hi fellas interesting thread me being a londoner my dad worked for a firm westminster transport in kings cross in the 50s and early 60s I recall all the firms mentioned interesting thomas paine this was a huge fleet in the 60s and 70s it included other firms it had taken over but still ran with their original names such as thomas allen and I think firmin or something like that old man paine known as tinker was ok my dad work there in the 60s they were once known as the pride of london as the fleet was so well kept , I worked for a firm called “abdee” for a while ran by fred abdee this small firm was all that was left of thomas paine it still had some of paines contracts such as running cocoa beans to the people who made paynes poppets (no relation) they were at croydon and they had a factory in swindon which made red label tea bags for sainsburys I would go to swindon 3 or 4 times a week with tea, this was the last artic job I had I jacked after about 6 mths after being broke down on building site with a load of steel I sat there all day while they sorted out I suppose the cheapest way of getting me out, they ran 2 bedford tms with ■■■■■■■ nos were I think egc159x egc157x 2 daf 3300 1 daf2800 and a couple of rigids after this I got a job emptying bottle banks for a small firm in poplar east london good earner but crap old ex cleanaways f7 volvos but as only local it was ok and then in 1990 i got a job with my brother in law as a bank messenger in the city of london and spent 12 very happy years there until redundancy now work for a college in london doing all sorts but would not go back driving
mushroomman:
peterm:
Are you sure about the colour. When I worked for London Carriers, they were green. They were owned by Philips electrical, and ran out of what was called ‘the croydon unit.’Hi Peterm, I will alway’s remember London Carrier’s having smart green motor’s in the 70’s and the 80’s and you saw them all over the country. My mate John took this photo when he did a bit for them which I think was in the 90’s.
I prefered the green livery myself.Go The Bronco’s
.
Sorry, I dropped right off the radar with this one. They were smart looking motors, but I wasn’t driving then, I was working on them at Woldham ? Rd workshops in Bromley.
We used to do all repairs there, from punctures to three yearly overhauls. I remember trying to knock a knackered shackle pin out of the back axle of a leyland Steer: I was the 16 year old with a 14 llb hammer (nearly as heavy as me at the time) swinging it sideways. I got it all wrong and caught the handle which snapped and sent the head flying across the workshop, while I went spinning off the other way. You shoulda seen 'em all move with a 14 llb hammer head spinning around the place. 
There’s a few stories about that place, but it’s the wrong thread.
Nice to see a mention of the Armstrong firm from Old Jamaica Road, Bermondsey
great photos great lineup !!
Chas Armstrongs, one of the good un’s , the motors while older were always immaculate, we used to share work with them when I was on Gains Transport when we were quiet we would subby of them and used to pass over a lot of the palletised work we had as we only ran flatbeds.
the demise of Surrey and Rotherhithe docks into poncy apartments for city gents means those old SE London companies have gone… given the history of the area its a real shame
Mark R:
I spent most of the 70s riding up and down the A13 with my dad in his eight wheel Scammell tipper, the fims i remember most were Harris Haulage from Purfleet { green Scanias } Brain Haulage, Drapers, Cabmont, and what about RJB Neales fleet of yellow Leyland Marathons! The list of hauliers from London is endless, i have photos of many of them,i will have to sort them out. I Also remember Crow tankers, GL Baker, Milehams and BJ Myers, and Chris Hudson, i could go on all day!!!
I too spent many of the 70s riding up and down the A13 with my late father. He worked for Hays Transport who were based in Ripple road Dagenham. I remember the firms you mention especially Brains. Hays went bust in the late 70s, so many names not around anymore.
Armstrongs:
Nice to see a mention of the Armstrong firm from Old Jamaica Road, Bermondsey - here are a few pics of the fleet
I am sure it was Armstrongs I have asked about before. Did they end up on Choats road on the way to Dagenham Dock near Williams old tank farm?
—^—
Who runs out of this yard, there are always some nice looking maroon Scanias in there and have been for years? It looks like K&L Transport but also seems to be a multi-user yard. On the way to Factory road and Tate & Lyles.
