Hi Cronus,sorry,it’s taken so long to reply.
Many thanks yet again for those new images you’ve shared with us, absolutely brilliant!
It brings a lot of childhood memories back seeing the merc, it was definately my favorite truck and so eye catching, In fact it stands out amongst the others in the background, I think Bruce got it right!
If you should find anymore pictures I’d love to see them please,
Many thanks, stew.
Hi all, im new on here but im a long time truck fanatic, i was hoping somebody may have some pics or information regarding a small owner driver outfit from droylsden in manchester called HELMARK. the chap in question was called bruce bates and when i was a kid in the 80’s he ran a transcontinental and a merc (not sure which model but it was a sleeper cab) both were in black with a very distinctive gold band horizontally around the cabs with HELMARK in black lettering. The name came from bruce’s childrens names helen and mark, i loved these trucks, they were in action throughout the 80’s and late nineties i think doing container work in the north west, he used to park them up near his house outside lumb mill as they presumably pulled for sharna ware/Tri ang toys who were based in the mill, towards the late 90’s i used to spot them in dukinfield on the shepley industrial estate outside the cabot plastics plant. I still kick myself for not taking any decent pics of them, im actually building the merc in 1/24th scale along with a 40ft container. does anyone remember them at all? many thanks for reading this, harryvr6.
Hiya Harry, yes I remember seeing the “HELMARK” SK Merc around, but didn’t know anything about the company other than it was Droylsden based. There was another SK around at the same time doing Container work painted Turquoise / Black, and came from the Woodhouses area.
Paul.
TIPIT:
Hiya Harry, yes I remember seeing the “HELMARK” SK Merc around, but didn’t know anything about the company other than it was Droylsden based. There was another SK around at the same time doing Container work painted Turquoise / Black, and came from the Woodhouses area.Paul.
hi mate yes you are correct! do you know the turquiose sk is STILL GOING!!! i got a new job in stockport last year and on the m60 i sometimes come across it, it beggars belief! its an s reg from 78!!! it doesnt go very fast but i love it!!
the guy who drives it must be getting on a bit now, i managed to get a pic of it on the m60 one morning, he parks it up at the container place next to the trafford centre.
i would love to get some pics of the helmark trucks…
Hi,
Yes I knew Bruce and his sidekick John Roberts,they both ended up doing Saudi or ME work if I remember correctly,Bruce had 2 units,he used to drive the black Merc,but expanded and bought another motor that he drove.
I believe the black Merc was pulling containers ex Container Base in T/Park when Bruce was away,not seen either Bruce or John since the 80’s,when I was driving for Smith of Maddiston,great days though
Take it easy
David 
Just for those that may be interested,Bruce Ernest Bates,“Helmark” surrendered his Operating Licence 12 July 2005.
David
I think the Hellmark Merc, featured in part of the TV documentry from the 80’s that’s been mentioned on one of the other threads aswell.
this is great information guys, does anyone have any pictures at all? i did wonder why i hadnt seen bruce driving when i think back, i thought it was his son driving but i may be wrong. i did prefer his transcontinental if im honest, but the merc was very nice too. i did hear about the licence being surrendered, and that they were based a t praed rd t/park?
the very last time i saw a helmark truck it was actually an old scania 142 in white that was being used! ? it was only a fleeting glimpse but i was quite suprised. I wonder if he went to the m/e with the transcon■■? i actually went to school with mr bate’s nephew, and i know the area of littlemoss where he lived quite well, i wonder if he still lives there?. i used to climb up his cab as a youngster for a peek inside when the trucks were parked up at lumb mill, occasionally he would park them outside his house on brooklands, i bet his neighbours loved that! it would have been heaven for me to live next door! russell his nephew tried in vain when we were kids to go around and wash the merc but it never came off sadly. if theres any more info that anyone has that would be great, thanks for reading- harry.
still bangin on about the helmark stuff, does anyone have any info on the documentary mentioned previously from the 80’s which helamrk featured in■■? thanks all.