One of each please, and a bonus

Lots of oversixe loads movbing off and on the piers inHalifax this week, but often under less than ideal lighting conditions.
At noon time today however, there were three Groupe Robert Volvos lined up at Fairview. Oddly all three were different.

One day cab in the centre, flanked by a low rise sleeper and a high rise sleeper. We don't see too many Robert trucks here, even though they are a very large Quebec company. However we do see Watson trucks (which is a division of Robert).

And that was the bonus, this dandy Watson KW. No 3878 has less chrome than its counterpart 3879 that has been here many times before.

Watson is the usual carrier for Bombardier aircraft components, and maybe Roberts were here for something else, but in view of the common ownership it is more likely they were here for fuselages too.

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Going to the dogs

Not a truck in sight, so my annual homage to http://www.oldparkedcars.com/

Classic Mercedes Coupe.

And one for the road:

Backseat driver

Oh and why not another one:

Stop, Look and Listen

 

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Freightliner from BC

This Freightliner with British Columbia plates showed up today - well coated with road salt.

Aside from a COE cab with generous sleeper, the tractor chassis carried a large drom box for additional cargo capacity.
The US DOT number 125550 is allocated the Atlas Van Lines, Evansville, IN, so I have no idea who the operator is for this unit.

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Winter Trucking - Halifax style

Despite a heavy fall of snow last night, roads were mostly clear and wet in Halifax today. No ice roads here! Instead we have a snow followed by mild temperatures then rain - and lots of salt spread on the roads in the interim. It means slushy driving, and impossibly dirty trucks.

Mills' big Mack Titan and Paron trailer was on the road today hauling one of the imported Bell articulated off road dump trucks  - this one a B30E - which had a quantity of wet snow in its dump body.

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Bell Equipment Co

The Bell Equipment Company is a big name in Africa and Asia, where its Richard's Bay factory churns out a huge variety of off-road trucks, loaders, dozers, graders, tractors, harvesters and custom equipment. Their corporate brochures shows a bewildering array of gear:   Bell Equipment Co

The company also serves Europe from its factory in Kindel, Germany, which also serves North America, and since 2012 through Wajax Equipment it Canadian dealer. The company also has partnerships with Hitachi, Liebherr and Bomag.

A recent shipment of large off road dump trucks is parked in Halifax awaiting forwarding on to dealers. Most are inconveniently located backed up to a chain link fence in the Fiarview Cove terminal, but one unit was a bit more accessible to view.

A Bell B40D articulated dump truck fresh off the ship from Europe waits for delivery. Not the biggest truck in their line, but impressive even so.

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Pierreville #1

A Halifax fire engine that used to wear number 1 is again wearing that number, but is no longer in service as a pumper. Instead it is listed as an antique apparatus and is brought out for ceremonial occasions such as funerals. It also makes an appearance at the annual commemoration of the Halifax explosion of December 6, 1917 when much of Halifax was leveled and nine fire fighters lost their lives. The firefighters' memorial for that horrific event is located at Station 4 on Lady Hammond Road and their ceremony takes place there.
This year, on December 5, the engine was draped in black for funeral service, which I had never seen before and was being rubbed down in preparation for the December 6 ceremony.

Now known as 76-11A on the official roster, it is a Pierreville, bearing serial number 635 (which is not listed on the Canadian Fire Truck Archive all time list).
Built in 1976 it carries a Cincinnati cab, and unknown chassis, possibly Pemfab. It is also possible that it was a Pierreville demonstrator, because it was extensively chromed and carried detailed gold leaf and pinstriping.

In its front line days for Engine Company # 1, it responded to the Derby Tavern fire on Gottingne Street in 1981.

Later in 1981 it responded to a call on Barrington Street.

 

By the time it was called out to the Bob McDonald Chevrolet fire in 1984 it had been reassigned to Engine Company 6.

 

In active service is was based at West Street, and was probably the busiest engine in Halifax for several years. It was later reassigned and carried Engine Company #6. Always beautifully maintained, it was kept in reserve until it was transferred to the antique roster where it has been painstakingly restored.

One of its characteristics was a slight squat to the rear, which was very small, but gave the rig a sort of crouching look - ready to spring. 

At the December 6, 2012 commemoration.

Paddocks with a difference

Among the finest looking trucks I see from time to time are those of Paddock Transportation from Stoney Creek, ON. They are regulars here transporting military LAVs for export to Saudi Arabia. The LAVs are built by General Dynamics in London, ON and arrive in Halifax on Paddock trucks in time to load aboard Saudi ships.

 

Consistently painted in black and red, there is still considerable variety in the actual trucks.

 
Most of the trucks are Kenworths, although I have seen a Western Star, but I got a surprise this week when a Freightliner COE put in an appearance.

 A shrink wrapped LAV waiting on the pier.

 A Freightliner COE lurks behind a piar of KWs.

 

Impressive Freightliner is equipped with a lift axle.

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