L W Surphlis

WALK OF THE TOWN!

Volvo FH14 Globetrotter (6×2) and 3 axle, walking floor trailer, customised in the well known livery of Irish operator, L W Surphlis.

The models have been produced exclusively for Search Impex by WSI Collectibles as a certificated Limited Edition (330 pieces). As with previous Search Impex model releases for this haulier, every Limited Edition certificate has been personally signed by the Company owner – Maurice Surphlis.

Established in 1948, by Lowry Surphlis, it’s difficult to believe that today’s business actually started life as a village post office and grocery store. Set in a rural location and surrounded by good farming land, it was during his time running the grocery store that Lowry Surphlis identified farm related supplies as, potentially, a good add-on to his business. Deciding to dip a toe in the water, he began buying and selling seeds, fertilisers, animal feeds and grains, as well as building materials and small items of farm machinery to the local farming community and quickly found a ready market for his products & service.

When Lowry’s son, Maurice, joined the business in the 1962, they invested in a Bedford bulk lorry and began to collect bigger quantities of feeds and grain from the mills in Belfast to cater for the growing demands from the farms. By the 1980’s what had started life as the village post office and grocery store had become a thriving general merchants business for the provision of agricultural supplies, hardware and animal feeds. The business has continued to expand with the installation of bulk bins for storage of animal feeds and a weighbridge to enable customers to collect bulk feed at a lower price. A new warehouse for the manufacture of farm buildings was also erected, as was a meal store, complete with mixing facilities and more recently a new office accommodation block has been built.

L W Surphlis trucks will be a familiar sight to many collectors and enthusiasts. Always immaculately presented, many of the tractor units and rigid trucks have won numerous awards all over Ireland for their attractive, traditional livery.

Models, available from Search Impex, are priced at £148 each (including UK delivery & VAT).

For details of availability of this and other models, collectors can visit the Search Impex website at www.search-impex.co.uk or call on 01332 873555.