On the glorious summer Wednesday evening before the event we set about marking out our display area to take full advantage of the space and to give as much exposure to each vehicle that we had booked in, so to cater for the 140 vehicles registered from ten feet long up to fifty foot long does take some working out.  Lines done, the trailer in position and with some exhibits starting to arrive it was now getting dark so we called it a day.

Friday saw an early start via Tesco's and we finally got to Kelsall to find more early arrivals which then kept coming.  Getting the trailer sorted at the same time and having to set the stage ready for the weekend took some time and it was then time to make our way home and load up ready to make another early start on the Saturday morning.

Saturday morning saw even more early arrivals with some having travelled over night, soon the rows were filling up, the trailer was doing a roaring trade with never a second to breath !! Our President Mr Peter Foden arrived during the morning for his tour around the vehicles that were ready for his inspection. Peter thanked us for arranging such a splendid display and wished the club all the best for the future.  All afternoon we were kept on our toes talking to so many guests from the haulage industry  that once had ERF's in their fleets, of course those still loyal to ERF were here with us.  Things started to quiten down and our caterers got to work preparing the bbq for the Committee and guests.  Anyone that has been to the Chairman's bbq will know that nothing is spared.  Margaret and Lizy then topped us all up with strawberries and cream and just when we thought we were finished Graham appeared with a large box containing a birthday cake in a replica of our show unit and trailer to commemorate my 70th birthday which I had celebrated earlier that week.  Recovering from the surprise I cut the cake and we all got stuck into it.  We got tidied up and then made our way to the marquee to see our old friends the Ummpaar Band, it was a very hot night with as many people outside of the marquee as inside.  The night closed with the band leading off the singing of Happy Birthday, an excellent night was had with so many friends and a night that I personally will cherish for a long time.

Sunday saw more ERF's arriving and we just managed to get 140 in which was absolutely fantastic, with the cost of fuel as it is today it is very rewarding that you give REVS such good support and it was very encouraging to have so many first timers join us this year.  The morning was very busy but at 2pm things started to slow down as England were on the box. We were also supplied with a never ending supply of scones topped with strawberries and cream by our hostesses.  It was now time to bid a farewell to everyone for another year and a thank you must go to the team of volunteers who again had put on what was an absulutely super event.  Thanks must go to Geoff and Marie Newsome for allowing us to be part of the steam rally and just to confirm that 25th - 26th June 2011 is the confirmed date for next year.  Thank you to all of our members for making this such a memorable weekend.

Chris Smith.

REVS AGM & Winter Social

To be held at the Chase Hotel, Higham Lane, Town Centre, Nuneaton, CV11 6AG. Telephone 0247 634 1013.

Timings to be confirmed shortly. Tickets are £10 per head.

Rooms are £30.00 per room plus either £4.95 for a continental breakfast or £6.95 for a full English breakfast (per person)  Rooms have been block booked in the name of REVS / ERF Historic Vehicles Society so please book early to ensure that you get a room at the reduced rate.

Sunday saw us up early and after a good breakfast we headed off up to the show field where we were made very welcome.  There were 12 ERF's at the show during the course of the weekend and 60 other vehicles on show.  We met with a lot of our members whom we only see when we visit Dumfries.  I think that this must have been the hottest day of the year as we got very sunburnt but an enjoyable day was had by the three of us.  We thank everyone for making us so welcome.  Jim Doig asked me what our thoughts were on them organising an ERF Scottish gathering and I think it has great potential so watch this space.  I rang Mr Turner to let him know that we were on our way back and told him it should be around 6.30pm at Preston, he told me not stop on the way back as Mrs Turner was going to make us our tea so I slipped the van into 6th gear and got into the fast lane and made Preston right on 6.30, also on their way to Preston was Graham and Kevin to pick up the van.  After a splendid spread and a quick update on the weekend we made our way home to get sorted out for the next weekend away.

Chris Smith

ERF: The Inside Story by Dai Davies OBE.

This great book features some 300 images in its 162 pages.

Dai Davies OBE worked for ERF giving 40 years service having worked his way up from a young apprentice to the Managing Director of ERF South Africa.

This long awaited book gives a frank personal account of his time with ERF and describes the ERF story from 1933 to 1997.

Copies can be obtained from the REVS trailer at shows.  The cost is £25.00

The show trailer was kept busy on both days having enquiries about most things especially  to do with any problems with obtaining parts etc. and memorabilia was in much demand.  We had several compliments paid to us on our display which did the image of REVS a world of good.  As is customary with events such as these there is very little time to see all of the exhibits on show as you are busy trying to have a look around and catch up with many friends.

Nicola and Graham spent time boxing up merchandise ready for us to take to the Dumfries Truck Show and after that we are off to Kelsall to prepare for one of our biggest events of the year.

I would like to place on record three knights of the road who are George Starkey, Roger Pickering and Elfed Bartley who stopped in a cloudburst to help out Malcolm Sample who needed to change a blow out on the way home, all four are members of REVS. ps This is what truckers did years ago !!!

