Chris Webb:
Tower Hill did run a lot of S - type Bedfords Spardo. A lot of people,including me, thought it was a London company that included Bow Bells transport.The first lift I got in a TK Bedford was a Tower Hill wagon.Driver picked me up at A1/A57 island near Worksop around midnight,loaded with spuds for Manchester and Liverpool markets**.It was a tandem axled trailer and I could swear it was bending in the middle.**How it got up Swallownest and Handsworth hills on the A57 outskirts of Sheffield I donât know,so Woodhead would have been a challenge.
There is an article on Tower Hill in one of Bob Tuckâs books that I have, when they loaded bricks at Peterborough they had to collect a load of spuds to go on top so they would be somewhere close to top weightâŚtwice! I think it was one of their drivers who was pulled for being overweight and rang the office, they told him to transfer some of the load onto his mates lorry; âThatâs no use, he has more weight on than meâ was his reply!
Chris Webb:
Tower Hill did run a lot of S - type Bedfords Spardo. A lot of people,including me, thought it was a London company that included Bow Bells transport.The first lift I got in a TK Bedford was a Tower Hill wagon.Driver picked me up at A1/A57 island near Worksop around midnight,loaded with spuds for Manchester and Liverpool markets**.It was a tandem axled trailer and I could swear it was bending in the middle.**How it got up Swallownest and Handsworth hills on the A57 outskirts of Sheffield I donât know,so Woodhead would have been a challenge.
There is an article on Tower Hill in one of Bob Tuckâs books that I have, when they loaded bricks at Peterborough they had to collect a load of spuds to go on top so they would be somewhere close to top weightâŚtwice! I think it was one of their drivers who was pulled for being overweight and rang the office, they told him to transfer some of the load onto his mates lorry; âThatâs no use, he has more weight on than meâ was his reply! :
Pete.
Sounds about rayt that Pete.I remember the driver was wearing ex army battledress,all insignia removed,there were quite a lot of drivers about in 50s and 60s wearing ex forces uniforms.I wore my old RAF one until I got a boiler suit.
I had RAF overalls when I was an apprentice fitter , 10 bob from the local surplus shop and a battledress blouse topped off with original yank baseball cap . 10 bob for the blouse and half a crown for the hat . when they got greasy enough to stand on their own , get some more and burn the old ones in the workshop stove .
Chris Webb:
Tower Hill did run a lot of S - type Bedfords Spardo. A lot of people,including me, thought it was a London company that included Bow Bells transport.The first lift I got in a TK Bedford was a Tower Hill wagon.Driver picked me up at A1/A57 island near Worksop around midnight,loaded with spuds for Manchester and Liverpool markets.It was a tandem axled trailer and I could swear it was bending in the middle.How it got up Swallownest and Handsworth hills on the A57 outskirts of Sheffield I donât know,so Woodhead would have been a challenge.
Thanks Chris, I didnât think I was dreaming, a common ennough occurrence these days though. And thanks too for mentioning Woodhead. Despite being back and forth across there often in the 90s I was driving along last week and thinking of times past when crossing to Hyde came into my brain. But I couldnât think of the name of the pass involved, tried and tried but it wouldnât come. I get a lot of days like that now.
Chris Webb:
Tower Hill did run a lot of S - type Bedfords Spardo. A lot of people,including me, thought it was a London company that included Bow Bells transport.The first lift I got in a TK Bedford was a Tower Hill wagon.Driver picked me up at A1/A57 island near Worksop around midnight,loaded with spuds for Manchester and Liverpool markets.It was a tandem axled trailer and I could swear it was bending in the middle.How it got up Swallownest and Handsworth hills on the A57 outskirts of Sheffield I donât know,so Woodhead would have been a challenge.
Thanks Chris, I didnât think I was dreaming, a common ennough occurrence these days though. And thanks too for mentioning Woodhead. Despite being back and forth across there often in the 90s I was driving along last week and thinking of times past when crossing to Hyde came into my brain. But I couldnât think of the name of the pass involved, tried and tried but it wouldnât come. I get a lot of days like that now.
A628 Woodhead Pass either the PS Scania has stopped or the Maritime guyâs on a kamikaze mission .
Oily
Chris Webb:
Tower Hill did run a lot of S - type Bedfords Spardo. A lot of people,including me, thought it was a London company that included Bow Bells transport.The first lift I got in a TK Bedford was a Tower Hill wagon.Driver picked me up at A1/A57 island near Worksop around midnight,loaded with spuds for Manchester and Liverpool markets.It was a tandem axled trailer and I could swear it was bending in the middle.How it got up Swallownest and Handsworth hills on the A57 outskirts of Sheffield I donât know,so Woodhead would have been a challenge.
Thanks Chris, I didnât think I was dreaming, a common ennough occurrence these days though. And thanks too for mentioning Woodhead. Despite being back and forth across there often in the 90s I was driving along last week and thinking of times past when crossing to Hyde came into my brain. But I couldnât think of the name of the pass involved, tried and tried but it wouldnât come. I get a lot of days like that now.
A628 Woodhead Pass either the PS Scania has stopped or the Maritime guyâs on a kamikaze mission .
Oily
You can see right up to the old phone box as you are coming up to that corner, but I assume that if itâs that busy going up then it should be just as busy coming down so, as you say, not the safest of overtakes given the power of both vehicles.
Buzzer:
Here is one of Richard Readâs ERFâs, Buzzer
Hi Buzzer ,great shot ,that could well be in the former Whitehead steel plant Newport ,Reads along with John Watkins of Abergavenny were the main hauliers again a great shot thanks ,regards Keith
The forerunner of The Scammell Scarab was the Mechanical Horse first built in 1933. The Scarab was
first introduced in 1947. In 1962 Scammell also introduced a 4 wheel Scammell Scarab.
0
I canât remember seeing any photos of these in use except for Scammellâs own publicity photos, certainly never saw one âliveâ.
Will pop some stuff on the Paul Gee thread âfodenwayâ
Hipwood & Grundy today Bolton, donât know if they are still going. They had a day cab 110 Scania converted by Unity conversions in Little Lever Street, Bolton and after seeing a picture I had my Scania done there as well, Buzzer.
Buzzer:
Hipwood & Grundy today Bolton, donât know if they are still going. They had a day cab 110 Scania converted by Unity conversions in Little Lever Street, Bolton and after seeing a picture I had my Scania done there as well, Buzzer.
I think it was one of their drivers who was pulled for being overweight and rang the office, they told him to transfer some of the load onto his mates lorry; âThatâs no use, he has more weight on than meâ was his reply! 
And thanks too for mentioning Woodhead. Despite being back and forth across there often in the 90s I was driving along last week and thinking of times past when crossing to Hyde came into my brain. But I couldnât think of the name of the pass involved, tried and tried but it wouldnât come. 
