BigG-Unit:
Just found this one on Bubbs’ Scrapbook thread and I must say I thought it a bit unusual. I don’t remember seeing any of these on Smith’s, which by the Reg. No. looks to be around '72. Anyone know if they had many of them or was it a one off?
Smiths bought several Guys when the Big J came out. My Uncle was offered a job by Godfrey Smith and a new Guy J6 was part of the deal and also to be relief low loader driver, this was also a Guy, replaced with a Foden in 1980. They wern’t as common as Foden and Bedford at the time but Smiths used to switch between British manufacturers, except ERF for some reason. The only ERF in recent years was one of the last EC11 8 wheelers W886 EOW, a lovely motor to drive sadly sold last week to someone out Worcester way.
Hi Muckaway, Thanks for that, couldn’t remember seeing them about though and always associated Smiths with Foden’s. Did you see my post about the Smith’s driver who always parked outside a cottage on the main drag coming towards Oxford? It was in the '60s/70s so perhaps before your time!
Read somewhere on here that may have been Doug Hirons. Name rings a bell I think a current drivers wife is related to him. I’ve got photos of many of Smiths lorries taken over last few years because the Fodens are being slowly replaced. Have signed up with Photobucket just figuring it out. Got some photos to get put on DVD (pre digicam) that show Leyland Bisons, TMs,Foden S108s, 3000s etc.so I can put those up. A favourite story from 70s amongst drivers was of a driver called Shonkur Knight who wore blue overalls all the time. Once he stopped for a number 2 along the old A34 (A3400) but didn’t pull his overalls down far enough. Pulled them up and splat on the back of his neck! Godfrey Smith not only sent him home to bath and change he made him wash his cab out before it went back out on the road! Godfrey was notorious regarding his lorries. He’d have lorries park up rather than have them carry anything that might damage them-no rubble, wet muck, and if he thought your lorry was dirty you stopped work to clean it!
oiltreader:
Hi to all, There was a story which may not be true that “Wecancarryit” (John Werrills) were taken to court for copying the smarties advert “what a lot I got” The case was a long one until Werrills produced a very faded photo of a steam wagon c1918 and won the day with costs.
Just found this picture in my collection, even this one must have been out before Smarties
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
oiltreader:
Hi to all,
I came across this site quite by chance and this particular thread is bringing back some memories, some of which may be of interest. … I remember A. E. Booty they were in Ferry Road, Marston. B.J Hendry, Between Towns Road, Cowley they moved to the Industrial Estate up by the railway station, next to Hardings and H&M, also Dykes Bros opposite the Progressive yard. The Dykes boys mother had a sweetie shop and cafe in Between Towns Rd in the 50s. BRS were in Sandy Lane both general haulage and car transport…
All the Best
oiltreader
Hi oiltreader, I certainly found this interesting especially about Dykes Bros. as you say they were in a yard by the Cowley station. I am wondering now if they ever actually did move to Aylesbury as I used to see them on the road around there when I was passing through a lot in the '70s but thinking about it now, as they were working for Crendon Concrete they could have been in the area but not actually based there! Do you remember when they were there? . The sweet shop you talk about I would think was the same place their dad ran the coaches from in the early '50s.
Muckaway:
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
I have run a few loads of coal into Marriotts years ago and Charlie Buckingham rings a bell, I seem to remember Charlie doing a bit for Ameys of Oxford.
Muckaway:
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
Old Hebborn the fairground man had his yard on Cowley Rd, Littlemore opposite the catholic church, no doubt related to Hebborns’ the scrap and skip people, railway sidings off Beckett St. There was another scrapyard in Jackdaw Lane, off the Iffley Rd, they had wagons and skips, the owner back then was an old boy called Joe Trinder, he ran about in a beige roller and lived in Herschel Crescent, Litlemore, lots of dosh but apart from the rolls a quite humble house. He enjoyed his pint with the lads of a Sunday lunchtime and was quite charitable to the local community.
oiltreader
oiltreader:
Hi to all,
I came across this site quite by chance and this particular thread is bringing back some memories, some of which may be of interest. … I remember A. E. Booty they were in Ferry Road, Marston. B.J Hendry, Between Towns Road, Cowley they moved to the Industrial Estate up by the railway station, next to Hardings and H&M, also Dykes Bros opposite the Progressive yard. The Dykes boys mother had a sweetie shop and cafe in Between Towns Rd in the 50s. BRS were in Sandy Lane both general haulage and car transport…
All the Best
oiltreader
Hi oiltreader, I certainly found this interesting especially about Dykes Bros. as you say they were in a yard by the Cowley station. I am wondering now if they ever actually did move to Aylesbury as I used to see them on the road around there when I was passing through a lot in the '70s but thinking about it now, as they were working for Crendon Concrete they could have been in the area but not actually based there! Do you remember when they were there? . The sweet shop you talk about I would think was the same place their dad ran the coaches from in the early '50s.
