Talking of old London firms…just wondered if any of the more “Senior drivers” here remember a firm called Radcliffes in South Norwood?
They used to have a yard in Albert Road off the main drag (Portland Road), right in the corner of a one way system, they used to specialise in TV, Film and Theatre work. Ran a fleet of Mercs IIRC, maroon /red colours, did alot of “Continental” work…the owner used to collect those huge steam powered traction engines for a hobby (no money in transport then!!!).
I think they went bust or where bought out by Luckings in the 80`s?
Yes I remember them, Removal Vans, or Pantechnecons, (Lovely word), but dont know anything aboout them, I did work for Luckings in about 1979/80 and they never owned them then.
Little Al
Little Al:
Bob Phillips, and Teddy, where two I remember very well, was Bob a very small man, with blondeish hair and blue eyes, sort of mini me version of robert redford, and Ted was a big Bloke with a Beard, I cant recall the others, and I can see those Comets with the Hiabs right behind the cab in Cabmont colours, was it green diamond on a buff sort of colour motor, or the other way round? also what was the firm where we used to tip out the newsprint? Alan
Thats a fair description of Bob. Ted had a 'tache when I knew him. I dont know where the drop was for the newsprint, I never tipped anything being on nights.
I never did take any pics all the time I worked there and since I got my PC i’ve spent hours trying to find someone with any pics of the Cabmont fleet. Thanks to Truckerash I now have a pic of one of their Daf 2800s.
You might find something under there full name of Cables and Montague ltd
they nust have been around for a few years before us, I think Cables was the Haulier, and Montague the money man, We never really had cameras in those days so didn’t worry about them, I also worked for Renwicks, and had a Split screen Daf, I think it was the 2600. or could have been 3200, the one with the full sleeper cab, after all those Atkis, Scammells and ERF’s this thing was heaven, talk about Cab happy, you couldn’t get me out of it, still looking for a photo though.
Alan
I ran for a short while for WHITBY METAL TRANSPORT, out of Barking, they had a fsome 141s, 111s a red 89, I had a 111, I only recall 1 driver, THE ACCOUNTANT, cannot recall his real name, I did a few M/E then mostly Italy, Are you around ACCOUNTANT, do you remember the times in the National Belgrade■■?.
Who was the London outfit with the green 88s/89s with red band 1/2 way up the cab■■? I remember a big man, something Brown■■? was his name.
Trev Taylor
PASTTRUCKING:
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Who was the London outfit with the green 88s/89s with red band 1/2 way up the cab■■? I remember a big man, something Brown■■? was his name.Trev Taylor
That sounds like Pentus Brown, but I didn’t think they were a London firm, Milton Keynes or somewhere near wasn’t it?
that was h.g.brown leighton buzzard aka pentas brown had maggies vabis 88/89 macks 110 any one remember cabmonts transcons in act colours or there 6 wheel d1000 used to load with him at chobham farm
mrken:
that was h.g.brown leighton buzzard aka pentas brown had maggies vabis 88/89 macks 110 any one remember cabmonts transcons in act colours or there 6 wheel d1000 used to load with him at chobham farm
Mr Ken, could you name the year? as I drove the 6 wheeler, and it was probably about 72/73 from memory I think the Reg was, SPU — K we used to do a lot of Castrol Oil work, and load at something I cant think off at Chobham Farm, I used to tramp with it up to Albert Docks Birkenhead and all along that northwest coast, it had a Perkins engine in it and kept breaking down, wouldn’t go over 30, until they found out someone had drove over the Air Filter, flattened it and put it back, once that was sorted it flew along.
I didn’t drive the ACT transcons though.
This is what I looked like back then, if its me you remember.
no sorry al it was later than that around 78 /79 remember the bloke put his hand out and slipped off the wing and broke his arm but a geezer i went to school with ole man workked as a fitter for george thou rember he lived back of greengate bus garage had a transit diesel bubble front and sometimes came home in lreg 110 sleeper
This is Paul’s Camper Van.
George Francis’s fitter was called Paul, here’s a photo of him, the Grey haired old chap in white overalls, he had a Volkswagen campervan , he was a miracle worker, one of those blokes who could tell your problem just by listening to the engine, even if the motor was in a puddle, he would just lie in it underneath to sort it, he used to check voltage by touch, or take blister’s off his hand with a rusty razor blade.
Dont make like that anymore. no health and safety then.
This is Francis’s yard Gate 9 Finland Yard, after one of his Fires’s, he shared it with a Fruit Haulage Company, anybody else out there work in the Surrey Docks Area, I remember an outfit Called Gayfrieght, they would be popular today, and Tommy Farrants Tippers.
