This Leyland Retriever was meant to’ve joined the Amey fleet but the order was cancelled and was sold instead to Smiths. Pictured in semi retirement as a yard dumper at Stanton Harcourt quarry (it didn’t last long apparently).
Anyone know why Ameys would spec such a strange body?
Witney Stone Co Workshop.
Refuelling at Wooton, Abingdon.
Interesting load on this AEC
How did Conbloc cope without hi viz, hard hat, goggles, safety boots, risk assessments and a “days since last accident” sign?
Muckaway:
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Witney Stone Co Workshop.
Muckaway, The workshop was at Wootton Abingdon and Ron Ameys bungalow/office can be seen in the background ,all traffic had to pass that point and so Ron did not miss anything passing by !!
toshboy:
Muckaway:
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Witney Stone Co Workshop.Muckaway, The workshop was at Wootton Abingdon and Ron Ameys bungalow/office can be seen in the background ,all traffic had to pass that point and so Ron did not miss anything passing by !!
Oh well, that proves a link between them and Ameys then! 
The workshop became the PREMIX workshop joined to the heavy shop when I was there in the 60’s.
The service shop was joined on the end of the Premix shop at the opposite end to the bungalow.
The bungalow was later used by the plant hire section with Andy Andrews the manager and my Father Fred Cox based in there.
Ron Amey moved accross the yard into some posh new ‘terrapin’ huts. You still had to drive past his window through the main gate, until a ‘bottom’ gate was put in.
Talking of the bottom gate.
There used to be a chap whose name I can’t remember but due to illness he had the job of security/gateman. in the new office built at the bottom gate and used by the plant hire section. One day this chap was a bit slow lifting the barrier as Ron drove through in his Roller, I’m told the instruction came down to sack him because “he sits there looking as if he ownes the place”. This was before the TGWU was up and running.
Muckaway:
HBL 210 is the reg, Toshboy. It looks like a twin ram, set about halfway back.
I’ll find the Witney Stone Co pictures later. Not sure if they were a separate concern that were taken over, or a joint venture with the quarry landowner. Ie like at Lechlade where it was Amey/Pooles gravels.
I’ve seen a picture of a steam wagon with" ? and Haines, Stone quarries, Witney" written on it. Haines owned a couple of quarries near Witney that became Kingston Minerals and then ARC. The mothballed stone pit at Whitehill near Burford was one, and Hardwick gravel pit where Cemex and Fergals’ are now.
They had another near Fairford where the waterski school is now; Don’t know much about that one but I’m sure Altitude and MGB will.
Kingston Minerals did have pits both sides of the Welford road, a few hundred yards after you turned off the Lechlade to Fairford road. I ran out of there as a young lad…a few years ago 
Weren’t Kingstons’ offices behind the Shell garage where Total Butler fuels are?
Coln Gravel has apparently 18months left, without Cassington and Browns at Northmoor seemingly forgotten, where’s the gravel coming from?
Sutton Courtenay is meant to be closing save the tarmac plant and railhead, so maybe the land between Wallingford and Cholsey?
I can hear the NIMBYs’ emailing their objections right now (from their new houses with gravel drives no doubt).
Muckaway:
Weren’t Kingstons’ offices behind the Shell garage where Total Butler fuels are?There was a garage on the juction of the Lechlade/Fairford road, don’t know if it’s Butler Fuels now not been that way for years. If it is then Kingtons office, workshops and w/bridge would have been more or less behind it, just up the road a little. I think it’s now a small Industrial Estate.
The Small Ind Estate would be where Fairford (precast) Concrete is, now Charcon. The original Coln Gravel workings are now expensive waterside apartments, as are some of the Kingston workings. You can see a load of log cabins beside the A417 as you approach Fairford.
Kingston Minerals and the concrete firm were in the same place for obvious reasons, K.M. supplied most of there aggregates. In those days you got to both by the same entrance, as you went in you had K.M. w/shops on your left, office and w/bridge in front of you, the concrete works was an untidy mess all over the place, but between K.M. and the Fairford/Lechlade road, as already said " where the small industrial estate is "
Although signwritten “Freshwater”, the lorry and its’ paint scheme is originally of John H. Brown of Long Hanborough. Had gravel pits along Lower Road and Linch Hill, Northmoor before ARC took over.
Muckaway:
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How did Conbloc cope without hi viz, hard hat, goggles, safety boots, risk assessments and a “days since last accident” sign?
Is it actions like this that helped to make the folks at Health and Safety so nervous.
Hope he did’nt pull the wrong lever because none of the safety aids would have done him much good 
Mike.
