PAUL GEE's PHOTO COLLECTION (Part 1)

[short_walk]

Ref the plain white F10 my guess is a Dawson Rentals?

[buzzer]

Bewick:

DEANB:
“240Gardner” Chris you mentioned ATS.

I reckon we have all been parked at the side of the road waiting for a tyre fitter at some point.

Some good old companies in this brochure.

Click on pages twice to read.

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ATS were a wholly owned subsidiary of Michelin Tyres and they usually promoted Michelin although they did stock other brands. I could never understand why ATS were allowed by Michelin to involve themselves in the production of those poxy Sterling Remoulds !
IIRC National Tyres were owned by Dunlop. Motorway Tyres were owned by Avon Tyres ( I think) and Central Tyres were owned by Pirelli IIRC.
I always took a keen interest in our tyres at Bewick Transport as “rubber” was a major running cost and if neglected it would cause operational nightmares not to mention increased running costs. So even though we always ran a very careful tyre policy we still had premature tyre failures up and down the country mainly as a result of picking up debris off the roads. As we never carried spare wheels it meant calling out a Tyre Service and our standing instructions were always to have a new Michelin case fitted but occasionally one of the Tyre Walla’s would try and put one over on us on the basis that the “spurious” tyre they fitted outside hours was the only one of that size that was available at the time. So as soon as the trailer or unit came back to base our tyre fitter removed the “offending” case and we returned it to our current supplier and refused to pay for it. On a number of instances our local dealer swapped us a new Mich and we paid any difference ! They could always get rid of the spurious case on a call out on the M6 because some firms weren’t bothered what tyres went onto their motors as long as they were “black and round and inflated” !! Cheers Bewick.

Very important points there on tyre management Dennis, I was exactly the same and always ran Michelin even though they were more expensive or were they, not in my book especialy running abroad where road temperatures were alot higher than the UK plus the cases were easily sellable when end of life came (had a cash buyer) but less said about that the better but had a good few beer vouchers that way . Another thing always done was never to fit odd tyres on a given axle always a set across, then you could pair up the part worn ones for later use. We always carried spares for running abroad, in Spain it was a legal requirement, chairs Buzzer.

[finbarot]

Hi Dean
another nice shot of a Drinkwater Sabey Volvo, not seen before.
You’ve got to run out of ammo soon, you simply must!!

[bewick]

I could talk about tyres all day long Buzzer as they were my favourite “piece of the pie” so to speak. In the very early days 70/71 we carried spares on the few trailers we ran but that craic was soon abandoned ! We couldn’t carry spares on the units as they all had twin fuel tanks but another reason we didn’t carry spares was I didn’t want our Drivers jacking the axles up as with the best will in the world the majority of Drivers were not capable of the task, nor did I expect them to be able , and I have seen on a few occasions on my travels passing a motor with an axle down on the drum because it wasn’t jacked up properly. Our units all carried a wheel brace mainly for checking wheel nuts if required. We were always fastidious about wheel tightening and I can not recall of any of our motors coming to grief with loose wheel nuts. We had two or three instances of trailer axle bearings failing two instances I recall in particular, one at Brough on the A66 and another at Keele services M6. Happy Days Cheers Dennis.

[robthedog]

short walk:
Ref the plain white F10 my guess is a Dawson Rentals?

YES absolutely that was a spot hire truck on the rental side

[240_gardner]

DEANB:
Morning Chris,

Thanks for the comments on working for Gits on the M&S job.
With regard to the archives Chris,if there is anything you are after let me know and “if” its already scanned
i will pop it on. Trouble is there are thousands of pages not scanned so although i probably have it i may
not be able to find it as the filing system is a bit iffy to say the least

Sounds like the best part of your day was watching the airplanes coming into land !

Will pop a bit on about ATS.

240 Gardner:
“Chris Webb”
What a nice little article Chris. I’m surprised “Gits” didn’t have 24/7 back up. “Highway Agency man cross” - I’ll bet.

Thanks Chris! I did the rest of the week too, on the old forum. The site at Thatcham was most definitely 24/7, but no-one was answering the phone. It was only by chance that I’d overheard ATS mentioned - we never had any documents to refer to in case of breakdown, etc., no phones in the cab, even in 2010. I expect the full-timers had all sorts of info, but not the dirty agency drivers like me.

After that, I went to do weekends at Asda at Didcot, and they were streets ahead of Gits/M&S in every single way: the quality and condition of the fleet, the behaviour of the employed drivers towards the agency staff, the general pleasantness of the traffic staff, the access to the stores, the welcome at the stores, the room to swing any number of cats around the depot, and the very helpful shunters.

