I can’t remember this photo been taken but it must have been about 1969. Me and my son in the cab out side my mothers house at Thornley. I don’t know who did the signwriting on it but it’s a mess. the Merc was left in a layby on the A1 one night broken down,when we went for it the next day the front grill had been stolen.
Ken.
kennyjohnson:
I can’t remember this photo been taken but it must have been about 1969. Me and my son in the cab out side my mothers house at Thornley. I don’t know who did the signwriting on it but it’s a mess. the Merc was left in a layby on the A1 one night broken down,when we went for it the next day the front grill had been stolen.Ken.
Hi Kenny, did Roger Maughan try his hand at signwriting about that time?
is that the merc arthur spence used to drive 
nice looking lad there kenny, shame about his dad 
alan
WALSALL, 69, 70, 71.
twice a week seemed commonplace to be in walsall those days, park outside the general hospital
at the top of BRADFORD STREET and walk back to STENREGS office and wait for a load to get you home,
tea and biscuits laid on but you could be there any thing from 1 hour to 2 days, i remember running from all corners of the globe to go to walsall, no sleeper cabs then, we booked into “CROSSROADS CAFE” for overnight stays and rather grim it was to, the cafe, the owner, the neighbours, the surrounding area all very moderate
to say the least, fat jim, the owner was jovial enough but he was making loads of money out of a virtual
bomb site so happy was he 
when sleeping in cabs became the thing we parked behind BRADFORD ST near the GREEN MAN
pub which we used regular until the asian community started to take over and we didnt recognise any of
the music on the juke box 
i always recall going out one night with bobby bowman, a few drinks then we would go to the chinese for a sit in meal, when we had finished and the waiter brought the bill, bobby went to the toilet
and i sat and waited for him to come back, and i waited, and waited, and waited until the waiter came over and asked for payment, bowman had legged it out the back door for a laugh
alan
iamupforit:
WALSALL, 69, 70, 71.
Hi Alan, I don’t know how true the story is about Bobby Bowman playing cards in the Green Man one night and losing quite a bit before he realised he was being conned and asking for his money back. Obviously they just laughed at him. Bobby went outside and started his motor up and drove round until he was parked with the rear of his trailer pointing to the door. He went back in again, explained the situation that if he did not get his money back he would reverse the trailer into the pub entrance. I’m not sure but I think he got his money back.twice a week seemed commonplace to be in walsall those days, park outside the general hospital
at the top of BRADFORD STREET and walk back to STENREGS office and wait for a load to get you home,
tea and biscuits laid on but you could be there any thing from 1 hour to 2 days, i remember running from all corners of the globe to go to walsall, no sleeper cabs then, we booked into “CROSSROADS CAFE” for overnight stays and rather grim it was to, the cafe, the owner, the neighbours, the surrounding area all very moderate
to say the least, fat jim, the owner was jovial enough but he was making loads of money out of a virtual
bomb site so happy was he
when sleeping in cabs became the thing we parked behind BRADFORD ST near the GREEN MAN
pub which we used regular until the asian community started to take over and we didnt recognise any of
the music on the juke box
i always recall going out one night with bobby bowman, a few drinks then we would go to the chinese for a sit in meal, when we had finished and the waiter brought the bill, bobby went to the toilet
and i sat and waited for him to come back, and i waited, and waited, and waited until the waiter came over and asked for payment, bowman had legged it out the back door for a laugh
Hi Alan, I don’t know how true the story is about Bobby Bowman playing cards in the Green Man one night and losing quite a bit before he realised he was being conned and asking for his money back. Obviously they just laughed at him. Bobby went outside and started his motor up and drove round until he was parked with the rear of his trailer pointing to the door. He went back in again, explained the situation that if he did not get his money back he would reverse the trailer into the pub entrance. I’m not sure but I think he got his money back.alan
Sorry about the mistake but it’s been that long since I posted I temporarily forgot, dementia creeping in.
hi ron
i have heard the same story but dont know if it is true or not,
but bobby was just the lad to do exactly that 
alan
Stenreg came straight back to memory seeing it in print Alan, must be pre 1987 since I`ve used them. Sure they used to have a advert in Headlight could be wrong
hi kenny
yes, they did have an advert in the HEADLIGHT, i was referring to 69, 70, 71 era when the two
jim,s were there, fat jim and skinny jim skinny jim came to work at stenregs office dressed
just like a city banker, suit, hat and briefcase, sit at his desk, pick the phone up and curse and swear
like a manic pitman, classic in later years fat jim,s nephew, stephen came and eventually
took over, last time i was in was as far back as late 70,s
alan
Hi Lads, Sorry to inform you all that Ronnie Moore’s wife died on Monday.I am sure that we would all like to send our condolences to him and his family.
Old Bill
iamupforit:
hi roni have heard the same story but dont know if it is true or not,
but bobby was just the lad to do exactly that
alan
I have heard the story about the card game but it was Anti not Bobby.
I remember Bobby Bowman and Joe Geary comming back to the yard from Liverpool with black eyes and bust lips,Bobby had a bad leg,but i was told he ran well that night.
