^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don’t know about Ryton Sand and Gravel tyneside? Lime, Sand and Mortar and Alexandra Stone were absorbed into Tilcon though, Cornhill Insurance was another company Tillings purchased. R. Hanson haulage from Wakefield were part of the group as well, some of Tilcon’s drivers went there on refresher courses instead of going to Slaters.
Pete.
Spardo:
windrush:
tyneside:
Early photo TVTE Gateshead, I was just young at the time, Did Slaters morph into Tilcon ■■? TYnesideI’m not sure exactly how it came about but yes, they were part of the Thomas Tilling group of companies. As many know I worked for Tilcon from April 1975 until ther ‘sold’ the tipper side off in the early 90’s, first as a fitter then as a driver. When I started there they owned a host of companies that staff could get discounts with: Metal Box, Poole Pottery, Newey and Eyre electrics, Pretty Polly hosiery etc, and my father in law also worked for Tilcon in the office and we got a lot of Poole Pottery as wedding presents!
Arthur Slater ran his own transport company at Kirby Misperton near Pickering (the buildings are still there) and had a large fleet of mostly Fodens, flats, tippers, Ensign Tankers etc. He also had some quarries. He only had one arm, the result of a crash in the Monte Carlo rally. How he joined Tillings I know not, but presumably his livery was chosen for the TILCON part of the group? TILCON stood for Tilling Construction, an ‘umbrella group’ involving LSM and other smaller companies they brought up. Too involved to go into detail here!
In 1976 Tilcon’s driver training school was based at Slaters depot, they had a 1968 Foden tilt cab eight wheeler tipper and a similar artic and the instructors were ex Slaters drivers. Slaters themselves were still operating, but were changing over to Volvo artics. I did my class 2 training with them, a two week course, and the actual test was taken in Scarborough. I was the last person to go from our quarry, but existing company drivers had been given training on the Foden gearbox there when Tilcon started buying Fodens in the early 70’s.
Slaters did leave the group though, and they are no more alas, and the livery changed to a blue and white. Sorry about the long post!
Pete.
No need to apologise, Pete, a very interesting post. But I am surprised at the mention of Metal Box, I thought they were an American company. I did a lot out of their place near Mansfield (or was it Sutton, or both?) when I was driving for Rodney Closs, easy enough loads with little gear changing required on the road, but elfin safety loading? I think not, teetering on top of those high loads trying to spread outsize and heavy sheets. Probably lifted up there with them on a pair of forks.
Reminded of me of Raleigh bikes at Midlands Storage, come to think of it, might have done some Metal Box there too.
Easier and much preferred were the backloads to Metal Box, of tin plate from Velindre to Leicester as well as the other 2. Only problem there was the hanging about for hours on end then to be loaded in one sling, dropping packs individually along the trailer. In about 2 minutes flat.
This isn’t you is it “Spardo” [emoji12]?
My Dad is good friends with Rod he still sees him quite often
Rod in his younger days was known as a member of the Bulwell “Mafia”
tyneside:
Few more from the North East Tyneside
The late John Holgate’s Albion at Springwell, a lovely fella, sadly now long gone.
John ran a concrete mixer out of Houghton quarry (ARC) for many years, it was
always immaculate. Regards Kev.
gazsa401:
This isn’t you is it “Spardo” [emoji12]?
My Dad is good friends with Rod he still sees him quite often
Rod in his younger days was known as a member of the Bulwell “Mafia”
No, not me, that is after my time, ‘& Son’, ‘Pleatvale’ and full sleeper cabs came later. I had a Guy Big J and a spell on a 110 with a drop down couchette, the nearest I got to a sleeper cab. The Bulwell Mafia included Dave Barker and the chap we spoke of some time ago who had a sad end. His colours were different too in my day, a sort of turquoise which he shared with a firm from the NE, forget the name now.
I met Rod again some years ago in a local pub when I stopped the night at John and Jackie Hancock’s place, after they came back from America. Paul Evans and his wife might have been there too. Do you know them? Was it you who told me some time ago that your Dad knew Barry Marlow? I wonder how he is these days, will be knocking on if he still around. 
Adding to the mention of Tillings and Slaters Transport I was clearing out my bedside cabinet this week and found my certificate from when I did my Class 2 training at Slaters yard. ‘Matty’ was the instructor, an ex Slaters Foden driver, and he liked stopping reguarly at a cafe in Scarborough where we took the actual test so us pupils could treat him as we were on expenses! We did two trips around the town each afternoon, mornings were spent in the classroom, then on the thursday afternoon (tests were on a friday) one pupil washed the lorry while the test candidate went back to the lodgings in Pickering to revise, haha! 
