Lawrence Dunbar:
0Opencast site Newcastle Town Moor 1940s There were lots of these WD Bedfords plus the civvie Street versions used to haul the coal to Dinnington Colliery Screens, Lindsay Parkinson did the excavation work with Monigan Navvy that walked on massive feet, & earley version of the famous Big Geordie at Widdrington, Regards Larry.
In 1945 my mate Arthur Lowdon who still has G.Lowdon Ltd, Garage at Seaton Burn ,Was 17 He got a licence on his birthday & was hauling coal off this site, I believe driving tests were exempt at that time owing to the war etc. He can in fact tell some fantastic stories about those good old days, Regards Larry.
being from Finedon and working from w’boro i remember these well.
tonyj105:
here are 3 from among the many TK’s that my dad ran over the years.
CRC429J pictured in frejus south of france after a 30mph jog from wellingborough with 2 mobile homes
NUK385E about to do the wellingborough parade , another regular on the south of france run even though it only had a 300cu engine
WBN995 leyland engine 5 speed box and 70+ on the motorway.
he loved TK’s as there was a lot of swapability in them , leyland engine for a bedford engine , 4 to a 5 speed box, put a 2 speed axle in etc
he ran rigid boxvans on parcels , extended beaver tail with a drawbar trailer on mobile homes and artics on both parcels and mobile homes.
his favourite combo would be a leyland 375 + 4 speed box and 2 speed axle.i started driving on the TK’s and was great motor to start on , although having to drive a 30mph drawbar TK to Frejus instead of my volvo f86 was a bit hard.
Hi, NMM,
Wasn’t trying to stir things up regarding gearbox’s(who me?) . The Rugby KM’s didn’t have two speed axles, I have a few memories of KM’s, not many of them good. Neck ache from peering under the low windscreen header bar, knees hitting the steering wheel rim, not one of my favourite trucks.
I drove a Ford D800 with same two speed axle set up that Bewick and one or two more described, didn’t make a lot of difference empty, but it did help when loaded. I must admit it still struggled with 20t of wire on the trailer!
Cheers Bassman
Hi NMM
Two pics of trucks not on my wish list
Cheers Bassman
Tony Taylor:
I passed my HGV on a KM bedford and was lucky enough to get a job with J B Carriers from Salford who ran mostly KM’s and a few TK’s,so it was easy for me to start.We mostly loaded tobacco from the docks and took it to the Bonds in Trafford Park, it was only short distance work so a tank of fuel could last all week.I remember one time running out of diesel on the Crescent in Salford.The foreman fitter came out and gave me a right rocket.I said look at diesel gauge,it’s half full.I thought he was going to belt me.GAUGE!,GUAGE! what effin’ use is a gauge he raged DIP IT man DIP IT!! DID NOBODY LEARN YOU NOTHIN’.A valuable lesson.I quite liked the KM’s, nice short gear stick, good all round vision and really easy to drive.
Yes remember J.B’s. well,fitter was always an awkward sod. They also had three Atki’s which always parked at the front of the yard smoked everybody out in a morning, sorry if you were one who I chocked!! Most of the work was for Kellog’s but there was lots from the docks,mainly tobacco and timber. Happy days up to moving on to Ferrymasters. 
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Another old firm Spearmans of Ryton.
Sorry wrong photo, Regards Larry.
Hi, Larry,
Just seen the post of the Redhaugh Bridge.Until recently I used to deliver to Cemex (was RMC) practically underneath the bridge in Pottery lane. After using that bridge and going round the square a couple of times I found it easier to go over Scotswood bridge and come in past Rolls Royce, I always seemed to have a better run that way ,especially in the early morning
Cheers Bassman
Bassman:
Hi, Larry,
Just seen the post of the Redhaugh Bridge.Until recently I used to deliver to Cemex (was RMC) practically underneath the bridge in Pottery lane. After using that bridge and going round the square a couple of times I found it easier to go over Scotswood bridge and come in past Rolls Royce, I always seemed to have a better run that way ,especially in the early morningCheers Bassman
Aye the Ready Mix Plant is still there in Pottery Lane, The access to it is still a bloody nightmare, cars & vans parked all over the place, We used to deliver sea sand there in the 70/80s, the job with no hold ups was OK, Otherwise it wasnt worth a light, & I Dont suppose nothings changed to-day, Regards Larry.
Hi, Larry
Pottery Lane has only changed for the worse. It only wants one more car and you can’t get in with a 3 pot artic .
One of ours spent 2 hours waiting to get out beause of the scaffolding and some berk parked his car for that little garage and went off with the keys.
Not to bad when you’re on a salary but the tipper drivers was spitting nails!
Cheers bassman
Hi don know if this is correct or not ,but l am looking for a bedford jtype 30cwt chassis or a
vehicle to repair one l am restoring. crowbar
moomooland:
I’m guessing mid 1950s, Moomooland, but where?
Retired Old ■■■■:
moomooland:
I’m guessing mid 1950s, Moomooland, but where?
Evening all, reminds me of Brumegum, (Birmingham), but Ive broken yet another set of goggles today!! So I`m fairly blind!! Would it be Sparkbrook??
Remember how the felt used to peel off the roofs of those LD vand? I remember refelting one with roofing felt to sell it!! and I never, oh never ever thought that I would look at a 250JU van, and think that it would be nice to own one again!!!
I must resort to the Bollinger to restore sanity!! Cheerio for now.