The last pic is specially for Tony (Rastone) - in 1969, Nestles organised a charity raft race on the river Dove at Hatton. We (Allens) built a raft out of old lorry inner-tubes and empty oil drums and other rubbish and our entry was as ‘Swan Lake’, crewed by eight burly lorry drivers dressed as ballet dancers! Your friend Doug is in the middle, sitting just in front of the mast. Doug’s wife Hazel cut up her wedding dress to create our outfits. In case you remember anyone else, they are - Lto R - Maurice Burford, Dave Mabb (behind), Ron Griffiths, Doug Allen, Tony Allen (behind), Ken Allen, me, and John Fern. Sadly, of the eight, I think there are only three of us left.
Got some of these photos that Doug gave me.The D.Series 6wheeler was based on a D700 and had as I did for the Trader on the Trader site it had a Primrose/Albion axle conversion.I was a bit suprised when Primrose wouldn’t do it on a heavier model.
I’m having a bit of trouble with the internet at present ( Google Chrome) I was talking about Eric Barker and the Jug and Glass Gang and I was cut off but just managed to get on the plain Google so I’ll try again but see if I can get back to Chrome.
I have a few pics of J.H.A.including the Dodges they had.I’ll put them on when I can get a bit of sense out of Google.
Tony
By the way Harry Thorley had a Trader which I took a Bedford in Part exchange and you don’t get many that clean today.Harry also had a D-Series
Stralisnumerouno:
What a lovely well proportioned little lorry , is Cyril the
Father of the Billings that hauled for Gypsum from Fauld then
Barrow on Soar,?
Rastone did you sell Ford commercials for TC Harrison if so you may
Have come across my father inlaw Derek Farren who worked for Paynes
At Hinckley ?
I remember Cyril Billings well - he ran a couple of tippers on Hilton Gravel along with my old employers J H Allen and Sons, untill Blue Circle got their own fleet (yellow Bedfords, alloy bodies) and kicked all the contractors out with a week’s notice. As I recall, he had two lorries on plaster; Johnny Woodings with his Ford artic, and an Ergo Leyland six wheeler driven by George Hulland. George had a very nasty accident on the M6, retiring soon after and when John died several years later Cyril virtually gave up haulage. His son - I think his name was Andrew - took on the artic which he replaced a while later, indeed working from several BG plants in the area. I have not heard of him for many years and have no idea what he may be doing nowadays.
On a similar note, does anyone out there remember J H Allen and Sons? I have recently obtained several photos of the fleet which I will post if interested. Another name mentioned on this thread, I also worked for Edgar Bentley for eleven years.
Stralisnumerouno:
What a lovely well proportioned little lorry , is Cyril the
Father of the Billings that hauled for Gypsum from Fauld then
Barrow on Soar,?
Rastone did you sell Ford commercials for TC Harrison if so you may
Have come across my father inlaw Derek Farren who worked for Paynes
At Hinckley ?
I remember Cyril Billings well - he ran a couple of tippers on Hilton Gravel along with my old employers J H Allen and Sons, untill Blue Circle got their own fleet (yellow Bedfords, alloy bodies) and kicked all the contractors out with a week’s notice. As I recall, he had two lorries on plaster; Johnny Woodings with his Ford artic, and an Ergo Leyland six wheeler driven by George Hulland. George had a very nasty accident on the M6, retiring soon after and when John died several years later Cyril virtually gave up haulage. His son - I think his name was Andrew - took on the artic which he replaced a while later, indeed working from several BG plants in the area. I have not heard of him for many years and have no idea what he may be doing nowadays.
On a similar note, does anyone out there remember J H Allen and Sons? I have recently obtained several photos of the fleet which I will post if interested. Another name mentioned on this thread, I also worked for Edgar Bentley for eleven years.
The last pic is specially for Tony (Rastone) - in 1969, Nestles organised a charity raft race on the river Dove at Hatton. We (Allens) built a raft out of old lorry inner-tubes and empty oil drums and other rubbish and our entry was as ‘Swan Lake’, crewed by eight burly lorry drivers dressed as ballet dancers! Your friend Doug is in the middle, sitting just in front of the mast. Doug’s wife Hazel cut up her wedding dress to create our outfits. In case you remember anyone else, they are - Lto R - Maurice Burford, Dave Mabb (behind), Ron Griffiths, Doug Allen, Tony Allen (behind), Ken Allen, me, and John Fern. Sadly, of the eight, I think there are only three of us left.
