You must have thought it was your birthday Jimmer.
Great photos mate, I reckon there,s more on the way.
mappo:
You must have thought it was your birthday Jimmer.
Great photos mate, I reckon there,s more on the way.
Sorry Tone nah mate all the others were of me as a sailor boy in the Navy you won’t wanna see em… Believe me !! 
Jimski:
Sorry Tone nah mate all the others were of me as a sailor boy in the Navy you won’t wanna see em… Believe me !!
Ummmmmmm…bet some on here would Jim… 
ainacs:
[Hi here is a very early pic of what was to become the cafe opposite the layby!
Regards Pat
Been in there a few times pat…when I was with Smiths and later on, Squibb, well, it was like our office !..There use to be a Rock Band that dropped in on several occassions, the Stranglers, big fry-up when travelling back after a gig in the area, John use to have a load of posters and bits of bobs they gave him…always found he was a decent bloke, but then we were regulars…
ainacs:
A couplemore Chris Hill pics.
Regards Pat
Pretty sure thats Bill Miles stood by the Antar. My very first trip out, and nights away, were in that wagon. Graham Richardson was the mate, I was the 2nd mate ( boy really, I was 16). had to load a Tank from Newport to Andover, no bridge then, all the old roads. We broke down 2 or three times, and had a blow out on the trailer, it use to do about a mile per gallon, and just as much oil !! What a trip though, and experience, for a nipper.
Pat…Pictures of Ranks lorries
Went down to Ranks at the docks with an Invincible and 4-in-line trailer to load those bags of flour for Eastleigh….maybe ’68 / ’69…They weighed 1.5 cwt ( or may have been 2, not sure ) Anyway, they came off a shute, there was a knack of holding them, flicking them off your shoulder, and stacking them. ( like rolling a 45 gallon drum, once you know, they’re easy ) after the 3 rd bag had dropped on the floor, and me with it, I gave up, they sent a bloke down to help, but I told him not to bother, I just couldn’t cope with the weight…….Ironically, when I got back to the yard, no one said anything, they must have been expecting it !
Roolechat, picture of Office
I remember that office at Victory like it was yesterday. My lorry, a Leyland Lynx was in for MOT, so they gave me a Mandator with a 40’ trailer and a load of drums and bags of chemicals for the West Country. Just before I left I was hauled into that office for a pep-talk with Ron Hatch and Len Seldon about driving a ’40 trl, especially on the narrow Cornish roads.
I didn’t like to tell them I’d been driving them for a couple of years on Smiths. Shows what a decent company they were though, looking after you, making sure you were OK…
Hi Fergie , Bet that is the one and onley Bill Miles, ile say no more. what year was you there, I think I must of been there about 64,ish cant remember exactly, did you mate, Barry Jhonson by any chance!!! some chap he was!!! my first trip was with him to Brighton or Hove for a generator■■? that was with MUH 21■■. I also mated Tich on the big tr, ended up steers man on it, don’t think any body could touch Tich backing a draw bar tr?? I could go on re some of the escapades of time there, as Mappo said a bit back," Elf and Safty" would have a duck fit now a day?
Cheers Mick/T08
hi all, nice photo of the Berliet of jim squibbs, very surprised to see her on this thread,bon jour Fergie, your dead right i did drive that truck but not out of choice i can tell you,remember jim asking me to go down the docks to pick it up, well i have never laughed so much in my life,left hand drive and it was the first one i had ever driven,that was a bit hair raising on its own fergie,but even better it took me from the docks all the way up to hursley road to get used to the bloody gear box,i dont know how many different tunes i played on her but Jim was highly amused to say the least,and when i said i didnt wont the heep he just put that big grin on his face and said i was on the ferry that night and that i would get used to her,which i did in the end and was not a bad old truck,hope all is well over the pond FERGIE, and thanks to JD for the photo. 
IIRC there was something peculiar about Berliets own gearbox…was it not the “wrong way round” numerically or something like that or was it just the early RHD versions? Ridgers Transport of Lymington had one, RHD, (later cab type) and I’m sure the driver (Hookey McKenner RIP) said the box was “a about t” if you get my drift!
Great picture of MUH21 with a fabrication load, the orange? scammel looks ok as well, had to be well after I left, thanks for putting them on pat,… and to Chris Hill,
gazzer:
IIRC there was something peculiar about Berliets own gearbox…was it not the “wrong way round” numerically or something like that or was it just the early RHD versions? Ridgers Transport of Lymington had one, RHD, (later cab type) and I’m sure the driver (Hookey McKenner RIP) said the box was “a about t” if you get my drift!
I drove Ronnie Ridgers Berliet a couple of times and can confirm that it had and ‘■■■ about face’ gearchange that took a few miles to get used to, Ridgers also had a column change MAN (ex Shipphams Chichester IIRC) for a while that was also a bit of a lucky dip gearchange wise.
trunker08:
Great picture of MUH21 with a fabrication load, the orange? scammel looks ok as well, had to be well after I left, thanks for putting them on pat,… and to Chris Hill,
You are most welcome glad they are giving you some pleasure!
Here are a couple more Chris Hill pics for you
Regards Pat
X Meachers ERF
Thanks mate,guess that’s were the saying “back in the day” came from.?
Had some good times at “Hills” I was there when the top yard was sorted for the big sale, ended up a MOT station?
I passed the yard a good few year back, and ETN… was at the end of work shop with brambles growing out of it, I wonder what happed to it,? would any one know,
sorry for rambling on, t/08…mick
Hi another couple of Chris hills pics
Regard Pat
Great , thanks mate, I see the donkey engine to power the hydraulicks to lift the tr and steer is be hind the tractor?
Tich all ways had it the other end re safety. i.e, less likely to end up under the wheels God forbid, when clambering up to stear, pluss you only got up and down the once??
guess Wyns needed a little help, allways helped each other when needed.
great pics, thanks, T\08
Trunker 08
Hi Mick
If you look closely steersman cab fitted on rear module
regards cj
hi Dispatcher, Thanks c.j, I remember now I read I one of Bob Tucks books a cab of sorts was put on the back for steers man, also didn’t TRL924H have a D8 cab fitted for more room, both after my time, sad to say.
cheers T\08… Mick