After I passed my test he gave Tony (the other pupil, and also my roomate for my second week, who still had another week to do) and myself a short demonstration of using the 12 speed gearbox and then we both left for home. I was glad I passed first time as the following monday was our first wedding anniversary, I don’t think the missus would have been too pleased if I was back at Pickering for it! 
I assume Tony passed the following week, he drove a concrete pump for Tilcon in Bradford and was driving a Bedford KM but was being upgraded to a ‘Mickey Mouse’ cabbed Foden eight wheeler pump, but ‘Matty’ concentrated on me mostly as my test was first.
For my first week I shared the driving with a lad from Garforth who was a contract OD with Tilcon with his own mixer. He had been driving for years but found out that he didn’t actually have a licence to drive his six wheeler! 
He just had a one week course, there was nothing actually wrong with his driving but he had many years of bad habits to get rid of so I spent most of my first week perched up on the bonnet and bending my neck to see through the windscreen while he did the driving!
Pete.
windrush:
Adding to the mention of Tillings and Slaters Transport I was clearing out my bedside cabinet this week and found my certificate from when I did my Class 2 training at Slaters yard. ‘Matty’ was the instructor, an ex Slaters Foden driver, and he liked stopping reguarly at a cafe in Scarborough where we took the actual test so us pupils could treat him as we were on expenses! We did two trips around the town each afternoon, mornings were spent in the classroom, then on the thursday afternoon (tests were on a friday) one pupil washed the lorry while the test candidate went back to the lodgings in Pickering to revise, haha!For my first week I shared the driving with a lad from Garforth who was a contract OD with Tilcon with his own mixer. He had been driving for years but found out that he didn’t actually have a licence to drive his six wheeler!
Pete.[/quote
Nice story Pete,I’m an old sod,got my licence through Grandfather’s Rights.
I remember Slaters Transport,they did a lot of work out of Whitby Docks,paper and steel mostly I think.Not my photo.I never drove a Foden with a 12 speed box,was that the air change set up? I had one or two lifts with Dennifs from Kiveton Park,they had a sand pit at Doddington near Lincoln,when I was in RAF,they got some of the first 3 axled Foden units in March 1968 and they had air change lever next to steering wheel - looked real complicated to me.
Chris Webb:
Nice story Pete,I’m an old sod,got my licence through Grandfather’s Rights.
Me too Chris, nearest I came was the FCOS 5 yearly 5 day refresher course here in France (similar to the cpc they have in UK these days), which consisted of classroom lectures and multiple choice tests and one day on the road with an instructor and 2 other drivers crammed in the cab. The most important start to every day was all of us (I reckon about 20 drivers and the instructor) deciding which routier we were going to for lunch. in those days there was a choice of 6 within easy reach of Perigueux. 
Only one now. 
I faithfully filled in my test papers each time but was aware of my mate from the same firm looking over my arm at my answers each time. But it was self marking and, as a true Brit I was brutally honest about it, then found out on several occasions that he scored higher than me.
When did the HGV tests start in UK? I was at K&M at the time and a mate who had been driving longer than me (one of either brothers Pete or Barry Poole), but had had a break, failed it twice on ‘the bad habits’ that Pete mentioned. He would hold it on the clutch waiting to enter a main road, and apparently you are supposed to engage the handbrake and leave it in neutral. Easy to do now, but in the days of crash boxes and those little air valves the Atkis had, very difficult to find a big enough space on a busy main road.
Nice picture of the Fodens there, I reckon about 3 generations eh?
Chris and Spardo: you are both a lot older than me so wouldn’t have needed a test! I was the last to go there from our quarry, the fitter’s etc after that did theirs at Trent Training on the Eastwood by-pass. One of our drivers, Geoff Land an ex Loxley’s of Bonsall driver, only had a class three licence so Tilcon sent him there for his class two. I believe they had a Ford/Dodge/ or similar, a very short six wheeler. Anyway Geoff was coming down a steepish hill in the area to a ‘T’ junction and the instructor said that the road was clear so Geoff went to pull out. The instructor dropped the parking brake on, Geoff said he hit his chest on the wheel and he swears that the rear axle left the road! “It’s a stop sign, not a give way” the instructor said. Knowing Geoff as I did it’s a wonder he didn’t give the guy a good pasting! Once again it was a case of correcting many years of bad driving habits.