Chris Smith

On the 29th my daughter Nicola and myself soon had the trailer in position and with Graham's assistance we were ready for business in no time, you would never believe that one week earlier we were scorched and this weekend we were to be frozen, drowned and blown to pieces so by 3pm we'd had enough, locked up for the night and headed to the Premier Inn for the night.

Sunday saw a big improvement in the weather with a good selection of ERF's, 18 in total throughout the weekend attended. Graham Flack, Graeme Turner, Ian Moxon and Nigel Addy joined us and Neil and Maureen popped in for a flying visit, with the Hilditch crew absconding to Malta.

A very large presence of AEC's which was to be expected with some very nice Atkinson's started to move off soon after 2pm which gave us a chance to get an early finish with Graham setting off to Gaydon with the unit and trailer ready for our next event on the 12th & 13th June.

I would like to thank the AEC Society for their invitation to be a part of their show.

Chris Smith

We would all like to say a very big thank you to all of the people who came to the show, a grand total of 152 lorries turned up of which 38 were ERF's which we have been told by the organisers is a show record for both the ERF section and the commercial section.

I personally would like to say thank you to fellow support officers Nigel Addy and Neil Cross who along with Ian Moxon all took the Friday off work to help set up the REVS trailer so that we were all ready to go first thing Saturday morning. 

As some of you will know I hounded Ian Moxon to help me marshal the event some months ago and he did a great job as always setting up not just the ERF area but all of the commercials.

Special thanks should also go to Maureen Cross who manned the trailer all weekend along with Michael Addy and Richard Eldred, Nigel and Neil and Chris.Thank you, to my long suffering other half Jim Sardeson for putting up with me for the past 5 months and for also acting as a marshal throughout the weekend and for collecting the unit and trailer the Sunday before from Chris and Elfed and for taking it to Belvoir on the Wednesday evening for me. I must not forget to mention Mr Phil Comber, thank you to a true gentleman for keeping us all entertained.

I must also thank Matt Cross for helping me marshal the arena events and for helping out on the trailer, just hope you can join us again next year.

And finally, thank you to all of the ERF drivers most of whom are REVS members and who went into the ring on both days, I know how hot it was for you all in there, especially the parade Sunday afternoon which over run somewhat, but you have to admit you all put on an excellant show for the members of the public so it was most certainly worth it. Thank you too for all of the emails, letters, cards and gifts that I have received they have all been most welcome.

I look forward to seeing you all again next year, oh yes I am going to do it all over again.

Jill

Website Support Officer.

On Sunday we were grateful to have the added help of our Chairman Graham, along with Kevin and George.  As the weather was good this bought in the crowds to the trailer and we were kept busy all day.  Nigel and family along with Nicola then took P33 out on the road run up and around the Great Orme whilst Linda hitched a lift with Alan Jones in his 6 wheel LV Tipper, on returning we bid farewell to Neil and Maureen, Graham, Kevin, Nigel, Mandy and Michael and we returned to the fish and chip bar before returning to our hotel for a night cap.

Monday was a much quiter day and we were able to take time out before packing everything away ready for our next show at the Belvoir Castle Steam Rally on the 22nd and 23rd May where we have over 30 ERF's booked in to attend.

Chris

Show co-ordinator

Quite a few REVS members were spotted with their trucks, Ian Moxon a REVS Support Officer who works for Mason Bros was seen with his DAF !!!!!   Darren Tapp also a REVS Support Officer attended for the day with his son and The Eldred family from Stamford, Lincolnshire were there in full force and they very kindly took in our Magazine Editors truck for him as he was at the Llandudno show.

We had a very early morning dash down the motorway to Sandbach for the Transport Festival. This event is a very good opportunity to promote the club and to meet many friends.  From the time the trailer doors were opened we were inundated with visitors.  Mr Peter Foden honoured us with his presence and a lady who turned up to visit  was the grand daughter of George Faulkner one of the original three, she was very pleased that we were keeping the ERF name alive.  The REVS unit P33 ERF was also judged as being the best ERF in the show by Mr Ken Beresford who was judging the event.

Some of the Committee headed off to the Banks Steam & Vintage Rally with our own Unit P33 ERF and No 1.  The event was an opportunity to join in with the Leyland Museum to promote REVS at an event that we had not been involved with before.  Thanks must go to the musuem for allowing us to take No 1 with us.

Geoff Forden, Cottingham near Hull

John Thomas, Werrington, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

Dick Robinson, Sutterton, Lincolnshire

Chad Evans, Tipton, West Midlands

Anthony Lewis, Crymych, Pembrokeshire

Timothy Smith, Leek, Staffordshire

Michael Reed, Exeter, Devon

George Jackson, Marlborough, Wiltshire

Paul Thomas, Swansea

John Stephenson, Higher Denham, Buckinghamshire

Check out the March 2010 edition of the "Trucking" magazine, it has an excellant article on the British Commerical Vehicle show which was held at the Leyland museum in Lancashire last August.  There are five pages of great ERF's.

I am also realiably informed that that a magazine called "Vintage Spirit" also has a good write up so if you get the opportunity try to track down a copy.