BIGRIG:
0I remember when i worked at ROAD AID in Widnes my boss told me that this wagon,BIG RON, came from GL Baker in Warrington.
your boss would be correct matey! Big Ron was (IIRC) named after the old senior fitter Ron Baskerville who worked for Bakers for years - they had a big do for his retirement around 1990 ish.
Do any of you guys remember Peter Church who I believe worked first as an O/D out of the Faversham
depot with a white Transcontinental which went under the name “Nunchucker”.
I think he then went to work as a driver.
This would have been 70/80’s.
If Peter is still alive he will be in his late 80’s.
I had the unfortunate experience of working for BOC Bakers during the period they moved depots from Enfield to Harlow. I was told it was a dead mans shoes job, and that I ought to feel privelidged to be working there. That implied it was a sought after employment, but after coming into contact with the loudmouth ‘arrishole’ Len Lucking, who was in charge of transport, I didnt last that long and walked.
pops powell:
yes my dad and a few drivers from kidderminster droitwich and worcester areas all worked out of the oldland depo bristol i dont think they could have parked there trucks or trailers in that small yard all together,My dad taught me to rope and sheet at a very early age and i am 54 now and can still rope and sheet companys looked after there drivers in them days not like today with some 19 year old with his computer telling you how to do the job but aint got a clue about transport or the problems u face on the roads or at the delivery,Dad alwys said in them days what dont get done today theres always the next day,They may have old trucks in them days but there was always some one to help you drivers today would run over you to get in front,The old days were the best gl baker dad always said were a good company to work for.
I
See if you’re dad can remember any of the boys in the Bristol depot workshop
I remember GL Baker having a depot in Stonehouse, Glos. I seem to recall that it’s vehicles all seemed to be Fodens. Anyone know what would have been the regular traffic for this depot?
Having worked at G.L.Baker for a few years during the seventies it was a good job,many of the drivers were a gOod bunch and I wonder if many are still about ,the depot that we worked from was channel sea road then just off the silver town way.the drivers that it would be good to hear from are J.Abbott A.Abbott J.Powers B.Hughes .
My name is Len Berry anyone else who remembers me please get in touch it would be nice to catch up.
Hi Len were you a driving instructor at Catford for HGV school ~?
No sorry ,Ted Bryant was the instructor at Bakers london although we did give new drivers a lot of help.
Len
Thanks for reply Len. Regards Mike.
hayday:
Greetings all. It would be good to see some familiar names and trucks flying (part of) the flag on here. As big as the tidal basin firm was, there doesn’t seem to be many pics about (or am I looking in all the wrong places - maybe I should try Cyprus or Malta!) As for some of the characters (and there were plenty of them) contributions please…
Hi lads my father Arthur springer drove a guy big j at oare road faversham kent I don’t no if any of you lads remember him he lived in city way Rochester and drove there in a morris oxford .regards john
pollystag:
hi,
gl bakers had a big fleet in the 60’s& 70’s mainly working in and out of thames board mills in west thurrock then onto containers like all the others.my uncle, john poulton was there in the sixties and his mate dave cheeseright was there a little longer i also remember patsy keogh who was a good mate at the time(mid 80’s) no photo’s though.
.
hi i worked bakers has fitter for 14 years,started at stratford in 64 from school , patsy has his own trans company doing ok see him often, had some good times at GL BAKERS :
Remington.44:
hayday:
Greetings all. It would be good to see some familiar names and trucks flying (part of) the flag on here. As big as the tidal basin firm was, there doesn’t seem to be many pics about (or am I looking in all the wrong places - maybe I should try Cyprus or Malta!) As for some of the characters (and there were plenty of them) contributions please…Hi lads my father Arthur springer drove a guy big j at oare road faversham kent I don’t no if any of you lads remember him he lived in city way Rochester and drove there in a morris oxford .regards john
I nearly fell of my chair when saw this picture of Arthur Springer, I went on G L Bakers in 1970 until 1973 with a old Class three license and Arthur used to upgrade the drivers to Class one, I spent many a time with him in the café at Hersdon (Canterbury) using the salt & pepper pots to demonstrated a few lorry maneuvers, the lorry testing place was next door (I passed) I expect his in that big layby in the sky now? Heres a few pictures of me in them days with my Guy Big J, I went on to run my own transport company for 30 years. ■■■■ Matthew
Flyingrabbit:
Remington.44:
hayday:
Greetings all. It would be good to see some familiar names and trucks flying (part of) the flag on here. As big as the tidal basin firm was, there doesn’t seem to be many pics about (or am I looking in all the wrong places - maybe I should try Cyprus or Malta!) As for some of the characters (and there were plenty of them) contributions please…Hi lads my father Arthur springer drove a guy big j at oare road faversham kent I don’t no if any of you lads remember him he lived in city way Rochester and drove there in a morris oxford .regards john
I nearly fell of my chair when saw this picture of Arthur Springer, I went on G L Bakers in 1970 until 1973 with a old Class three license and Arthur used to upgrade the drivers to Class one, I spent many a time with him in the café at Hersdon (Canterbury) using the salt & pepper pots to demonstrated a few lorry maneuvers, the lorry testing place was next door (I passed) I expect his in that big layby in the sky now? Heres a few pictures of me in them days with my Guy Big J, I went on to run my own transport company for 30 years. ■■■■ Matthew
No sorry I was getting him mixed up with some one else who took us on the class one training, BUT I DO REMEMBER YOUR DAD we had some good times & laughs together he was always up for a laugh. ■■■■
No sorry I was getting him mixed up with some one else who took us on the class one training, BUT I DO REMEMBER YOUR DAD we had some good times & laughs together he was always up for a laugh. ■■■■
[/quote]
Tom Smith he was the instructor
lcb:
No sorry ,Ted Bryant was the instructor at Bakers london although we did give new drivers a lot of help.