Thanks for the comments Mr Webb & Chris. Sounds like Asda was ok to work for compared to Gist. Unbelievable that no one was answering the phone when you think you were carrying perishables !

Thanks very much, Dean, I do enjoy the sheer variety of the subject you post, and you must expend a huge amount of time to prepare it all, never mind post it. I find it a challenge to make the time to read and respond, which must be a mere fraction of the time you spend on it. You’re often putting on things which are of interest to me already, thank you

And yes, I found Gits at Thatcham a truly horrible place to work, and watching the aircraft at Heathrow was certainly the best part of that day! By contrast, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Asda, and I was almost tempted when I was tapped-up to apply for a permanent job. I stayed on for another two years doing weekend work at Asda after I started with the business I’m now in and doing my “normal” work, and I really used to look forward to my shifts there.

[240_gardner]

DEANB:
“240Gardner” Chris you mentioned ATS.

I reckon we have all been parked at the side of the road waiting for a tyre fitter at some point.

Some good old companies in this brochure.

Another fascinating collection, thank you very much Dean!

[deanb]

Chris Webb:
Morning Dean.
Great article about ATS,Glass Glover/MFS used them and service second to none.

That Volvo F10 has a Oxford reg plate,I know General Foods Banbury ran them but not fridges I don’t think.Somehow at back of my mind I’ve seen BRS contract F10s with that reg.

Thanks for your comments Chris.

windrush:
ATS!!! I had a blowout on the Foden sixwheeler I drove, it happened on the A50 ‘concrete road’ between Uttoxeter and Blythe Bridge when I was loaded with HRA. Offside rear outer, I phoned ATS at Uttoxeter and they arrived and fitted one of their ‘Sterling’ remoulds. The fitter did it without removing the wheel so it didn’t take long, I still got a bollocking from the tarmac gang for holding them up though. Next morning, loaded with a part load of tarmac for Chase Terrace and heading for Sudbury I could hear a ‘flap flap’ coming from the rear wheel! Had a gander, same tyre had split completely around the circumferance. Anyway I hadn’t much weight on so carried on, got rid of the load and called at ATS in Lichfield. Fitter took wheel off and exclaimed “You have kerbed this” and I asked him that as the split was on the inside of an outer wheel how did I manage to kerb it? Anyway he said that I wouldn’t get warranty on it so I asked to speak to the manager: “He’s nipped out for a minute”. He started to fit the replacement tyre (same brand) and when levering it over the rim the bead split! I pointed it out to him: “It will be fine” he said. Of course it wouldn’t inflate then! He got in a temper then, got it off and fitted another which was OK. The manager returned then so I showed him the old tyre; “Sidewall defect, quite common and we will replace it with no charge” so off I went. Next morning, loaded with seventeen tonnes of tarmac for RAF Waddington and I was on the A17 headed towards Sleaford when BANG the same tyre blew to pieces taking the mudguard and lights with it! ATS arrived from Newark and told me that the Sterling range were only meant for slow moving vehicles like dustcarts etc: “We don’t stock them as being close to the A1 the things would be knackered by Scotch Corner” so he fitted another brand and that was fine. Gaffer tried to get some money back from ATS for the lights etc but never got any joy. Coincidently a week later headed on the A52 for Nottingham the inside tyre blew out but luckily with no other damage. My other blowouts were on the front axle so not retreads but new tyres, one burst running over a piece of limestone near the weighbridge at Shining Bank quarry one saturday morning.

When I drove the Sed Ak 400 for Tilcon they fitted me four Cavalier remoulds down the offside rear, one blew off heading for Coventry on the first load and another blew out coming back from Meriden with a load of sand on the same journey!

Pete.

I reckon the fitter was right Pete,down to your dodgy driving having so many blow out’s !!!

FLOURPOWER:
Hi Dean,

The Rank hovis mill is Finedon mill Northamptonshire the transport is run by Abbey road tankers using Mercedes Actros think they only supply there own bakeries,Whitworths took over a few of there mills Manchester,Selby alot of there old mills have been closed and demolished sad to see these old mills go.cheers Flourpower.

