Many Thanks FF.It all stemmed from spending Sunday afternoons at Blackwall tunnel (pre M25) as a truck mad 14/15 yr old seeing more or less every other truck being a Beresford one amongst the Lloyds Swains and Caddies.Just liked the livery the British trucks and assorted loads of JCB 's they had so I wrote to Mr Beresford and he invited me up filled me with countless stories and his ongoing battles with Carmens at that time and took me round the ofices,yard and the trailer park treated me to lunch and dropped me back at the station ,which I can’t see happening nowadays can you?.So over the next 4/5 years it went from there really more visits then chatting to the drivers led to being offered a trip away .I used to meet Jack Kelly at Blackwall usually on a sunday and was lucky enough to have 4 trips in the following years to different countries during my Holidays which I was truelly grateful .I now have quite a collection of Books photos and magazine cuttings on the company just very sad that they’re no longer with us .Certainly didn’t see it coming I thought they were quite a healthy company at the time. Very keen to hear from any ex drivers who remember those times and names as they were such a big company in the area.
what a pity that our international transport as gone they were the days dover on a sunday tea time same old faces waiting on the steps,
Rob Campbell:
Many Thanks FF.It all stemmed from spending Sunday afternoons at Blackwall tunnel (pre M25) as a truck mad 14/15 yr old seeing more or less every other truck being a Beresford one amongst the Lloyds Swains and Caddies.Just liked the livery the British trucks and assorted loads of JCB 's they had so I wrote to Mr Beresford and he invited me up filled me with countless stories and his ongoing battles with Carmens at that time and took me round the ofices,yard and the trailer park treated me to lunch and dropped me back at the station ,which I can’t see happening nowadays can you?.So over the next 4/5 years it went from there really more visits then chatting to the drivers led to being offered a trip away .I used to meet Jack Kelly at Blackwall usually on a sunday and was lucky enough to have 4 trips in the following years to different countries during my Holidays which I was truelly grateful .I now have quite a collection of Books photos and magazine cuttings on the company just very sad that they’re no longer with us .Certainly didn’t see it coming I thought they were quite a healthy company at the time. Very keen to hear from any ex drivers who remember those times and names as they were such a big company in the area.
Rob,
My dad drove for Berrisfords for a while & then Comarts, He did return to Beresfords in about 84 / 85 for a few months doing Swiss. There is a photo of is Mickey Mouse Foden in Le Harve on the Comart thread.
I used to go with him when I was young and remember the route well through London and the Blackwall tunnel, always thought he would hit the wall sides on the bends !!!
Do you have any photos of any of Comarts or Moorlocks at Blackwall, would be interested in buying some prints off you or a disc ■■
Regards
Ant
Ant
I wish I had but like many guys on her didn’t realise the importance of a camera in those days sorry.I remember seeing Comarts and moorlocks tho’ from about 2 oclock onwards it was like a precesion of euro companys coming down the Commercial road through London .Never forget how they were grouped together region by region Henry Long,Ellerpack, A- one,Transflash and Brian Yeardley from Yorkshire then Eric Hunwick,Smiths of Eccles in their ERF with Jennings conversions from Manchester then the pottery boys it literally was a whos who and not forgetting the Brum boys of course Chambers Cook ,S jones Ware Trans etc plus for those without the luxury of a factory sleeper the assortment of modified and bolt on sleepers was amazing .Definately missed a trick there not having a camera and still kicking myself believe me.How times have changed now though Ant!! I think the late 70’s and 80’s seemed to be the best times to be on the continent judging by the interest it creates on here withouit a doubt.Another favourite of mine was after school getting a tube up to Smithfield collect my Truck magazine soon as it came out (the then Publishers were across road)and walking round the market about 5 in the afternoon when some of the meat boys started to arrive and get there space .
Hi All,
Managed to find this in the loft the other night, taken in Antwerp about 78 of the Monk
regards
Ant
Also found this photo of Tideswells - Dont know where its come from but it was in the same box as the Moorlock F88, can’t remember taking it !!!
<a%20href=“Photo Storage” border=“0” alt=“Photobucket”>
Ant
Can Remamber all these firms from when I was tyre fitting for motorway tyres at longton in the late 70s Thor were up Caverswall Road Meir in the old Dairy as any one got any info or photos of other firms in stoke. particularly Thomas degg Longton (Have posted this before it went to wrong place)Norman Green Longton and Davies’s Transport Blythe Bridge they Were a old firm operating in the 1940’s and 1950’s
Thanks Evo
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.
cliffpark06:
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.
didn’t coopers have quiet a few rigid tippers ? blue in colour i think.and were they in the same yard as Harrison’s transport at Milton .
