mickthebrush:
Hi rubic cube.is that you Alan Denton?
I met up with Tony about 2 weeks ago after 16 years.Had a great time and a little drink!!!
Stay lucky mick
HI there yes its me I bet when tony clarke and cliff boulton read about the lampost they will have a laugh about that .along with a few others .It was my first trip i went to go in wrong gate there was at that time a female guard on .She said ill watch you back its next turning on left .It was left bent for about 3/4 monnths .I remember jeff may down the bush one day and jimmy dodd said have you seen our new trailer jeff .Have a look me jeff had a look we went back to office and said a jim the spelled ACTON wrong there was loads of laughter jimmy said yes thats because its for the TELFORD depot . i have really happy memories of my time at doods and worldfleet .when worldfleet lost contract i was gutted .There was only me and john wilson left. We then went to new wave logistics in milten keynes still running out of hirwaun for about two years. then hitachi closed factory moved abroad bye for now if you see any of dodds old drivers give them my regaurds bye alan p.s still have the bad eye but im ok
Hello all.
Well, as promised quite some time ago, I’ve done some scanning of old photo’s and have some ready to go. It’s a bit late now so I’ll just give a little taster tonight. Hopefully, I’ll do the rest tomorrow.
So here we have another photo of your old motor Pop, XLF 754S
This was taken from up on a bank as you were doing the business during the Lorry Driver of the Year competition.
I’m not sure of the year exactly, but it would be around the end of the 70’s. I’m pretty sure that in this particular year the ‘LDOY’ was held at the new ‘Sava Centre’ at Gillingham.
I can see that your nearside wheels are headinng over to the yellow 2"x1" battens on the floor… the ones you had to steer between.
I know you never won the competition, but I always thought it was great you were doing it And you should’ve got a special prize for thoughtfully placing your D-class number so it finished off the LEYLAND badge
A couple more of “820” This time at Hitachi in Hayes…
First, a full-frontal…
And then tucked away between the demount bodies…
Are we all agreed that those last 2 pics had the better colours of paint job?
Mind you, I liked the ones that had “Better Buy Hitachi” in script type letters diagonally on the boxes.
Also, while we’re at Hayes, I assume you all remember this fella…
Hi PCB.
How very nice to hear from you again and thanks for the fantastic photos,brings back some memories.
Mark had,as you say D820.I had D821.Good shots of the rare Parker Haulage motors.
An equally good shot of the Little Heathen!! Trevor Stacey…
By the new yard,I presume you mean the yard at Southall.This site was part of the old AEC works.I have fond memories of the AEC as I originally come from Southall.As a lad I used to love seeing all the new trucks and buses.In the past most of my older family worked at the AEC from time to time.Not unusual really considering it was such a large concern.
In October 2012 I visited the UK to see my Mum and found time to visit,Tony Clark.Whilst with Tony we called up Mark and had a good ole chin wag.
I understand you live in the Irish Republic,I also lived there in the 80s.I was in County Carlow.Where are you?
All the best to you and all your family,Mark.Cliff ect.
Stay Lucky Mick
820 actually had a few drivers in its time and was driven by my dad first. Mark started off with C666 I think. He will remember well who had which one and when so I’ll let him fill in the timeline
I did indeed mean the Southall yard when I said “new”. I think I only went there myself once. Shepherds Bush was always the yard in my mind.
You’re bang on, I’m living in Ireland these days and not far from where you used to be really. I’m close to Ballycanew which I’m sure you’ve probably driven through in your time. If you come out of Gorey and head towards Wexford on the old main road, you’d go through it. I’m then out in the sticks between Ballycanew and Ferns.
I’m actually just back from a brief visit to see Mum, Dad and Bruv. Was great to see them again
Hello All,
Ages since I’ve been on here, but this f—ing lap-top is not the best now.
Great to see all those pix Paul. I know you said you’d got some to put on here, but I didn’t think you had that many.
