I was on for APL 52-years ago at Edmonton depot and for the hydrogen service out of Sandbach. Anybody remember Dave Hard?
I worked at Carrington from 85to 2014 worked out of Sandbach many a time, the name you mentioned would that have been Alan Harding, other names I remember were Kevin O,Rielly,Sid ■■ Always wore a beret, Cyril Butler,ime sure I delivered cylinders to Edmonton depot when pulling AP trailers in the early 80s but only went there once. The next time was to Bracknell 2.
I had been on the AP hydrogen service for about four years and based at London Colney. I went to Lavenham to inflate a balloon for John Lennons film in 1969. Google; Lennon/Lavenham.
Before being on the H2 service. I was employed on nitrogen, oxygen and LNG tankers out of the Edmonton depot. I also went to Belgium to organise to movement of nitrogen back to the UK when the plant at Stoke broke down.
In 1966, we had a Scania-Varbis on trial. It was a great little tractor with powered-steering and went up the hills with ease. In 1968, we had AEC Chinese-six tractors to pull 32-tonne tanks. I think they had been called Mammoth Majors. our mates in Belgium were using tractors that I am unable to recall names of. Something like Henchel. These had been six-wheelers.
I remember Stan Chadwick, Graham Hughes, Len Sansome, Albert Munroe, Terry Penhallow, Ron Jones, Harry Crow, Stan Boardman, Whally Dryesdale and Teddy Rowland. My dementia is not helpful l!!!
I think the Chinese 6 AECs would have been Mammoth Minors, didn`t they have a few V8s too?
They were indeed Mammoth Minor’s as in this pic taken from Graham Edge’s excellent series of AEC and Leyland Commercial Vehicle archive books, this one from the Mandator edition. The caption also explains Air Products liking for using these vehicles along with other Tanker companies. Franky.
ramone:
I think the Chinese 6 AECs would have been Mammoth Minors, didn`t they have a few V8s too?
I recall that APL did use some V8 AECs. I think they had semi-automatic gear boxes. I took over one on nights and trundled it down to the Isle-of Grain refinery sometime in 1969. The clutch was slipping so had to slam it around a bit when changing H2 trailers.
On another occasion, I recall Graham Hughes shooting ahead of me up-hill on the M6 using one of the V8s.
Frankydobo:
They were indeed Mammoth Minor’s as in this pic taken from Graham Edge’s excellent series of AEC and Leyland Commercial Vehicle archive books, this one from the Mandator edition. The caption also explains Air Products liking for using these vehicles along with other Tanker companies. Franky.
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We had two of the Chinese-sixes based at our Stoke-on-Trent plant. I recall the registration numbers as being DRE 550 and DRE 551. These two tractors had been under-powered for the work we had been doing. A round trip from Edmonton to Stoke and back pulling 32-tonne was pushing the Mammoth Minors to their limits. I recall using one of them to pull a 27-tonne H2 trailer out of Roath Dock in Cardiff and back to London.
Frankydobo:
They were indeed Mammoth Minor’s as in this pic taken from Graham Edge’s excellent series of AEC and Leyland Commercial Vehicle archive books, this one from the Mandator edition. The caption also explains Air Products liking for using these vehicles along with other Tanker companies. Franky.
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Yes, APL did like the AEC. I liked them too and drove them for around 500.000 miles on nights for APL and had only been let down twice. Once when a half-shaft sheared at Hasting and again when a head gasket blew on the old A5 at Cannock. Volvo and Scania made numerous claims regarding the reliability of their tractors but I would have chosen an AEC anytime.
Was the Stoke depot at Cobridge? I recall one of Beresford’s drivers leaving and going to Air Products and driving a Mk V AEC Mandator. I remember his christian name only - Norman. I was waiting in a bus queue in Burslem once and he was coming up the hill, through the traffic lights, in the AEC and I thought he might see me and stop to give me a lift - he didn’t! I guess it was company policy not to give lifts bearing in mind the cargo.
I used to use gas bottles from Air Products at Barnham - up for sale now. The driver was often a guy called Horry Nunn. They were the politest and friendliest blokes you could ask for and a credit to the driving trade. Jim.
I think all of the APL drivers on the Sandbach hydrogen service had been made redundant when Wincanton Transport took over. Each of them got £50.000.
airproducts73:
I think all of the APL drivers on the Sandbach hydrogen service had been made redundant when Wincanton Transport took over. Each of them got £50.000.
The same happened at Barnham. The drivers were paid off , but then Wincanton had to take some of them back on because they were the only local guys with the right qualifications for the job! Unfortunately when the rules changed about pressure regulators on welding gas bottles, rather than have them checked every refill we went on to BOC with regulators supplied on the bottle - I was ordering 15 bottles a week and Air Products was too slow to respond with integrated regulators. I was also using Nitrogen and CO2 on the lasers so BOC won out big time. Jim.
Since around 1975, I have seen fewer APL vehicles on the road. The closure of the gas works and some power stations probably accounts for the loss of business for APL. There are other firms that have closed down where we had supplied hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen in the 1960s so I think the numbers of drivers had been reduced.
airproducts73:
Since around 1975, I have seen fewer APL vehicles on the road. The closure of the gas works and some power stations probably accounts for the loss of business for APL. There are other firms that have closed down where we had supplied hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen in the 1960s so I think the numbers of drivers had been reduced.
Hi air products 73, I’m Dave Moore and I worked for Air Products from 1969 to 1994 out of Bracknell then Didcot till I took early retirement in 94 but was asked to stay on for a couple more years which I did. I worked on the liquids ie lin lox etc good times till Wincanton took over, I knew a few of the guys at Sandbach and Carrington. I’ve moved back to Norfolk where I was born so lost touch with a lot of people who I worked with.
Hello cryogent2
I was asked to go to the the new plant at Bracknell when it first opened but was already on the H2 trailers working out of a yard at London Colney. I declined the offer of a job at Bracknell and was sacked a few days later.
The H2 job had been the best you could get when working for APL. Unfortunately there had been other forces at work.
At Edmonton, I was often sent to Belgium to load N2 tanks for shipment back to UK when the plant at Stoke broke down. It was hard work and long hours back in 1966.
There is a video of me inflating a balloon with H2 on the web going back to 1969. Type; John Lennon / Lavenham / 24-hours.
mexifill:
Was the Stoke depot at Cobridge? I recall one of Beresford’s drivers leaving and going to Air Products and driving a Mk V AEC Mandator. I remember his christian name only - Norman. I was waiting in a bus queue in Burslem once and he was coming up the hill, through the traffic lights, in the AEC and I thought he might see me and stop to give me a lift - he didn’t! I guess it was company policy not to give lifts bearing in mind the cargo.
I recall a driver called Norman but his surname eludes me.
We could carry anybody as a passenger and nobody cared a hoot. In fact, nobody asked to see driving licences either when applying for a job!
Anyone remember a guy called Joe Connor worked at Carrington before he retired , also worked at Bracknell. He wasn’t a driver . Wondering if he,s still with us I know he moved to Anglesey, him and my dad grew up together in Peel Green Eccles
