Lawrence Dunbar:
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Lawrence Dunbar:
Hi Dennis, This wagon & drag that I had the pleasure of driving in the late 50s was a great experience I must say, The main driver was the late Tommy Nixon, He was a great fellow to work with along with all the other oldies at Baxters that I learned my skills If I may from If I may say so, Im not bragging but these blokes were simply the best, And I owe at lot to them for what I have got today, They used to say Larry just get on with the job as its chucked at you, It will never change they used to say , Well as you & I well know it has bloody changed & not for the best IMHO, long live the mems of these old hard working drivers (Not Truckers Drivers), Regards Larry.
That’s a great shot Larry,brings tears to the eyes it really does,that trailer is probably identical to the one that the Brady Octopus pulled except it has front mudguards and ours didn’t,did the Atky only have a 5LW or the 6LW ? either way I bet it struggled a bit when it was fully freighted eh! 
Oh! and that ■■■■ “CF” hasn’t got a clue about the world we operated in years ago so I don’t know why he just doesn’t “shut it” and ■■■■ off and annoy someone else eh! Cheers Dennis.
I did the “double L” class 3 in an RL Bedford in early 1969 and I was only 17 and 3/4, I was in the RAF at St Athan, then I did class 2 as part of my SAC exam, I only obtained my class 1 in 1976, a lovely man called Ian Binnie trained me in an Atkinson Viewline. Just thought I’d share that with you.
Hi John, I hope that you are well. Is this the Atki that you took your class 1 on 
I just thought that I would share that with you.
Bewick:
Lawrence Dunbar:
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Lawrence Dunbar:
Hi Dennis, This wagon & drag that I had the pleasure of driving in the late 50s was a great experience I must say, The main driver was the late Tommy Nixon, He was a great fellow to work with along with all the other oldies at Baxters that I learned my skills If I may from If I may say so, Im not bragging but these blokes were simply the best, And I owe at lot to them for what I have got today, They used to say Larry just get on with the job as its chucked at you, It will never change they used to say , Well as you & I well know it has bloody changed & not for the best IMHO, long live the mems of these old hard working drivers (Not Truckers Drivers), Regards Larry.
That’s a great shot Larry,brings tears to the eyes it really does,that trailer is probably identical to the one that the Brady Octopus pulled except it has front mudguards and ours didn’t,did the Atky only have a 5LW or the 6LW ? either way I bet it struggled a bit when it was fully freighted eh! Oh! and that [zb] “CF” hasn’t got a clue about the world we operated in years ago so I don’t know why he just doesn’t “shut it” and [zb] off and annoy someone else eh! Cheers Dennis.
It had a 5LW, Dennis, The trailer was a Dyson, & the top speed was 32mph, But of course we were 20 mph in those days as you know, Regards Larry.
Just to clear things up (I did start this thread after all 
) I have been wrong since the age of ten (for all these 35 years)?
HGV 3 was not two axles only rigids.
HGV 2 was not any multi axle rigid.
Max-Cady:
Just to clear things up (I did start this thread after all ) I have been wrong since the age of ten (for all these 35 years)?
HGV 3 was not two axles only rigids.
HGV 2 was not any multi axle rigid.
HGV 3 was two axle rigid.
HGV 2 was more than two axle rigid.
Both with no restrictions as to trailers being attached.Which logically,realistically,then meant
class 3) up to at least 4/5 axle 2 + 2/3
class 2) 5/6 axle 3 + 2/3 or 4 + 2
drawbar outfits.
The question as to wether drawbars ‘should’ have been class 1 and artics class 2 and all rigids, regardless of axles,class 3 is another matter. 
Lawrence Dunbar:
Bewick:
Lawrence Dunbar:
0
Lawrence Dunbar:
Hi Dennis, This wagon & drag that I had the pleasure of driving in the late 50s was a great experience I must say, The main driver was the late Tommy Nixon, He was a great fellow to work with along with all the other oldies at Baxters that I learned my skills If I may from If I may say so, Im not bragging but these blokes were simply the best, And I owe at lot to them for what I have got today, They used to say Larry just get on with the job as its chucked at you, It will never change they used to say , Well as you & I well know it has bloody changed & not for the best IMHO, long live the mems of these old hard working drivers (Not Truckers Drivers), Regards Larry.