Hi BigG-Unit,
I have no knowledge of Dykes ever having a depot at Aylesbury, only starting off in Between Towns Rd, then in the early 60s moving to the County Trading Estate, off Watlington Rd. Most of their work was connected with Crendon Concrete, also maybe moving fabricated steelwork from the then Cowley Ironworks, alongside the railway bridge at Cowley. The Dykes brothers, I forget their names, one worked the office side of it, the other one (Gerald??) was the fitter/welder and good at it
oiltreader
Hi BigG-Unit,
I have no knowledge of Dykes ever having a depot at Aylesbury, only starting off in Between Towns Rd, then in the early 60s moving to the County Trading Estate, off Watlington Rd. Most of their work was connected with Crendon Concrete, also maybe moving fabricated steelwork from the then Cowley Ironworks, alongside the railway bridge at Cowley. The Dykes brothers, I forget their names, one worked the office side of it, the other one (Gerald??) was the fitter/welder and good at it
oiltreader[/quote]
I reckon you are right with that oiltreader and clears up my opening question on this thread. When I was at school the elder brother was head prefect, very bright and studious lad with management tendencies, tall and slim, dark slicked back hair (from memory!) The other brother followed on as head prefect the next year, but was of stocky build with sandy coloured hair. He was a bit more forceful and took me to task a few times, as I was a bit of an oik by school standards! I was a bit surprised a few years later to see them with the wagons as I always thought they would be bank managers or the like.
I originally asked about them as I had made a model of one of their wagons, again from memory, and was trying to find their livery when on for Crendon as I only have a vague recollection. Although if no one remembers I suppose near enough is better than nothing at all.
Muckaway:
Here’s another firm I remember from childhood: J and P Conlon. Came from Minster Lovell, ran tippers and some tankers as Conlon Oils. Moved to the closed Brize Norton and Bampton Station and built a fuel depot, taken over by Watsons.
I think Conlons now run Cotswold Natural Stone near Shilton on part of the old Broadwell airfield. J and P had tippers in 2 tone blue if I remember. Think they bought some Bison 2s off Smith and Sons. They bought a Ford Cargo brand new mid 80s.
On the subject of tippers, I remember plant firm L.A Lockhart running a pair of Leyland Super Mastiffs in late 80s. People have told me they were slow as hell, but I can remember hearing them a mile off! Lockharts are currently running R reg Mercedes Sks and an R reg Scania 8 wheelers- good condition when you consider their age.
I remember Conlons another of my uncles worked for them up to Watsons and his retirment. My Dad ran out of the scrap yard oppisite we used to go over to fuel up sometimes.
Muckaway:
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
Remember Charlie Buck as well nice bloke.
Muckaway,Is Buckingham Transport still about ? As they are owned by David one of Charlies sons. Pete another of Charlies sons is a great bloke, last I heard he worked for W R Cross on a Hanson 8 wheeler.
Can anyone tell me if Wally Cross is still alive, I saw him a couple of years ago at his yard by Finmere just after his son Nick’s business went under costing Wally a lot of money and he still had his few trucks going but then I heard last year that he had had a heart attack and died; very sad if that was the case as I had known Wally for over 30 years hopefully my info was wrong.
Chazzer
Muckaway:
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
Remember Charlie Buck as well nice bloke.
Muckaway,Is Buckingham Transport still about ? As they are owned by David one of Charlies sons. Pete another of Charlies sons is a great bloke, last I heard he worked for W R Cross on a Hanson 8 wheeler.
Dave Buckingham’s still going, now known as DB Plant-he recently went bust as Buckingham Transport-no rumour there he told me himself.He was owed a lot from Roartys; the firm who put that water pipeline along the Burford Road between Witney and Worsham. The job overran,cost Roartys a fortune in penalties and Dave wasn’t paid. He ran 5 tippers until about 18 months ago and is now down to one Hino 8 wheeler. Yes his brother Pete still drives for Wally Cross on a Hanson franchise normally running out of Lechlade Pit and his other brother Phil drives for SJ Radband from Bampton.
Muckaway:
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
I have run a few loads of coal into Marriotts years ago and Charlie Buckingham rings a bell, I seem to remember Charlie doing a bit for Ameys of Oxford.
