does happen ok because ive loaded biscuits,toiletries,washing powder and cereals from places in the north for the uk.
ellies dad:
No loss that theyre gone. The 77 in the registration was a lodge number, shortly before they were closed they moved to republic plates as uk tax went sky high on 4x2 units. Bet that was a bitter pill for Ron Duke to swallow
A few points on the above post,
davepenn tell me where do i mention religion
i do think it best that theyre gone and as this is a public forum i have a right to reveal that
i assume you have proof of 300 people becoming unemployed (mustve been alot of overtime in montgomerys when they bought all those trucks and didnt take one driver)
your own original post mentioned the 77 reg and i explained
i met many a dukes driver in excel(tesco) Dublin some 10 years ago and never had a problem
now as i read this the only idiot on here is you, and i take offence to you trying to create a problem that wasnt there, then following on with a few random accusations.
PS. sorry to hear about your dad but i think you could do with unloading that chip on your shoulder.
glenman:
always thought the 77 was something to do with dukes being christian/brethern or bible linked,not sure how but again never heard the lodge link.anyhow not that relevant to someone who is looking photos from the past i think.as someone said montgomery bought them,may be one of the early purchases he made, he also bought east west,ballyclare freight,connolly bros and millar carriers and some others but one common theme seems to be once bought the companies/liveries disappear.
He also bought Wm Gaskell of Wigan & Agnew & Lithgow of Stranraer
To ellies dad, as you rightly say its a public forum and I messed up, too much pop doing the talking, my apologies.It was nothing personal I read it the wrong way and responded to something that hadn’t been said, again my public apologies.
davepenn54:
To ellies dad, as you rightly say its a public forum and I messed up, too much pop doing the talking, my apologies.It was nothing personal I read it the wrong way and responded to something that hadn’t been said, again my public apologies.
No problem Dave 
i remember when they opened a depot in cherry orchard ind est in dublin.
they were burnt out in no time.
they were not popular with us southern irish.
no loss is right.
always remember going on the continent with my dad and he never waved to dukes drivers and they never waved to the southern trucks
i still to this day do not know why
DEANB:
Hey DaveCan you remember the huge scottish fella that used to drive for them back
in the late 80s he was a about 6"2 tall and built like a brick [zb] house,and
was in his 60s .Used to drive a F10 or F12 cant remember now but was
a twin his brother and won a medal in the Olympics shotting ! Anyway
he was a good old boy but was sadly found dead one day near Paris.
From memory i think he had died of a heart attack.Cant remember the
fellas name but someone must know it ?
I’m pretty sure the guy’s name was Hugh Dunlop
I don’t know much about Duke’s but I did know one bloke who was a temp at Fed Ex Matchbox over the high season, when he got laid off he went to Duke’s, … he came to see us after about 3 months and told us he did Moscow runs regularly and was handed about 4 tacho charts to do the whole run 
One day as I was driving down the M6 in a contraflow with lorries restricted to the left lane only. The speed limit was 50 mph and a Duke’s F10 came past me at about 80 mph and forced me off the road on to the grass 
This was the first time I ever reported any lorry driver to the police.
i seem to remember talking to drivers who did russia and hearing how they didnt need tachos once they left germany (i think it was germany). and it sounds like another one who is good at estimating speed. 
Funny Dukes should come up, late 1977 there was a advert in our local paper in Northampton for working for Dukes, I applied as I was working temp for Wim Bosman, one of the bosses came to my house to interview me, then he informed me I was, one of two drivers who would get the job, then after a month he to me I had not got the job, but would keep me on file. Then I had a chance to go on Bulwarks for Carlsberg, I was waiting forthem to inform me, then a week later Dukes phoned up offering me the job, I asked what happened to the other driver, was told he had a accident and written the lorry off, do you want to start, I said you are too late I am starting for Bulwarks on the Carlsberg contract. I know they got a depot on the A5 just behind Watford Gap, and was there for a few years. My old mate Bill Thomas son who done a apprenticeship as a mechanic at BRS at Lodge farm ind, estate, took over the garage and repaired units etc, but almost went bust due to driver owners not paying him, but his dad helped him survive, now he is worth millions, but I doubt if his life will be as colourful as our was.
what lodge is montgomery in with the 88 plates?
monty was 88 mcburney was 00 carna was 44 murphy international was 22 for a while we sure do have some “lodges” over here
beattun:
always remember going on the continent with my dad and he never waved to dukes drivers and they never waved to the southern trucksi still to this day do not know why
Why didnt you just ask him lol ?
ajt:
beattun:
always remember going on the continent with my dad and he never waved to dukes drivers and they never waved to the southern trucksi still to this day do not know why
Why didnt you just ask him lol ?
As you said i went with my dad and all the Southern lads always help each other and waved but not to the Northern ones it was so much fun in those days what a way to spend school holidays
ellies dad:
No loss that theyre gone. The 77 in the registration was a lodge number, shortly before they were closed they moved to republic plates as uk tax went sky high on 4x2 units. Bet that was a bitter pill for Ron Duke to swallow
Can I correct this as it is wholly incorrect.
The Dukes Bros were never in the Orange Order. If they were, then the lodge number if it were to feature in the plate would be that of LOL 395, Battlehill, Co Armagh. The homeplace of the Dukes and that of Dukes Transport.
LOL 77 are the Eden Sons of William in Rasharkin in County Londonderry. Nowhere near to or no affiliation to Dukes Transport.
The number 7 that featured in the registrations was due to the Dukes family being devout Christians and according to the Bible the number 7 is the Divine number of God. That is why they put the 7 in the plate.
I worked for Dukes carpet distribution out of kidderminster for3 years in the early 90s - Bert Marshall took me on - i heard from winston Duke that he chose 77 because that was the year they set up company.
When they heard our trunker driver was dying of cancer and we were having a whip round to send him , his wife and two children on holiday thay paid for him to go to disneyland florida and the whip round was put towards their spending money , they then took his wife on after his death so as she had a income - carpet express took over this department and laid us all off as soon as they had ■■■■■■■ all the carpet contracts Dukes had . Malc
I worked for Dukes on agency about 93’ for a couple of months out of crick depot , not a bad job, the TM had a big port wine birth mark on his face, a good bloke can’t remember his name tho’. I seem to recall driving MDZ 1477 quite a lot, a brand new 3 series F12. Had a one hit cardiff on one run, computers, tipped, rang for back load details, and was told to load the irish groupage out of Asfordby haulage and storage melton, from cardiff , still it wasn’t limited then 
Well seeing as I started this thread and I haven’t added to it for quite a while I promise that after Thurs; when I will be finished for the Xmas holidays until the 4th Jan; There are a few Dukes stories I want to add, and as Bertie Marshall has been mentioned, I have a tale to tell that will hopefully show what a very decent & fair bloke he was and how a depot manager dug their own grave 
I’m sure it will make for interesting reading for any ex Dukes employees and anyone else who’s interested in the way some big transport cos; operated in the 80’s
See You Soon
Regards
Dave Penn;
Bert Marshall seemed hard but fair , i would like to here the storys - it never involved a certain Bob thr–dg–d did it, any how enough name dropping — loved the comments someone made about another driver good at estimating speeds , i work night trunking nowadays and we have free phone calls to all other cabs ( hands free ) and my old mate Mick (67) goes mad if another wagon passes him in roadworks - "bloody hell i think i’m goin backwards ! " is his usual rantt coupled with - " he must be doing 70 " - whta he can’t seem to work out is - if he’s doing 49mph and a truck goes past him at 50.5 mph it does seem as if its bombing past - He is a good old stick though and makes me smile each time he says it .