Thanks for the info “FLOWERPOWER”. More flour stuff to come chap.
I agree its a great shame to see all the mills being demolished,there were two in Poole,and both are now gone.

coomsey:
On the scrap we did our own,no fannying about waiting on the tyre man . But what a God awful job,why anyone would want it for a job is beyond my imagination, it’s up there with brussel picking or milkman
Cheers Coomsey

A dangerous job as well “coomsey” ,look how many have been killed by the side of the road when another vehicle has hit
them. Plus a tyre blowing up next to you is dangerous.

ArcDaz:
“DEANB”

Anyone know where the P.R.Jones Iveco muck away tipper is from ■■

Cracking set of Pictures here again Dean i love P. R. Jones Iveco muck away tipper very nice indeed Daz

Glad you liked it Daz.

Punchy Dan:
“windrush”

When I drove the Sed Ak 400 for Tilcon they fitted me four Cavalier remoulds down the offside rear, one blew off heading for Coventry on the first load and another blew out coming back from Meriden with a load of sand on the same journey!

Pete.
Cheap skate quarry tipper men father kept the big air gun in the B series cab with a LG pcl coupling on that big air tank behind the drive axle ,when the lime was going to France & back he lent the spare off his trailer to a waters driver who’d got a flat tyre in the works ,it came back smooth

“it came back smooth” Thats a classic Dan.

feltfixer:
durable volvo seems to be carrying tubs of bitumen for the roofing trade. there was a firm in burdett road, stepney, east london called durable asphalt back in the 60/70.

Good stuff “feltfixer” Thanks for the info.

Bewick:
“DEANB”

“240Gardner” Chris you mentioned ATS.

I reckon we have all been parked at the side of the road waiting for a tyre fitter at some point.

ATS were a wholly owned subsidiary of Michelin Tyres and they usually promoted Michelin although they did stock other brands. I could never understand why ATS were allowed by Michelin to involve themselves in the production of those poxy Sterling Remoulds !
IIRC National Tyres were owned by Dunlop. Motorway Tyres were owned by Avon Tyres ( I think) and Central Tyres were owned by Pirelli IIRC.
I always took a keen interest in our tyres at Bewick Transport as “rubber” was a major running cost and if neglected it would cause operational nightmares not to mention increased running costs. So even though we always ran a very careful tyre policy we still had premature tyre failures up and down the country mainly as a result of picking up debris off the roads. As we never carried spare wheels it meant calling out a Tyre Service and our standing instructions were always to have a new Michelin case fitted but occasionally one of the Tyre Walla’s would try and put one over on us on the basis that the “spurious” tyre they fitted outside hours was the only one of that size that was available at the time. So as soon as the trailer or unit came back to base our tyre fitter removed the “offending” case and we returned it to our current supplier and refused to pay for it. On a number of instances our local dealer swapped us a new Mich and we paid any difference ! They could always get rid of the spurious case on a call out on the M6 because some firms weren’t bothered what tyres went onto their motors as long as they were “black and round and inflated” !! Cheers Bewick.

Intresting comments Dennis and tyres would have been a major costing with the amount of trucks and trailers you
operated. Thanks for the information on who owned each tyre company.

“black and round and inflated”

Michelin tyre advert.

Buzzer:
“Bewick” “DEANB”

“240Gardner” Chris you mentioned ATS.

I reckon we have all been parked at the side of the road waiting for a tyre fitter at some point.

ATS were a wholly owned subsidiary of Michelin Tyres and they usually promoted Michelin although they did stock other brands. I could never understand why ATS were allowed by Michelin to involve themselves in the production of those poxy Sterling Remoulds !
IIRC National Tyres were owned by Dunlop. Motorway Tyres were owned by Avon Tyres ( I think) and Central Tyres were owned by Pirelli IIRC.
I always took a keen interest in our tyres at Bewick Transport as “rubber” was a major running cost and if neglected it would cause operational nightmares not to mention increased running costs. So even though we always ran a very careful tyre policy we still had premature tyre failures up and down the country mainly as a result of picking up debris off the roads. As we never carried spare wheels it meant calling out a Tyre Service and our standing instructions were always to have a new Michelin case fitted but occasionally one of the Tyre Walla’s would try and put one over on us on the basis that the “spurious” tyre they fitted outside hours was the only one of that size that was available at the time. So as soon as the trailer or unit came back to base our tyre fitter removed the “offending” case and we returned it to our current supplier and refused to pay for it. On a number of instances our local dealer swapped us a new Mich and we paid any difference ! They could always get rid of the spurious case on a call out on the M6 because some firms weren’t bothered what tyres went onto their motors as long as they were “black and round and inflated” !! Cheers Bewick.

