EDITOR’S CHOICE
(^12) July 2019 Truck & Driver
and sludge.” Ah, the joys of
hauling a tipper...
The considerable effort that
goes into keeping the truck clean
is undoubtedly worth it though.
The paintwork itself looks so
lustrous you almost want to lick
it. As the Pirates and Showman
trucks have proved so popular,
two more are now in the pipeline.
Another new XF is away at the
moment getting emblazoned with
a Prison Break theme, and a
2004 95XF 4x2 Super Space is
having the 1989 film Road House
airbrushed on it, which will be
boss Mark’s show-going lorry.
24/7 service
We caught up with Mark
Armstrong at the end of the day;
he had been out the previous
night on a road-planing job.
“We offer a 24/7 service,” he
explains. “Our customers know if
they call us about an urgent job,
no matter when, we’ll cover it. If
there’s an accident on the M
and the road needs resurfaced,
we’ll be there, no matter what.”
Mark had always wanted a
custom truck for showing and
he’s very much looking forward
to getting the 95XF finished. “The
only thing about it is it’s a manual!
We’ve got that used to autos in
recent years – the TraXon ’box in
the new trucks is brilliant.”
Mark’s a big fan of Daf, and
cites the excellent relationship he
has with the dealer Imperial
Commercials as a big factor. “We
know these trucks absolutely
inside out as well. The latest
versions are very impressive.”
Mark is also from a family of
truckers/hauliers, his great-great-
grandfather delivering coal using
a horse and cart. Daughter Alex
is now the fifth generation.
The company has moved with
the times and is proud to display
the FORS Silver accreditation on
its trucks. Mark’s gradually been
getting more into customising the
trucks too. “If we have guys who
are really into their trucks, who
keep them clean and want to do
shows, then we’ll consider doing
something with the vehicle.
“A good driver is an asset,
just as a clean truck is, so we
look on it as an investment.”
The ABH roadshow will be
attending a number of events this
summer. Colin is hoping to get
the truck over to Assen, and
numerous UK shows are planned,
including Convoy in the Park:
“The best show of the lot!” says
Mark. We’ll see you there!
“If we have guys who are
really into their trucks, who
keep them clean and want to do
shows, then we’ll consider doing
something with the vehicle”
First-class accommodation. How can Daf improve the Super Space?