At one time the there were many sources of backloads out of the central belt of Scotland,it would be interesting to have all the information and tales of the various clearance houses etc of the past .
We weren’t allowed to use clearing houses after one of our drivers got a load to Lincs from Glasgow , it was several handed work and by the time everyone took their percentage it didn’t even cover the fuel cost .Later on I did a few returns for George Transport , Ally George would meet me and transship the load and the rates were acceptable as he also backloaded off our company . Most loads from clearing houses were a no no , too many fingers in the pie .
rigsby:
We weren’t allowed to use clearing houses after one of our drivers got a load to Lincs from Glasgow , it was several handed work and by the time everyone took their percentage it didn’t even cover the fuel cost .Later on I did a few returns for George Transport , Ally George would meet me and transship the load and the rates were acceptable as he also backloaded off our company . Most loads from clearing houses were a no no , too many fingers in the pie .
Barron Hood springs to mind
Yes i know it’s wood but what they pay is daylight robbery
Sent while from gods know where
Caber board used to supply lots of those requiring return loads,slippery stuff that was too!
David
5thwheel:
Caber board used to supply lots of those requiring return loads,slippery stuff that was too!David
Did a couple of loads out of there (was it Irvine way)?
Seed potatoes from the Dundee area.
9 times out of 10,the boss would run me back down to Lancs to get a load south ,as the rates from Scotland were pish poor but then all backload rates were pants. They probably still are now as i am talking 30 + years ago.
W
Simpson’s had an office on London Rd, Bridgeton, Glasgow we used to do quite well of them, rates were crap as they all were but it must have paid for the diesel, loads that spring to mind were Bone Meal 1cwt bags of a belt, animal skins loaded Friday afternoon for Hull docks tip Monday, millions of maggots and a cab full of flies, Wests Pilling was a good load for the driver and cardboard cartons out of Tannochside was good, ropes and sheets back then no curtainsider’s, just to mention a few. Les.
When I worked for A E Evans,all our tanker backloads were already planned out of Scotland. Toluene/benzene out of BP Grangemouth or crude benzene out of BSC Ravenscraig.Previous to that when on general late 60s our gaffer would say to try Caledonian for Carnation Milk out of Dumfries or if nowt doing try from Tyneside/Teesside or Lancashire depending on what side of country you were.He reckoned rates were so poor it were nearly always better to run home empty when traffic were busy in Sheffield.
Suedehead:
5thwheel:
Caber board used to supply lots of those requiring return loads,slippery stuff that was too!David
Did a couple of loads out of there (was it Irvine way)?
Seed potatoes from the Dundee area.
9 times out of 10,the boss would run me back down to Lancs to get a load south ,as the rates from Scotland were pish poor but then all backload rates were pants. They probably still are now as i am talking 30 + years ago.
W
Cowie Stirlingshire if I remember correctly “Suedehead”,long time ago now!
David
DEANB:
Silver roadways offered backloads from Scotland.1967 advert.
0
“at the right price” 
Good ol headlight magazine.
Caberboard did have a plant at Irvine, But it closed down, Their main plant was at Cowie, We used to reload from them a lot, The loads were for Aycliffe, Jarrow, Stockton, The rates were as good as one could get, But they allways payed on time Via BACS, , This was in the 80/90s Era. Regards Larry.
I forgot to mention that there was a firm named Caber Freight Ltd at one time They used to advertise in the Headlight Mag IIRC, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I forgot to mention that there was a firm named Caber Freight Ltd at one time They used to advertise in the Headlight Mag IIRC, Regards Larry.
Caberfreight were the contracted firm that worked out of the firm mentioned at Cowie (Caberboard) they had a lot of small firms and owner drivers in their livery.
A lot of firms got back loads out of BSC Ravenscraig, which was a good fast turnaround, and then there was BSC Gartcosh…which wasn’t, it was ■■■■ appaling. 
You used to go in there at 9am for instance, sit all day until your load came up, get loaded and sheeted up for 6pm…loaded with an 8am Swindon for next morning. 
The lucky ones did a changeover, the owner drivers among us, just went for it …well it WAS the 80s. 