That’s a great shot Larry,brings tears to the eyes it really does,that trailer is probably identical to the one that the Brady Octopus pulled except it has front mudguards and ours didn’t,did the Atky only have a 5LW or the 6LW ? either way I bet it struggled a bit when it was fully freighted eh! Oh! and that [zb] “CF” hasn’t got a clue about the world we operated in years ago so I don’t know why he just doesn’t “shut it” and [zb] off and annoy someone else eh! Cheers Dennis.
It had a 5LW, Dennis, The trailer was a Dyson, & the top speed was 32mph, But of course we were 20 mph in those days as you know, Regards Larry.
At 24 ton gvw Larry that motor would struggle to get to 20mph (down hill with a wind behind ) I remember when Suttons used to run Atky 4 wheelers and trailers in the 60’s we would come across them with the Octopus down the A5 and M1 on a Thursday morning usually when we had a load of cellophane for a ship that was closing that day so it was no hanging about !! we used to walk past these Suttons 150LX’s that were loaded with Triplex glass for Dagenham or Luton,keep your elbows in Hinney !! But I used to admire the Suttons motors,they had nice twin wheel Dyson drawbars,real tidy outfits. Cheers Dennis.
Aye Dennis it did struggle, Plus the brakes were ■■■■■■ But with two fully in control drivers, Everything was under control, Of course in the late 50s things were quite different then , I mean look at at the state of the Haulage Industry now, Good grief where is it all going to get better or end, Im pleased to be retired & out of it, But I still miss going up & down the road as the old saying goes, The crack with some of my old mates is the best crack in the world, long may it last, Regards Larry.
John McVey:
I did the “double L” class 3 in an RL Bedford in early 1969 and I was only 17 and 3/4, I was in the RAF at St Athan, then I did class 2 as part of my SAC exam, I only obtained my class 1 in 1976, a lovely man called Ian Binnie trained me in an Atkinson Viewline. Just thought I’d share that with you.
Mr Binnie had the View-Line BVB 457H from new, I understand - I bought that very lorry in 1984 and owned it until 2003. I wish I still had it now. After a couple of owners between, it now belongs to Malcolm Harrison Commercials.
The one in the magazine clipping was CJJ 408H - it came secondhand to Penwortham from Failsworth, and I bought it for spares in, I think, 1986.
Speaking of training vehicles, you’ll recall Reg Jones’ 6-legger Atki? I still own that now.
sammyopisite:
kevmac47:
I seem to remember a lot of Pickfords heavy haulage drivers were only entitled to a class2 licence, as in the qualifying period they were driving what was classed as a rigid vehicle. It didn’t seem to get through to the bean counters at licensing that these fellas were pedalling vehicles of enormous proportions and weights. I took my class1 in 1970. Although I had driven artics on off for a year or so l was only entitled to a class2 at the time, but really wanted the class1. The company I worked for sent me on a course for a week, the following week I took a loaded motor out and did a few drops around Newcastle, another one of our drivers had taken an empty motor to Gosforth and taken his class1.We changed over and I went out and took my test. We both passed but even if we’d failed, both of us could have carried on and driven without a “qualified” driver being with us due to the fact we could drive until our licences were due for renewal. I was really proud of my “black book” at the time. 
Doesn’t time fly? It just seems like last week! Regards Kev
Kev you are correct as at the time of the qualifying period Pickfords had a lot more ballast tractors than artics at Sheffield we had 6 artics 9 ballast tractors 3 4x2 and 6 which were 6x4 or 6x6 and the tackle wagon a 10 ton thames 4 wheeler. I was spare driver and I did not have enough time on artics so I only qualified for a class 3 as I had most of the time on a 25 ton tractor so the boss booked a test and as I had only just renewed my license the year before put me straight in no instruction just a booklet to read and give it a go so I was one of the first to get a HGV license as I passed first time but it was new for the examiners as well then.
We used Scammell highwayman then one of the lads Arnie took an Atkinson Viewline with a king low loader and the firm received a letter to not use a wagon as long again as it was unable to get around their test route which they had set out. This would be the same at most depots at the time as they were just changing over to artics to replace the small tractors.
The drivers of the big contractors could drive a 240 ton load over 100 feet long and qualify for a class 2 only
cheers Johnnie
P S there was also a class 4 which I think was for small artics lke the Scammell Scarab type of wagons
Johnnie, part of the test route I used was through North Shields heading west from Tynemouth, when I got to the left turn for Northumberland Square the examiner said to me, as this is a very tight turn, I will stick my hand out of the window and also watch for silly beggars trying to come up the inside!! I was very surprised at this and have never forgotten it. I can’t imagine that happening now can you? Regards Kev.