Especially good to see XLF 754S at Lorry Driver Of The Year. I’m not sure what year that was, but I remember I parked so close to the kerb without touching it that the bloke wouldn’t measure it. Clever Sod!! I came second in the “D” Class in XLF one year, losing out because I should have cut across a mini roundabout turning right, but i left it late and had to have a shunt. Bloody Great motor that was.
D820 was another good motor because I was doing the West Country and not pulling the Draw-Bar. All that power and virtually running never more than half loaded. They were some of the best years of my driving career delivering in Devon & Cornwall. It seemed that ALL the TV manufacturers delivered there on Mon/Tuesday, Phillips, Tatung, Sony etc and we all met at Trewint Truckstop for the night out. I think it’s long enough ago now to admit we used to “Swap” deliveries, you go here, I’ll go there. Minehead was a delivery you got EVERYBODY’S goods, even the builders merchants if Terry had just a little bit. Mind you, Terry used to take our TV’s etc up there in his 40ft artic quite often. (If you read this Jim Dodd, I’m only making it up, honestly!!) Good Old Days, sadly long gone, never to return.
Alan Denton, it was good to see your name on here. Do you remember doing your bloody Rubic Cube in the Rendezvous Cafe at the Bush one evening? Some more good memories in that place with “Egon Ronay” the Chef(?) George the Waiter, Jeff May, Brookie, and many others. Hey! Ho! I should have written a book.
I forgot, about the Worldfleet Motor L715 ULW pix… The first is on Clapham Common where I used to meet Mark quite regularly after he’d gone to Lenham Storage. The next is outside the school next to my home at Pluckley, but where was the third pic taken? Also, anybody remember “Kernels Truckstop” as on the windscreen sun-shield on L715 ULW? I might even still have that rolled up somewhere.
That’s it. Bye again, Cliff
Hi Cliff,Nice to here from you.All the best for 2013.Yes its been a while for all of us,so much going on,
Nice to see the Worldfleet Foden.Was that the truck you had when I used to meet you at Avonmouth Truck Stop.I was at Anglian Windows then,they had a depot across the road,Although,that was not the last time i met you,that was at Lenham.I was with Silver Wolf at the time and had just completed my first load out of Spain,16 pallets of milk,loaded on the drawbeam trailer for delivery to Lemhams…
Stay lucky Mick
Hi again, Mick.
No, it wasn’t the Worldfleet motor I had at Avonmouth, it was one of the Leylands. I think it was D817, the Freighter, because I think it was after I’d left and come back to Dodds that I used to stop there sometimes.
When I left, ■■■■ Masters, who lived in Gloucester, took over the West Country. I was doing something else in Plymouth. After 9 or 10 months, this wasn’t going too well and my Mark rung me to say ■■■■ had given his notice.
I rang Jimmy Dodd and said “I hear you want a driver for the West Country”
“Yeah! How do you know? Do you know someone who wants the job then?” ask Jim.
“Mark told me, and Yes, I know a good bloke. Get’s on with the job, smart enough, honest etc etc.” I told him.
“Give me his name and number then,” said Jim
“Cliff Boulton, 01752 …” said I.
After the expletives, the reply was “You want the job back then? You best come up on Friday and get the motor”.
Well, I didn’t, I had to catch a National Express to Gloucester on the Saturday to pick it up from ■■■■. Dunno why, but he had a right Cob On. Met me off the coach, took me to the lorry, gave me the keys and buggered off. Wouldn’t even have a cup of tea or anything. Miserable Sod. J.D. paid me “cash-in-hand” for the day and the coach fare, but it was one of the less happy memories of working on Dodds/Hitachi. Real happy times.
Gotta Go again Mick.
