It doesn’t seem that long ago, but looking through my old photos it’s amazing how much has changed since the 90’s. Some well known firms have disappeared since then. I’m sure a lot of guy’s on here will remember the likes of Gloystarne, Taylor Barnard, Alan Lodge, MacFarlane, Stringers etc?
What happened to macfarlanes.they had a place in cross green leeds used to see there trucks all over and then they seemed to disappear
Macfarlane finished in 2008
Macfarlane Transport was a victim of spiralling fuel costs which left the 20m business unsustainable. Joint administrators from accountants KPMG were appointed at the request of the firm’s directors but were unable to sell the business as a going concern. It has now ceased trading.
And Alan Lodge (Tankers) has also finished but his son is running a few motors under Gary Lodge tankers.
MacFarlane Transport was a different company to MacFarlane, although I think it was the same owners.
MacFarlane ran the green/yellow Scanias and Volvos. They closed in 2006.
MacFarlane Transport ran white MANs and Mercs (with some green and yellow stickers). They started in 2006 and closed in 2008.
Sadly, a good few firms went about the same time - big players too! I recall Mcfarlanes doing the magazine work and City Transport vanished from down MK way (driven by their customers!) Also, Olivers from the border regions disappeared. Some may have been absorbed into bigger outfits - where did Dodds end up and what about the firm (Scottish I think) MRS?
I had lots of photos of City Transport and Dodd’s. Dodd’s ran up until 2011 before they went into administration. MRS went into administration in 2010 with assets being sold, but staff and contracts were transferred to Bibby Distribution.
This Macfarlane closed in 2008
Macfarlane was founded in 1978 by brothers Ian and Gordon who sold it in a management buyout in May 2004. When the company went into administration in February, 2006, it had debts of almost 5m, blamed on the loss of a key customer.
It was only two years before that Macfarlane Transport, based on land off Pontefract Lane, Cross Green, was rescued from administration by Yorkshire entrepreneur Stephen Cooke and it was closed in July 2008.Same company but the brothers had gone by 2008.
hayday:
Sadly, a good few firms went about the same time - big players too! I recall Mcfarlanes doing the magazine work and City Transport vanished from down MK way (driven by their customers!) Also, Olivers from the border regions disappeared. Some may have been absorbed into bigger outfits - where did Dodds end up and what about the firm (Scottish I think) MRS?
Oliver’s fell foul of the authorities and had their Operator licence revoked.
gingerfold:
hayday:
Sadly, a good few firms went about the same time - big players too! I recall Mcfarlanes doing the magazine work and City Transport vanished from down MK way (driven by their customers!) Also, Olivers from the border regions disappeared. Some may have been absorbed into bigger outfits - where did Dodds end up and what about the firm (Scottish I think) MRS?Oliver’s fell foul of the authorities and had their Operator licence revoked.
I know Oliver’s had a few problems but AFAIK they are still operating some vehicles but also do a lot of warehousing. Not sure of they are still involved in livestock.
Tyneside
MRS took over another Scottish firm JBT, transferred everything over to them and then went out of the game. J BT Head office still in Bathgate.
Stanfield:
This Macfarlane closed in 2008
0
Macfarlane was founded in 1978 by brothers Ian and Gordon who sold it in a management buyout in May 2004. When the company went into administration in February, 2006, it had debts of almost 5m, blamed on the loss of a key customer.
It was only two years before that Macfarlane Transport, based on land off Pontefract Lane, Cross Green, was rescued from administration by Yorkshire entrepreneur Stephen Cooke and it was closed in July 2008.Same company but the brothers had gone by 2008.
Aye 
one of the brother once accused me of fiddling the dips on a full load of diesel I was delivering. We ‘had words’, I told him he was well out of order, but he kept pushing, so that was it, hoses went back on the tank…“give Phillips a ring when you want it and are prepared to be a bit more civil” And I took it back to the terminal in Leeds.
By the time I got back Andy (the dispatch clerk) “He’s rung up Brian, he’s apologising, they need the diesel”…“well I’m not taking it, I’ve been once, send somebody else”
Hell, I was bloody furious. I never ever fiddled dips, my job and my pension were more important than a bit of fuel
Stanfield:
This Macfarlane closed in 2008
0
Macfarlane was founded in 1978 by brothers Ian and Gordon who sold it in a management buyout in May 2004. When the company went into administration in February, 2006, it had debts of almost 5m, blamed on the loss of a key customer.
It was only two years before that Macfarlane Transport, based on land off Pontefract Lane, Cross Green, was rescued from administration by Yorkshire entrepreneur Stephen Cooke and it was closed in July 2008.Same company but the brothers had gone by 2008.
Thankyou for that info. I thought it was two seperate companies as the liveries were different and they had completely changed from Scania and Volvo to MAN and Merc
G.O.M do you remember a lad called Hector Beaton who ran on Phillips Leeds for Sadlers during the 80s/90s.he used to drive this ERF at one time.
No, sorry. We didn’t run into the Sth.Accommodation Rd. terminal on a regular basis, when the workload was heavy we’d get the call amd away we went.
I DO remember Albert (yard foreman), he’d creep round the yard and if he spotted anyone loading without the earth lead clipped on he’d hit the ‘emergency/all stop’ button and stamp all round the yard shouting “I’ll have you barred from the site, get the 'kin wire on” And woe betide anybody seen to be what we called ‘splash loading’ (loading line had to be in vertically so that it rested on the bottom of the tank…no ‘reaching’ all 5/6 pots. 
Happy days. 
Wasn’t there a firm from milnthorpe with red n White lorrys ? 
Ssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You’ll wake him up again! 
Gaffers transport of Castleford had a few motors on the road in the nineties,they did work out of upinor pipes at stourton and spring ram bathrooms at birstall before it moved to Bradford.
Volvo,Scania,Seddon Atki and Erf units,believe they wrapped up in 2002 after some takeover the year before.