Very important points there on tyre management Dennis, I was exactly the same and always ran Michelin even though they were more expensive or were they, not in my book especialy running abroad where road temperatures were alot higher than the UK plus the cases were easily sellable when end of life came (had a cash buyer) but less said about that the better but had a good few beer vouchers that way . Another thing always done was never to fit odd tyres on a given axle always a set across, then you could pair up the part worn ones for later use. We always carried spares for running abroad, in Spain it was a legal requirement, chairs Buzzer.

You make a good point Buzzer about running on the continent and higher road temperatures. Running down Italy/Spain etc
in the summer and it was often hovering around the 100 mark.

Michelin advert.

finbarot:
Hi Dean
another nice shot of a Drinkwater Sabey Volvo, not seen before.
You’ve got to run out of ammo soon, you simply must!!

Still got one or two floating about chap.

Bewick:
I could talk about tyres all day long Buzzer as they were my favourite “piece of the pie” so to speak. In the very early days 70/71 we carried spares on the few trailers we ran but that craic was soon abandoned ! We couldn’t carry spares on the units as they all had twin fuel tanks but another reason we didn’t carry spares was I didn’t want our Drivers jacking the axles up as with the best will in the world the majority of Drivers were not capable of the task, nor did I expect them to be able , and I have seen on a few occasions on my travels passing a motor with an axle down on the drum because it wasn’t jacked up properly. Our units all carried a wheel brace mainly for checking wheel nuts if required. We were always fastidious about wheel tightening and I can not recall of any of our motors coming to grief with loose wheel nuts. We had two or three instances of trailer axle bearings failing two instances I recall in particular, one at Brough on the A66 and another at Keele services M6. Happy Days Cheers Dennis.

More intresting comments Dennis.

I seem to remember reading the M6 was the worst road for loosing wheel nuts apparently. When running abroad i use to carry
a jack and half a scaffold pole plus spare wheel. Mainly because i had heard that the French would charge you a thousand plus
euros for a new tyre and changing it. I dont know if that’s true as i never needed to use them. Someone maybe able to confirm.
I seem to remember that different section of motorways in France were under different breakdown organisations and again i
was told they charged different rates.

Jack brochure.(click on pages twice to read)

Wheel loss.

Dont loose your nuts.

240 Gardner:
“DEANB”

Thanks for the comments Mr Webb & Chris. Sounds like Asda was ok to work for compared to Gist. Unbelievable that no one was answering the phone when you think you were carrying perishables !

Thanks very much, Dean, I do enjoy the sheer variety of the subject you post, and you must expend a huge amount of time to prepare it all, never mind post it. I find it a challenge to make the time to read and respond, which must be a mere fraction of the time you spend on it. You’re often putting on things which are of interest to me already, thank you

And yes, I found Gits at Thatcham a truly horrible place to work, and watching the aircraft at Heathrow was certainly the best part of that day! By contrast, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Asda, and I was almost tempted when I was tapped-up to apply for a permanent job. I stayed on for another two years doing weekend work at Asda after I started with the business I’m now in and doing my “normal” work, and I really used to look forward to my shifts there.

Thanks for the comments Chris,glad you enjoy the bits and bobs.

[deanb]

N.D.Young Volvo. Do bulker work and operate from Shillingstone near Blandford.

Anyone recognise the Foden ■■

John Weaver ERF who do machinery removals. Used to be in Poole but now based near Sandford,Wareham.
Not sure if they are still operating as have not seen one about for a while.

H.J.Cole DAF bulker. Still operates from a yard behind there house in a residential street.

Anyone know where the W.M. O’Grady Volvo low loader is from ■■

Anyone know where the H.M.T. Shipping Volvo is from ■■

M.O.Lloyd Foden from your way Trevor.

Anyone know where the World Care Volvo is from ■■

Swains of Stretton DAF. I thought the original company had ceased trading ■■ I know we have had some Steve Swain
motors on here. Anyone know if that is the original company or one of Steve’s ■■

I reckon Paul has taken more pics of Owens motors than any other haulier.

[tastrucker]

DEANB:
N.D.Young Volvo. Do bulker work and operate from Shillingstone near Blandford.

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Anyone recognise the Foden ■■

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John Weaver ERF who do machinery removals. Used to be in Poole but now based near Sandford,Wareham.
Not sure if they are still operating as have not seen one about for a while.

7

H.J.Cole DAF bulker. Still operates from a yard behind there house in a residential street.

