These pictures of lorries of McWalter Transport of Balmullo near St. Andrews in Fife
were given to me yesterday, July 7th, 2019, by “DIESEL” at the British Commercial
Vehicle Museum in Leyland, Lancashire. Ray Smyth.
Ex NHS Leyland Beaver MUM 289 at the 21st Leyland Gathering yesterday, July 7th, 2019,
at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Leyland, Lancashire. Ray Smyth.
Leyland Clydesdale of Ivor Owen & Sons, Minera, near Wrexham,
seen yesterday in Tarmac colours at the 21st Leyland Gathering
in Leyland, Lancashire. Ray Smyth.
The Hague 8 wheelers and artics loaded with reels was Newsprint from Bowaters Ellsmere Port mill for the Scottish Newspapers. Also hagues used to haul a lot of Veg up to Glasgow markets. I think they ran a night trunk to Glasgow in the day. IIRC they were bought out by WCF ( West ■■■■■■■■■■ Farmers) but not sure when.
The funny looking FORTH artic with the single axle trailer was what was called “a Snowcat” and they were built by Albion exclusively for Forth/ Caledonian/McKinnon and based on the 4 Cylinder Chieftain chassis. We had a Driver at Bewick Transport called Duncan McMinn who lived in Kendal but was a native of Dumfries and he had driven for The Caledonian in earlier years and had spent much of that time driving “Snowcats” and he cursed them as not only were they under powered/braked they were also freezing in winter and boiling in summer. Cheers Bewick.
Hi Dennis, I believe the Snocat cabs were built by Walter Alexander Coachworks at Falkirk (the bus coachworks today) Walter Alexander was a major shareholder in the Tay Forth group.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Hi Dennis, I believe the Snocat cabs were built by Walter Alexander Coachworks at Falkirk (the bus coachworks today) Walter Alexander was a major shareholder in the Tay Forth group.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Aye Gerald your right about those cabs being built by a sister co. Alexanders and now come to mention it we had a Preston based Driver called Dave McMurtrie who was originally from Kilmarnock where he had driven for McKinnons and I now recall him talking about, and abusing, Snowcats as well ! Cheers Dennis.
Well in the early 60s they used to run a trunk service to Darlington , I was friendly with one or two of their drivers, Who used to have a break at the cafe at Scremerston, They were loaded for Paton & Baldwins,factory, They hated these motors , But they reckoned the pay was good, IIRC They were Scammell trailers & The Albions had a two speed axle.Which was the only one that could be use because Albions own axel was too high being fitted from the top. 
This is what I was told by older drivers that I had the pleasure to work with, 
Regards Larry .
Thanks to Buzzer, pv83 and Ray Smyth what a fine input. One more Buzzer in memory of a gentleman who we know as Saviem(RIP).
Oily
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well in the early 60s they used to run a trunk service to Darlington , I was friendly with one or two of their drivers, Who used to have a break at the cafe at Scremerston, They were loaded for Paton & Baldwins,factory, They hated these motors , But they reckoned the pay was good, IIRC They were Scammell trailers & The Albions had a two speed axle.Which was the only one that could be use because Albions own axel was too high being fitted from the top.
Now then Mr. D. if you look closely at that shot of the FORTH Snowcat fleet No 724 it has the Albion HR axle fitted ! Cheers Dennis.
I stand corrected Dennis, It must have had a fith wheel rather the the Scammell Automatic Type, Regards Larry.
Bewick:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well in the early 60s they used to run a trunk service to Darlington , I was friendly with one or two of their drivers, Who used to have a break at the cafe at Scremerston, They were loaded for Paton & Baldwins,factory, They hated these motors , But they reckoned the pay was good, IIRC They were Scammell trailers & The Albions had a two speed axle.Which was the only one that could be use because Albions own axel was too high being fitted from the top.Now then Mr. D. if you look closely at that shot of the FORTH Snowcat fleet No 724 it has the Albion HR axle fitted ! Cheers Dennis.
No comment on the Munro’s atki Dennis ? Roping over the flysheet , and the whole mess looks like it was sheeted by a one armed blind man .