Can Remember all these firms from when I was tyre fitting for motorway tyres at longton in the late 70s Thor were up Caverswall Road Meir in the old Dairy as any one got any info or photos of other firms in stoke. particularly Thomas degg Longton (Have posted this before it went to wrong place)Norman Green Longton and Davies’s Transport Blythe Bridge they Were a old firm operating in the 1940’s and 1950’s
i remember Norman green of longton also walchesters they had a few American trucks if i remember rite
Willie Roadstar:
Also found this photo of Tideswells - Dont know where its come from but it was in the same box as the Moorlock F88, can’t remember taking it !!!
Ant
These motors will all have Gardner 240’s in them.
I’ve mentioned this on another thread the fact that Herman Tideswell was ALWAYS an AEC man,just like my boss Vic Wild was ALWAYS an ERF or ATKI man,as long as it was a Gardner.
When the Gardner 240 first came out,we had a few new Atkis with them in,then Gardners went on strike and you couldn’t get a Gardner engined motor for luv nor money.
One Sunday afternoon,Vic Wild was mowing his lawn when he heard the unmistakable sound of a straight 8 Gardner,and saw a new Atki in Hermans colours!
What new engines Gardner were turning out,they were prepared to woo a new customer with them rather than supply an established customer.
Vic was livid!
On the Monday morning he rang Gardners and told them to shove their 240’s,and later that week he ordered two new DAF 2600’s.
The beginning of the end I think.
the flying foden:
cliffpark06:
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.didn’t coopers have quiet a few rigid tippers ? blue in colour i think.and were they in the same yard as Harrison’s transport at Milton .
Can Remember all these firms from when I was tyre fitting for motorway tyres at longton in the late 70s Thor were up Caverswall Road Meir in the old Dairy as any one got any info or photos of other firms in stoke. particularly Thomas degg Longton (Have posted this before it went to wrong place)Norman Green Longton and Davies’s Transport Blythe Bridge they Were a old firm operating in the 1940’s and 1950’s
i remember Norman green of longton also walchesters they had a few American trucks if i remember rite
Walchesters are still going blurton transport services now they ran a couple of internationals in the early eighties . they ran tippers in those days contracted to the coal board at hem heath . coopers were next door to harrisons under bridge towards milton
I remember Tideswells from Kingsley S-o-T from years back and they are still going aren’t they? A nicer set of drivers you couldn’t wish to meet when they came into our Maltby depot to do some Tesco/Asda work for us.I might be wrong but I think one of their drivers came in the yard with an “A” series ERF in the late 90s and looked in really good nick -the wagon not the driver 
.A “proper” haulage company,no airs and graces,just got on with the job.I would imagine that they didn’t have a big turnover of drivers there.
Here’s a not very good pic out of a magazine and I think the AEC tanker was on milk work.
cliffpark06:
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.
Were Coopers from Milton in a dark blue livery with white signwriting?
If so I do remember them.
The old S-o-T company I remember was Davis Brothers(I think) with ERFs in the 60s with artic tippers loaded with pebbles or whatever they were known as running out ot the Smoke at night when I was going in.I think they ran in a beige livery with fancy signwriting.
Chris Webb:
cliffpark06:
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.Were Coopers from Milton in a dark blue livery with white signwriting?
If so I do remember them.
The old S-o-T company I remember was Davis Brothers(I think) with ERFs in the 60s with artic tippers loaded with pebbles or whatever they were known as running out ot the Smoke at night when I was going in.I think they ran in a beige livery with fancy signwriting.
dont know if this is the same davies 's transport my dad worked there in the late 1940’s as adrivers mate , they ran a mixed fleet ERF AEC Maudsleys etc
it sounds like the same firm i will get more info of him I think they did general haulage mainly
evo:
Chris Webb:
cliffpark06:
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.Were Coopers from Milton in a dark blue livery with white signwriting?
If so I do remember them.
The old S-o-T company I remember was Davis Brothers(I think) with ERFs in the 60s with artic tippers loaded with pebbles or whatever they were known as running out ot the Smoke at night when I was going in.I think they ran in a beige livery with fancy signwriting.dont know if this is the same davies 's transport my dad worked there in the late 1940’s as adrivers mate , they ran a mixed fleet ERF AEC Maudsleys etc
it sounds like the same firm i will get more info of him I think they did general haulage mainly
Sorry evo,I’ve just remembered it was Davey not Davis.May have been A.Davey or A.H.Davey.
