Wow that old mandator brings back memories of my time at j diddly doos well thats what bob easton used to call it back in the 1975-77 era when we drove qs they put bob and myself through our class one licences back then,we worked in reading depot and what some laughs we had,ive been rackin me old brains for the names of all me old mates,the list goes like this,bob easton,tommy mee,matt parfitt,pete lewis,martin wickens,les turner,billy rudd,jonny herbert jonny faulkner,charlie with the long hair,bob scott,bernie n joe mcoen,martin willis,dave staines,steve wallace,brian smith,dave elvin, tommy fiddler,dave pither, micky turner, paul watson,adn of course my self roger smith,not forgetting pauls dad ol berty watson,whos favourite saying was PUT THE KETTLE ON PAL,to who ever walked in the office first in the morning,we had some great nights in the kennet pub outside the yard on friday nights,every one got ■■■■■■ and usually lost all their hard earnt playin 3card brag,its great thinkin of them days when going to work was a joy and every day you had a bloody good laugh,even though every load was rope n sheet it was hard work but we all seemed to love it,anyone out there got any comments on them times,id love to read em add exchange our old times.,smiffy. 
Do you remember Curly the fld at Linton & hirst drove the old mandator around the yard shunting,no doors rusted to ■■■■,great truck 
Some of the drivers I remember at Swindon,some names have past me by sorry 
Tony Mayhew,Wally Bradford,Ricky Godden,Paul Parkin,Irvin Racheal,John Moss,Ian Warren,Fred Hall,Dave Marshall,Dave Robbins,Geoff,Alan Carvey,Sammy,Clive Wally Walcroft, Charlie Geordie Patterson who had the accident with the fire engine,I will add names later when I can remember Bob Kilby famous speedway rider,Steve Fox,that bloke who had a pub in Swindon who was on Micheal Jacksons tour [/b][/color]
bruiser:
Some of the drivers I remember at Swindon,some names have past me by sorry
bruiser with regards to Irvin Rachael ,my brother in law he is currently working in Screwfix in Swindon.
bubbleman:
Been asked to put this on here.
Cheers Bubbs,
Bubbs you should be in bed at this time you NEED your beauty sleep!
Could that be Ricky(sticky bun)Godden that was on for Brs -UBM/Glaseal contract.?
i thought ricky ran a pub in cirencester , and talking of pubs smiffy 52 if you are who i think you are remember being told to leave a pub in reading ■■?
daf3300:
i thought ricky ran a pub in cirencester , and talking of pubs smiffy 52 if you are who i think you are remember being told to leave a pub in reading ■■?
He didn’t run it he was with the Landlords daughter for a while. I was with him for a couple of hours back in March last year, he’s keeeping OK.
were is ricky these days
daf3300:
were is ricky these days
He’s in Cirencester, we were married to sisters years ago, but both got rid of them ( and have been happy ever since ) I did tell him in March there were people from JWQ asking about him, but he has no pc and didn’t seem to remember to much about it.
The Ricky must be a JWQ thing, I have known him most of my life and to family and friends and the people of Cirencester he has always been called ■■■■ Godden.
altitude:
daf3300:
were is ricky these daysHe’s in Cirencester, we were married to sisters years ago, but both got rid of them ( and have been happy ever since
The Ricky must be a JWQ thing, I have known him most of my life and to family and friends and the people of Cirencester he has always been called ■■■■ Godden.
i always thought thats what his name was he never said anything to correct people
Maybe he liked Ricky better than ■■■■, so just let people carry on as he wasn’t known up there. I have been called all sorts of names around the country, can’t put them on here I would get banned. 
hi just found site. i worked at swindon in early 60/70 driving aec mercury and mandators.erf eight leggers.bullnose merc.early round cab merc and 1418 mercs i was one of the drivers to go to tee side to collect the first three 1418 mercs one for each depot.
welcome lurch the name rings a bell but i could be wrong normally am
Mark R:
Heres an old JWQ photo, sorry its not very good quality but better than nothing, does anyone know anything about this old Merc or where the photo was taken?.
can any one tell me if these merc’s had a proper sleeper,they always looked way too narrow for a bunk 
My dad had one in the late 70s. As far as i can remember it was quite roomy inside, and some of them had double bunks fitted too. I also remember it being nice and quiet ( especially compaired to the Atkinson Borderer we had before ). In fact it was a really nice motor, although it was a bit slow on the hills, but a bigger engine was available. Ours was a 1418 not the bigger 1924.
GAZ70:
Mark R:
Heres an old JWQ photo, sorry its not very good quality but better than nothing, does anyone know anything about this old Merc or where the photo was taken?.
can any one tell me if these merc’s had a proper sleeper,they always looked way too narrow for a bunk
they were just rest cabs the germans kept the full sleepers for them selves but for the time they were roomy ,
daf3300:
GAZ70:
Mark R:
Heres an old JWQ photo, sorry its not very good quality but better than nothing, does anyone know anything about this old Merc or where the photo was taken?.
can any one tell me if these merc’s had a proper sleeper,they always looked way too narrow for a bunk
they were just rest cabs the germans kept the full sleepers for them selves but for the time they were roomy ,
preety sure thats in cavvy square in swindon taken by i think my old mate Adrian Cypher ,bubbs may recognise !!!
Definately an Adrian Cypher shot Steve…roof chopped ,not sure where in Swindon though
Cheers Bubbs,
Mark R:
My dad had one in the late 70s. As far as i can remember it was quite roomy inside, and some of them had double bunks fitted too. I also remember it being nice and quiet ( especially compaired to the Atkinson Borderer we had before ). In fact it was a really nice motor, although it was a bit slow on the hills, but a bigger engine was available. Ours was a 1418 not the bigger 1924.
If you had the 1924 you would noticed much difference on hills
cheers Johnnie