Brilliant teddyward, especially about the road ranger gearbox, that takes me back to a company I worked for in Melbourne I wish I could remember their name (probably will in bed tonight when I'm not thinking of it) but all their vehicles were blue. The prime mover I drove didn't have a road ranger gearbox although I have taught drivers how to operate one, but this one was a Foden which none of the other drivers didn't want to know, Gardner slow revving engine and crash gearbox, it was given a name which was "Lurch", no indicators just an arm with a hand attached for turning or stopping, no engine retard but to it's credit it did have a trailer brake.
A few years ago in Brisbane I was chatting to this fellow who had worked for the same company and I mentioned this Foden, he said "do you mean Lurch" yes that's the one, he told me that he had heard of this little skinny Pom who drove it so I told him that I was the one. Strange story but it did happen, size doesn't matter but technique does, the good drivers kept the cost of maintenance down, fuel costs down as you have stated, no burn outs so less tyre cost, no reversing hard into loading docks so no damage to turntable and trailer coupling pin.
Geez there are so many driving stories from the older ones, some younger ones don't believe them.
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