Mal:
Marky, we had a Wilkinsons round here, they got bought out by federal express, as did all the other depots as far as I know. the depot is still there but is ran by nightfreight now.
Yes. Wilkinson became Lex Wilkinson and was bought out by Fed Ex during the great parcels revolution started by TNT in the early 1980s.
The man who owned Inter County Express and who sold out to TNT was, if I recall correctly, George Dickinson. He later started up again as Green Line in Burnley, and that business was subsequently sold to Nighfreight. Did ICE trade as Dickinson at one time, perhaps?
Dickinsons is definitely the name of what became Inter County, their wagons were light blue. I read an article many years ago about them starting with an Albion 5 tonner. Another one I remember is Fearings Transport from Burnley who I think had alot of single axle artics and also Feather & Kent from Colne with AEC Marshalls
boden:
Dickinsons is definitely the name of what became Inter County, their wagons were light blue. I read an article many years ago about them starting with an Albion 5 tonner. Another one I remember is Fearings Transport from Burnley who I think had alot of single axle artics and also Feather & Kent from Colne with AEC Marshalls
I think that Greenline was built on the basis of an existing local haulage firm (or two), and I’m not sure now whether Fearings might not have been one of them.
Reading about ‘Parkers’ do any of you Bolton lads remember Chris that drove the bull nose International ‘Parkers’ mack, we loaded steel with 'Parkers out of Watsons on Swan lane.
I thought London Carriers was actually Phillips(electronics) in house operation. They were among the first to move into Heywood Ind Estate after it was converted from an RAF MU which would be 71/72. Around 91 I was told their wagons which seemed to be Renaults, were on hire from Ryder.By that time they were panted grey with Phillips on the side, but I havent seen them around for a long time.
Talking of Internationals,what a happened to Bradleys of Accrington with all those Loadstar units, at least one of which remains in preservation. They used to advertise in CM for second hand units to purchase,they were built at Doncaster with Perkins 6.354 engine
boden:
I thought London Carriers was actually Phillips(electronics) in house operation. They were among the first to move into Heywood Ind Estate after it was converted from an RAF MU which would be 71/72. Around 91 I was told their wagons which seemed to be Renaults, were on hire from Ryder.By that time they were panted grey with Phillips on the side, but I havent seen them around for a long time.
Talking of Internationals,what a happened to Bradleys of Accrington with all those Loadstar units, at least one of which remains in preservation. They used to advertise in CM for second hand units to purchase,they were built at Doncaster with Perkins 6.354 engine
yes indeed, London carriers was a part of Philips Electrical, and it used to be the case that all Philips work that hauliers did was done through London Carriers.
I recall that they were sold off, perhaps in the early to mid 90s, but I can’t remember for the life of me to whom.
Bradley’s dwindled and dwindled over the years, from a 100+ fleet (also incorporating East Lancs Carriers and a depot at Weston-super-Mare) to a fleet of about 3 or 4 motors by the time I came to live in the Accrington area in the late 80s. They also operated a self-drive van rental fleet. I think that they subsequently packed in altogether.
One of their Internationals was restored by Bob Parker in ■■■■■■■ and was subsequently driven over Shap on at least one occasion by a former Bradley’s International driver! This wagon wasn’t new to Bradley’s (I think it was Howarth’s of Royton) but it did genuinely operate in the Bradley’s fleet.
Bob did also restore a second International in Bradley’s colours, but that one had originated elsewhere.
If this Inter that you speak of is that rather low slung but large bonneted model, Ilkeston Haulage tried one out in the 60s but on the first trip out the brakes weren’t man enough to hold it down a moderately steep slope not far from the depot. It ended up with it’s nose embedded in the canal bank at the bottom (fortunately the canal was above the road level). Not sure if the driver was unable to make the right angled turn or if he chose that as the lesser of 2 evils. Within 20 yards was another turn onto the narrow ricketty wooden bridge that took the lane over the canal. .
Never saw it in the fleet after that, which incidentally consisted almost entirely of Scammell Highwaymen and Park Royal cabbed Mandators.
ive just thought of another is it still going? ripponden & district carriers, thats what i think the name is, they used to have very old fashioned looking boxvans
Ripponden got swallowed by United Carriers in the Bunzl days, then UC went through a serious identity crisis buying companies such as Tom and Jerry (Thomson Jewitt) and eventually turned into Mansped (UCI)
it’s a shame when these big companies go round swallowing the smaller ones up, well, i thinkij it is, come to think of it, i really hate big companies! merry xmas to everyone barrin big companies who are total ■■■■■!
Anyone remember Jos Walsh?, here’s MTD 535G, I was a mate with Ronnie O Hare on this Atki which he had from new, it had a 180 Gardner with a ZF box which was great for the low loader work that we did.
i cant say for sure if i remember seeing their motors about, i mean you see so many. but if they were knocking about after 1980 i might well have seen them!
Got loads knocking about but this photo is of GTD 299B the driver is John Nowell(thats not him but me in the photo when I was twenty) and along with Brian Maloney(Brian later went on to work for Wynns ending up a driver there) and myself we transported this prop for the QE2 to the Clyde back in 68/69 not too sure, Walsh’s actually delivered three of the props for the QE2 the fourth one coming up from London(I think) the old girl had a 220 ■■■■■■■ with a Fuller box but originally being delivered with a ZF which later went into MTD 535G,
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and along with Brian Maloney(Brian later went on to work for Wynns ending up a driver there) and myself we transported this prop for the QE2 to the Clyde back in 68/69 not too sure, Walsh’s actually delivered three of the props for the QE2 the fourth one coming up from London(I think) the old girl had a 220 ■■■■■■■ with a Fuller box but originally being delivered with a ZF which later went into MTD 535G,