WWW.TRUCKSPAREPARTS.CO.UK

153 SCHOOL LANE, BRINSCALL, CHORLEY, LANCS, PR6 8PT, UNITED KINGDOM

EXPORTERS OF QUALITY COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SPARE PARTS

e-mail:- truckspareparts@autofast.co.uk

NEW SPARE PARTS FOR COMMERCIAL AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES INCLUDING ERF, LEYLAND DAF AND LDV VEHICLES.

CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES OR RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

THE HISTORY OF ERF

RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

ERF Edwin Richard Foden was the youngest son of Edwin Foden who founded the famous Foden steam-wagon company whose history dated back to 1856. By the early 1930s Fodens were struggling to sell steamers and ER, as he was called, was firmly convinced that the company should build diesels instead. His brother, William, had retired in 1924 and emigrated to Australia. A disagreement over policy led ER to resign and he and his son, Dennis, set up their own company called E R Foden just a short distance from Fodens' factory. Production began in 1933 with a modern 6/7-ton payload forward-control four-wheeler powered by a Gardner 4LW engine. All the running units were bought in and, unlike Fodens, E R Foden were assemblers. The trucks sold well and very soon the E R Foden badge was altered to ERF. During the six years up to the outbreak of World War II the range expanded to include three and four-axled rigids and two-axled tractor units. They were also the first company to build a twin-steer six-wheeler. ERF was one of the few UK truck manufacturers to be allowed to continue production during the war and some wartime models were fitted with AEC engines when Gardners were in short supply. After the war, in 1948, a completely new range was introduced under the general designation of the V range, masterminded by chief engineer Ernest Sherratt who himself was an ex-Foden man. ERF went from strength to strength, developing an extensive export business. Domestic vehicles had Jennings coachbuilt cabs, Jennings being an old established coachbuilder with whom ERF shared their premises at Sandbach. Later, in 1963, ERF absorbed the company as their in-house cab builder. For export, a steel cab was introduced in 1951, produced by the Willenhall Motor Radiator Co. This was also available on the home market but after a couple of years a completely new and strikingly modern cab with panoramic windscreen and oval radiator grille was introduced as the KV cab. A semi-forward-control version, nicknamed the "Sabrina", was added in 1958. The first appearance of the KV in November 1953 added to ERF's prestige and the new models featured many improvements, especially in the braking system. ERF also became involved in building specialized export models for heavy-duty operation and options of *****mins and Rolls Royce diesels were offered during the late '50s. South Africa was a particularly strong export market for ERF. The next major launch was the LV-cabbed range of 1962. It was with this range that ERF became the first UK manufacturer to offer fail-safe spring brakes. With an increasing demand for articulated vehicles in the UK, ERF began offering a complete matched artic during the '60s. Export demand continued to be healthy and an assembly plant was set up in South Africa in 1965 to build vehicles tailored to local requirements. In the early 1970s Ernest Sherratt retired as director of engineering and his replacement, an ex-Chrysler man, brought in the A series which was based on a new design philosophy more akin to mass production ideas, especially in the design of frame and suspension. Engines included the *****mins NH220 and Gardner 8LXB 240. The A series formed the basis for a 38-ton European tractor with a steel Motor Panels tilt cab which ERF aimed specifically at the European market. Soon after, ERF's first true tilt-cab range, the B series, was announced. This featured the SP (Steel/Plastic) cab produced by a revolutionary new moulding technicpe. Continuous improvements have been introduced to the ERF range since the mid 1970s resulting in the C series and later the E series, all using developments of the SP cab structure. The last major launch was in 1993 with the EC range which soon became a leading seller in the UK. A top-of-the-range heavy tractor unit for long-haul operations appeared as the Olympic. In 1996 ERE Britain's last independent truck builder, was bought out by Western Star of Canada. Since the takeover, certain ERF-based models are now marketed as Western Star, like the Commander range that has sold well in Australia and New Zealand. The mechanical content of the Commander series is predominantly American-sourced. ERF also markets the Turkish-built BMC Professional as the ERF EP and assembles Isuzu trucks. In August 1999 it was announced that ERF production was to be transferred from Sandbach to nearby Middlewich, and in February 2000 Western Star sold the company to MAN in Germany.

RETURN TO HOMEPAGE