Hi All,
I’d forgotten all about this firm until it came up in conversation the other day, as anybody got any photos of Fret Francais vehicles, if I remember rightly they had a lot of Mercs, company was run by Harold Dale out of Burslem - Stoke On Trent.
Regards
Ant
They were a most if not all Merc fleet.
I used to repair them when i worked at MVC
I remember Harold,or was it Albert? Dale when he was running Fret Fracais from a portacabin in Chapman and Ball’s yard in the late '70’s.Sorry,no pics.
It was Harold Dale and Gerald Foster was his 2nd in command.
I think pics will be in very short supply they were’nt known for stopping to polish their fuel tanks or for any other reason.
if i remember correctly fret francais was started on the back of morcap .a few drivers a few names from both companys are . david (didy)Dale, bunchy ,norman boot , bill Mcnairn also known as billy bypass, dave cobey ,mick flarty,to name but a few will ask coby on monday if he as any pic’s
the flying foden:
if i remember correctly fret francais was started on the back of morcap .a few drivers a few names from both companys are . david (didy)Dale, bunchy ,norman boot , bill Mcnairn also known as billy bypass, dave cobey ,mick flarty,to name but a few will ask coby on monday if he as any pic’s
Jeff,
Thanks for that, didn’t realise Bunchy had been on there, I’ll ask him if he has any next time I see him.
Regards
Ant
Willie Roadstar:
the flying foden:
if i remember correctly fret francais was started on the back of morcap .a few drivers a few names from both companys are . david (didy)Dale, bunchy ,norman boot , bill Mcnairn also known as billy bypass, dave cobey ,mick flarty,to name but a few will ask coby on monday if he as any pic’sJeff,
Thanks for that, didn’t realise Bunchy had been on there, I’ll ask him if he has any next time I see him.Regards
Ant
it would be quicker to post were bunchy hasn’t worked 
I worked on “Frets” for about 3years, there were some characters worked on there, jimmy mcfail, scotch andy who was always barefooted,i’ve seen the man roping trailers in the snow in his barefeet. Gerald was the transport manager and it was Harold Dale who was the owner, a true character in his self, if i remember rightly he ran beresfords for years. One of the best firms i’ve had the pleasure work for. Harold sold up to Salvatori from Canterbury in 98/99, then they nosed dived…
Kellys’hi:
I worked on “Frets” for about 3years, there were some characters worked on there, jimmy mcfail, scotch andy who was always barefooted,i’ve seen the man roping trailers in the snow in his barefeet. Gerald was the transport manager and it was Harold Dale who was the owner, a true character in his self, if i remember rightly he ran beresfords for years. One of the best firms i’ve had the pleasure work for. Harold sold up to Salvatori from Canterbury in 98/99, then they nosed dived…
Jimmy McPhail,there’s a name from the past.Also known as Whiskey Jim or Sweet Pee,(Yes I have spelt pee correctly).
Jimmy came to work for us at Litcor International,(Raised from the embers of Chapman and Ball),then on to Simon International.He used to do Greece with us on Litcor.Last time I saw Jim,he as stranded in Baghdad when SI folded.