Foden
Foden was a British heavy truck manufacturer that was most recently part of the PACCAR Inc group .
Company history
The namesake of the company, Edwin Foden (1841-1911), began his training in 1856 at the agricultural machinery manufacturer Plant and Hancock . For training purposes he moved to the Crewe Railway Works , but rejoined Plant and Hancock in 1860 and soon became a partner in the company. Foden constructed a compound steam engine that proved efficient and practical. Foden's design formed the basis for all of the company's subsequently manufactured steam engines. At the turn of the century, the company began manufacturing steam-powered road vehicles after Foden had designed his first such vehicle in 1882. After the company's founder, George Hancock , withdrew from the management of the company in 1887, the company was renamed Edwin Foden Sons and Co Ltd. renamed. The company produced stationary steam engines and traction engines for use in agriculture. The first steam-powered tractor was presented in Windsor in 1899, and production of steam-powered trucks began the following year, which continued until 1932. As early as 1901, Foden had taken part in the War Office Trials based on a tender by the British War Office with such a truck , where the vehicle took second place behind a Thornycroft truck . Although participation did not result in orders from the British military, the design formed the basis for a successful line of steam powered trucks. The truck with a payload of 5 British tons, based directly on the competition vehicle, went into production in 1902.
Edwin Foden died on August 31, 1911; he was succeeded by his sons Edwin Richard and William .
It was not until 1931 that the first truck with a diesel engine was presented. In the previous year, a steam locomotive was delivered to Palmer Mann and Co , but the foray into the rail vehicle market had no consequences. The truck presented in 1931 was equipped with a L. Gardner and Sons diesel engine; engines from other manufacturers were later also available. In 1932 Edwin Richard Foden (the son of Edwin Foden ) left the Foden company and founded the rival company ERF because he could not convince his partners of the diesel engine. In 1934 Foden finally presented the first series with a diesel engine. The last steam-powered road vehicle was delivered in 1935. A total of over 6,500 steam-powered road vehicles were built.
During the Second World War, the company manufactured armaments. A total of 1,750 heavy trucks with the wheel formula 6 × 4 and 770 tanks of the Crusader and Centaur types were manufactured. It was also Foden still involved in the production of ammunition, we produced 7.5 million 20-mm grenades.
In 1948 Foden began producing its own engines, after production was announced in 1944. This year the company presented the FD6 , their first two-stroke diesel engine with 4.1 l displacement and an output of 126 bhp. The two-stroke diesel engine remained characteristic of the company's trucks until production was discontinued in 1977. Foden became a leading manufacturer of dump trucks after the Steel Company of Wales ordered a large number of large-capacity dump trucks in 1947. By 1961, Foden had over 2,100 employees. In 1974 a new production facility was opened, and in 1977 a new generation of heavy trucks was introduced with the Fleetmaster with diesel engines from Cummins or Rolls-Royce and the Haulmaster , only available with engines from Cummins .
In 1979, major investments and poor sales led the company to bankruptcy. The construction of a new production facility, the development of the ultimately unsuccessful Foden NC double-decker bus , combined with the introduction of the new truck series in 1977 during the depression caused by the 1973 oil crisis, led the company into economic difficulties. Foden had to take state aid. It was not until 1978/79 that Foden was again profitable thanks to arms contracts acquired in 1973 valued at around £ 10 million. In 1980 Foden was acquired by Paccar and from then on the company was called "Sandbach Engineering Company". In 1981 truck production started again at a low level. The focus was on four-axle models. From 1983 the company was called "Foden Trucks". In 1999, production at Foden was discontinued - until 2006, Foden models were manufactured in the Leyland factory, which also belongs to Paccar.
truck
Steam powered tractors and trucks
Foden's entry into the production of trucks began in 1896 with the end of the Red Flag Act . Until then, the maximum speed for vehicles over 3 tons gross vehicle weight was limited to a maximum of 12 miles per hour (~ 19.2 km / h). The end of this law opened the market for high-speed trucks with high payloads. Since Foden already had a wealth of experience in the design and construction of locomobiles and steam-powered tractors, the company was able to offer corresponding trucks very quickly. For the War Office Trials , foden designed a truck with a payload of 3 tons in 1901. The vehicle took second place in the competition behind a Thornycroft truck ; the decision was controversial, however, and for many commentators Foden was the real winner of the competition. Foden was able to hold its own in the market with steam-powered vehicles for a long time, but in the 1920s it became clear that the future belonged to the internal combustion engine. The controversy surrounding the use of the diesel engine led to the establishment of the ERF company .
