Axminster transport
I started my international driving with this company is there any one else that can contribute, I had 12 fantastic years working with a great crowd of drivers, and working for a good boss.
Morning all,
Cliff, met Peter Baulch on several occasions, he always seemed a sensible fellow.
That Axminster Transport livery always looked good, and when I used to see them in France it always reminded me of home. Funny how something like that can trigger a bout of homesickness!
First time that I met Peter, I noticed that he was wearing the same, (identical), pair of “winckle Prickers” as I wore when I got married!!!
Odd how bits of memories stick in ones mind.
Cheerio for now.
They were definitely one of the best looking fleets going remember some good lads on there but
my mind has gone blank with names. I am trying to remember Cliff did Central road transport buy
out Axminsters ? I remember we went to a party down at West Bay for one of the drivers that retired.
You were there and also the driver who used to live in Crewkerne who was probably the youngest
driver on the company,must have been around the late 80s.
Cant remember where I got this picture might of been of another thread on here ?
The old and the new,black and white but a great photo !
Saviem thanks for the input Peter was a very good businessman and very good boss to work for. He had a great crowd of drivers both on UK and international work. He also enjoyed driving when he could escape the office the livery certainly stood out it was the best driving job I had.
Deanb Axminster transport took over Chard transport which belonged to Peters father, it then became Chard and Axminster transport but later on it was sold to Danzas. Central Road Transport became Crewkerne Refrigerated Transport keeping the same initials C R T . As for the party in West Bay I can’t remember it must have been a good one. Thanks for the photo.I will speak to you in the week about friday.
Hope you won’t get fed up with my photos I will feed them in slowly hoping to entice more input you might be able to help Dennis.
Unloading hanging beef in Coutances, this was the second lorry I drove.
What a great looking motor,you must have thought you had won the pools going from the 86 to
the 88 ! 
From a Volvo brochure
Hiya,I went to the yard on a couple of occasions to take some pics,I met Peter Baulch who after realising I was some harmless idiot eventually gave me permission to take some photos,he even let me into his office and opened a drawer which were full of photos going way back…“have a look” he said and an hour later he popped in and gave me a handful of pics to take away…nice bloke
Heres a few shots of mine,Cheers Bubbs 
Thank you Bubble man that is a nice set of photos I will post some more when I have more time.
Cliff luxton:
Thank you Bubble man that is a nice set of photos I will post some more when I have more time.
well done cliff for starting up this thread and thanks for those pics bubbleman. Dean I think your picture from the Volvo brochure was taken in Smithfield and that is
peter baulch talking to the driver think.regards dennis
Did you drive for them Dennis ?
Heres one I found on the net somewhere ,might of been from a topic on here somewhere.
DEANB:
Did you drive for them Dennis ?Heres one I found on the net somewhere ,might of been from a topic on here somewhere.
DEANB yes for the uk side with cliff and then went to work at Cherbourg . great days and a sound bunch of lads . good boss and good managers as well cheers dennis
Evening all,
Just an odd memory that came back to me today, while sitting, (amongst the assorted humanity), that like me, were waiting to be “processed” by our beloved NHS…(surely an organisation that could benefit from some real “bum kicking”)…but I digress…
I remember Peter sending me a small package, that contained some rather neat little Axminster, and Chard Transport promotional, adhesive oval stickers, printed in his livery, and very smart they were indeed.
One went onto my office window in Venissieux, (improved the view out into the “works)”.
One went onto my travel bag, another onto my brief case, and over the years others found places on filing cabinets, car windows, and other such places, from Lyon, to Paris, Marseille, to Caen, to Milan, to Allentown, and of course Dallas…(.he should have paid me for the International Marketing of his business)!
I had been in Dallas around three weeks, and was sort of becoming semi organised…when I was visited by a prospective Midliner client and his business partner, a late middle aged lady, (but of fine fettle…if you get my drift)…Blonde of Coiffeure, and statuesque of build… Who as we spoke suddenly stared past me at “my bits of home”, that I had displayed on a typical US office “antique” bureau…a framed photograph of one of Ian Pollock`s TR305s, with a wonderfully sheeted load of Whisky Barrels…and a framed, (I was going up market) Chard and Axminster “sticker”…
"Did I know Chard "?, It transpired that her late husband had been in the United States Army Airforce, and had been stationed at an airfield close to Chard. They had visited the area back in the 60s, and had received a great reception. The conversation was easy, and suddenly I realised just how tight those ties between the US, and us in Britain really were…But they still hammered me on price of the trucks!
Forgotten all about that until you started this thread…and Ive still got the battered briefcase with the sticker on it…boy its done some miles!
Cheerio for now.
Hi saviem yes there are a couple of disused airfields that were American bases during ww2 not far from chard I think one is dunkeswell and the other is smeetharp small world we live in didn’t realise those stickers went to so many places cheers Dennis.
Thanks for that Saviem I don’t know if our paths ever crossed but those stickers became quite well known all over Europe, it was a competition between Atkins Cadwalader and Swains to get them in garages restaurants and other places drivers visited.
Hers another one to keep going.Loading apples in Angers.
Well I am going slowly through the photos trying to keep some order but it will probably go wrong anyway here’s another.Not really my lorry loading apples Carquefou Nantes.
Cliff luxton:
Well I am going slowly through the photos trying to keep some order but it will probably go wrong anyway here’s another.Not really my lorry loading apples Carquefou Nantes.
Pure class ! Heres another one !
Cliff luxton:
Well I am going slowly through the photos trying to keep some order but it will probably go wrong anyway here’s another.Not really my lorry loading apples Carquefou Nantes.
remember those pin-up badges on a lot of vehicles , never had one myself but I seem to recall they had garanor written on them There was a routier at garanor and I wonder if that was where they originated I’m sure someone will know .I was a le Bourget regular when that side of paris and used to eat in the dutchmans always thought that was the better of the two restaurants .Am impressed with the photos cliff wish I had taken a camera . I’m sorry I can’t help with photos but will put my sixpenneth in when I can .Is there any of the ex axminster drivers out there ■■? cheers dennis
That brings back memories Dennis , the Dutchmans ,park on the road outside all night ,a regular GBE haunt if we were doing Paris.
Thanks Dean Denis and Nigel for your input I think I have enough photos to make up for you Den, I am going to show this to Peter and hopefully he will let me have more pics .Today is not going to be good for me I am going to the funeral of a very good friend of mine Alex Henderson ( ten bellies ) best known as a Ralph Davies driver. Here’s one more to take my mind away from reality. This is me following you down the Mont Cenis Denis.