Ste46:
J H Allen and Sons:-
876543210
The last pic is specially for Tony (Rastone) - in 1969, Nestles organised a charity raft race on the river Dove at Hatton. We (Allens) built a raft out of old lorry inner-tubes and empty oil drums and other rubbish and our entry was as ‘Swan Lake’, crewed by eight burly lorry drivers dressed as ballet dancers! Your friend Doug is in the middle, sitting just in front of the mast. Doug’s wife Hazel cut up her wedding dress to create our outfits. In case you remember anyone else, they are - Lto R - Maurice Burford, Dave Mabb (behind), Ron Griffiths, Doug Allen, Tony Allen (behind), Ken Allen, me, and John Fern. Sadly, of the eight, I think there are only three of us left.
Steve
Steve
I wondered if you would e-mail these pics as I’ve only one of the artic tipper.I’ve got the Belaz one and another one which I’ve cleaned up.I think I could clean these up a bit so if you would like to do that it would be good.Hopefully they will be a lot better and I could print them off and send them to you but it might take a while but I can e-mail one at a time tone.val@talktalk.net
hiya… is that the same Allen who run the dark blue ERF,s out of the brewery,s in Burton. Rastone have you any
Bentleys photo,s… was it you who worked for Edgar…my uncle (Ken Crooks) worked in the garage for Edgar.
his wife is Marrion Bentley ET,s daughter…Ken (86 years)passed away in November last year.
John
3300John:
hiya… is that the same Allen who run the dark blue ERF,s out of the brewery,s in Burton. Rastone have you any
Bentleys photo,s… was it you who worked for Edgar…my uncle (Ken Crooks) worked in the garage for Edgar.
his wife is Marrion Bentley ET,s daughter…Ken (86 years)passed away in November last year.
John
Sorry I haven’t got any pics of Edgar’s motors.The chap who ran the E.R.F.s was Bert Allen from Checkley.My mates brother in law worked for him in the garage.I don’t know if he has any pics of his fleet but I doubt it.
windrush:
Thinking on John I believe that it was Andrew Brassington’s Dodge that Mick bought and not Ian’s. There were a heck of a lot of four wheeler’s in Ballidon back then, now where did all that work vanish to eh!
Pete.
Being a newcomer to this site but I don’t remember Andrew Brassington with a Dodge but here is the Ford I sold him and another one he bought from Cyril Billings
Could well have been a Ford and not a Dodge (all looked the same to me! ) that Mick bought off Andrew, it was yellow at least! I think the last Fords operating at Ballidon supplied by TCH were the two Cargo six wheelers on a G plate, one is still around, that I believe Dave Mackenzie who owns a garage locally sold?
Pete.
I’m having trouble sending an answer and pics so I will try and sort it
Tony
Sorry Pete but I still seem to be having trouble sending you some info plus pics so I don’t know what I’m doing wrong
H
Tony[/quo
I think I might be on line again but the Cargo you mentioned was or is John Wayne’s from Parwich and I also sold the others.It’s a very long story but a good thing to reflect on and we Christened the owners The Jug and Glass Gang and what fun we had with these down to earth blokes who knew the job better than the office wallers nowadays
Here is a picture of some of the Jug and Glass Gang
Left to right. Steve Collins, David Harrison,Tony Smith ( T.C.H.), Trevor Stow (Iveco Ford),Bob Woolley,Malcolm Hadfield and Robert Hadfield.Taken at the Swan Hotel at Harrogate.
There were a heck of a lot of four wheeler’s in Ballidon back then, now where did all that work vanish to eh! 
) that Mick bought off Andrew, it was yellow at least! 
I think the last Fords operating at Ballidon supplied by TCH were the two Cargo six wheelers on a G plate, one is still around, that I believe Dave Mackenzie who owns a garage locally sold?