hiya,
Everbody knows that Charlies were specialists in the transportation of fish, but they also carried many other cargoes, i seem to remember getting a return load off them in the 60s a wagon and drag load of flat paper one drop St Helens 16 tons on the Octopus 6 tons on the pup bit overweight if my old memory is still working but the old girl did the job "slowly"and the gaffer was happy with the payment, happy days.
thanks harry long retired.
.
JIMBO47:
in the early8os i can remember the volvo 6x2 f7 flats with fish from charlie alexander stopped at the moss cafe a74 north of carlisle for a bite before heading to preston,some pulled into lockerbie for a fish supper at the tower chippy.
i can remember running with one o charlies drivers on a regular basis his cb handle was santa claus ,yup he had a white beard ,
mmmm think one o esks drivers had the same handle.lol …coming down under the railway bridge at greenilstairs (a74) flat out wi charlies boys leaving me standing,somenights the snowploughs were parked on the side just inside dumfries and galloway and their drivers would tell you were the police were… good days…
Their cb handle was “Charlies Angels”
Charles Alexander was a originally a solicitor from Aberdeen who sold out to TDG, they merged with Inter City in the mid 90’s, TDG is now part of Norbert Dentressangle. I remember Charles Alexander buying another fish haulier in Plymouth.
I remember coming home from Grimsby one evening in company with Mick Chinn who used to drive the 110 6 wheeler & drag for FF and just about Alconbury hill we were overtaken at what seemed like warp speed by 2 of Charlies " pedal beavers and we couldn’t live with them, we stopped when we got on the A604 and remarked about how fast they were going with the fishy goo flying out behind them, driven well and fast is a rare thing today (you are not allowed to go fast .H&S) speedlimiters ?
LB76:
I remember coming home from Grimsby one evening in company with Mick Chinn who used to drive the 110 6 wheeler & drag for FF and just about Alconbury hill we were overtaken at what seemed like warp speed by 2 of Charlies " pedal beavers and we couldn’t live with them, we stopped when we got on the A604 and remarked about how fast they were going with the fishy goo flying out behind them, driven well and fast is a rare thing today (you are not allowed to go fast .H&S) speedlimiters ?
hiya,
One of the reasons i would’nt do the job today is the speed limiters, i was a safe driver but did like to give the motors i had a bit of wellie todays motors would have to have amongst other things automatic pilot, crawling about like todays stuff would lull me to sleep, i don’t like having to run in convoy it’s something which would bore me to to tears and certainly i would be looking for alternative employment, pilot should do the trick in fact i think some of Charlie’s boys had their wings they sure used to bob on a bit.
thanks harry long retired
A photo from the Crusader thread:
i know what you mean harry, i was going up to load at Banchory one day and tagged on to one of charlies with an albion reiver just after we had left the northern outskirts of newcastle and we ran up to scremerston together both at the limit of what our motors would do and never had to carve anyone up or be a pig like you see so often today, we went in and had a cuppa and put the world to rights (as only lorry drivers can) came out and went on our seperate ways. one of the great memories i have from back then.
LB76:
i know what you mean harry, i was going up to load at Banchory one day and tagged on to one of charlies with an albion reiver just after we had left the northern outskirts of newcastle and we ran up to scremerston together both at the limit of what our motors would do and never had to carve anyone up or be a pig like you see so often today, we went in and had a cuppa and put the world to rights (as only lorry drivers can) came out and went on our seperate ways. one of the great memories i have from back then.
I used to see charlies in scremerston, running to darlington and londonderry on nights,we always used to let them get away, so as not to hold them up,on the old a1,arriving darlington they were always parked up and gone to diggs.
Back in the mid 60s, the Daily Mirror had a warehouse in Binns st.Stalybridge,for unsold returned papers.I used to deliver there every day.On Fridays I could not get in the bay because there was always 2 old guys loading their blue "hammerite"painted 8 legger Leyland.This was a regular heavy back load,and when I think of it,I can smell the fish today!!!
I think it carried on till the late 70s,so maybe someone on here remembers that job?
REGARDS…JOHN
davepenn54:
Didn’t, “Inter-City” from the 70’s have a similar livery as well, I know they had a depot in Leigh, Lancashire but I’m sure they were actually a Scottish company?
Inter City were from Stirling and also part of the TDG, they eventually merged with Charles Alexander.
If you go back to about page 16 you will find a load of stuff about charlies a thread which i started about a year ago.
cheers bill
laybuy:
It’s not a beaver it’s a lynx.
Laybuy
Looking at this picture I think this was taken just outside Aberdeen on the back road to Cove which would tie in with it being a promo pic taken when the motor was brand new.
Hi all,when I was on Beresfords in the early eighties I ran down to Spain with an Alexander’s driver,he had 1625 Merc,slow as s**t.He worked out of the cold store on the A1 near Grantham.There were a few there all doing Europe.I got weekended in Aberdeen in about 1980 loading for Martintrux for Italy at the the Paper mill.Everywhere you turned there was an Alexander truck.How could a firm that big go bust? : 
hiya,
Nice to see this thread being added to again, often wondered how many motors Alexanders had at their peak they must have been on a par with the likes of Suttons how they came to end defies logic.
thanks harry long retired.
H iall,I remember going up the A74 and having to stick to 40mph (pre-motorway) yet Alexanders were flying up and down.Having to do 40 on a dual carriageway.Nasty!!! 
LB76:
If you go back to about page 16 you will find a load of stuff about charlies a thread which i started about a year ago.
cheers bill
Hi LB76,
I’ve just merged the two “Alexander” topics into one so all the info is in the same place. 
Bumper, CA had a depot at Double Row Seaton Delaval in the early 70s. My old pal Mad John Hook worked for them, he could make those beaver’s shift!! only trouble was he was never sober. I worked with him at Alec Muat’s in 1971 what a character he was. PS anyone know if he is still around? the last time i saw him was in the “Old Hundred” in North Shields many years ago. regards kevmac47.
relluf:
Hi all,when I was on Beresfords in the early eighties I ran down to Spain with an Alexander’s driver,he had 1625 Merc,slow as s**t.He worked out of the cold store on the A1 near Grantham.There were a few there all doing Europe.I got weekended in Aberdeen in about 1980 loading for Martintrux for Italy at the the Paper mill.Everywhere you turned there was an Alexander truck.How could a firm that big go bust? :
My mistake lads,it wasn’t Alexanders,It was Salveson’s I went to Spain with. 