Actually one more chap, a fitter at Ballidon, did go to Tilcon’s training school after me. He started at the quarry the week after me, was a lot older and had owned his own little car repair and petrol station at Hulme End for twenty years or so. He was a brilliant (but slow) ‘old school’ fitter who had worked for Ellis Transport of Hartington before it became a BRS depot (there is a rare pic of their ERF in Pat Kennett’s 1st World of Trucks ERF book) but he couldn’t drive. He couldn’t even move a vehicle out of his workshop, his wife did that and tested them. Tilcon sent him to Pickering for a ten day car course, but he was sent back home after a couple of days as he was untrainable. I don’t think he was interested really?
Pete.
windrush:
Chris and Spardo: you are both a lot older than me so wouldn’t have needed a test!Actually one more chap, a fitter at Ballidon, did go to Tilcon’s training school after me. He started at the quarry the week after me, was a lot older and had owned his own little car repair and petrol station at Hulme End for twenty years or so. He was a brilliant (but slow) ‘old school’ fitter who had worked for Ellis Transport of Hartington before it became a BRS depot (there is a rare pic of their ERF in Pat Kennett’s 1st World of Trucks ERF book) but he couldn’t drive. He couldn’t even move a vehicle out of his workshop, his wife did that and tested them. Tilcon sent him to Pickering for a ten day car course, but he was sent back home after a couple of days as he was untrainable. I don’t think he was interested really?
Pete.
I took mine at Derby. Did all the manouvring then into the city,as soon as we got on the ring road the examiner told me to pull over into a lay-by in front of some shops.Says he had to pop to some shop or another n that I could have a smoke while he was gone, about 3/4hr later back he comes loaded down with bags n back to the test station we go. I’m thinking I’ve failed but was wrong,the instructor told me I’d passed before I’d left the station, the examiner had asked him if I was any good so he could get his shopping done the crafty buga
Ryton Gravel were an independent, family owned business & they sold out to Sita, the Waste Disposal
company, who mainly wanted the Landfill side of the firm as the Crawcrook Quarry had Landfill capacity.
In later years the Aggregates side was sold to R M C which then became CEMEX. The 2 quarries in
Northumberland, Caistron [ near Rothbury ] & Hedgeley [ near Powburn ] are now North East Concrete
& Crawcrook Quarry is disused & evidently is not now to be used as Landfill, but this was not part of
the deal when R M C bought the aggregates. Crawcrook has a CEMEX Concrete Plant but this is supplied
from Jarrow Wharf & Divet Hill. Hope this is some help. pushrod47.
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Thank’s for that Pushrod, I seem to remember that Ryton were Foden users?
Coomsey: on my last day of training (a thursday) it was ■■■■■■■ down with rain, I was getting homesick and fed up with going the same test route around Scarborough and peering through the Foden’s air wipers and steamed up screen! Matty was in the passenger seat, Tony perched up on the bonnet and nobody spoke. I thought I had driven ok, anyway we rode back to the old quarry we used for manouvering tests, did a few reverses and then went back to the yard. Matty said “Have you got it out of your system now then?” and I queried him. “You drove like a ***** idiot today, if you drive like that tomorrow then I’ve wasted ten days training you, now ■■■■ off back to the digs and Tony will wash the truck for you”. It was the shakeup call I needed and next day I was fine.
The examiner got in the cab and the first thing he asked was “Is the cab fastened down?” and I said it was. Apparently one day it wasn’t and it shot him up in the air during the emegency stop! All went well until we came to a ‘T’ junction where I knew we would be turning right and then immediately left and along an unmade road but of course I couldn’t let him know that I knew the route. A car was approaching from the left so I waited as I didn’t want to hold it up when turning left onto the rough track: “Why have you waited, you could have gone easily, make progress please”. Oh dear. Anyway I passed ok so no harm done. Matty very kindly let me buy him one more mug of tea and then I headed home.
The following week I took a loaded S39 tanker for MOT test at Derby, and found out it was a totally different experience to driving an empty truck. I also found just how many neutrals there were in a Foden gearbox as we only used the four direct ranges during training! 
Pete.
DEANB:
Slaters clipping.0
That’s the place Dean, still much the same now. The classroom was the first room above the entrance.
Pete.
Chris Webb:
windrush:
Adding to the mention of Tillings and Slaters Transport I was clearing out my bedside cabinet this week and found my certificate from when I did my Class 2 training at Slaters yard. ‘Matty’ was the instructor, an ex Slaters Foden driver, and he liked stopping reguarly at a cafe in Scarborough where we took the actual test so us pupils could treat him as we were on expenses! We did two trips around the town each afternoon, mornings were spent in the classroom, then on the thursday afternoon (tests were on a friday) one pupil washed the lorry while the test candidate went back to the lodgings in Pickering to revise, haha!For my first week I shared the driving with a lad from Garforth who was a contract OD with Tilcon with his own mixer. He had been driving for years but found out that he didn’t actually have a licence to drive his six wheeler!
