iamupforit:
looking at that photo of kenny’s taken at the daleside reminded me of tony crooks,does any one see him, is he retired, is he still about
alan
Tony Crooks is well and working for KATEM Regards Ken
Turning the Atki with the Rolls Eagle into a wrecker might have been the best thing for it. I only drove it a couple of times but that was enough, It should have come with ear defenders as standard. The Beach Boys wrote a song about it. I remember going over to Cape Unversal ,I hit a pothole and the whole instrument panel, which was a half moon shaped encased in cheap plastic, fell away from the front of the cab. I don’t think it was one of John Henrys best buys.
Bill
old bill:
Turning the Atki with the Rolls Eagle into a wrecker might have been the best thing for it. I only drove it a couple of times but that was enough, It should have come with ear defenders as standard. The Beach Boys wrote a song about it. I remember going over to Cape Unversal ,I hit a pothole and the whole instrument panel, which was a half moon shaped encased in cheap plastic, fell away from the front of the cab. I don’t think it was one of John Henrys best buys.
Bill
ha, ha 
" good vibrations" do you mean bill, lol
beano, i can just imagine kevin dale falling off the seats still in his sleeping bag, going off the size of him
i bet he got stuck down there with a hell of a struggle to get out 
kenny
i always thought tony crooks was older than me by 3 or 4 years, i am 65 in april and he is still going strong and still working, good for him, still i enjoy what i do 
i never knew roger had once left dents for pastures new, I C I and he came back to mr dent
do you remember when he was bollicking anyone he always called them a " bulls kna**ker"
i still laugh at that saying lol
alan
Kevin Dale was the only man I ever knew that could snore even when he was laid on his stomach, I spent many sleepness nights when we used to stay in digs.
Bill
yes bill, quite a reputation for heavy snoring,
went to aberdeen and booked into digs at, i think, queen st, when i went there here is kevin dale sat watching tv, ready to go out, AND, in the same room as me, HELL!!!
had dinner then out we went, not too many drinks but a good night and always thinking, i hope i get over to sleep before kevin starts snoring, called at the chippie on the way back, as you do when you are with him,
BIG EATER!!!, then off to bed, phew!!! slept like a log, kevin complaining at breakfast table that
i had KEPT HIM AWAKE all night, what a laugh
alan
Can anyone remember a big fat lad nicknamed Yogi who used to drive for us, him and Kevin Dale had a bet one night as to who could eat the most. I think that they were in Walsall and they started off in a Chinese restaraunt. Apparently, they ate that much that the Manager would not give them any more food till they had paid for what they had already eaten. They then went to a chippie where they both had two portions of Fish and Chips,but I can’t remember who won but my money would be on Kevin.
Bill
One night Jim came down stairs and told me to take the wrecker home to get a good start in the morning (saturday). Ted Lowe was bogged down on a site in Shaw. The mighty Matador did not have much trouble pulling it out (but it always had the power winch if it could not pull it) and we were finished at dinner time. We went to Royton Band Club for refreshment till closing time, Then to my wife’s sisters who lived on Rochdale road for something to eat.Ted was comeing home with just the unit, so we thought we would drive the wrecker to the M62 then tow it to Leeds (the M62 finished there then),uncouple, drive it to Wetherby, then couple it up again and tow it home. But as soon as we got a bit of speed up the AEC started to viberate to much so we had to uncouple and i came home at 28mph, but was still back in time for a drink.
Ken
afraid i can’t recall anyone called yogi 
but i do remember a lad with a massive appetite called clough, thin as a pin but could he scran WOW!!
he was there the same time as kevin dale and drove a thames trader, i will always remember him
going to london, early 70s, with three drops, reloading off joe, and getting back to his sisters in
nottingham in a shift, quite a feat in those days
alan
Hi Alan, he might not have been called Yogi but it was some nickname like that,he was there for quite a while but i can’t remember his name.
Bill
old bill:
Hi Alan, he might not have been called Yogi but it was some nickname like that,he was there for quite a while but i can’t remember his name.
Bill
Hi guys, are you thinking of Owen Etherington, nicknamed Gallower because he was built like a horse and ate like one too. Keep up the good work, Ronnie.
Who was it, that took a 4-in-line to the test centre and put the two middle wheels down the pit, when asked to pull forward.
hell beano!!!
can’t imagine any of our lot doing a fool thing like that 
alan
We had some awkward customers to deal with, Len Carter and his crew at Watford were a prime example.
On a good day we could load up at Bowburn, run down to Watford, get unloaded and run over to Avonmouth ready to load Tea the next morning.
However, some days Carter would shout ‘‘Too Late, Too Late’’ and we would have to park up in the factory for the night.This was not so bad in itself as we could use the canteen and the club.But it was better if we could get unloaded. Next morning it would take about 10 minutes to get unloaded, then we would have to slog through the traffic in Rickmansworth and Slough and on to the M4. (No M25 then) It meant a long hard days work having to run to Avonmouth, load up, and then get back home. It could be done but it would have been easier if we had been tipped the night before. He sure made it hard for us sometimes.
Happy Days
Bill
bl**dy len carter and his crew,
one didn’t know how to smile, his mate eventually committing suicide, then the big irishman, mick,
yes, an unusual name for an irish lad, he was the better of a mediocre bunch, could tip you in minutes,
only problem he didn’t leave much of the chock rail, he hit the trailer that hard you had to hang on if
you were in the driving seat, used to break more sheets than he unloaded but signed your notes clear,
and witty at times
alan
Yes, funny thing that, it was the one who was the happiest and mild natured that topped himself. Can you remember that old guy who was the manager at Ringtons in Leeds. He started as a van lad at 14 and worked for Ringtons till he retired at 65. It was the only company he ever worked for. I heard that when he retired they gave him a £10 voucher and a Ringtons Tea Caddy. What a marvelous retirement present for 51 years service.
Bill
when you think back over the years at some of the characters we have come across.
what about the fork truck driver at MELINATE, 60’s haircut, tash and specs, ronnie i think his name
was. then there was the old guy who was gaffer at cory’s in avonmouth, i always remember him in brown
jacket and trousers or a brown suit, he used to smoke like a chimney and was pure useless
dave bonson at bowburn, and i bet no one will ever forget our own jim thompson, everyones favourite
wages clerk !!!
alan
Wasn’t it Jim Thompson who had six brothers and who got one vote (his own) when he put up to be a committee member at his club.
I remember travelling down to South Wales and came across one of our lads who had been in a collision with a truck coming the other way, the other driver had had a heart attack and came across and hit our driver head on, steel he was carrying had sliced him in two…not a pleasant sight. I got all (can’t remember his name) gear out and then went into Birmingham, I had phoned JH to let him know and met Roger at the hospital. Jim decided to dock me six hours pay, so I had shot up the stairs and had him hanging out the office window, JH stood there laughing then told Jim, it would be healthier to give me the money, the ■■■■■■■ still took a couple of bob. 
Useless Customers, we had dozens. Take Linkflow for example. Timber which most probably had came over as deck cargo in heavy seas and then stood out in all weathers getting soaked. But they would not give you your delivery notes till you had fully sheeted it.Paper pulp was another fine example, stored outside till we moved it to the customer (fully sheeted of course ) then stored outside again. Then there was a Forklift driver at Butlers in Avonmouth who would disappear at 11-45 (dinner was 12-00 till1-00) leaving you one pallet short. Then he never came back till 1-15 It was an hour and a half wasted, he had it down to a fine art.
Bill
Proud Bros 8wheel Maudsley pre Dents days, John Henry married Olga Proud