6

Anyone know where the W.M. O’Grady Volvo low loader is from ■■

5

Anyone know where the H.M.T. Shipping Volvo is from ■■

4

M.O.Lloyd Foden from your way Trevor.

3

Anyone know where the World Care Volvo is from ■■

2

Swains of Stretton DAF. I thought the original company had ceased trading ■■ I know we have had some Steve Swain
motors on here. Anyone know if that is the original company or one of Steve’s ■■

1

I reckon Paul has taken more pics of Owens motors than any other haulier.

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Hello DEAN ,yes i think it is Mervyn Lloyd from Llanrhaeadr YM ,thats about 10 miles from Oswestry ,he does animal feeds from Lloyds mill at Llanclys ,but im sure that Foden has gone and he has replaced it with a Scania ,thank you Trevor

[deanb]

robthedog:

short walk:
Ref the plain white F10 my guess is a Dawson Rentals?

YES absolutely that was a spot hire truck on the rental side

short walk:
Ref the plain white F10 my guess is a Dawson Rentals?

Thanks for confirming the Volvo is part of the Dawson group “short walk” and “robthedog”

We have had some cracking motors of Dawson’s on here.

[deanb]

Some odds and sods.

Click on pages twice to read.

[deanb]

A couple of articles about the Dawson group.

Click on pages twice to read.

1974. Bit dodgy this one. The odd letter missing but readable.

[coomsey]

A dangerous job as well “coomsey” ,look how many have been killed by the side of the road when another vehicle has hit
Cuz of mine left Tarmac Scammel on the hard shoulder at the Luton slip road,broke down. They lit it up n coned it,a chap run up it’s back end over night, all 4 axles were under the cab when he’d finished,it was loaded to boot. Very dangerous place to be.

[kempston]

Great photos of Dawson’s Dean

[buzzer]

Deano think the Foden maybe something to do with Conway Baily from Cornwall as the trailer looks like one of there’s, chairs Buzzer.

[mark_r]

Although I’ve never heard of PR Jones, or even know where they come from, i did find this photo interesting as it’s only one digit out from the Iveco tipper that i used to drive.
Mine was plain white and registered E440 WKN…great for muckaway but a tad heavy for the aggregate work we were doing from UMA at Ridham Dock near Sittingbourne. Apparently it was an HP snachback and offered for a price we couldn’t refuse, hence not quite the spec we would have usually gone for…

[windrush]

A google search shows a P.R Jones Haulage at the Wimborne/Poole area, no longer trading.

Pete.

[steam]

DEANB:
Anyone know where the Revvo DAF is from ■■

Im pretty sure that Revvo Castors had a factory on Somerford rd, Christchurh. cheers

9

“Steam” Do you remember this company,think its Stokes Transport but not sure where they were based locally.

8

Tarmac Leyland Reiver.

7

“finbarot” Leyland constructor of Drinkwater Sabey.

6

F.V.Bugler Volvo F86 brick truck from Poole,packed up now.

5

DAZ, Looks like an ex ARC Routeman chap,possibly bought by an owner driver here ■■

4

Looks like Clifford’s Dairy Products on the Volvo trailer. Anyone know where they are based ■■

That 2 CR thats following always looked like they were going to turn over on bends and roundabouts.

3

John Kett DAF tipper,dont recognise it ! Anyone know where they were based ■■

2

Mussons of Bewdley Volvo F6.

1

Anyone know where the R.D.B.Freight Lines Leyland Freighter is from ■■

0

[steam]

steam:

DEANB:
Anyone know where the Revvo DAF is from ■■

Im pretty sure that Revvo Castors had a factory on Somerford rd, Christchurh. cheers

9

“Steam” Do you remember this company,think its Stokes Transport but not sure where they were based locally.

I do remember Stokes Transport but for the life of me cant remember where their yard was.

8

Tarmac Leyland Reiver.

7

“finbarot” Leyland constructor of Drinkwater Sabey.

6

F.V.Bugler Volvo F86 brick truck from Poole,packed up now.

5

DAZ, Looks like an ex ARC Routeman chap,possibly bought by an owner driver here ■■

4

Looks like Clifford’s Dairy Products on the Volvo trailer. Anyone know where they are based ■■

That 2 CR thats following always looked like they were going to turn over on bends and roundabouts.

3

John Kett DAF tipper,dont recognise it ! Anyone know where they were based ■■

2

Mussons of Bewdley Volvo F6.

1

Anyone know where the R.D.B.Freight Lines Leyland Freighter is from ■■

0