Very true my man Proper Fodens , They were a great old motor in my book, built to last, Maybey not the best to drive for some drivers, But Im sure the ones that could manage the old 12 speed G/Box, would agree that they had a gear for every hill & could pull weights well above anything else in their day, PACCA ,Was their downfall. Regards Larry The Fodenatic.
I wonder how many old drivers are still about, For instance Smiles for Miles, I myself worked there, & as far as I know Bobby Meggs the road forman is still about, Plus Jimmy Blackburn who now resides at Corbridge, Eddy Smith who lives near me at Ponteland, It would be great to hear from any of the old lads that worked there like myself, Regards Larry.
duncan bladen:
plenty of fodens
Including a Micky Mouse eh,it was driven by an old pal of mine Walter from Eldon lane.Well said Larry,i think you will remember the same bloke!!!
Well speaking of the old Mickey Mouse Foden, This one of ours could carry 16 Tonnes, But went a lot better with 20 Tonnes on its back, In fact I could go up Scotch Corner loaded with Spratts & only drop one gear, Happy days Eh, I mean the weight of the load was just guesswork, there was nowhere to get weighed in the middle of the anyway so every one carrying Spratts was in the same situation, Regards Larry.
v7victor:
duncan bladen:
plenty of fodensIncluding a Micky Mouse eh,it was driven by an old pal of mine Walter from Eldon lane.Well said Larry,i think you will remember the same bloke!!!
Aye of course I remember him Walter Bracegirdle, I used have bit crack with him when waiting to tip at Spillers we often had a cuppa in Jimmys Cafe opposite along with the late Ronnie Bright who also drove a Foden for Horne,s Regards Larry.
Hi Larry can you remember who lost the load of spratts on the tyne bridge, if i remember right think it
was Bill (crazzy) luntley but not sure? when he was an owner/driver with Fred jones old 8 wheel mk1 Atkinson.
8LXBV8BRIAN:
Hi Larry can you remember who lost the load of spratts on the tyne bridge, if i remember right think it
was Bill (crazzy) luntley but not sure? when he was an owner/driver with Fred jones old 8 wheel mk1 Atkinson.
It may have been him, but the only one I can recall was one of Andersons from Westerhope, Luntley didnt do very many loads, Well not when I was on the Fish Job, Nor did Jonesy, He once criticised my old Foden, which was totally uncalled for He said it was too old for the job being an E reg, So I replied to him that it wasnt as old as him so what was his ■■■■■■ problem, no comment at all, Regards Larry.
Fred used to run a Foden before he got the Atkinson defender 8 wheeler ,did his dad not drive the old mk1 Atkinson
and fred the Foden, was along time ago though.
8LXBV8BRIAN:
Fred used to run a Foden before he got the Atkinson defender 8 wheeler ,did his dad not drive the old mk1 Atkinson
and fred the Foden, was along time ago though.
Aye you may be correct, I think Luntley got the old Akti when old Fred retired, they used to do a lot of coal in those days, I remember when Fred was a fitter at the Stadium Garage Gosforth ERF Main dealers as you probabley know anyway, If my memmory is right he started off with a Merc Artic tipper running lime up to Scotland ■■?, Regards Larry.
v7victor:
mizzo:
Lawrence Dunbar:
v7victor:
Old one long gone from Middleton TyasAye I remember there motors very similar livery to the Tilcon colours, Regards Larry.
Good photo Vic, thats one long gone from my memory!!
Aye Les,we used to deliver there,but like you its going back a long time.Vic. Heres another Les going back nearly as far.
Hiya Vic, I can remember Hornes very well, am I right thinking I, (and others of course) delivered fuel there?
mizzo:
v7victor:
mizzo:
Lawrence Dunbar:
v7victor:
Old one long gone from Middleton TyasAye I remember there motors very similar livery to the Tilcon colours, Regards Larry.
Good photo Vic, thats one long gone from my memory!!
Aye Les,we used to deliver there,but like you say its going back a long time.Vic. Heres another Les going back nearly as far.
Hiya Vic, I can remember Hornes very well, am I right thinking I, (and others of course) delivered fuel there?
Yea you would do Les,their place was half way up the bank between West Auckland and Tofthill on the left,Frank Hudson uses the yard now.Vic.
Heres a blast from the past, BEST LTD, Blakes Express Service Transport, Things are a bit different these days, Regards Larry.
That pic Larry a bit of a reminder how I started out but it was early 1969 the Greenmarket Gateshead then a 1965 Thames Trader for Barkers at Annfield Plain
Lawrence Dunbar:
v7victor:
duncan bladen:
plenty of fodensIncluding a Micky Mouse eh,it was driven by an old pal of mine Walter from Eldon lane.Well said Larry,i think you will remember the same bloke!!!
