Homalloy

Way back when I started this blog I mentioned seeing a Leyland in Rotorua, some 50 years ago, which had the front windscreens going down low in the front corners. I never had a camera at the time and actually began to think that maybe it wasn't a Leyland at all. But then I saw Bill Hohepa's 2014 calendar and realised I had seen a Homalloy cabbed Leyland.

This is the Leyland on Bill's calendar and is identical to the one I remember.
Homalloy, based in Preston, Lancashire, specialized in the manufacture of alloy truck bodies, but also built alloy and fibre glass cabs for many truck makers.

Here is one on an AEC, still with those characteristic down-turned windscreen corners.

An Albion, looking very similar to the AEC....

...and an Austin, looking quite different with its one piece screen, though still with those corners

Random

A couple of random items that have caught my attention

On a site called www.dovedaler.com I discovered this Meccano  Harley Electra Glide.
It's difficult to achieve the curves of the fairing with Meccano, but not a bad effort.

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However, I really like this truck. Even without the badge it is unmistakably a cab-over Pete.

Parked near my work today was this 2010 Morgan Aero. An acquired taste for sure.
Personally, I love it.

Dash to Tauranga

Last weekend we decided to add a couple of leave days to the weekend and make it a four day break and visit a friend in Tauranga. Unfortunately, for most of the trip, the weather wasn't conducive to standing on the side of the road snapping trucks, but here is what I managed.

This 2014 International 9800 passed while were having lunch at Te Rangiita on the shores of Lake Taupo..

Unusual coloured MAN amongst the white ones at Mount Maunganui.

Not sure of the make of this yard tractor at Mount Maunganui.

Aerodynamic Isuzu mobile showroom appears to have a V10 badge on its front panel

In TD Haulage yard at Mount Maunganui is a pair of Kenworth T800s.
The green example dates from 2006, whilst the other is from 2002.

A triple treat of 2014 TDH T800s.

Just in case I win Lotto.....

A Hall's DAF in the main street of Putaruru is pulling a semi-trailer,
converted to a full trailer with the help of a two axle dolly.

We stopped for a night at a motel in Feilding on the way home.
Around the back I discovered 6 rigs parked up for the night in a large yard obviously made for this purpose.
Unusual to see a MAN in RMD livery.

All the way from Golden Bay, a Sollys 2013 UD Quon.

We passed this 2007 Hino on the Desert Road and then it turns up at the same motel as us.

Various

A few recent pics of various subjects.

The Fielder now has a set of mag wheels which I picked up, in Levin, through Trade Me.
They were complete with tyres, at a very reasonable price. The profile is very slightly lower than the originals, but hardly enough to make any noticeable difference.

2012 Freightliner Century unloads its precious cargo at the BP service station on Chapel Street in Masterton.

This very tidy little Thames pick-up was at Paul Gleeson's shed that I visited a couple of weeks ago
 (see my blogs of  20/21 September)

A few photos from Max.
This Mack and trailer appears to be carting the remnants of a demolished building.

Mack Vision in Allied Concrete colours with tipper body.

New pole being installed near Max's house.
Haven't seen this method of holding the wires out of the way before.
Hino and two Isuzus.

Old anteater Kenworth of  Fraser Heavy Haulage.

Maskill Kenworth with a very varied load.

MAN fuel tanker. If its high octane fuel, I guess that would make it a Superman.

One of my favourite Americans, the Mack Superliner.

Back at the Gleeson shed.
 A CA Bedford hiding in the collection of everything imaginable.

Oldfields Asphalts in Masterton has been part of the Higgins group for a while, but have only recently begun painting their trucks in the familiar dark green.
I wonder if they will bother painting this Volvo which dates from 1995. It must be getting close to retiring age.