First diesel truck
The truck presented in 1931 used a five-cylinder Gardner diesel engine , the 5L2, along with a manual four-speed transmission. The vehicle had a payload of 6 British tons. Although the vehicle was convincing, the arguments in the company were not over. Foden launched a number of trucks with payloads between two and seven tons, but they didn't sell very well. The vehicles were motorized with engines from Austin , Dorman , Meadows or Perkins .
It was only when William Foden returned from Australia in 1935 that the company made the final turn to the use of diesel engines. First, heavy, six-wheeled trucks with a payload of ten or twelve tons were put into production. According to the British approval regulations at the time, this was the maximum payload for three-axle trucks. Gardner diesel engines were installed . Towards the end of the year, a smaller truck with a payload of four tons appeared, in which the LK4, a four-cylinder diesel engine from Gardner , was used. These models were not particularly successful on the market either. The most successful model was a heavy four-axle truck with a payload of 15 tons, which was supplemented in 1937 by a ten-ton truck with a double, steerable front axle. At the end of the 1930s, the trucks with diesel engines were marketed as the DG series .
DG series
With the DG , a successful construction was developed that was built until the Second World War. The second letter in the type designation traditionally stands for the engine variant, since for a long time only Gardner engines were installed, it was always G until the beginning of the 1950s . Based on the DG , a military version was created that was built during the war. Foden systematically expanded the range up to vehicles with a payload of 15.5 British tons. The series comprised two-, three- and four-axle vehicles. The vehicles were powered by the LW6 , a six-cylinder diesel engine from Gardner . Four- and five-cylinder engines, also from Gardner , were available for the smaller vehicles . In 1938 the following models were offered:
| model | Number of axes | payload | engine | Empty mass |
| DG4 / 7 1/2 | 2 | 7.5 tons, 10 tons with trailer | LK4, four-cylinder diesel engine | 4 British tons |
| DG5 / 7 1/2 | 2 | 7.5 British tons | 5L2, five cylinder diesel engine | 4 British tons |
| DG6 / 7 | 2 | 14.0 British tons with trailer | LW6, six-cylinder diesel engine | 5 British tons |
| DG5 / 10 | 3 | 10.0 British tons | 5L2, five cylinder diesel engine | 5 British tons |
| DG6 / 12 1/2 | 3 | 12.5 British tons | LW6, six-cylinder diesel engine | 6 British tons |
| DG6 / 15 1/2 | 4th | 15.5 British tons | LW6, six-cylinder diesel engine | 7 British tons |
Series OG
The production range was supplemented by the smaller type OG , which was designed for payloads of 4 or 6 British tons. While the smallest vehicle in the series was only supplied with the four-cylinder diesel engine from Gardner, the five- and six-cylinder from the engine manufacturer, which were also installed in the DG series, were available for the larger model . In 1938 the following models were offered:
| model | Number of axes | payload | engine | Empty mass |
| OG4 / 4 | 2 | 4 British tons | LK4, four-cylinder diesel engine | 50 cwt |
| OG4 / 5 | 2 | 6 British tons | 5L2, five cylinder diesel engine | 3 British tons |
| OG4 / 6 | 2 | 6 British tons | LW6, six-cylinder diesel engine | 3 British tons |
Series F
After the end of the war, production of the pre-war models was initially resumed. The series DG u. a. the Series F and S . The FG series vehicles were powered by Gardner diesel engines, while the FE series vehicles received the two-stroke diesel engine made in-house. In the Mk III version, this engine achieved 150 bhp with an unchanged displacement of 4.1 l. The F series comprised heavy six- and eight-wheeled trucks. Most of the vehicles were delivered as flatbed vehicles, dump trucks and tractor units; However, chassis for special bodies were also available. In the four-axle vehicles, the two rear axles were driven, and the wheels of the front twin axle were steerable. In 1949 Folden produced all steel cabs for the first time. The vehicles were offered with manual four- and five-speed transmissions, six- and eight-speed transmissions with overdrive and twelve- speed transmissions . The three-axle pick-up truck was offered with two different wheelbases of 16 feet 1 inch and 17 feet 6 inches, the chassis for tippers was available with a total of four different wheel bases from 11 feet 3 inches to 14 feet 2 inches. The four-axle flatbed truck was only available with a wheelbase of 13 feet 7 inches, while the four-axle tipper was offered with three different wheelbases from 9 feet 9 inches to 11 feet 3 inches.