Chris Webb:
evo:
Chris Webb:
cliffpark06:
Does anyone remember J L Coopers of Milton ? I drove for them for 12 Months in the late eighties. I drove an ERF B Series with a 180 Gardener before progressing(!) to a Leyland Marathon. At first my job was loading containers out of the potbanks, there were still enough of them then to make it a full days work,before going on to tramping. Unfortunatley the money was crap so i left to drive for Atkins of Derby. I remember it as a lovely job a lot of the lads had worked there for 20-30 years and all the old timers made time to help a newbie ! Not like now when everything has got to be there now an most drivers are just out for themselves.Were Coopers from Milton in a dark blue livery with white signwriting?
If so I do remember them.
The old S-o-T company I remember was Davis Brothers(I think) with ERFs in the 60s with artic tippers loaded with pebbles or whatever they were known as running out ot the Smoke at night when I was going in.I think they ran in a beige livery with fancy signwriting.dont know if this is the same davies 's transport my dad worked there in the late 1940’s as adrivers mate , they ran a mixed fleet ERF AEC Maudsleys etc
it sounds like the same firm i will get more info of him I think they did general haulage mainlySorry evo,I’ve just remembered it was Davey not Davis.May have been A.Davey or A.H.Davey.
O K Chris it was A H Davey they are no longer in business
Yes, Coopers were dark blue with white sign writing. Down to earth is a good description of Tideswells. Julian Tideswell comes into our yard at Fole Dairy sometimes to pick up wagons to MOT & he always wears green overalls. If you go to their yard in Kingsley you will see his dad in the garage usually underneath a wagon with a spanner in his hand !
[/quote]
Chris Webb:
Sorry evo,I’ve just remembered it was Davey not Davis.May have been A.Davey or A.H.Davey.
Arthur and Hilda Davey,they used to run out of Vernon Road Stoke and up to the '70’s did similar work to the Wild Group who I worked for,in fact there was a regular turnover of drivers between the two firms.Like Vic Wild operating only ERF and Atki trucks,Daveys only ran ERF’s.
They were running until quite recently because they use to do all the clay roofing tiles out of Eternit at Madely.
They moved to operating out of Beech’s new premises,(Beech’s are ERF agents),just by the A500 going North out of Stoke.
In fact I think it’s A and H’s son Barry? Davey who is now top man at Beech’s.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
bestbooties:
Chris Webb:
Sorry evo,I’ve just remembered it was Davey not Davis.May have been A.Davey or A.H.Davey.Arthur and Hilda Davey,they used to run out of Vernon Road Stoke and up to the '70’s did similar work to the Wild Group who I worked for,in fact there was a regular turnover of drivers between the two firms.Like Vic Wild operating only ERF and Atki trucks,Daveys only ran ERF’s.
They were running until quite recently because they use to do all the clay roofing tiles out of Eternit at Madely.
They moved to operating out of Beech’s new premises,(Beech’s are ERF agents),just by the A500 going North out of Stoke.
In fact I think it’s A and H’s son Barry? Davey who is now top man at Beech’s.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
daveys bought beech’s garage in the early 90’s i think, there used ERF’s came from ANC at chesterton the son is called Bernard Used to know a fitter from wilds Ashley Allsop knew him when i was apprentice fitter at Deggs in the 70’s
evo:
bestbooties:
Chris Webb:
Sorry evo,I’ve just remembered it was Davey not Davis.May have been A.Davey or A.H.Davey.Arthur and Hilda Davey,they used to run out of Vernon Road Stoke and up to the '70’s did similar work to the Wild Group who I worked for,in fact there was a regular turnover of drivers between the two firms.Like Vic Wild operating only ERF and Atki trucks,Daveys only ran ERF’s.
They were running until quite recently because they use to do all the clay roofing tiles out of Eternit at Madely.
They moved to operating out of Beech’s new premises,(Beech’s are ERF agents),just by the A500 going North out of Stoke.
In fact I think it’s A and H’s son Barry? Davey who is now top man at Beech’s.
Correct me if I’m wrong.daveys bought beech’s garage in the early 90’s i think, there used ERF’s came from ANC at chesterton the son is called Bernard Used to know a fitter from wilds Ashley Allsop knew him when i was apprentice fitter at Deggs in the 70’s
i always thought hilda’s son was named barry and as ian said he now owns beech’s garage