OLD UK gritters

[foden4000]

Hi All Sorry if this is in the wrong area. I'm doing some research into historic UK Trunk road and Motorway gritters. I've been able to identify various types MACK's, Scammells, Bedfords RL's QL's, Douglas, Atkinsons, Foden S85's, the more recent Foden 4000's, and the current fleet with MAN TGM's and VOLVO FM's with either Schmidt Stratos 2 spreaders, or Romaquip Ultima spreaders. What started it was a few old photo's found in a depot. I've found a few bits and pieces on the net and from old articles from Atkinsons, and also in a couple of magazine articles.

Whilst doing this research I've found out that there was a film in one of the editions of the a BBC 2 programme called 'Wheelbase'. This was the forerunner of the world known programme topgear. I've been able to ascertain the programme ran from around 1962 to 1974. In one episode they filmed a Ministry of Transport Atkinson gritter that had travelled 1645 miles (with operator) to attend a congress meeting in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, and undertook working trials at a height of 6000 feet, on difficult and treacherous mountain roads. I'd love to know if the film still exists, and if its available anywhere, or if anyone knows anything about any visits of an Atkinson gritter and plough into Europe. Also if anyone know anything about a Foden S85 paying Mainland Europe a visit I'd be very interested as in amongst the photo's were one or 2 which were clearly not in the UK. I think this image is around 1978, and a label on the spreader says Erlau Ketten, which I think are the snow chains. I found one photo showing it to be at a filling station near to Wurzburg.


If anyone can help it would be very much appreciated.

[Jeremy Rowland]

Hi Darren and welcome to CMN all good stuff on the gritters sorry I can't help you with any info on the film your after; what I can tell you is that many of the Foden gritters were broken up at a Derbyshire yard called Geeson's who have more recently ceased trading, I seem to recall that part of the contract with these trucks involved the fact that they could not be sold on but must be broken up.

Jeremy

[foden4000]

Hi Jeremy many thanks, they were taken in as part ex . The suppliers decided what happened to them after that I believe. One LYL was brought from direct from one supplier, and another OYE made it out of the scrap yard, as well the chassis from a third. 2 certainly are now owned by Schofields in the North of Englands. The third one has a tipper body on it. There are photo's of them on flickr.