In 1958, Foden also introduced disc brakes and air suspension to its trucks. By combining different chassis, engines, gearboxes, rear axles and other assemblies, Foden was able to cover a wide variety of customer requirements and thus secure a large market share with relatively little effort. In the field of four-axle dump trucks, Foden had a virtually monopoly in the United Kingdom. Foden also had a dominant market position in the field of heavy tractors with up to 90 British tons of trailer load, which were also exported to Australia. In 1958 the following vehicles were offered in the F series:
| model | Number of axes | payload | engine | Empty mass |
| FE6 / 20 | 3 | 20 British tons | Foden Mk III, six cylinder two-stroke diesel engine, 150 bhp | Platform: 6 tons 8 cwt. with a wheelbase of 16 feet 1 inch tipper: 7 tons 5 cwt. at a wheelbase of 11 feet 3 inches |
| FG5 / 20 | 3 | 20 tons | 5LW, five cylinder diesel engine, 94 bhp | as above + 2 cwt. |
| FG6 / 20 | 3 | 20 tons | 6LW, six cylinder diesel engine, 112 bhp | as above + 3 cwt. |
| FE6 / 24 | 4th | 24 tons | Foden Mk III, six cylinder two-stroke diesel engine, 150 bhp | Platform: 6 tons 13 cwt. with a wheelbase of 13 feet 7 inches Tipper: 7 tons 5 cwt. with a wheelbase of 9 feet 9 inches |
| FG6 / 24 | 4th | 24 tons | 6LW, six cylinder diesel engine, 112 bhp | Platform: 6 tons 16 cwt. with a wheelbase of 13 feet 7 inches Tipper: 7 tons 8 cwt. with a wheelbase of 9 feet 9 inches |
Series S
In 1958, Foden presented a driver's cab that was partly made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. This made the manufacturer one of the pioneers in the use of composite materials internationally. In 1962, tiltable cabs were put into series production. Foden was the first British manufacturer to offer such designs. Half-sided cabs were available for tippers. The S series was produced in a variety of sizes and bodies, including three and four axle trucks. In 1964, UK legislation was changed to make it easier for tractor units to be registered and operated. Foden responded to the growing market by offering vehicles up to a gross vehicle weight of 32 British tons. Half-sided cabs were now optionally available for all vehicles. With the Foden Twin Load , the company presented an innovative articulated truck concept in 1965, which consisted of a train with two loading areas of almost the same size. In addition, conventional tractor units were also offered.
Haulmaster / Fleetmaster
With the Haulmaster and the Fleetmaster , a new series of heavy trucks was introduced in 1977, most of which were built as tractor units . Since the two-stroke diesel engine produced by Foden could not meet the increasingly strict emissions regulations, engines from Cummins and Rolls-Royce were used .
3000/4000 series
Even after the takeover by PACCAR, the production of these models was initially continued. The 3000 and 4000 series were direct further developments of the Master series.
Foden Alpha
After PACCAR took over DAF in 1996 and Leyland in 1998, DAF vehicles were assembled from 1998 onwards, but they were still marketed as Foden Alpha in what is known as badge engineering .
buses
PSV
Foden had already manufactured buses before World War II, but production remained rather low. As in the truck sector, steam-powered vehicles were manufactured until 1931. It was not until 1933 that the first Foden bus with a diesel engine appeared, the PSV . The chassis was designed for forward control bodies. A Gardner 4LW diesel engine was used, which was placed standing behind the driver. Despite the progressive design principles, production remained limited; Foden was only able to sell three double-decker buses and a smaller number of single-decker buses with this chassis.
