Anyone got pics of Hazel and Jefferies (Pangbourne) wagons?
Muckaway:
altitude:
Muckaway:
altitude:
Priors did have some big trailers, don’t know his full name but anyone remember Big Eddy that was on for them for years■■?I think you mean “Big” Eddie Harrison. He drove for Priors for years until Percy Prior retired. Eddie went on for AW Cleaver and then left to work his last couple of years to retirement for Smiths Bletchington. Eddie worked past retirement until he was made redundant last year. He’s recently been taken back on driving a Y reg 8 wheeled Foden covering a driver on long term sick leave. Eddie was still going strong yesterday as he was following me along the Witney Bypass!
Yeah that’s him mate
good to know the old boys still about. I do remember his name now you have said it.
He told me of the time Prior had bought new trucks for his F88 drivers. Can’t remember what make but early DAFs or Marathons I think. Eddie and several others refused to drive them so Prior had to put his newer drivers on the new trucks! Sadly Percy Prior died 2 or 3 years ago but a lot of his old employees attended his funeral so Eddie told me.
And here he is!
He don’t look so big as he use to sat in there. Then it’s a fair few years since I seen the old boy, ( don’t tell him I said that 
) cheers for that Muckaway good to see him still doing a bit.
Muckaway:
Muckaway:
altitude:
Muckaway:
altitude:
Priors did have some big trailers, don’t know his full name but anyone remember Big Eddy that was on for them for years■■?I think you mean “Big” Eddie Harrison. He drove for Priors for years until Percy Prior retired. Eddie went on for AW Cleaver and then left to work his last couple of years to retirement for Smiths Bletchington. Eddie worked past retirement until he was made redundant last year. He’s recently been taken back on driving a Y reg 8 wheeled Foden covering a driver on long term sick leave. Eddie was still going strong yesterday as he was following me along the Witney Bypass!
Yeah that’s him mate
He told me of the time Prior had bought new trucks for his F88 drivers. Can’t remember what make but early DAFs or Marathons I think. Eddie and several others refused to drive them so Prior had to put his newer drivers on the new trucks! Sadly Percy Prior died 2 or 3 years ago but a lot of his old employees attended his funeral so Eddie told me.
And here he is!
Saw Eddie on the A40 by Barnard Gate last Wednesday in that lorry. He used to get up realy early when on Priors. He would tip scrap in Sheffield over to Coalite load and be down near Leicester by around 07.30-08.00.
They made a nice job of restoring that old girl.
oiltreader:
Hi all again,
I have been re-reading the previous posts and trying to get the grey matter going again, 50 odd years is a long time ago, also the fact I left lorries in 1968, I went back to a trade I had been apprenticed to and more dosh, I missed the cameraderie with my mates and the purr or growl of a diesel engine. Most of my mates were on car transport, hopefully some of what I mention will trigger memories for others.
When I first went to Oxford, Joe Harding’s yard(as it was called) was in Hillsborough Road. Hardings’ was there from horse and cart days. There is a lane from the main road which ran down the side of the Spud Centre called Harding’s Entry, the Busy Bee garage, and the Spud Centre were on originally Harding land. The orignal old cottage was lived in by Ted Moss the “spudman” . He used tell me the history of the place. Next to Harding’s Entry a house was built, late 50s early 60s for Colin Moore of H&M, he later moved with his family to Horspath village…
oiltreader
Hi oiltreader, You are blessed with a much better memory than me, so I hope you can help me out here. From my childhood I can remember a pair of wooden gates next to the spud centre, probably before it was the spud centre, and have always believed that was where my dad worked for Joe Harding. I can’t remember how I knew, it is just something I seemed to know all my life, in fact I remember, in the '40s when I was five or six years old deciding one day to walk up Rose Hill to see if my dad was there! After a big scare and search, one of my sisters found me, about three hours later, asleep on the grass bank where Church Cowley Road splits off. 
so I hadn’t got very far before my little legs conked out. Now I can’t remember if I went to the yard with my dad, through those gates or maybe the lane was there then, and I am just confused. 
Would you know if there was ever an opening to the yard from the main road?
I seem to remember Hardings then moving to Sandy lane and Joe’s son (I think it was) Frank, running things and then being taken over by B.R.S. but dad had left by then. Seem to remember something about Frank Harding losing an eye in a shooting accident also. I am not sure if they still ran from the old yard, but can remember being told that H&M had started from there again, but what sort of time lapse there was I don’t know. I moved away from Oxford in '64 but started in haulage in '72 running to the car plants a fair bit until '94, so was on the fringe so to speak. I wonder if you can confirm or correct me on any of this, or if you know any more to add. I would be grateful for your input or anyone else’s of course.