Marriotts yard used to be Witney Station Goods Yard now Sainsburys. I filmed the yard being demolished in 95 for a school project. Marriotts had been at Witney station since Victorian days they owned some blanket mills aswell. Marriotts relations married into the Early family and the 2 blanket firms merged in late 60s. My mums family were mill workers for them I can remember coke being tipped at the boiler house at Earlys on Burford Road I’m sure they collected it from Marriotts yard in a light blue threepenny bit tipper. Marriotts coal merchants merged with Taylors of Wooton but a descendant of Marriotts still runs whats left of them though they get coal now from AW Mobbs.
chazzer:
Can anyone tell me if Wally Cross is still alive, I saw him a couple of years ago at his yard by Finmere just after his son Nick’s business went under costing Wally a lot of money and he still had his few trucks going but then I heard last year that he had had a heart attack and died; very sad if that was the case as I had known Wally for over 30 years hopefully my info was wrong.
Chazzer
As far as I know Wally Cross is alive, I’m sure I’ve seen his curtainsiders about. I definately saw his 2 Hanson 8 wheelers near Oxford on Friday. They’re driven by Pete Buckingham and John Clarke
Muckaway:
More firms have sprung to mind, God knows how I remember these, I was only born September '79 (makes me a V-reg!)
Hebborns Skips (Think they had the scrapyard on the site of Becket Street sidings,Oxford)-possibly related to the fairground people?
J.C Waste of Abingdon (were owned by J Curtis, had yellow dustcarts?) Curtis sold JCW and Oday Hill Landfill to Hales Waste now Biffa. Oday Tip now full, though McKenna recently put the muck capping on it once it was clay-sealed.
James Marriott (Coal merchants of Witney, ran Bedford Tks and TLs as I remember)
PJ Meagher Plant Hire (Ran MANs and Mercedes-possibly a Maggie Deutz?)
Trux (Mercedes 8 Wheel tippers and Low loaders)
Charlie Buckingham of Carterton-(Had an orange Dodge 4 wheel tipper)
Old Hebborn the fairground man had his yard on Cowley Rd, Littlemore opposite the catholic church, no doubt related to Hebborns’ the scrap and skip people, railway sidings off Beckett St. There was another scrapyard in Jackdaw Lane, off the Iffley Rd, they had wagons and skips, the owner back then was an old boy called Joe Trinder, he ran about in a beige roller and lived in Herschel Crescent, Litlemore, lots of dosh but apart from the rolls a quite humble house. He enjoyed his pint with the lads of a Sunday lunchtime and was quite charitable to the local community.
oiltreader
I think that was the scrapyard I worked in for a short time in '61 which was behind the fuel depot near the Oxpens and belonged to Barry Hebborn. His yard manager was an ex fairground man named Ginger Savoury, a great character, bit of a rough diamond,but knew all the angles with the travellers weighing in! He told me that Barry was a relation of Warburtons, a scrapyard almost next door, but had a bit of a fall out, so set up on his own. It was there I drove my first lorry legally (well sort of) on the road. It was an old Proctor (I think,) well past it’s sell by date. At busy times we would use it to collect steel pressings scrap from the Morris Radiators factory. I had a photo of it somewhere which I hope will turn up again, to post on here.
I also remember the scrapyard down Jackdaw lane and know of the two brothers and a brother in law that worked there, but there was a bit of a dispute which resulted in one of them walking. When Joe finished he handed the yard over to one of the brothers to run.
The scrapyard in Jackdaw Lane is run by Metal Salvage. They’ve got white cabbed Foden Ro-Ros. Had a number of 4000 series with Perkins engines until recently, might still have them. On the subject of scrap firms, Whitecross Metals at Wootton, Abingdon run some tidy blue Fodens.
I saw a Leyland T45 8 wheeler weighing logs at Gill Mill Pit, Ducklington today. Operated by Moodies Transport. I think it was Y-reg it looks in very good condition for it’s age I’ve seen it quite a lot recently but never to photograph it. Anyone know where it comes from?
I’ve seen a Foden 4000 series tractor unit of Moodies pulling a powder tanker aswell, mid 90s model I think as I’ve driven late 80s ones and they had different doors and grille. Whilst mentioning Leylands, Minster Paving based in West Witney have an E-reg Leyland Freighter dropside tipper still in daily use and I think it’s still with original driver.
Anyone know if Chris Hayter ran Volvo F12s? I remember them having F10s. Reason I ask is there’s a showmans F12 under A40 bridge at A415 Witney, I think it’s F592JFC. The showies were polishing the wagons parked there about half hour ago, you can smell the Turtle Wax!
Do you remember when they were there? . The sweet shop you talk about I would think was the same place their dad ran the coaches from in the early '50s.
When I was at school the elder brother was head prefect, very bright and studious lad with management tendencies, tall and slim, dark slicked back hair (from memory!) The other brother followed on as head prefect the next year, but was of stocky build with sandy coloured hair. He was a bit more forceful and took me to task a few times, as I was a bit of an oik by school standards! I was a bit surprised a few years later to see them with the wagons as I always thought they would be bank managers or the like.
