Did any drivers on here........?

[G-CPTN]

I can't find them either . . .

[Energumen]

Is that classed as a 'Senior Moment'?. Ha ha

[grandad]

Originally Posted by coastie

in the 70's my brother and i used to go to wednesbury to our paper suppliers. When we got onto the m6, we'd see lorry chassis with lights precariously placed, being driven by men sitting in plywood "boxes" and wearing bright yellow oilskins, scarves and goggles going up the m6. We never knew where they came from for definite or where they were going. Looked an interesting, albeit a slighly dangerous job, did any of the drivers on here do that job? If so, where were you going and what was it like?

hello mate, i had the dubious distinction of piloting some of those lethal missiles,lol. We were running out of slip -end near luton with bedford "chassis cabs destined for duples of blackpool to have coach bodies fitted. After which we hitched back on our trade plates.they were deemed unsafe shortly after tho they had been driven like that for years and years. From about 76 they had to delivered by transporter. You had to be a bit nuts to put up with no screen no seat, only a bit of ply, and no saftey belt! Lol.

[G-CPTN]

I was responsible for testing new chassis before they were released for delivery.
We had a track that was raised concrete blocks unevenly spaced. Front-engined bus chassis were OK (sort of), but when we built the first rear-engined bus it was impossible to stay on the wooden seat!

BTW - what you describe was just a 'chassis' (or maybe a 'chassis-cowl'). A chassis-cab was a proper truck (though without a load-carrying body).

Brave man!

[les turnbull]

Originally Posted by G-CPTN

I was responsible for testing new chassis before they were released for delivery.
We had a track that was raised concrete blocks unevenly spaced. Front-engined bus chassis were OK (sort of), but when we built the first rear-engined bus it was impossible to stay on the wooden seat!

BTW - what you describe was just a 'chassis' (or maybe a 'chassis-cowl'). A chassis-cab was a proper truck (though without a load-carrying body).

Brave man!

Sounds like mk1 leyland national chassis even with body fitted u would be clashed to death by the front suspension,i remember ticket machine flying of its stand many times after going over sink hole or pot hole .

[G-CPTN]

It's to do with the ratio of sprung weight to unsprung weight.
When the engine is near the axle it acts as a damper to the oscillations over rough terrain. Having the driver stuck way out beyond the lightly-laden front axle merely exacerbates the situation.

[grandad]

Originally Posted by G-CPTN

I was responsible for testing new chassis before they were released for delivery.
We had a track that was raised concrete blocks unevenly spaced. Front-engined bus chassis were OK (sort of), but when we built the first rear-engined bus it was impossible to stay on the wooden seat!

BTW - what you describe was just a 'chassis' (or maybe a 'chassis-cowl'). A chassis-cab was a proper truck (though without a load-carrying body).

Brave man!

Yeh, sorry about that, i meant "open chassis". The older i get ................. Merry Christmas.lol. Grandad.

[stu.andrews]

I can remember seeing similar on the A4 when drivers clad in oilskins & crash helmet used to take Bristol PSV chassis from Bristol to Eastern Coach Works at Lowestoft. What would H+S think of this today?

[coastie]

Oh they would have a field day as regards the drivers safety!!

[Fazer9553]

Thanks for rejuvenating this thread, hadn't seen it before. As a kid I did see the open chassis heading North on the M6. Made a big impression on me especially when watching from the back seat of a car during heavy rain - poor chaps in goggles and raincoats.

Would love it if someone managed to find G-C's pics and write-up.