Piston broke:
BigG-Unit:
Hi Muckaway, reading your posts again, I’m not sure if we are talking about the same shed! I was at the old GWR depot at the back of the now Oxford station. Of course there was the old LMS depot at Rewley road, the town side of the station,where the Bletchley line terminated. Although it was all British Railways when I was there in the late '50’s there was still a bit of “them and us” kind of thing with the older guys. Anyway I will try to PM you in the next couple of days and talk some more, as we might be going off topic a bit. 
So to try to put that right I will put this pic. on (the only one that survived) of the remains of the John Allen Factory. It’s looking a bit neglected now and hardly visible from the road, but at least it is still there!
Hi guys 
I for one am quite happy for you both to go ‘off topic’. Your depth of knowledge and the stories you relate are quite fascinating. Long may it continue…
Well thanks for that Piston broke, though I am just relating a few memories from my youth, where as young Muckaway has researched all this stuff. That of course is along with doing a full time job, which he documents well on here, and as he said, he is only a V Reg (1979). Some more stunning stuff added tonight as well, and I’m retired and still struggling to find time to get on here! (Bloody hell, she’s found me again!)
I have to read something when sat on the A40 or being loaded with a Dinky Toy!
Some pics of old Cowley and apologies if I am off topic.
oiltreader
Hi oiltreader, Think those pics are fine mate as they are just what we have been talking about. When I saw your photo of the old office wall I thought there was a set of gates like that in front of it when I took my Pic. so I reckon they could be the same and they moved the wall behind them. I took a close up of the name plate on the wall with the date 1909, but that was one of the photos that disappeared in my computer. 
What a great set of photos yours are, real gems a fantastic piece of history and like Muckaways, a credit to the site. You even found one of Dykes and like you say, the Grandmother, so they were there a bit. My brother said someone told him the other day that one of the boys was still about and thought to be living at Wheatley.
Another one going back a bit the lorry , Mortons of Coventry, I am guessing is a Daimler, delivering car bodies to Cowley, this would have been when the car factory was in Holloway, the building which later became Nuffield Press
Bottom pic. The Garsington road on the east side of the railway bridge at Cowley.
oiltreader
Oiltreader… I don’t suppose you have any pictures of Banbury Building motors especially the Albion Clydesdales they used to run?
Dieseldogsix:
Oiltreader… I don’t suppose you have any pictures of Banbury Building motors especially the Albion Clydesdales they used to run?
Dieseldog,
No, sorry on that one.
oiltreader
Aren’t there some Banbury Buildings pics in the early part of this thread, or Bubblemans thread? Sure I’ve seen some…
Re. Banbury Buildings, a colleague told me last week that they’d “take you on at 7am, sack you at 9!” Hard firm I gather. Apparently, they made/delivered a lot of coal bunkers and prefab houses up until the 60s, about the time everyone realised that prefab houses were havens of damp, and gas fired heating became the norm…
Talking of prefab companies, anyone remember Cotswold Buildings of Standlake? Based on the business park (old gravel pit) beside A415. Used to be supplied by Sands and Gravels for years until they finished (I think) during last recession. Works re-opened as “Sturdy Concrete” and this firm restarted about 18 months ago as “L & M Sturdy Garages and Sheds”- I’m glad when I deliver to them the ticket is computerised, I wouldn’t want to handwrite their full name each load!
Was that the one opposite the Hardwick caravan park, or was that just a show/sales pitch. 
Muckaway:
Aren’t there some Banbury Buildings pics in the early part of this thread, or Bubblemans thread? Sure I’ve seen some…
Re. Banbury Buildings, a colleague told me last week that they’d “take you on at 7am, sack you at 9!” Hard firm I gather. Apparently, they made/delivered a lot of coal bunkers and prefab houses up until the 60s, about the time everyone realised that prefab houses were havens of damp, and gas fired heating became the norm…
Talking of prefab companies, anyone remember Cotswold Buildings of Standlake? Based on the business park (old gravel pit) beside A415. Used to be supplied by Sands and Gravels for years until they finished (I think) during last recession. Works re-opened as “Sturdy Concrete” and this firm restarted about 18 months ago as “L & M Sturdy Garages and Sheds”- I’m glad when I deliver to them the ticket is computerised, I wouldn’t want to handwrite their full name each load!
Theres only one picture of Banbury Buildings, a Buffalo and a Lynx, it’s the Albions I’d like to see, yes they were a hard firm to work for, the guy who ran the workshop topped himself, I also remember Sturdys and Cotswold Buildings but none of there drivers I also so worked for Compton Buildings, both as a mate and a driver and we were still delivering coal bunkers in the 70’s
BigG-Unit:
Was that the one opposite the Hardwick caravan park, or was that just a show/sales pitch.
That’s the one. Had a bright yellow cement silo, it’s now a creamy yellowish colour! Yard round there’s rough, we back up a ramp made of concrete waste to twin silos one with pea shingle, the other sand. We don’t do much in there, normally a shingle one day and a sand the next. They’re usually shut up by 2pm most days. The only other precast place we do is Leofric Buildings at Mickleton near Long Marston.
Dieseldogsix:
Muckaway:
Aren’t there some Banbury Buildings pics in the early part of this thread, or Bubblemans thread? Sure I’ve seen some…
Re. Banbury Buildings, a colleague told me last week that they’d “take you on at 7am, sack you at 9!” Hard firm I gather. Apparently, they made/delivered a lot of coal bunkers and prefab houses up until the 60s, about the time everyone realised that prefab houses were havens of damp, and gas fired heating became the norm…
Talking of prefab companies, anyone remember Cotswold Buildings of Standlake? Based on the business park (old gravel pit) beside A415. Used to be supplied by Sands and Gravels for years until they finished (I think) during last recession. Works re-opened as “Sturdy Concrete” and this firm restarted about 18 months ago as “L & M Sturdy Garages and Sheds”- I’m glad when I deliver to them the ticket is computerised, I wouldn’t want to handwrite their full name each load!
Theres only one picture of Banbury Buildings, a Buffalo and a Lynx, it’s the Albions I’d like to see, yes they were a hard firm to work for, the guy who ran the workshop topped himself, I also remember Sturdys and Cotswold Buildings but none of there drivers I also so worked for Compton Buildings, both as a mate and a driver and we were still delivering coal bunkers in the 70’s
I’ve heard about a fitter topping himself; didn’t say anything in case it was just a rumour.
Another “oldish” Oxon firm, Sheehans of Yarnton. I worked for them as a trainee plant operator '97 to '99. Run Hino 8 wheelers, and various skip wagons plus a T reg FH12 low loader. They’ve gone on short time now, 7.30 til 4 so I’ve heard. Their rival at one time was McKennas of Wheatley; think they started at the same time. (John Sheehan and Mick McKenna probably came over on the same boat! )
Kidlington Owner-Driver Steve Batemans’ old truck, parked alongside even older Volvo L70. Steve had to get rid of this truck as it was “too old” for Cemex, despite the fact it never struggled to pass an MOT.
W H Wallington & sons Chipping Norton
Sadly this has gone now !
Cotswold Carriers Chipping Norton
Paragon Upper Heyford Loading out of Battersea Power Station
altitude:
lightswitch:
Cotswold Carriers Chipping Norton0
Are they still going?
Yes Still going strong not long bought a new draw bar big Actros
lightswitch:
altitude:
lightswitch:
Cotswold Carriers Chipping Norton0
Are they still going?
Yes Still going strong not long bought a new draw bar big Actros
Good to know there still about, been going for a few years.
