1960,s BRS Wellington driver Brian Thomas bringing back the memories
ron weatherall:
Does anyone have recollections or photos of swansea depots AEC matador recovery lorry,colour of Bottogas lorries and colour ,signwriting and type of trailers pulled by BMC and Commer units on the Prescold contract Please.
I’ve got a copy of the 1956 fleet list for Swansea and Carmathen if you would like a copy. The models are 1:50 scale. The BMC adapted by me from a Corgi the other built by a friend in Liverpool
hiya,
Still no one offering the depot fleet letters for Tufnell Park seemed to think
it was related to the North West area so it would be C? if I’m correct our pal
Sutton’s Tony would know or was it Hampstead that was C?, memory gone.
thanks harry, long retired.
I heard earlier this week that Mike Houle sadly passed away on 5th September. Mike was an authority on BRS and its history with countless records about vehicles and depots. He had been compiling information since he was a lad.
RIP Mike.
gingerfold:
I heard earlier this week that Mike Houle sadly passed away on 5th September. Mike was an authority on BRS and its history with countless records about vehicles and depots. He had been compiling information since he was a lad.RIP Mike.
Very sad to hear about Mike. We used to correspond regularly in the 1960s and he was a mine of information especially about the Oxford area of BRS. We always meant to meet but never did.
Hi Tidderson , were you at Oxford depot ?
Yes I would love to see the 1956 lists from Carmarthen and Swansea depots, many thanks.
TuffnellPark Depot; Parked there often and never had any problems. Handy for the underground too.
Sorry to hear about Mike Houle, he didn’t look too well when I spoke to him at BRS 64 last year.
He was a mine of information about BRS. I wonder if he left any records of the company for future historian’s.
Sad that it happened in the 65th year of BRS’s formation.
That leaves John Mollett carrying on the good work.
Alex
harry_gill:
hiya,
Still no one offering the depot fleet letters for Tufnell Park seemed to think
it was related to the North West area so it would be C? if I’m correct our pal
Sutton’s Tony would know or was it Hampstead that was C?, memory gone.
thanks harry, long retired.
The Tufnell Park fleet was divided between the regions and their fleet numbers reflected their regions.
Northern district were HZ
South Wales district were GZ
Yorkshire district were DZ
Scottish district were BZ
All started with about 16 units
West Midland district were EZ and started with 74 units from the Kentish Town depot
South Yorkshire district were JZ and had 47 units
Hampstead depot had the CJ fleet numbers
Hope this jogs some memories
Peter
TIDDERSON:
harry_gill:
hiya,
Still no one offering the depot fleet letters for Tufnell Park seemed to think
it was related to the North West area so it would be C? if I’m correct our pal
Sutton’s Tony would know or was it Hampstead that was C?, memory gone.
thanks harry, long retired.The Tufnell Park fleet was divided between the regions and their fleet numbers reflected their regions.
Northern district were HZ
South Wales district were GZ
Yorkshire district were DZ
Scottish district were BZ
All started with about 16 units
West Midland district were EZ and started with 74 units from the Kentish Town depot
South Yorkshire district were JZ and had 47 unitsHampstead depot had the CJ fleet numbers
Hope this jogs some memories
Peter
hiya,
Thanks Peter CJ being Hampstead and me being CT Blackburn meaning Hampstead
catered for (and I say that very loosely) the North West area lads all you ever got was
you can’t park here mate and that applied to both Tuffnell Park and Hampstead even
getting fuel from TP was as if the yardman was buying it himself, still happy days.
thanks harry, long retired.
adr:
Thornycroft, Covent Garden 1951
When the driver had finished loading that he had to walk over those fragile boxes to rope & sheet, no ladder, no forklift. It looks like afternoon time on the ‘cobbles’? BRS would always arrive after the traders had gone. They would put one ton of spuds on those barrers. The trick was to keep the shafts down or the lot would tip up.
adr:
Thornycroft, Covent Garden 1951
Nice photo Chris. YG = West Riding reg.
Chris Webb:
adr:
Thornycroft, Covent Garden 1951Nice photo Chris. YG = West Riding reg.
Aye I remember these old Thornys They had narrow bodies on them & the headboard was too close to the back of the cab, The one I drove from time to time in the 50,60s ear had a AEC 7.7. Engine in it was underpowered to say the least but it went into Thornys depot in Higham Place in Newcastle & was fitted with the Thorny,s own Engine 9.6 IIRC, It was a great puller & of course the 8 wheel braking system was a bonus, The handbrake was a bit iffy though, But the motor itself could cope no problem when sometimes over loaded, The steering was heavey even when empty so it was allways loaded heavey to the rear which made it a lot easier, But of course the big steering wheel was a great help to, It was an Ex BRS Motor from their Peterbrough depot Reg BEG 506, We also had BEG 571 At the same time they were both replaces with 8 wheeler Atkis with the 150 Gardners in, The old Thorny,s were sold to some Showman as far as I recall, Regards Larry.
Chris Webb:
adr:
Thornycroft, Covent Garden 1951Nice photo Chris. YG = West Riding reg.
Here’s another for you then Chris, I much prefer the working scene pics personally, more atmosphere 
Yes Harry, Hampstead was CJ, my first nights work there after leaving Suttons (a big mistake) was a Hampstead 8w rigid Bristol doing a complete vehicle change over with a Blackburn AEC Mercury 6 wheel artic. Hampstead had no room to park foreign motors except for Scottish motors from Tuffnel Park that were loaded with Whisky as we were classed as a secure depot with security guards and dog etc…Tony.
CV
