Friday, October 26, 2012

After an extensive nationwide search carried out by Fleet Transort Magazine, Ireland's Oldest Working Volvo Truck has been found.



Pat Martyn’s 1974 Volvo F88 6x2 tractor unit works out of Glencorrib, Shrule, County Mayo and when contacted by the Claremorris based magazine, he was delivering a load of hay bales to North Mayo. He bought it two years ago from a vintage friend in Cork but before then it was in operation in Northern Ireland until 2007. Originally, it was a 4x2 Sleeper Cab when first put to work on the roads in Great Britain, and across the Continent with an extra push/steering axle added later in its life and to ensure good articulation the Sleeper Cab was modified to a shortened Day Cab. To conform with the age of the unit, Pat pulls a 33 ft single axle ex-Military flat bed trailer.



On hearing that he owns the oldest working Volvo truck, Pat was surprised and delighted, wishing to know what other contenders were out there. His entry was run close by Brian Kelly from Borris, County Carlow who was a 1976 F88 tractor unit while Pat O’Shaughnessy operates an 1983 Volvo F6 4x2 tipper every day around Charleville, County Cork.



Powered by a 9.6 litre turbocharged 290 hp diesel mated to a 14 speed gearbox, Pat’s F88 enjoys icon status as today prime examples like his are deemed as ‘THE’ classic truck and acknowledged as the first of the modern generation of driver friendly trucks built in Europe.



Pat Martyn’s 1974 Volvo F88 will be on display at the Fleet Transport EXPO 12 at the Citywest Convention Centre, Dublin on 5th & 6th November.

