dave colvin was in charge of the workshop at spelmonden during the 70s and 80s and daves company vehicle at one time was this ford p100 pick up truck ckl 530y
bubbleman:
Hello,heres one from a cutting
Cheers Bubbs,
If it is of any interest to you, this pic is one from a photo shoot taken for one of the truck magazines of the time. I cannot recall which one now, though it may well have been Truck Magazine itself.
The vehicle in the photo, if I remember correctly, was the first of its kind in the country fitted with an Allison automatic box and had a Rolls-Royce 265 engine.
The location was on the old A21 southbound at Lamberhurst in Kent and driving it is no less than Brian “Lofty” Gibson himself! 
Just as a point of interest. If any of you used to go to Lowes of Paddock Wood and remember their yard man John Gill, who lost a leg in a bad accident near Lokeren in Belgium in the early '70s … coincidentally, the photo was taken right outside his house! 
stevehewitt:
bubbleman:
Hello,heres one from a cutting
Cheers Bubbs,
If it is of any interest to you, this pic is one from a photo shoot taken for one of the truck magazines of the time. I cannot recall which one now, though it may well have been Truck Magazine itself.
The vehicle in the photo, if I remember correctly, was the first of its kind in the country fitted with an Allison automatic box and had a Rolls-Royce 265 engine.
The location was on the old A21 southbound at Lamberhurst in Kent and driving it is no less than Brian “Lofty” Gibson himself!
Just as a point of interest. If any of you used to go to Lowes of Paddock Wood and remember their yard man John Gill, who lost a leg in a bad accident near Lokeren in Belgium in the early '70s … coincidentally, the photo was taken right outside his house!
accordingly to jack henleys photo album (which he has very kindly let me borrow) the picture was taken in january 1981 and its the zf transmatic box
2 brand new man 22.321 tractor units being prepared to go on the road sitting outside the workshops at spelmonden nr goudhurst,note no grease on the fifth wheels as yet.
fleet nos 17 and 18 being b170 ykk and b180 ykk these were the second and third 6 x 2 man tractor units to join the fleet.
b170 ykk was allocated to malcolm hobbs and b180 ykk to brian penfold,these were two first class drivers they got on and done the job in question looked after the motors and they didnt knock them about typical old school,well done to you both!
Nice picture mate. What happend to Brian & Malcolm?. I was also talking to another old Henley driver this week, Steve ‘Pop’ Larkin.
Mark R:
Nice picture mate. What happend to Brian & Malcolm?. I was also talking to another old Henley driver this week, Steve ‘Pop’ Larkin.
i must admit i havent seen malcolm or brian for over 10 years the last time was at the funeral of richard harris,so i if anyone has any news on either of them i would be glad to hear.
stev larkin i can remember poor bloke really got the mick taken thanks to the darling buds of may,pop certainly stuck!
I notice the vans never carried fleet numbers, but still had reserved registration numbers. Would this one have been 53?
lawrence2765:
dave colvin was in charge of the workshop at spelmonden during the 70s and 80s and daves company vehicle at one time was this ford p100 pick up truck ckl 530y0
I have a photo of these two taken at the same time, but from the other side.
lawrence2765:
2 brand new man 22.321 tractor units being prepared to go on the road sitting outside the workshops at spelmonden nr goudhurst,note no grease on the fifth wheels as yet.
fleet nos 17 and 18 being b170 ykk and b180 ykk these were the second and third 6 x 2 man tractor units to join the fleet.
b170 ykk was allocated to malcolm hobbs and b180 ykk to brian penfold,these were two first class drivers they got on and done the job in question looked after the motors and they didnt knock them about typical old school,well done to you both!0
tyreman:
I notice the vans never carried fleet numbers, but still had reserved registration numbers. Would this one have been 53?lawrence2765:
dave colvin was in charge of the workshop at spelmonden during the 70s and 80s and daves company vehicle at one time was this ford p100 pick up truck ckl 530y0
i am almost certain that no fleet number was issued to the pick up as in a way it was like daves company car and not for call outs as such.
the workshop van mercedes gkj 860v didnt have a fleet number,this was replaced later by i think an h reg with numbers 74 i dont think this was issues with a fleet number.
the van based at rochdale mercedes c550 ckl was issued with fleet number 55 as this was used for deliveries
The replacement at Paddock Wood was H74DKJ, there was also a Merc at Teynham K550UKP, although this was in silver & blue. Was this a Henley van?
lawrence2765:
tyreman:
I notice the vans never carried fleet numbers, but still had reserved registration numbers. Would this one have been 53?lawrence2765:
dave colvin was in charge of the workshop at spelmonden during the 70s and 80s and daves company vehicle at one time was this ford p100 pick up truck ckl 530y0i am almost certain that no fleet number was issued to the pick up as in a way it was like daves company car and not for call outs as such.
the workshop van mercedes gkj 860v didnt have a fleet number,this was replaced later by i think an h reg with numbers 74 i dont think this was issues with a fleet number.
the van based at rochdale mercedes c550 ckl was issued with fleet number 55 as this was used for deliveries
tyreman:
The replacement at Paddock Wood was H74DKJ, there was also a Merc at Teynham K550UKP, although this was in silver & blue. Was this a Henley van?lawrence2765:
tyreman:
I notice the vans never carried fleet numbers, but still had reserved registration numbers. Would this one have been 53?lawrence2765:
dave colvin was in charge of the workshop at spelmonden during the 70s and 80s and daves company vehicle at one time was this ford p100 pick up truck ckl 530y0i am almost certain that no fleet number was issued to the pick up as in a way it was like daves company car and not for call outs as such.