Lawrence Dunbar:
I stand corrected Dennis, It must have had a fith wheel rather the the Scammell Automatic Type, Regards Larry.
Next quest Larry! are there any shots of a Snowcat with an Eaton axle ? but I’m not sure about some of them having a 5th wheel as I think they used the Scammell Coupling but then again it’s such a long while ago they could easily have used both types ! Cheers Dennis.
rigsby:
Bewick:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well in the early 60s they used to run a trunk service to Darlington , I was friendly with one or two of their drivers, Who used to have a break at the cafe at Scremerston, They were loaded for Paton & Baldwins,factory, They hated these motors , But they reckoned the pay was good, IIRC They were Scammell trailers & The Albions had a two speed axle.Which was the only one that could be use because Albions own axel was too high being fitted from the top.Now then Mr. D. if you look closely at that shot of the FORTH Snowcat fleet No 724 it has the Albion HR axle fitted ! Cheers Dennis.
No comment on the Munro’s atki Dennis ? Roping over the flysheet , and the whole mess looks like it was sheeted by a one armed blind man .
Aye Dave I’ve seen this shot before and it looks like it was a publicity shot by Atkinsons for what looks like a new unit but I agree for a Scotsman the R & S is a ■■■■■■■ disgrace which is a surprise. It could have been a load out of Davidsons Muggiemoss mill or there was a number of paper Mills operating in the Aberdeen area at that time years ago ! Cheers Dennis.
Dennis, the earlier Caledonian Albion Chieftains had Scammell couplings and Penman cabs, I once got a lift in a hanging meat artic from Penrith to Lancaster loaded with about 12 tons of beef. It was pathetically slow on the hills especially up past Shap Granite works and from the Pink Quarry up onto the summit,however the little 4 cylinder Albion kept slogging away and got me there eventually. I once saw one of these Chieftain tractor units in Milburn Motors at Carlisle that had had its trailer back end run into with something heavy on the A6 about Wragmire Bank. The chassis was doubled up in a U shape for and aft and the cab was only fit firewood. God help the driver. The Sno Cat models were built on the updated Chiftain chassis that normally took the LAD cab introduced in 1958 and hub reduction axle.
Here are some official Caledonian photos plus some company details.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Leyland600:
Dennis, the earlier Caledonian Albion Chieftains had Scammell couplings and Penman cabs, I once got a lift in a hanging meat artic from Penrith to Lancaster loaded with about 12 tons of beef. It was pathetically slow on the hills especially up past Shap Granite works and from the Pink Quarry up onto the summit,however the little 4 cylinder Albion kept slogging away and got me there eventually. I once saw one of these Chieftain tractor units in Milburn Motors at Carlisle that had had its trailer back end run into with something heavy on the A6 about Wragmire Bank. The chassis was doubled up in a U shape for and aft and the cab was only fit firewood. God help the driver. The Sno Cat models were built on the updated Chiftain chassis that normally took the LAD cab introduced in 1958 and hub reduction axle.
Here are some official Caledonian photos plus some company details.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Thanks for the gen Gerald, they were a large operator in their day ! The only time I came in contact with any of the Caledonian was a couple of them that were on the Carnation contract used to stay in the same digs as Eric and me in Llansamlet when I was a trailer mate at Brady’s. They both had Ergo Beavers and they tipped down at Whitland and then reloaded tin plate from S. Wales back to Dumfries. I will always recall that one the Caly drivers was called “Baldy” Keenan a grand L’al chap and totally bald ! Cheers Dennis.
There are no ropes or straps over this load of cement with 100% guarantee that the load is secure and no bag will slip off, however VOSA man would have a fit today if he saw this “insecure load” according to him.
Happy carefree haulage days, Cheers Leyland 600.
Leyland600:
There are no ropes or straps over this load of cement with 100% guarantee that the load is secure and no bag will slip off, however VOSA man would have a fit today if he saw this “insecure load” according to him.
Happy carefree haulage days, Cheers Leyland 600.
Would that ERF have been a shunter ? as I notice there are no mudguards on the drive axle Buzzer.