Thanks Detailed Eye for putting right my discrepencies with regard to Neil Wilson Transport , being 43 , I was really quite young when Neilly Wilson died though I believe my grandfather once drove for him . I also am led to believe that Neilly was a popular charachter and could quite often be found knocking a few drinks back in the nearby Drumgelloch Bar. I dont suppose you have any pics of Neilly Wilsons fleet at all■■?
Rivits
Neil Wilson Transport operated from a yard in Drumgelloch Street, Airdrie until sometime in the 1970,s.
The company operated a fleet of clapped out Leyland Comet 2 axle flatbed rigids,generally if my memory seves me correct fitted with the LAD cabs as fitted to Albion& Dodge trucks of the same era.
I believe they worked mostly on contract out of Tunnel Cement in Hollandhurst rd Coatbridge & that ‘Neilly’ Wilson was actually a Polish immigrant who adopted a more localised name.
Does anyone remember this small Airdrie haulier & have any pics of their fleet.
Other local hauliers were John Hunter Transport, John Elliot Transport, R&J Strang transport ,all Carlisle road Airdrie , Albert Bartlett Transport,Watt st Airdrie for a short time an English company called LCP Transport set up in Petersburn road Airdrie, we also had tipper operators Darroch & Newall of Rochsolloch rd & Fin-Cairn of Railway rd. Also on Petersburn rd PIONEER concrete run a substantial no of mixers & on the site of AIRDRIE UNITEDS stadium THE SCOTTISH BRICK COMPANY had a brickwork that kept a lot of tipper operators running, names that spring to mind being A Smith of Bank St Coatbridge,Jack& co of Wattston, Greengairs
All of the above companies with the exception of Albert Bartlett & Pioneer , tho now known as Hanson are all consigned to the Great Highway in the sky
cheers guys
Rivits
Dear Rivits,
Just a note on some of your details. Neil Wilson was born and breed in Coatbridge. His parents were not Polish but Lithuanian. Neil was particularly proud of his heritage and was most upset if referred to as Polish due to the oppression of his parents from Polish soldiers during the war the reason they fled to Scotland.
Neil Wilson had an entreprenural spirit which anyone would be jealous of today. He lived a very full and active life. Although you describe the lorries as run down you have been misinformed as there were a few newer lorries in the group. He not only hauled cement but steel and many other materials.
He was a straight honest one of a kind character known and remembered by many.