This is my Pal Jimmy Blackburn whom I worked at Smiles for Miles with, This is his DIY Camper , Convereted from a Ambulance, Hes made a cracking job of it, Regards Larry.
Well heres wishing everyone on these threads, A very Merry Xmas & A very very Happy New 2021 Year, Regards Larry.
tyneside:
All the best to everyone on here, here are some old street scenes etc.Denton Burn didn’t realise the trolley system went that far out of town
Tyneside
Great photos, Bob.
IIRC the trolleys going out past the Denton Road roundabout ran a little further along the West Road to a terminus at Denton Square which had a turning circle about where the slip road now goes down to the southbound A1. There was a cleared area beyond that which is currently filled by the A1. That cleared corridor between Denton Burn and Dumpling Hall Estate was reserved as clear space in the 1945 Development Plan for the area (I think that was the responsibility of the City Council) as preparation for the A1 by-pass. It only took another 45 years to complete the work. Again going from memory the trolley route was service 34 from Denton Square to the East End of Newcastle. I can’t remember whether it ran out to Walker or on to Wallsend.
Let’s hope it doesn’t take 45 years from now to get back to normal life.
Best wishes for the New Year to all.
I well remember the Blenheim St model shop Tyneside, and paid many a visit with my son too every Saturday morning. It was reputed to be the oldest model shop in the country and advertised this in hobby magazines, it moved when the area was redeveloped but it was never the same and closed altogether shortly after. Some good pics there keep them coming and all the best for 2021. Franky.
Used to go into this company on a fairly frequent basis to deliver and also reload back for Bedford, they used to have a couple of Bedford TM’s if I remember correctly. Nmp
That’s right Kempston, the two TM’s were Van Hee motors and drivers although in British Engines yellow livery and signwriting. One had a day cab the other a sleeper, driven by Malcolm Milburn (RiP) and Dave Huntley (RiP). I’m not sure what happened to those vehicles between me leaving Van Hee and later returning when both these lads were back driving Van Hee liveried Scania’s, maybe Bumper who is also ex Van Hee and on this site will know but by then anyone would load out of or for the British Engines Factory. They did keep a 7.5 tonne Bedford TL with their own driver, a young lad, but he was prone to not wanting to go any distance or night out so took to reporting the clutch had gone on these occasions. However we got suspicious when it returned to the Van Hee Workshop (we did the repairs and servicing) for the third time in only a couple of weeks and a couple of clutch changes that it became obvious he was burning the clutch out on purpose. Needless to say they dispensed with his services! Some good loads out of the factory though to places like Havant, Poole and Oxford with pump components many of which I later became familiar with working for the Fire Service. Franky.
Hi Tyneside, the bus obviously a Northern No 604 CN 6100 en route to TVTE was a Northern own build SE6 side engined model listed as built in 1934. Luckily it has survived and was under reconstruction at Bensham. but possibly moved to Beamish Museum.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Frankydobo:
That’s right Kempston, the two TM’s were Van Hee motors and drivers although in British Engines yellow livery and signwriting. One had a day cab the other a sleeper, driven by Malcolm Milburn (RiP) and Dave Huntley (RiP). I’m not sure what happened to those vehicles between me leaving Van Hee and later returning when both these lads were back driving Van Hee liveried Scania’s, maybe Bumper who is also ex Van Hee and on this site will know but by then anyone would load out of or for the British Engines Factory. They did keep a 7.5 tonne Bedford TL with their own driver, a young lad, but he was prone to not wanting to go any distance or night out so took to reporting the clutch had gone on these occasions. However we got suspicious when it returned to the Van Hee Workshop (we did the repairs and servicing) for the third time in only a couple of weeks and a couple of clutch changes that it became obvious he was burning the clutch out on purpose. Needless to say they dispensed with his services! Some good loads out of the factory though to places like Havant, Poole and Oxford with pump components many of which I later became familiar with working for the Fire Service. Franky.