Back asap, Cliff
Hi Cliff,talking about,Worldfleet and Fodens.After I finished with Dodds,I went working from Norwich,with an agency and did a lot of work in East anglia.Lots of different firms and motors.So of course did a lot of work around my old delivery area for Hitachi.I kept intouch with a lot of the old clients and if I had time woukd nip in for a chat and a cuppa.I used to see quite regularry the chap who took over my old job,i recall he had one of the Fodens,for the life of me I cannot recall his name.As you say happy days.As your previous post,I also used to see all the other manufacturers delivery motors,notably,Samsung,panasonic,JVC,Sony regularry.And yes we used to switch the odd consignment!!!SLAP WRIST!!I had a couple of customers that had more than one location and I used to do a bit of transhipments for them!!all part of the service as they were…Ambassador Clients(remember them).I really looked after them which is what Hitachi and JD wanted,these people were big spenders and it was all part of the sales pitch,keep them happy and spending.I even used to go to thier Xmas parties.I can honestly say that in my varied transport carear,this was the best.Great outfit Dodds,great motors them cruiser drawbars were some wagon,and a great bunch of blokes to work with and not least some really great Hitachi customers.
Have had some good times in transport.Some not so good.I had the pleasure of working with a really good independant driving agency based in Norwich and worked with them on and off for 12 years.
Anglian Windows was a good outfit but Dodds will always be tops with me but also in my affections will be Roy Bowles Transport from Hayes Middx.,where I really started my serious transport driving(therein is another story)
Stay Lucky Mick.
Hi All,
A Picture of Jim Dodd with Mark Boulton taken at Sittingbourne Yard today, Jan 22nd 2012.
Thanks for the breakfast Jim, Cheers to you, Mate, if you get to read this soon, and to all other ex Dodds employees.
Cliff Boulton
Hi Cliff,nice pic.Both looking good.Hope you had a great brekkie!!
Hope you can get on here soon JD or maybe your daughter will post up some goodies.
Best regards.
Stay lucky Mick
Hi Johnnie, Sorry, I don’t expect I know you. Although I went there quite a few times when I was on Milupa with A244FLX, I wasn’t a great fan of Nights Out there. Milupa paid, so I ran down to what used to be called Chesterfield Truckstop.
I think you’re right. There was another 4 wheeler Milupa motor, but I can’t remember the Reg No. (I bet my son Paul, [PCB] might though.)
I’m almost certain “Brookie” (Peter Brooks R.I.P.) drove it for a while. Did you know him? He had this thing about women. ANY women!! Size, colour or creed didn’t come into it. He chatted up a coloured girl just outside Shepherds Bush yard one night, and found out she worked in a laundrette. Within a few nights, he was “having a coffee” with her in her flat while his washing went round (for free) in the laundrette downstairs. Many more stories about him, but what a bloody nice bloke.
I was in Sheffield one night with A.N.Other, when Trevor Stacey came in. He’s the little Weasel Fellow in a pic on an earlier post, standing by a pile of blue pallets, and used to be on journey work for Dodds. We persuaded him to come to Chesterfield with us, where they used to have Strippers some nights. We put Trevor in the front row because “You’re shorter than us, we’ll be able to see over you.” We then did everything we could to get the girls to pick on him. He was more than embarrased and wouldn’t go there any more. Gone on again, haven’t I?
Did you recognise JD in the picture I posted?
Cheers, Cliff Boulton
Hi Cliff I did not see to many of the day drivers as I only did nights in my time with Dodds as it was convenient as at that time my wife needed taking to hospital 3 days a week for physiotherapy the day drivers at Sheffield which I can recall were the 2 Eddies, Ronnie Beckett , Les Needham Neal and Peter and 2 London night drivers Vic and Jeff May who had Strato’s at the time as I had one for a week as we kept missing each other to change back it was not done on purpose honest but the Strato was a lovely wagon. I did recognise Jim Dodd but he seems to have filled out a bit since I last saw over 20 years ago but my memories are of a very good firm to work fore and was it Ian King who was in the office at the bush as I did a bit of shunting with in Quakers a couple of times when the shunter was off sick
cheers Johnnie
And you should’ve got a special prize for thoughtfully placing your D-class number so it finished off the LEYLAND badge 
