Biglorryblog has received a 'Christmas Greetings' e-mail from my old mate Dennis Child (who owns the best toy set in town) and general manager of ROTRAN Multi-Axle, the South African-based heavy haulage outfit with some of the biggest heavy hitters in the world.

Along with this picture of a combined outfit of no less than three Tractomas 10x10s and two Ultra Pacific tractors, plus a massive beam trailer, hauling what looks like a giant transformer Dennis writes: "I'd like to take the opportunity of wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2008." And the same in return Dennis and thanks for all the great Special Types shots too.

He also goes on to say some very nice things about Truck & Driver which modesty suggests I should leave out but he then goes on to add: " The New Year starts off with a ‘bang' with the purchase of more tractors and beam trailers. Apart from the arrival in mid-May '08 of my new 410-ton ‘monoblock’ high girder beam trailer (weighing 260-ton dead weight), I'll also be getting five new Tractomas D75 (912hp) 8x8 tractors which arrive a couple of months later boosting my fleet to twelve Tractomas units with another eleven still to procure from 2008 till mid 2010!"

Dennis ends by saying: "I'll eventually have a fleet of eight (8) high girder beam trailers at 213, 270 x 3, 350, 410, 450 and finally 500-tons with thirty thousand (30,000hp) horsepower of tractors (twenty-three Tractomas tractors with 21,402hp alone) awaiting the call! Fleet capacity will increase from 14,000 to over 30,000 tons/year (and that only reflects the cargo carried!).