Used to love going up to Tyneside Franky, delivered to many manufacturers up there, some parent companies (Parsons and I forget the name of the one south side of the Tyne) ship yards etc all heavy engineering. Meant a night out in sin city as we called it ( Whitley Bay). Van Hee’s used to come down to the engineering company I drove for in Bedford, NEI W.H. Allen. Usually four wheeler scanis’s.
Cheers Kempston, the other company may have been Clarke Chapman another big Engineering firm. I do think I went to Allen’s but maybe only once or twice, those four wheeler Scania’s did a lot of work and paid for themselves over and over, my first trip in one was down to Cornwall with a mining machine and loaded China Clay back to Stoke, very reliable motors. The same wagon below and a similar machine. Franky.
Hi Franky, Thanks for posting these great photos, Malcom Milburn lived opposite me, His good lady still does, I remember him saying that the Bedford had propshaft issues, Plus I new Davy Huntley when he was at Jakeys, Sadley both gone, Stay safe & all the best for 2021, Regards Larry
Lawrence Dunbar:
Hi Franky, Thanks for posting these great photos, Malcom Milburn lived opposite me, His good lady still does, I remember him saying that the Bedford had propshaft issues, Plus I new Davy Huntley when he was at Jakeys, Sadley both gone, Stay safe & all the best for 2021, Regards Larry
Talking about Jakeys I’ve only just heard that young Jimmy passed on last August.
Hi Larry , Franky , how are you both doing ,all the best for 2021, sorry to here about Jimmy Adams , spent a lot of time in there when training on the machines and got to know the lads in workshop and warehouse ,and already new a lot of the drivers ,all nice people.
Good to see you are both still active on here and the amount of transport history and knowledge you and Frankydobo have between you is amazing,
Was looking forward to the re union this year, but its been a bit of a stinker of a xmas this year to say the least ,but its going to be a better 2021 and we will get together at another do soon or rally(or somewhere with drink involved )
Take care both of you and all the best,stay safe Paul
Frankydobo:
Cheers Kempston, the other company may have been Clarke Chapman another big Engineering firm. I do think I went to Allen’s but maybe only once or twice, those four wheeler Scania’s did a lot of work and paid for themselves over and over, my first trip in one was down to Cornwall with a mining machine and loaded China Clay back to Stoke, very reliable motors. The same wagon below and a similar machine. Franky.
0
Hi Franky
Just wondering if you can remember when Tony Van Hee had the yard at the bottom of Beacon Lough Bank, next to the Victoria pub.
Tyneside
tyneside:
Frankydobo:
Cheers Kempston, the other company may have been Clarke Chapman another big Engineering firm. I do think I went to Allen’s but maybe only once or twice, those four wheeler Scania’s did a lot of work and paid for themselves over and over, my first trip in one was down to Cornwall with a mining machine and loaded China Clay back to Stoke, very reliable motors. The same wagon below and a similar machine. Franky.
0Hi Franky
Just wondering if you can remember when Tony Van Hee had the yard at the bottom of Beacon Lough Bank, next to the Victoria pub.
Tyneside
I remember it Bob, the motors were signwritten as “Smith and Van Hee”. Regards Kev.
Hi Kev, They also had a traffic office on the Quayside, Next door to The Baltic Chambers Building which was owned by Baxters Road Services in those long gone good times, Anyway all the best Kev for the future, Regards Larry.
Hi Franky
Just wondering if you can remember when Tony Van Hee had the yard at the bottom of Beacon Lough Bank, next to the Victoria pub.
Tyneside
Not off the top of my head Tyneside but would have been sometime in the 60’s to 70’s maybe, I would think Bumper would know the date more precisely. The office at the Quayside Larry mentioned would have been when it was Smith and Van Hee, the original company when his Father was co owner. I do have this photo of the Pelaw yard from Bumper Russell with AEC Ergo and Seddon 13:4:354 four wheelers along with the 86’s, Transcons and Tony’s pride and joy the Volvo F89. This must be from late 70’s, when I got there 1981 only two F86 units remained on local work and about four Seddons with the Sed Aki 200’s replacing them. Franky.
