Big Love for #littlebigcabclub

There has been plenty of activity around the lightweight big sleeper cab scene, a niche corner of road transport that continues to attract a devoted following.

What Qualifies

The rules are straightforward. A truck must have a gross vehicle weight of no more than 15 tonnes and a sleeper cab. Meet both requirements and you are in. Extra credit goes to those running six-stud wheels, a detail that carries particular cachet among enthusiasts.

A Fine Example

A recent sighting in Ipswich, captured by Mat Ireland, showed Steve Marsh at the wheel of a 12-tonne MAN TGL fitted with a Hatcher Components Sky Cab. Six-stud wheels, the right cab, the right weight — and Marsh is a proper international operator, which makes him close to the ideal member of this particular club.

Continental Visitors

International work is not limited to British operators. A 715 Atego was spotted in traffic during a morning commute, running with the BigSpace cab. The Dutch-registered truck, operated by the Hizkia art group in the Netherlands, had most likely come off the Hoek boat at Harwich that morning. It probably carries a good deal of fresh air along with the occasional piece of artwork across Europe — and it has a memorable number plate.

New Members and Older Trucks

The group attached to this scene continues to grow. New members almost always arrive with a photograph of a small truck they have driven. Modern examples tend to be 12-tonners, reflecting the weight of current vehicles, whereas those from years gone by were typically 7.5-tonners — without speed limiters. Whether 8 tonnes was the standard weight in Europe at the time is a question still open to confirmation from Dutch readers.

A German Frigo

A small German refrigerated truck was recently photographed by Gavin Pearson, waiting to load onto the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone. It ticks every box: correct wheels, correct cab, correct weight. As an 8.220 it also has power on its side, and its livery suggests international courier work, possibly pharmaceuticals or samples given the modest size of the body. There was, and perhaps still is, a driver in England running a small frigo on European sample round trips — for many, that would be the ultimate job: a 12-tonne fridge on European work.

Where It All Began

For anyone who started a driving career behind the wheel of a small DAF 45, the appeal of these lorries is easy to understand. That fondness for light trucks recently earned a mention on a trucking podcast, where retro 7.5-tonne talk featured alongside the usual new truck discussion.