I used to hate that place with a vengeance,.and had no sympathy when it shut down 
I can clearly remember Simpsons of Glasgow having a free phone in the foyer on Bothwell Services next to all the payphones back in the '70s/80s.
Well in the 50/60s Era, The was a bloke named TOSH, He used to hang out in Jacks Cafe on the Broomielaw area In McAlpine Street, His proper name was Samuel McKintosh, He had the return load job sewn up, You had to give him his fee for finding your return load, 5 Bob for a four wheeler or 10 Bob for an Ache Wheeler as he put it, He controlled the Traffic market in those days, He was a decent sort of bloke, He used to come down to Whitley Bay with his wife for the holidays, I drove for Baxters Road Services then, When he went off the scene, We used to get back loads from a chap called Bobby Martin, He had lots of work from Steins Fire Brick sites, Good traffic allways on pallets, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well in the 50/60s Era, The was a bloke named TOSH, He used to hang out in Jacks Cafe on the Broomielaw area In McAlpine Street, His proper name was Samuel McKintosh, He had the return load job sewn up, You had to give him his fee for finding your return load, 5 Bob for a four wheeler or 10 Bob for an Ache Wheeler as he put it, He controlled the Traffic market in those days, He was a decent sort of bloke, He used to come down to Whitley Bay with his wife for the holidays, I drove for Baxters Road Services then, When he went off the scene, We used to get back loads from a chap called Bobby Martin, He had lots of work from Steins Fire Brick sites, Good traffic allways on pallets, Regards Larry.
You’ve rang a bell there in the old memory bank Larry about Glasgow. I used to hear Nelsons of Arnside Drivers talking about Tosh as the bloke who could fix them up with a load back into England if their regular direct traffic out of Marionite ( Cape Asbestos) was quiet. Hope you and yours are keeping well and clear of The Plague ! Regards Dennis.
Bewick:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well in the 50/60s Era, The was a bloke named TOSH, He used to hang out in Jacks Cafe on the Broomielaw area In McAlpine Street, His proper name was Samuel McKintosh, He had the return load job sewn up, You had to give him his fee for finding your return load, 5 Bob for a four wheeler or 10 Bob for an Ache Wheeler as he put it, He controlled the Traffic market in those days, He was a decent sort of bloke, He used to come down to Whitley Bay with his wife for the holidays, I drove for Baxters Road Services then, When he went off the scene, We used to get back loads from a chap called Bobby Martin, He had lots of work from Steins Fire Brick sites, Good traffic allways on pallets, Regards Larry.You’ve rang a bell there in the old memory bank Larry about Glasgow. I used to hear Nelsons of Arnside Drivers talking about Tosh as the bloke who could fix them up with a load back into England if their regular direct traffic out of Marionite ( Cape Asbestos) was quiet. Hope you and yours are keeping well and clear of The Plague ! Regards Dennis.
Hi Dennis, We are both doing OK, My good lady is a bit iffy at this moment in time But its all due to her medication changes, Her Medical advisers are in fact keeping an eye on her, And they are on the ball if she feels a bit Ill, For myself well you know the score with me Dennis, Im just having my Medication, Which as you know cant be got on prescription , Hic Hic, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well in the 50/60s Era, The was a bloke named TOSH, He used to hang out in Jacks Cafe on the Broomielaw area In McAlpine Street, His proper name was Samuel McKintosh, He had the return load job sewn up, You had to give him his fee for finding your return load, 5 Bob for a four wheeler or 10 Bob for an Ache Wheeler as he put it, He controlled the Traffic market in those days, He was a decent sort of bloke, He used to come down to Whitley Bay with his wife for the holidays, I drove for Baxters Road Services then, When he went off the scene, We used to get back loads from a chap called Bobby Martin, He had lots of work from Steins Fire Brick sites, Good traffic allways on pallets, Regards Larry.
Lawrence you mention Bobby Martin was he self employed or was he working for a haulier/clearance house,another name which comes to mind is David Vetters who back loaded haulier like W&J Riding on a similar basis to the other gents you mention ,strangely as Bewick mentioned earlier one of his contacts I believe was Cape Asbestos.