Baccy Bill’s Apprentice:
Hi Tetleysmooth,
I saw Colin only a couple of months ago at Lou Sharman’s retirement doo however, I have not seen Don & Terry for some time.
Dad (Ron Holmes) was only saying the other day that he has not seen Terry for sometime, hope you are all well.
Hello Russ, how are ya mate?
I spoke to your dad last week about motors. Tell him the bloke I thought might have what he’s looking for, hasn’t got one.
Don works Sunday to Thursday, so I didn’t see him last night. I saw Terry though, he was booking a Merc off for a new windscreen.
Heard about Fred Dickens, not good. Hope he pulls through, the old bugger.
Phil Ayres worked here for a couple of days a while ago, but the work didn’t suit him. I think he’s in France now. Nice to see him again though.
Hope you and yours are ok.
Does anybody have any pictures of the old Seatrain Scania’s that Brains were running, especially in the early to mid 70’s.
My dad was on there at the time doin 3 Greenocks a week in one of them, be nice to see a couple of pics as he didnt take any.
I can remember the yard they had in Birmingham on the Castle Vale just off the A38 .
If I remember correctly they was opposite the coop milk float yard and next to the old WW2 hanger that was used for grain storage ( I used to get the odd shift in the hanger on the loading shovels when I was home on leave from the army as my uncle worked in there)
theres no sign of it now as its a new industrial estate
Hi, First post for me, I was directed to this site by my son and has it got the old memory stirred up.
I worked for Brains in Grays from 1978 to 1988 when I left to move away from the area .
The Scania 141 pictured hauling the Merzario trailer was my allocated truck DEV 188T fleet no 303. It started out on Seatrain being driven by John sorry cant remember surname!! After John moved onto a differant contract I had the truck on spot hire, it was a two axle at that time. When the Merzario contract started 10 tractor units had tag axle added and I joined the “Black hand Gang” I think the contract only lasted about a year and I went back on spot with the truck until it was sold off. Then had 3axle Renault E588 ■■? which I didnt like much and done a mutual swap for one of the Breg 310’s
I remember all of the names mentioned and attended most of the reunions.
Best wishes
I am so upset to hear of Alan,s passing. He was a big man with an even bigger heart and would do anything for you.
Alan drove the sister truck DEV 187T to the one I had on the Merzario job. We done many miles together and had some great nights out.
I had heard recently that he was ill but am still taken aback by his death. R.I.P. Alan
sad to here about alan met him many times when working for brains southampton as a mechanic
here is a photo of shk444r which started on the seatrain contract but changed to spot hire
the two drivers are ron herd and stuart haywood who i beleive went to felixstowe
the mechanics are fred britnell (rip) and malc slater
