Morning all, My names Tom and as you can probably see I’m a bit of a newbie around here!! Having had a poke around on the forum I thought that this could potentially be the place that could help me
Many years ago my grandad owned the business E.T.Bentley transport of Derbyshire. Unfortunately the business folded when I was a young child and never got to see allot of the trucks etc that he had! Now having grown up around trucks etc, with my dad still being in the business, I am interested to see if anyone has any pictures/story’s/information they could share about my family business past
Hiya ET had a smart fleet at one time. i remember them well as i used to do the coffee grounds out of Tutbury in the 70’s as usual NO photo’s.
do you remember Ken out of the garage he’s my uncle.
John
3300John:
Hiya ET had a smart fleet at one time. i remember them well as i used to do the coffee grounds out of Tutbury in the 70’s as usual NO photo’s.
do you remember Ken out of the garage he’s my uncle.
John
Wicked! Cant say I know of your uncle, however I’m sure my old man will
having moved away from the area now as well, its hard to envisage any activities/people that were on the firm!
Hey up Tom, you must be David’s son if I’m not mistaken. My dad used to do a bit of subbying for Edgar back in the 70’s but no I have no photos either, however I will ask Phil Alsop when I see him, he’s likely to have done some happy snapping, your dad will know Phil. Ask your dad if he remembers driving JFA 434 F an ergomatic cabbed Leyland Super Comet with a fold down bunk ex Marstons brewery. I tried to buy that lorry of its last owner, a farmer near us but he always hung onto it. I also did a days relief driving for your grandad, he sent me out on DGL 45 V I think an old V6 merc with beams on for Gloucester, when I got there the site manager told me the crane wasn’t booked until next week so I had to bring them all back. I went to the sale at your grandad’s yard, it was on the 11 of June 1994, I can remember it well, I arrived with my dad and before we had even seen anything sold my phone was ringing, it was my wife asking me to come home as she had just gone in to labour with our second child. Edgar gave me one piece of advice about haulage it was that you either need 1 lorry or 21, if you have one you will make a living but then you need at least 21 to keep you. I still have 1 lorry and I am still making a living so thanks Edgar. you can see my vehicle and my classic lorries on www.wakefieldsoflongford.co.uk
1970commer:
Hey up Tom, you must be David’s son if I’m not mistaken. My dad used to do a bit of subbying for Edgar back in the 70’s but no I have no photos either, however I will ask Phil Alsop when I see him, he’s likely to have done some happy snapping, your dad will know Phil. Ask your dad if he remembers driving JFA 434 F an ergomatic cabbed Leyland Super Comet with a fold down bunk ex Marstons brewery. I tried to buy that lorry of its last owner, a farmer near us but he always hung onto it. I also did a days relief driving for your grandad, he sent me out on DGL 45 V I think an old V6 merc with beams on for Gloucester, when I got there the site manager told me the crane wasn’t booked until next week so I had to bring them all back. I went to the sale at your grandad’s yard, it was on the 11 of June 1994, I can remember it well, I arrived with my dad and before we had even seen anything sold my phone was ringing, it was my wife asking me to come home as she had just gone in to labour with our second child. Edgar gave me one piece of advice about haulage it was that you either need 1 lorry or 21, if you have one you will make a living but then you need at least 21 to keep you. I still have 1 lorry and I am still making a living so thanks Edgar. you can see my vehicle and my classic lorries on wakefieldsoflongford.co.uk
I am indeed Daves lad
My dad remembers the wagons well and also Phil …great to hear some more about the business, and from someone that had somthing to do with the business itself …Have had a poke about your site and will mention you name to him also Regards Tom
Hey up Tom, took a long time to get a photo but ask your dad if he remembers driving this lorry, JFA 434 F, although its a poor picture it the only one I have ever seen, a farmer in Longford owned this lorry after your granddad and used it for delivering hay and straw, he died in 2001 and his brother has just moved house and found this picture, if you look closely you can see the fold down bunk on the back of the cab, I bet your dad really thought he was the bees knees when he drove that, ask a driver to take it out today and I don’t think you’d get many takers though.
Well, just seeing the title of this thread really shook me! I drove for Edgar for about ten or eleven years in the 1970’s/1980’s -starting in Church Avenue and moving up to Woodyard Lane with him. Your dad will certainly remember me, as will uncle Rob, although Dave was not even married when I last saw him, let alone have a son!. I must have some photos somewhere, but as I now live in Spain, they will all have been ‘put away’.
Will let you know when I can find them. When I started, I was on the AEC Mercury 4 wheeler, graduating soon after to a Mercury artic - can’t remember the reg of either - and then on to Mandator AFA898K. He then had several Atkinson Borderers - I particularly remember LNY136D - but I was never keen on them. I then had the very first foreign lorry he bought, Volvo F86 MCH993P. After that, he went onto Mercs.
I think most of the drivers of my era are now no longer with us - Jimmy Haire and Brad spring to mind - I think Sid Harrison is still in the village and I believe Howard Batty is around somewhere. I am also still in touch with Nick Harris and Roy Hood. And then, of course, there was Arthur, AKA ‘Mother’! When I remember more, I will come back to you, but in the meantime, good luck with your research.
Well, just seeing the title of this thread really shook me! I drove for Edgar for about ten or eleven years in the 1970’s/1980’s -starting in Church Avenue and moving up to Woodyard Lane with him. Your dad will certainly remember me, as will uncle Rob, although Dave was not even married when I last saw him, let alone have a son!. I must have some photos somewhere, but as I now live in Spain, they will all have been ‘put away’.
Will let you know when I can find them. When I started, I was on the AEC Mercury 4 wheeler, graduating soon after to a Mercury artic - can’t remember the reg of either - and then on to Mandator AFA898K. He then had several Atkinson Borderers - I particularly remember LNY136D - but I was never keen on them. I then had the very first foreign lorry he bought, Volvo F86 MCH993P. After that, he went onto Mercs.
I think most of the drivers of my era are now no longer with us - Jimmy Haire and Brad spring to mind - I think Sid Harrison is still in the village and I believe Howard Batty is around somewhere. I am also still in touch with Nick Harris and Roy Hood. And then, of course, there was Arthur, AKA ‘Mother’! When I remember more, I will come back to you, but in the meantime, good luck with your research.
Give your dad my best - is he still down south?
Hiya …remember Ken Crooks in the garage, he died in November, he was 86.he was married to Edgar,s sister
John
Wow this previous posts have made my day! Apologies for delayed reply, as you can gather I’m not normally one for being on this forum!!
Thank you both for your input and image it’s a whole new world to me
And yes me, mum, dad and sister have lived in Poole now for about 19 years now, quite abit different to that of the life we once lived at the yard in foston!
And rightly so, many of my grandads drivers and the likes are unfortunatly no longer with us. Many of which I had the pleasure of meeting, the most promenant of all being Jim. Us kids grew up around Jim for many many years, after leaving the firm he stayed to work for my grandad until he unfortunatly passed!
I will most certainly be showing my old man these posts and images, no doubt he’ll be buzzing
