995, is seen here arriving back to the depot at Longridge.
This tractor unIt was normally driven by Neil Jackson and used on the Timax contract that ran out of Blackpool and Glasson Dock near Lancaster.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
An on the road shot of ERF EC12 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No M710 WCW Fleet No 52 ‘Lode Star’ seen here coming off the M6 onto the northbound side of the Charnock Richard service area in Lancashire
ERF EC12 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No N340 ERN Fleet No 19 ‘Flying Dutchman’ was registered new on the 1st of September 1995 only a month before the retirement of Tom Riding.
Powered by a Perkins TX325 engine it is seen here in March 1996 at the Timax warehouse at Glasson Dock near Lancaster after collecting a loaded curtain-sider trailer in Timax contract livery.
Having already had it’s ‘The Best In The Long Run’ logo removed from the front grill it was not very long after this picture was taken that it was sent into the paint shop resprayed and given this TDG Nexus blue livery. >
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
ERF EC12 4×2 tractor unit Reg No N780 ERN Fleet No 14 ‘Hotspur’ was registered new on the 1st of September 1995.
Pictured here in the depot at Longridge while coupled to a flat trailer N780 ERN was the last vehicle that Tom Riding ordered and had delivered shortly before his retirement in October 1995.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
A lovely line up of ERF EC12 Series 4×2 tractor units in the depot at Longridge.
Powered by Perkins TX325 engines they were all assigned to the Timax exhaust systems contract that ran out of the Timax factory at Squires Gate Blackpool and Glasson Dock near Lancaster.
The late Tom Riding recalled…..
“These particular ERF built tractor units were very good machines and liked by the drivers and maintenance staff alike and it was a very sad day when ERF production ceased”.