Aye of course I remember him Walter Bracegirdle, I used have bit crack with him when waiting to tip at Spillers we often had a cuppa in Jimmys Cafe opposite along with the late Ronnie Bright who also drove a Foden for Horne,s Regards Larry.
Aye Larry,thats Walter,the last time i spoke to him he was in the Red Alligator at Bishop Auckland,could be about 12 year back,i don’t know if he is still around but ive never heard other wise.Vic.
Hiya Vic, yes I can remember Hornes yard now you’ve told me where it is/was, I think I took fuel to Hudsons as well!! As you know I did a lot of rigid work on Phillips/Petroplus and I’m sure we took heating oil to Mr Hornes house just outside of Shildon. Regards, Mizzo.
mizzo:
Hiya Vic, yes I can remember Hornes yard now you’ve told me where it is/was, I think I took fuel to Hudsons as well!! As you know I did a lot of rigid work on Phillips/Petroplus and I’m sure we took heating oil to Mr Hornes house just outside of Shildon. Regards, Mizzo.
Yea Les,your on the right tracks,old Fred lived just on the corner when you turned off the 68 for the yard, Don the son run the job in our days going there,i think he lived further out.Frank Hudson lived in West Auckland on the 68 going out towards the yard on the right, his manager a good mate of mine was a big lad about the same size as(Big hands) his name is Davey Williams.photo of Frank racing at Aycliffe many years ago.
![frankhudson[1].jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/trucknetuk/original/3X/e/2/e2ff72b4e59f5286931e05961cbaabab266b54e9.jpeg)
Aye you may be correct, I think Luntley got the old Akti when old Fred retired, they used to do a lot of coal in those days, I remember when Fred was a fitter at the Stadium Garage Gosforth ERF Main dealers as you probabley know anyway, If my memmory is right he started off with a Merc Artic tipper running lime up to Scotland ■■?, Regards Larry.
I remember Fred and his Dad at Alfie Ellis, young Fred was the Foreman and Bill Luntley was a young fitter, daft as a brush but kept us laughing. Some good fitters then, Ian Forrest, Davy Burns, Tommy Heads, Fred and Bill and an old guy called Roy Moon. A young lad called Paul Sore just out of his time went to Jakey Adams, I think to drive, anyone recall him. Franky.
Hiya Vic, did’nt know you were a stock car fan, from the 70’s until it closed I was at Aycliffe whenever possible, same with Hartlepool from the 80’s, got to a world final at the Odsall, on the fuel my favourite drop was Sam Ostle, always keen to talk about the stock cars and a pure gentleman to deal with. I was hoping to drive a formula 2 in the 80’s but my ‘sponsor’ changed his mind! Regards, Mizzo.
Hi Lawrence, I well remember tipping a load of apples here from Paddock Wood about 1964 soon after I started on my own with a BMC FHK 140. I was there again a few months later with along with my late pal from Ireby with a two loads of potatoes loaded off Hull docks. After getting tipped we both got chased out of St Andrews St by the big red faced copper who was being fed on whisky by the fruit and veg wholesalers in order to make more room for other wagons. We parked in Eldon Square and went back to get our notes signed which took some time, eventually getting back to our wagons we found two traffic wardens sticking parking tickets on our wagons saying that the sargeant had been round and we had to be ticketed. One warden pointed to a window in Eldon Square telling us that was where we paid our fine. My mate tells him we wont be paying any fines and anyway we thought the yellow paint on the lamp posts was for the trolleybuses recently departed. We drove down onto the Quay and walked back up to Pilgrim St police station. As we walked in the sargeant at the desk looked up and says “Two lads from ■■■■■■■■■■ I bet, do they still hitch their horses to the bank railings in Wigton? and I come to Ireby for my holidays” My mate says "well you had better look out next time you come to Ireby " Anyway after an amicable conversation about various folk in the Ireby district he knew and we knew we were told to bugger off and not park in Eldon Square again. We both got letters a few days later stating the charges had been dropped. Just goes to show there were some decent coppers then and a little local banter works wonders. My pal well known to Bewick revelled in this incident.
Cheers, Leyland 600
mizzo:
Hiya Vic, did’nt know you were a stock car fan, from the 70’s until it closed I was at Aycliffe whenever possible, same with Hartlepool from the 80’s, got to a world final at the Odsall, on the fuel my favourite drop was Sam Ostle, always keen to talk about the stock cars and a pure gentleman to deal with. I was hoping to drive a formula 2 in the 80’s but my ‘sponsor’ changed his mind! Regards, Mizzo.
Aye Les,my first meeting was Aycliffe in 1958 and i went till about 64,then other things took over you know drink and the fairer ■■■!!.started to go again about 75,i visited a lot of tracks inc H,pool-Odsall-Coventry-Skegy and a few others.Yea old Sam you always got a good bit of crack with him.One off my son v7robbie on T.N. In the bangers at Barford a couple of years ago.
