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    Lorries of Arabia: The ERF NGC
    Lorries of Arabia: The ERF NGC
    Lorries of Arabia: The ERF NGC
    Ebook106 pages1 hour

    Lorries of Arabia: The ERF NGC

    By Robert Hackford

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    About this ebook

    This book is a tribute to ERF's world-class long-hauler, especially the Middle East examples, and to those who drove them. What did the ERF NGCs look like? How well did they perform? Where did they venture? What were they like to drive and to live in? And where did they stand in ERF's contribution to Britain's place in the history of the TIR-trail? Left-hand drive ERFs were, perhaps, one of the more beguiling elements in the exotic pageantry of 1970s Middle-East trucking - and this particular model earned a reputation for excellent performance in the mountains, a theme that runs throughout this book. The vision of these magnificent machines hauling articulated road-trains over the Saudi mountains in Trans-Arabia livery is a treat.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOld Pond Books
    Release dateMar 25, 2015
    ISBN9781910456385
    Lorries of Arabia: The ERF NGC
    Author

    Robert Hackford

    Robert Hackford is a retired head teacher and long-haul trucker. He is also the author of 'Kamyonistan Quartet' (a novel, Athena press) together with many articles published in the trade press (truck mags).

    Read more from Robert Hackford

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      Book preview

      Lorries of Arabia - Robert Hackford

      A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE ERF NGC

      The NGC ‘European’ was revealed at the Brussels Motor Show on 19 January 1973 and was produced until 1977: almost five years. At first, it was only marketed as an export model to European operators; otherwise it might have seen more recognition as ERF’s ‘flagship’ unit. However, it wasn’t announced that the NGC would also be made available to UK hauliers until it was exhibited alongside the new B-series at Earls Court in October 1974. British-registered examples then began to appear in early 1975.

      I can account for about 70 units. As many of them changed hands, a fully accurate figure is not easy to ascertain (see Appendix 1). The NGC was conceived by ERF designer, Jack Cooke, along with his team. It was a purpose-built long-hauler, designed for international haulage just as Britain was entering the European Common Market, and operators were looking for tractive units suitable for continental work. Importantly, it had a full sleeper cab that could be tilted to 68 degrees. Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) meant that complete trucks could be delivered to the continent without the need to deliver them in ‘completely knocked-down kit’ form to avoid high import duties, as had been the case with export 5MW-cabbed units. At the same time, the Middle East boom was really getting under way, and fantastic opportunities were opening up for the more adventurous driver and operator. This was an interesting period in the history of British road transport.

      In some ways, the NGC ‘European’ was quite unique. For a start, it was only built as an LHD unit – probably the only British model ever to be so. As far as I can work out, it was the only European-built model to be offered with the combination of LHD and 9-speed Fuller as standard (rather than optional). It was also unique in that it was designed primarily as a long-hauler, although they made excellent heavy-haulers, too. Unlike other makes and models that had versions for the home market, it had no right-hand drive (RHD), lightweight, or day-cabbed versions: it had a clear identity as a long-haul truck rather than a UK domestic one. It was a purpose-built LHD, powerful, heavy-duty TIR-truck in its own right.

      NGC 420 (Cummins powered 42-tonner) was ERF code for this model. ERF brochures showed two lighter options, which appear not to have materialized in reality. This table shows what was originally on offer:

      In practice, it appears that no straight-framed lightweight models were ever produced and that all NGC 420s were supplied as heavy-duty 42-tonners, which were simply plated at permissible weights according to their country of operation (32 tonnes in UK, 38 or 42 tonnes in Belgium and France, and 42 or 50 tonnes in Holland). Early brochures were clearly a declaration of ERF’s intent to supply the optional vehicles according to demand. However, operators who wanted the cheaper, lighter option could buy a Gardner-engined A-series-based 5MW. The 5MW ‘European’, which continued to be offered alongside the 7MW-cabbed ‘European’, was already being offered with a choice of straight-framed chassis or waisted heavy-duty chassis, and choice of engines and transmissions, so the ‘lightweight’ market was already covered.

      illustration

      The only real NGC variable was the engine and gearbox combination. The NGC 360 was offered with optional Cummins NH 240 or Gardner 240 (8LXB) engines, but none supplied with them. In theory, the Gardner option would have received the code NGG 360. Initially, a naturally aspirated Cummins NHC 250 was offered in the NGC 380, but again I know of none having been supplied. As far as I can ascertain, only eight 7MWs were supplied with the optional Cummins NTC 290/13-speed Fuller combination (seven of which went to Trans Arabia). It is possible that there were others. Where it is certain that individual units had the standard Cummins NTC 335/9-speed Fuller combination, I have made it clear in the text below and in the table in Appendix 1. All ERF NGC promotional literature indicates quite clearly that the customer could choose either 9-speed or 13-speed Fuller gearboxes. However, in practice, most NGCs fitted with NTC 335 engines had 9-speed Fullers because apparently the 13-speed ‘boxes didn’t match well to 335s because of the high torque-loads but were fine when matched to 290s. I can find only three examples of NGCs fitted with the NTC 335/13-speed Fuller combination: Corbishley’s preserved vehicle (KCH 95N); 1557 PF89; GEH 513N (Albert Dale, later John Simmons), which received a replacement for its 9-speeder later in life from a Belgian donor vehicle, which was another ERF NGC operated by De Meulemeester of Pittem. There may of course have been others. However, I rather suspect that all NGC 420s left ERF with 9-speed ‘boxes. KCH 95N still has an original 9-speed shift diagram plate riveted below the dashboard, even though it was supplied new to Eyckmans with 13-speed ‘box by CDB in Belgium, who may have converted it.

      So, apart from LHD, NGC’s other standard features included: a six-cylinder, 14-litre turbocharged Cummins small-cam NTC 335 bhp engine (impressive power in 1973); a 9-speed Fuller RT 9509A (RT 9095 from 1975 onwards) constant-mesh gearbox; ZF power-assisted steering and clutch, a 13-tonne Kirkstall D85 13.2 heavy-duty rear axle with epicyclic hub reduction, a 6.5-tonne front axle and a very well-appointed sleeper cab.

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