Also I have seen Cables Montague were on Greenwich Way, was this accessed from the A13 just beyond the city side of the Tunnel. I had an oil delivery in Leytonstone iirc. When I arrived the delivery point was too tight to get in with a stepframe so I was sent somewhere to borrow a 20’ skelly after lifting the tank off in the LIFT. I am more and more sure it was Cabmont who lent me a trailer for that job, it then took me back for my box, go and deliver it and then reverse the process. I remember they were good lads in the office and gave me better directions back to the customer which was a lot quicker than the way I had come. At that time I hadn’t done much into London apart from a regular load of polybins into Erith before the M25
It was during that escapade that I first came across Geoff Waddilove when he was a young bloke!
Anyone remember this firm?
Close up
Rikki-UK:
Chas Armstrongs, one of the good un’s , the motors while older were always immaculate, we used to share work with them when I was on Gains Transport when we were quiet we would subby of them and used to pass over a lot of the palletised work we had as we only ran flatbeds.the demise of Surrey and Rotherhithe docks into poncy apartments for city gents means those old SE London companies have gone… given the history of the area its a real shame
I did a piece for a couple of the mags when my Dad (Frank) passed away shortly after the firm closed for good when the jubilee line extension went under the yard, sad day indeed. The firm had moved previously from sharing the yard earlier with Richardsons and Bowkers opposite the lilliput Hall, to a yard a bit further down the arches in Old Jamaica Road only about two yards down. Its all gone now, the place is unrecognisable to what it was. We never moved over to Dagenham Docks. We shot some video footage of the fleet etc on closing day, I need to get it put onto disc.
Steevo:
Anyone remember this firm?
Yes I remember Sibbons from my time going with the old man around London’s Dockland in the 60’s, we used to load from Abbots Wharf (or Lane?) off Tooley Street, Rank’s at Sivertown amongst other’s. I guess that a lot of the old companies have long since departed. 
Pete.
Wheel Nut:
http://goo.gl/maps/AoH1—^—
Who runs out of this yard, there are always some nice looking maroon Scanias in there and have been for years? It looks like K&L Transport but also seems to be a multi-user yard. On the way to Factory road and Tate & Lyles.Hi wheelnut,The yard in factory road is Johnnie wooton,s,he used to run a bonneted 144 six wheel scania unit with all the chrome stacks and lights a few years ago.He also had micky youngs yellow 143 and sprayed it in his colors mettalic deep red.A few of the old s j selfe drivers worked for him and one still does.They origenally had a lot of tipper trailers an 8 legger scania tippers but now they do containers i think mainly for tate,s.A few years ago one of their drivers got killed while tipping a trailer in the ready mix yard in the highway,soon after they changed the name of the company.
I did a piece for a couple of the mags when my Dad (Frank) passed away shortly after the firm closed for good when the jubilee line extension went under the yard, sad day indeed. The firm had moved previously from sharing the yard earlier with Richardsons and Bowkers opposite the lilliput Hall, to a yard a bit further down the arches in Old Jamaica Road only about two yards down. Its all gone now, the place is unrecognisable to what it was. We never moved over to Dagenham Docks. We shot some video footage of the fleet etc on closing day, I need to get it put onto disc.
Was your dad Frank Soper ?who worked for Armstrong in the 70,s.I know Frank and his dad both known as Sonny worked there,they both left and worked for sgh for a while then old Frank got a job in east india dock for a freight firm.If anyone remembers these they were a right hand full,When i was a kid old Frank had a lovely commer two stroke and he used to park it in carr street limehouse.Back in the 50,s there was his lorry and the regans meat box and a general express artic parked up there.Looking back its hard to believe these lorrys got down such small streets.My own dad was on yiddle davis,s then an had an s type bedford with a comet engine an he,d park in maroon street where we lived.
Surprised that no one has mentioned Geo Brett & Son from the East India dock.
Dodgy Permit:
Surprised that no one has mentioned Geo Brett & Son from the East India dock.
was he the guy who dissapeared with his 10 year old son never to be seen again , I am sure some guys were convicted of their murder in the late 70s in essex
eastender:
Dodgy Permit:
Surprised that no one has mentioned Geo Brett & Son from the East India dock.was he the guy who dissapeared with his 10 year old son never to be seen again , I am sure some guys were convicted of their murder in the late 70s in essex
Yes it was & there was indeed a conviction.
The firm did though carry on for a spell with other family members trying to keep things going, but I guess their minds/thoughts were elsewhere seeing as what had gone on.
He did though run a very tidy fleet at the time.