PVD6
After the end of the Second World War, a double-decker bus, the PVD6, was presented in 1945 . Again designed as a front control, the vehicle had hydraulic brakes. The X-shaped frame was also unusual. This model was not a great success either; it was initially a demonstrator. In 1951, production of the PVD6 started after all. This year six of them were built, a total of 450 buses of this type were produced over a period of ten years, some of which could be exported. The buses were equipped with the two-stroke diesel engine from Foden , engines from Gardner were available as an option.
PVSC6
Only the PVSC6 , which appeared in 1946, was built in larger numbers. S stood for single deck and C6 for the engine with a six-cylinder diesel engine from Cummins . The chassis was largely based on the PVD . Foden was able to export numerous vehicles, including to Australia, where some of them were bodied as passenger freighter . Typical of the buses built for the British market was the driver's cab, which was pulled forward on one side and offered the driver a good all-round view and easy access to the engine. In addition, the waste heat from the engine could be dissipated outside the passenger compartment, which was difficult to do with front-wheel drive vehicles with the engine in front.
PVR
1950 followed a chassis with a rear engine, the PVR . R stood for rear and denotes the engine located in the rear. Foden introduced such a construction seven years before Leyland and was thus far ahead of its time. The production of the rear-wheel drive buses was stopped four years later.
PVFE6
In the same year, the PVFE6 was also built with a front-mounted engine. The F in the type designation stands for the engine in front, the E for the six-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine from Foden . Apparently only built in small numbers, it caused a sensation with its indicated streamlined, one- half-story body. London Transport had used such buses with the Interstate Cub before the Second World War for traffic between London airports. The advantage of the body was that there was enough storage space under the raised rear section for the passengers' luggage.
DG / FG
In Australia, two-axle tractors from the DG and FG series were also used for articulated buses . The vehicles delivered from 1948 were initially used by the Western Australian Government Tramways and Western Australian Government Railways , but then fell into the hands of civilian operators. Existing, used vehicles were mainly used as trailers. Some tractors were given a raised roof with a destination display and were visually matched to the trailers.
Foden NC
In 1976 the company tried to re-enter the bus market. A double-decker bus was developed together with the body manufacturer Northern Counties . At this point in time Leyland had just taken over its long-standing competitor Daimler , but the buses manufactured by the company suffered from quality problems and, because of Leyland's company policy of only offering its own engines, found little acceptance among some operators. Foden wanted to take advantage of the problems at Leyland and get a share of the market. The construction was an integrated bus, in which the chassis and superstructures were structurally coordinated and manufactured by a manufacturer. The separate development and manufacture of chassis and body, which was common in the United Kingdom until the 1970s, made it easier to adapt to the requirements of the various operators, but an integrated bus was easier to design and less expensive to manufacture. But this attempt also failed, only eight of the Foden NC were built, and one of the buses received a body from East Lancs . The construction of the power transmission had proven to be problematic; variously installed transmissions, including an automatic transmission from Voith , did not provide a satisfactory solution.
Notes / individual evidence
- ↑ In various sources it is stated that although Edward Richard Foden left the company at the specified time at the age of 62, ERF was founded by his son Dennis , see below. a. Dawn Martin
- ↑ A 6L2 is sometimes also specified as the engine, see Foden Trucks
- ↑ a b ( page no longer available , search in web archives: sales prospectus 1938 )
- ↑ see ( page no longer available , search in web archives: sales brochure for three-axle vehicles ) and ( page no longer available , search in web archives: sales brochure for four-axle vehicles ) 1958
- ↑ see contemporary advertising brochure Classic and Vintage Commercials 9/2016 page 24: Foden twin loaded ( Memento of the original from October 11, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ see contemporary advertising brochure Classic and Vintage Commercials 9/2016 page 24: Foden twin loaded ( Memento of the original from October 11, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ see contemporary advertising u. a. here
- ↑ see PSV6 in use by the Western Australian Government Railways
- ↑ see contemporary photos u. a. here
- ↑ see contemporary photo here and here ( memento of the original from December 26, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ see vehicles from Foden in Western Australia (English)