Hi BigG-Unit,
There was double gates about 50ft off the main road (Rose Hill) between a private house,( possibly Frank Harding’s home) and the Spud Centre, the gate led to Harding’s yard, Harding’s Entry was a pedestrian walkway on the border of the Harding ground (probabaly about 2 acres) and it went from the main rd to Hillsborough Rd. Have a look on Google Street Map and satellite, gives some idea, but it is very changed now. I have no recollection of H&M ever being at Rose Hill, my memory of them was starting up on rough ground next to Hardings where the County Trading Estate is now, in fact I first came across Colin Moore working as a traffic dispatcher in Hardings office (1960ish), David Harding, Frank’s son was in the same office. Frank Harding’s sister was Colin Moore’s mother. In 1960 I briefly left the buses to go and work at Hardings, it was Colin who set me on, this was shortly before H&M were formed. The BRS was the nationalisation of the main haulage companies in towns and cities troughout the uk and may well have been Hardings in Oxford, I am not sure, It would be unusual for Hardings to be able to start again in competion as it were. I remember Oxford before any of the by-passes, Sandy Lane West went off the Oxford to Henley road just before Littelmore village, it went over a railway bridge and on to Sandy East(dog track/speedway track) which came out at the Cowley factories, I remember watching the blowing up of the railway bridge to make way for the Eastern By-Pass, Blackbird Estate was just starting with 2 streets Kent Close and Allen close off Sandy Lane East. I will keep thumping up the thinking and see what else I can remember.
I remember Ginger Savoury, his name was Ron and I used to come across him quite a bit but for now can’t remember where.
oiltreader
Muckaway:
Nice one Muckaway, that looks like a vacuum operated windscreen wiper, anyone remember them, they worked off the manifold, ok when jogging along but when you put your foot down they stopped, but there was a wee handle on the wiper assembly that you could pull out and work the wiper by hand.
oiltreader
Not exactly an old Oxfordshire firm, but RAF Brize Norton’s well known! This is a pic of Fitzpatricks’ concrete plant, that was sited at RAF Brize when the new hardstandings were being built ready for RAF Lynehams imminent closure. I think the trucks are Fords, they were about 20 years old when this pic was taken. They’re not mixers, but tippers with an agitator (a large screw) in the body to help the concrete come out. Those who’ve done runway jobs know how much cement they add to the aggregate!
Does Oxford City Council count as an old Oxford firm? They run various types of lorry and you can trace them back to the Corporation days!
oiltreader:
Hi BigG-Unit,
There was double gates about 50ft off the main road (Rose Hill) between a private house,( possibly Frank Harding’s home) and the Spud Centre, the gate led to Harding’s yard, Harding’s Entry was a pedestrian walkway on the border of the Harding ground (probabaly about 2 acres) and it went from the main rd to Hillsborough Rd. Have a look on Google Street Map and satellite, gives some idea, but it is very changed now. I have no recollection of H&M ever being at Rose Hill, my memory of them was starting up on rough ground next to Hardings where the County Trading Estate is now, in fact I first came across Colin Moore working as a traffic dispatcher in Hardings office (1960ish), David Harding, Frank’s son was in the same office. Frank Harding’s sister was Colin Moore’s mother. In 1960 I briefly left the buses to go and work at Hardings, it was Colin who set me on, this was shortly before H&M were formed. The BRS was the nationalisation of the main haulage companies in towns and cities troughout the uk and may well have been Hardings in Oxford, I am not sure, It would be unusual for Hardings to be able to start again in competion as it were. I remember Oxford before any of the by-passes, Sandy Lane West went off the Oxford to Henley road just before Littelmore village, it went over a railway bridge and on to Sandy East(dog track/speedway track) which came out at the Cowley factories, I remember watching the blowing up of the railway bridge to make way for the Eastern By-Pass, Blackbird Estate was just starting with 2 streets Kent Close and Allen close off Sandy Lane East. I will keep thumping up the thinking and see what else I can remember.
I remember Ginger Savoury, his name was Ron and I used to come across him quite a bit but for now can’t remember where.
oiltreader
Hi Oiltreader and BigG-unit, all interesting stuff, H&M were definately at Rose Hill, I was there !
While you are all searching the grey matter for old Oxford firms, is there anyone out there from Morris Motors Ltd, Cars Branch, works transport. There must have been a fleet os 60 or more rigids and artics. Apart from work around the plant, and regular runs to Transmissions Branch, also the Llannely plant, and also “The Austin” at Longbridge, several dozen artics were engaged on spare parts delivery nationally for BMC Service Ltd.
Exiled Devonian:
Glad you find it interesting, (hope it isn’t too boring for others!) and thanks for your input. I have just posted you a message on the B.R.S. thread.
oiltreader:
Thank you also for your reply, it is nice to get these things clear in ones mind. I am sure Hardings were taken over by B.R.S. along with a firm called Scotts (I think) but whom I have no recollection of. As you probably know many owners of firms taken over were kept on as managers at the start in '48, but when the government changed in the early '50’s they started to deregulate road haulage and many old firms bought back some vehicles to start privately again. I suspect Hardings may have taken this route, although I never ever knew they were running again and thought they may have been behind H&M and maybe they were.