Bobby was the same age as me, we had the same D.O.B.
Ken
Hi lads, I’ve just moved back to Navan, Co Meath, Ireland after eight years, just got internet sorted.
Very sorry to hear about your lass Ronnie, left Spennymoor in the late seventies, so it’s a long time since Avril (my ex misses)
myself with you and your lass went out for a meal, but I remember those happy days well.
My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time. Best wishes Mac (John McNally)
Where is everyone, can’t all be away…surely.
Have you all given up on this blog, JH will be turning over in his grave. Mac
I’m still here John, I log on to the site most days, Hopefully we will be having another re-union after Christmas. The numbers keep falling but we still have a good old natter about our days at Dents
Regards Old Bill
old bill:
I’m still here John, I log on to the site most days, Hopefully we will be having another re-union after Christmas. The numbers keep falling but we still have a good old natter about our days at Dents
Regards Old Bill
Hi Bill
Why dont you post your stories on here instead of waiting for christmas
Regards Ken.
We used to stop at Tony’s (The Peacock) in Mansell St. The London manager Joe DaCosta had The White Swan just down the street, but we would only call in there for a couple of quid sub,sign for it on a Babysham slip and go and spend it elsware, often in the Herculees, it was between Tony’s and Joe’s.Ray Martine off the Stars and Garters (a program on tele) used to get in.(He was bent as a nine bob note) looking for drivers to take home (free digs) he said they were all nice boys from the north east.
One night i was having my supper in Tony’s when one of the drivers came in said clutch was slipping and could not get up the bank at Blackbirds Cross. We went down the depot got a unit and chain, went to Neesden pull him up the bank adjusted his clutch and went back to the digs.Tonys was closed when i got back but he let me in, when he put lights on there was cockroaches all over. I did’nt fancy my breakfast the next morning.
Them Babysham slips wern’t mutch good in your paypacket
Ken
I remember those days well, I also remember what a little ■■■■ Da Costa was. On one trip I spent Thursday afternoon and Friday morning loading tea at the docks, made a mistake and went back to the depot for a sub, Da costa had me drop the trailer and load another at Southgate with a load of shampoo, handball,the boxes were so flimsy I had to put pallets on top before I could rope and sheet. On getting back to the depot, I found he had given my load of tea to Rolly, there was nine deliveries of shampoo with two deliveries on Saturday, I must admit I completely lost it ( which wasn’t to difficult in those days) and booted Da Costa around his office, the amazing thing was when I lashed out at his Alsatian, he scarpered off. I didn’t do any deliveries on the way home and JH sacked me. He later took me back on when I told him what had gone on. I must admit that Roger Maughan stood up for me on that occasion…amazing. The so called union never did.
I can remember some digs we used to use in Aberdeen run by Mrs. Gover.She used to take about 16 drivers in and there was a huge table where they could all sit together. Every evening meal was the same, mince and tatties. But oh what a meal it was, it certainly filled us all up.After the evening meal, we would go to the pictures or the pub. At that time. they would shout last orders at 9.50. At 10 o’clock they would shout time and come round and take all the drinks off the table, the pub would be empty by 10.10. When we got back to the digs , the table would be set out with sandwiches and home made scones and a big pot of tea. Next morning, she was up at 6 am and there would be a huge cooked breakfast.The price for all of this was the princely sum of ten shillings a night. Fifty pence lads.Those were the days
Old Bill
old bill:
I can remember some digs we used to use in Aberdeen run by Mrs. Gover.She used to take about 16 drivers in and there was a huge table where they could all sit together. Every evening meal was the same, mince and tatties. But oh what a meal it was, it certainly filled us all up.After the evening meal, we would go to the pictures or the pub. At that time. they would shout last orders at 9.50. At 10 o’clock they would shout time and come round and take all the drinks off the table, the pub would be empty by 10.10. When we got back to the digs , the table would be set out with sandwiches and home made scones and a big pot of tea. Next morning, she was up at 6 am and there would be a huge cooked breakfast.The price for all of this was the princely sum of ten shillings a night. Fifty pence lads.Those were the days
Old Bill
Hi Bill
I went up to Motherwell one saturday afternoon, Billy Toes had broken down. I did’nt have the parts to mend the trailer (but thats another story) so we went for a drink. The locals were drinking pints and chassers,i thought it was whiskey, but Billy told me it was called Biddy cheap Spanish wine,he got a bottle to take home for af few shillings.Must have been good stuff by the state of the locals.A electric bell started at five to ten,the loudest bell i’ve ever heard,did’nt take long to empty the pub. We took turns sleeping between the oxy bottles in the back of the van on the way home .
Ken.
ok, !!! been away, couple of weeks in the sun, well, and the wind and rain but it was good 
bill
were those digs in union street or just off, yes, you were well looked after
more than i can say for the peacock in mansell st london, last time i was there my bed was propped
up on a brick on one leg and a milk crate under another, every time i moved i thought the bloody bed was
going to collapse, the wash area was horrible with one bog door missing and a rather large (fat) driver
sat there like lord muck 
not a place for the faint hearted
alan
