Oxford's new retro Volvo truck dates back to the series of heavy-duty trucks made by the famous Swedish automotive company between 1965 and 1977. The forward control F88 was launched in 1965 and was the first part of the company’s export-oriented ‘System 8’, which cemented Volvo’s reputation for producing durable cab-over trucks. The truck was a complete re-design over its predecessor, the Volvo Titan and had a new engine, a new eight-speed gearbox and a stronger chassis and suspension. The engine option was either a Volvo 16 ohv, 200 bhp diesel or a Volvo TD100 16 ohv 260-312 hk turbo diesel.
The Oxford Volvo F88 truck appears here as used by Russell of Bathgate as a heavy duty tipper truck. Decorated in their deep blue and grey livery, the model also features a tipper cover in a stone colour. The cab interior is moulded in black. White printing to the cab doors and the tipper rear feature the company name while a blue and white front roofboard carries the Russell of Bathgate (Bulk) Ltd title. White chevrons also appear along the cab’s front bumpers below the very wide black Volvo radiator. It is registered JGB 570N from 1974
Russell of Bathgate was a well-known Scottish haulage company founded by Willie Russell in 1939. Later, He was joined by his son John and remained as Managing Director until the firm was taken over by TDG (Transport Development Group) in 1962. Willie died in the late 1970s but his son went on to form a new and separate haulage business.
Approximately 61,200 Volvo F88 trucks were produced before it was superseded by the Volvo F10/F12, both of which also feature in Oxford Diecast’s extensive series of Volvo trucks through the ages.