I first met ‘Ginger’ when he was a milkman for Job’s dairies at their Headington depot, before he went to Hebborns, but he had his finger in many pies! He was a ‘Mr fix it’ and among other things,could arrange HP for cars etc. He once told me he was sorting finance on an American car for a young pop star from Oxford, who’s name I forget now, and on completion said to the young lad who was with him, “Don’t you need money for a car?” To which the pop star replied, “He’s not old enough to drive yet, but he is going to be good, his name is Cliff Richard”. Ginger was very keen on Speedway and also played an accordion in bands etc. In later years he suffered from cancer and did a lot of charity work for cancer relief, Just a few things I remember that might help to jog your memory, could go on but might have to P.M. you instead.
ExiledDevonian:
While you are all searching the grey matter for old Oxford firms, is there anyone out there from Morris Motors Ltd, Cars Branch, works transport. There must have been a fleet os 60 or more rigids and artics. Apart from work around the plant, and regular runs to Transmissions Branch, also the Llannely plant, and also “The Austin” at Longbridge, several dozen artics were engaged on spare parts delivery nationally for BMC Service Ltd.
Hi ExiledDevonian,
I don’t doubt H&M were at Rose Hill at some time, I just can’t remember them there.
Morris Motors Transport yes, quite a varied fleet, even a couple of transporters, very strictly controlled by the TGWU, hours, running times, good nightout money etc, a cushy job the shop steward was Alan Thornett, a militant if ever there was one, in fact it eventually got him sacked. The main TGWU man at the plant was Bobby Fryer. To get a job there you definitely had to know someone who would speak for you, and that was only to join the waiting list. The spare part delivery was also contracted to H&M, a mate of mine ( Wee Adam) was on for H&M and did the Wales run, off monday morning back saturday morning. BMC Service becoming Unipart.
oiltreader
BigG-Unit:
Exiled Devonian:
Glad you find it interesting, (hope it isn’t too boring for others!) and thanks for your input. I have just posted you a message on the B.R.S. thread.
oiltreader:
Thank you also for your reply, it is nice to get these things clear in ones mind. I am sure Hardings were taken over by B.R.S. along with a firm called Scotts (I think) but whom I have no recollection of. As you probably know many owners of firms taken over were kept on as managers at the start in '48, but when the government changed in the early '50’s they started to deregulate road haulage and many old firms bought back some vehicles to start privately again. I suspect Hardings may have taken this route, although I never ever knew they were running again and thought they may have been behind H&M and maybe they were.
I first met ‘Ginger’ when he was a milkman for Job’s dairies at their Headington depot, before he went to Hebborns, but he had his finger in many pies! He was a ‘Mr fix it’ and among other things,could arrange HP for cars etc. He once told me he was sorting finance on an American car for a young pop star from Oxford, who’s name I forget now, and on completion said to the young lad who was with him, “Don’t you need money for a car?” To which the pop star replied, “He’s not old enough to drive yet, but he is going to be good, his name is Cliff Richard”.
BigG-Unit,
Like yourself I would also like to apologise for perhaps going off-thread with our meanderings, you nailed it for me when you mentioned Ginger Savoury and the dance band, he used to team up with a guy called Ron Ward who played the electric organ, I used to transport him and his bloody organ(half a ton heavy) around the city and shire, all for a pint of beer, more names to tickle the memory cells with, Dave Buckle TGWU, Joe Agutter, pinball machines, one-arm bandits, he started with one machine in his mother’s cafe in Between Towns Rd, eventually having machines in pubs and clubs far and wide, a millionaire and what a character, Jimmy Dingle, hell I am away off lorries, better get back on track.
oiltreader
Hi BigG-unt, and Oiltreader and others,
Your comments re Morris Motors transport department, very interesting, one individual name best forgotten perhaps !! yes once the new massive Unipart building opened at Horspath then gradually H & M took over more of the spare parts work and moved to Pony road. Curtis also did some work as well as Bains ? of Dunstable or Luton (check the earlier thread/photo) and Glendennings of Shotley Bridge also got in on the act with the traffic to the north east.
Yes thanks for the info about Oxford vehicles in Nick Baldwins BRS book, (now reprinted by Nynehead). Bob Tucks book, “Carrying Cargo” (available on Ebay) has a fascinating chapter on Oxford and other car transporters.
Seriously though, how have we, that is you, me and all of us, all allowed it to happen, a once great transport manufacturing nation reduced to a service economy, all for a handful of silver.
When I make that final trip down the old A38 in the sky, there will be a cavelcade of AECs, ERFs, Fodens, Dodges, Traders and all, plus the odd BMC car transporter, all to a fanfare of Gardners, Perkins, perfect double-de-clutching, and with the odd snick of an Eaton two speed axle thrown in.
Hopefully thats a while off yet.
Anyone got any pics of local skip firms such as M and M, and B and E Transport? Always been amazed by the fact B & E have a yard slap bang in a residential area. I’ve heard it goes back to when new Minster was laid out and the freeholders had a right to run a business from home. Though then it was intended to be market gardening not hiring out skips!
sorry don’t have any pic’s only wish I did as my dad had M+Ms first lorry a GUY big J 6 XBW590M.
Hi Mucka, If they were skip firms they would be after my time around those parts, but I would love to know more about them. Any chance of more info on them, the more detail the better for me. 
and it might help jog a few memories of others. That’s the beauty of all this, you never know where it might lead to ay.