Len
Hi Lenny, still about I see, Bob Heath here, how you been keeping?
lcb:
Having worked at G.L.Baker for a few years during the seventies it was a good job,many of the drivers were a gOod bunch and I wonder if many are still about ,the depot that we worked from was channel sea road then just off the silver town way.the drivers that it would be good to hear from are J.Abbott A.Abbott J.Powers B.Hughes .
My name is Len Berry anyone else who remembers me please get in touch it would be nice to catch up.
Hello Len. Me being a mere pup (49) I don’t recall your name as I joined GLB in the 80’s but some of the names you mention are quite familiar (as in most transport firms of the day, a lot of the older boys ended up working in the office in some guise)
Jimmy Power looked after the pallets (gulp!) Joey Abbot was still driving (iirc) well into the retirement days, not sure about B Hughes buth there was (iirc) John Hughes who worked nights for years and some other names you may recall are Sammy Lee, Johnny Saint, Terry Clementson, Albert Shirley (he had the bushy beard like uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses) the lovely Jimmy Ellis (RIP) a very funny guy who battled cancer for many years (worked right to the end and whose funeral was attended by many from far and wide - Albert shaved his beard for that one and no one recognised him!) was George Warren at Silvertown?I know he ended up in the office at Warrington. Len Lucking (jnr and snr) hope they’ve jogged a few memories for you!
Hi Len Berry here thanks for the info G.Warren was always at Warrington under Harry Packer,is Len Lucking still around? Young Lennie I had to go out to him once whom he rolled a twenty foot box at Malton just outside York and tow it all home while he languished in hospital must not his fault.Does J.Abbott still live on Canvey?
Len
lcb:
Hi Len Berry here thanks for the info G.Warren was always at Warrington under Harry Packer,is Len Lucking still around? Young Lennie I had to go out to him once whom he rolled a twenty foot box at Malton just outside York and tow it all home while he languished in hospital must not his fault.Does J.Abbott still live on Canvey?
Len
not sure where half of them are these days (I really liked Joey Abbot though) did you remember Vic Sawyer from Silvertown? I think he left to run a hotel somewhere in Kent early 1990ish and a few drivers from Warrington who worked at Bakers for decades that you may remember are Ken Morley (RIP) Stan Beechall (RIP) and Bob Carthy - he was the union rep and last heard he was driving for the Dutch firm De Ricke (I think they all drove in Europe on the M&S work many years ago out of Faversham)
Hi Heyday
Don’t remember the first two names ,but carthy worked out of Warrington I am not sure that he did European for Bakers.Freddie Baker and myself were the first two to do European for Bakers we went to Austria to pick up tights and socks for M&S,I have photo somewhere of our first trip with Freddie in a suit that would have been the R.Muggleton influence .
Len
lcb:
Hi Heyday
Don’t remember the first two names ,but carthy worked out of Warrington I am not sure that he did European for Bakers.Freddie Baker and myself were the first two to do European for Bakers we went to Austria to pick up tights and socks for M&S,I have photo somewhere of our first trip with Freddie in a suit that would have been the R.Muggleton influence .
Len
Freddie in a suit? Maybe that inspired Eddie Stobart with the ties. before my time but I think the euro side involved work from the likes of Bassetts in Sheffield and the other sweet shop in Pontefract (yum!) 