Little Al
thats him al cant see photos but remember name paul boys name trev also sold a f10 to bloke from gayfreight they also had a place at manchester had tk boxvans also remember over there surry wharf parkers timber owen dives had ex davis long nose merc slt###f jc prout bfi armstrong hts myers usedto load at little groupage firm at atkinson wharf silwood street halls also daltons you can go on and on thanks red ken
PASTTRUCKING:
I ran for a short while for WHITBY METAL TRANSPORT, out of Barking, they had a fsome 141s, 111s a red 89, I had a 111, I only recall 1 driver, THE ACCOUNTANT, cannot recall his real name, I did a few M/E then mostly Italy, Are you around ACCOUNTANT, do you remember the times in the National Belgrade■■?.Who was the London outfit with the green 88s/89s with red band 1/2 way up the cab■■? I remember a big man, something Brown■■? was his name.
Trev Taylor
Would the firm be Mavetons out of North Farm Loughton?I seem to remember they had Scanias?
And the driver would be Henry Brown.I think Henry also worked for Essex at one time.
Would the firm be Mavetons out of North Farm Loughton?I seem to remember they had Scanias?
And the driver would be Henry Brown.I think Henry also worked for Essex at one time.
Mavetons were Green with a Yellow stripe, However they had another company they owned in the same yard who did exactly the same work and ran Volvo’s, Green with a Red stripe called D W Burns, the 3rd compnay in the yard was also owned by them and was called Hopepeak, mainy did recovery work , Blue with a white stripe. reason for three companies tripled the permits 
All were owned by Lou Saines and Nigel (■■) , who both looked like a couple of villians, and to be fair were extrememly handy with their fists and used them often during negotiations with drivers 
But were also extremely good with their lads and as long as you behaved you were well looked after 
Rikki-UK:
Would the firm be Mavetons out of North Farm Loughton?I seem to remember they had Scanias?
And the driver would be Henry Brown.I think Henry also worked for Essex at one time.Mavetons were Green with a Yellow stripe, However they had another company they owned in the same yard who did exactly the same work and ran Volvo’s, Green with a Red stripe called D W Burns, the 3rd compnay in the yard was also owned by them and was called Hopepeak, mainy did recovery work , Blue with a white stripe.
All were owned by Lou Saines and Nigel (■■) , who both looked like a couple of villians, and to be fair were extrememly handy with their fists and used them often during negotiations with drivers
lou was ok as long as you caught him before the pubs opened, i worked with him on poulters, a completely different bloke then.
Here is a picture of a Pierpoint Halpin trailer at scratchwood services somtime in about 77/78 we were parked up for the night on route to Italy as you can see we had bad snow in the UK img
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Little Al:
Hi 240 GardnerI dont recall John, as I was on nights, it was a lonely job and and I didn’t get to meet many of the other blokes, the number 44 rings a bell for that motor though.
What I can remember is Maurice brought down a Scania Vabis 76 from Blackburn one night, and I was allowed to bring it to London, I am not sure why, but I thought how nice that motor was, with its sprung seats, and power steering, after that cold atki, it was pure luxury.
I also remember them starting a Blackburn Flyer, and a new Scania 110 or 111 not sure which, it was a day cab, and had L registration which made it 1972, the drivers used to do that job didn’t last long, as it was a 12 hours a night driving job.
I also recall doing a Sunday job, I had a tiny 20 ft Trailer, and used to pick up Cucumbers around the farms in the Lea Valley, that was also a hard game, getting the trailer in and out of these small places, and handballing everything on, still when your only 22 it was a breeze.
If you have any photos of those motors I would really like to see them or obtain a book with them in. as I did not take any photos of that time in my driving career.
Regards Alan
The six wheel D1000 you mention was it a six wheel tractor unit in HTS colours white with blue chassis.If it is i used to see it in the early 70,s when they were dismantline london bridge.It had twin wheels on both rear axles i dont know if it was double drive,the cab seemed higher on the chassis than a normal D1000.I spoke to a driver on hts about this truck and he said it had a special engine in it an that fords had sealed the engine covers so if it went wrong it had to be returned to fords to be fixed this was at the time when bedfords had the KM with the detroit V6 hanging out the back of the cab and ive always wonderd if this ford was a proto type.Like i said i would see it with a short (33 ft) trailer loading the concrete blocks on london bridge about 72/73.Hopefully you can answer this as this lorry has always been a mystery to me.
that d1000 was a prototype got photos of that brs had one to it had 2 360cu d series engines in it when i was at sampson the fitters there were ex hts and used to talk about it
mrken:
that d1000 was a prototype got photos of that brs had one to it had 2 360cu d series engines in it when i was at sampson the fitters there were ex hts and used to talk about it
Thanks mr ken i was told at the time it had two engines an ran on one when empty an both when loaded, i did,nt put this in as it was only hear say it did look nice and like i said i always wanted to know the story behind it thanks again.
I have a suspicion that truck was used for one of Ralph Hiltons own hobbies, he owned a huge racing boat, it was blue and white and had the 888 on its side, it was on a low loader, and I beleive that 6 wheeled unit pulled it, could be wrong though.
Alan
sorry mart tried to post pics of that d1ooo got the hts one and brs one also found thay 110 off sammys with the ■■■■■■■ badge on g reg oog no but cant seem to post f all just keep returning back to where start not going to give up thou hope to get stuff on today