the workshop van mercedes gkj 860v didnt have a fleet number,this was replaced later by i think an h reg with numbers 74 i dont think this was issues with a fleet number.
the van based at rochdale mercedes c550 ckl was issued with fleet number 55 as this was used for deliveries
i am only guessing but possibly this was the replacement for c550 at rochdale i feel sure if it was new to teynham then mark will let us know
According to DVLA C550CKL was flagged for export 11/5/93 and K550UKP was new 28/4/93. Looks like a straight swap.
lawrence2765:
tyreman:
The replacement at Paddock Wood was H74DKJ, there was also a Merc at Teynham K550UKP, although this was in silver & blue. Was this a Henley van?lawrence2765:
tyreman:
I notice the vans never carried fleet numbers, but still had reserved registration numbers. Would this one have been 53?lawrence2765:
dave colvin was in charge of the workshop at spelmonden during the 70s and 80s and daves company vehicle at one time was this ford p100 pick up truck ckl 530y0i am almost certain that no fleet number was issued to the pick up as in a way it was like daves company car and not for call outs as such.
the workshop van mercedes gkj 860v didnt have a fleet number,this was replaced later by i think an h reg with numbers 74 i dont think this was issues with a fleet number.
the van based at rochdale mercedes c550 ckl was issued with fleet number 55 as this was used for deliveriesi am only guessing but possibly this was the replacement for c550 at rochdale i feel sure if it was new to teynham then mark will let us know
The Mercedes van K550 UKP at Teynham was an ex-Henley vehicle and not new to Teynham depot. It had already been painted in WRM livery when we got it so i dont know if it was originally in Henley colours or not.
Mark R:
The Mercedes van K550 UKP at Teynham was an ex-Henley vehicle and not new to Teynham depot. It had already been painted in WRM livery when we got it so i dont know if it was originally in Henley colours or not.
thanks mark and paul thats another one we have cleared up between us all
lawrence2765:
stevehewitt:
bubbleman:
Hello,heres one from a cutting
Cheers Bubbs,
If it is of any interest to you, this pic is one from a photo shoot taken for one of the truck magazines of the time. I cannot recall which one now, though it may well have been Truck Magazine itself.
The vehicle in the photo, if I remember correctly, was the first of its kind in the country fitted with an Allison automatic box and had a Rolls-Royce 265 engine.
The location was on the old A21 southbound at Lamberhurst in Kent and driving it is no less than Brian “Lofty” Gibson himself!
Just as a point of interest. If any of you used to go to Lowes of Paddock Wood and remember their yard man John Gill, who lost a leg in a bad accident near Lokeren in Belgium in the early '70s … coincidentally, the photo was taken right outside his house!
accordingly to jack henleys photo album (which he has very kindly let me borrow) the picture was taken in january 1981 and its the zf transmatic box
Thanks for that Lawrence … it was a long time ago and I’ve done a few miles since Lofty told me the story about that day! And now you come to mention it … yep, it was a ZF … I wish my memory was as reliable as a well kept photo album 
stevehewitt:
lawrence2765:
stevehewitt:
bubbleman:
Hello,heres one from a cutting
Cheers Bubbs,
If it is of any interest to you, this pic is one from a photo shoot taken for one of the truck magazines of the time. I cannot recall which one now, though it may well have been Truck Magazine itself.
The vehicle in the photo, if I remember correctly, was the first of its kind in the country fitted with an Allison automatic box and had a Rolls-Royce 265 engine.
The location was on the old A21 southbound at Lamberhurst in Kent and driving it is no less than Brian “Lofty” Gibson himself!
Just as a point of interest. If any of you used to go to Lowes of Paddock Wood and remember their yard man John Gill, who lost a leg in a bad accident near Lokeren in Belgium in the early '70s … coincidentally, the photo was taken right outside his house!
accordingly to jack henleys photo album (which he has very kindly let me borrow) the picture was taken in january 1981 and its the zf transmatic box
Thanks for that Lawrence … it was a long time ago and I’ve done a few miles since Lofty told me the story about that day! And now you come to mention it … yep, it was a ZF
the large colour photograph in the album looks first class it really does give 480w justice its just a shame it wont come out of the album to be copied as its far superior to the cutting.god luck chris lawrence
the company always for many many years had vehicles displayed at the kent county show.
here shows an unregistered seddon atkinson 400 artic,also still awaiting to be allocated a fleet number.
lawrence2765:
the company always for many many years had vehicles displayed at the kent county show.
here shows an unregistered seddon atkinson 400 artic,also still awaiting to be allocated a fleet number.0
Nice pic Chris I remember seeing one of the early day cab 400’s with 240 Gardner in Godalming pulling one of the tipping trailers
regards Tim
with the companys involvement with international work a tilt trailer was purchased in the late 70s.
the source of traffic involved with in the early days i am not to sure about,but it wouldnt surprise me if hops were involved somewhere along the line.
later on the companys continental traffic was in the line off temperature controlled fresh produce,so the tilt was no longer needed,it was put on the boulongne operation of shipping out unacommpanied trailers they would be loaded with non temperature controlled produce that had come up from spain by rail then shipped back over to the uk for onward delivery.
when the boulogne operation finished the tilt ended up parked up round the back of the warehouse at hersden depot (just out canterbury) where one weekend somebody decided to set light to it and it ended up being written off!
Never having done international work I cannot swear that this story is not stretching the imagination or not, but nevertheless:
The first European journeys were in the late 1970s collecting oranges from Spain. There were I think two drivers who did this with Gardner 240 powered ERFs or Seddon Atkinsons, one of whom I believe has been mentioned in an earlier thread. It is claimed that during the return journey over the mountains, the vehicles never got out of low range in the Fuller gearbox for several hours.