Further to the " Grandfather Rights " comments regarding the HGV licence from Chris Webb, Spardo, and Windrush, I started driving
lorries just after my 21st birthday in April 1965, I drove a Leyland Comet flat that would carry about 8 tons, Over the next couple of
years, I drove a few artics as well. Early in 1968 I started bus driving for Ribble Motor Services and stayed there until early 1970.
Of course, I missed out on the Grandfather Rights entitlement. I then started for Robert Baillie from Horndean driving 32 ton artics,
as then I could drive just about anything until my little red driving licence expired in October 1970. About a week before my licence
expired, I took an artic down to Horndean and met Ray Golds RIP, the HGV driving instructor, he said " I am not going to teach you to
drive, I am going to teach you to pass the HGV Class 1 driving test ", I spent 1 day with Ray driving around Hampshire, and the next
day went to Lancing in Sussex and passed the driving test. Had I have failed, the biggest I would be allowed to drive would have been
a 7 & half tonner, but my PSV licence permitted me to drive a 78 seat double decker bus that weighed just short of 10 tons, and fully
loaded with 78 passengers would be close to 16 tons. What strange laws and rules we have, I kept my Class 1 HGV licence going until
I was 69, when I no longer needed a HGV lorry, and did a couple more years with my Mercedes Sprinter van.Cheers, Ray.
Pete.
[/quoteNice story Pete,I’m an old sod,got my licence through Grandfather’s Rights.
I remember Slaters Transport,they did a lot of work out of Whitby Docks,paper and steel mostly I think.Not my photo.I never drove a Foden with a 12 speed box,was that the air change set up? I had one or two lifts with Dennifs from Kiveton Park,they had a sand pit at Doddington near Lincoln,when I was in RAF,they got some of the first 3 axled Foden units in March 1968 and they had air change lever next to steering wheel - looked real complicated to me.
pushrod47:
Ryton Gravel were an independent, family owned business & they sold out to Sita, the Waste Disposal
company, who mainly wanted the Landfill side of the firm as the Crawcrook Quarry had Landfill capacity.
In later years the Aggregates side was sold to R M C which then became CEMEX. The 2 quarries in
Northumberland, Caistron [ near Rothbury ] & Hedgeley [ near Powburn ] are now North East Concrete
& Crawcrook Quarry is disused & evidently is not now to be used as Landfill, but this was not part of
the deal when R M C bought the aggregates. Crawcrook has a CEMEX Concrete Plant but this is supplied
from Jarrow Wharf & Divet Hill. Hope this is some help. pushrod47.
thanks for that info. I often wondered what happened to Ryton. There used to be a few Albion Four wheelers running in their colours But I think a lot of them were owner drivers.
In the early seventies they had a mid base F86 Volvo four wheeler fitted with a Charrold coal auto bagger body. The weighing equipment was adapted for plastic bags. This went round the small building suppliers delivering bagged sand, much like a coal round.
Tyneside
DEANB:
Slaters clipping.0
What was the thinking behind the reverse rake on the windscreens Deano, not the best aerodynamics I would have thought?
BTW Chris, who are all these wannabeelorrydriver kids running about round our ankles?
Spardo:
DEANB:
Slaters clipping.0
What was the thinking behind the reverse rake on the windscreens Deano, not the best aerodynamics I would have thought?
BTW Chris, who are all these wannabeelorrydriver kids running about round our ankles?
Aye David,bloody ankle snappers,I’ve done more miles in reverse and on cafe lorry parks etc etc.
Chris Webb:
Spardo:
DEANB:
Slaters clipping.0
What was the thinking behind the reverse rake on the windscreens Deano, not the best aerodynamics I would have thought?
BTW Chris, who are all these wannabeelorrydriver kids running about round our ankles?
Aye David,bloody ankle snappers,I’ve done more miles in reverse and on cafe lorry parks etc etc.
Now if you had said “I’ve done more miles in the passenger seat of other firms trucks” then I might just have believed you Chris!
Reverse rake screens were for better foward vision, the S50 half cabs were the same. Those full cabs in the pic, the S60 and S70, were built in two versions, a steel one and another exactly the same but in fibreglass.
Pete.
Now if you had said “I’ve done more miles in the passenger seat of other firms trucks” then I might just have believed you Chris!
Ha ha,I asked for that Pete.
