Steve Collins, I had forgotten about him. Remember him around but that was many moons ago now. Only knew of Bob Woolley (I Hate Yorkie) of the others being wined and dined, didn’t have much contact with the Buxton based lads!
Hilton Gravel were before my time, didn’t realise that they ran so many trucks.
Pete.
windrush:
Steve Collins, I had forgotten about him. Remember him around but that was many moons ago now. Only knew of Bob Woolley (I Hate Yorkie) of the others being wined and dined, didn’t have much contact with the Buxton based lads!Hilton Gravel were before my time, didn’t realise that they ran so many trucks.
Pete.
Hilton Gravel did have their own trucks but Allen’s were contracted to them.Hilton’s own motors were Leylands but of course Mr Spurrier who owned Hilton Gravel was related to the Leyland Mr Spurrier.There were many folk on Hilton Gravel.Cyril Billings,Harry Thorley and several more.Mr Jack Allen and I had many a chat sitting round the stove in his garage on converted car seats and drinking tea, but his mugs were cleaner than most but with the oily finger marked ones we didn’t catch owt.
We took quite a few to Harrogate and Jug and Glass Gang were increased from the first 6.Steve came from Chelmoreton as did Ken Moseley and there was Roy Derbyshire from Warslow and John Wayne and didn’t he just look after his Cargo and his Leyland (or Albion) before.Actually John Webster set the job going with these lads.We arranged a meeting at the Jug and Glass one evening when a chap called Ron Armstrong from Iveco Ford gave a talk and he said that in a few years on from then there would be only about five major producers of trucks.How true that was and is.We sold a lot of these L10 Cargo 2424 tippers.I dealt with a chap called Bill Willocks at Tarmac and he bought vehicles for contract owner drivers and they had quite a few.I won’t go on now but I’m glad I’m retired but it’s good to look back on the good things.
There was a lot of problems with the 2424’s at first mostly brakes but once they got out of warranty you owners sorted them out.They were good on fuel and not to big and of course a flat floor so you could get out of the passenger side.
One bloke who really comes to mind and I sold him a Ford D-Series was Don Wayne.,He could work like nobody else.He lies in a small churchyard in The Orkneys.Would be interesting to see what it says on the headstone
rastone:
windrush:
Steve Collins, I had forgotten about him. Remember him around but that was many moons ago now. Only knew of Bob Woolley (I Hate Yorkie) of the others being wined and dined, didn’t have much contact with the Buxton based lads!Hilton Gravel were before my time, didn’t realise that they ran so many trucks.
Pete.
Hilton Gravel did have their own trucks but Allen’s were contracted to them.Hilton’s own motors were Leylands but of course Mr Spurrier who owned Hilton Gravel was related to the Leyland Mr Spurrier.There were many folk on Hilton Gravel.Cyril Billings,Harry Thorley and several more.Mr Jack Allen and I had many a chat sitting round the stove in his garage on converted car seats and drinking tea, but his mugs were cleaner than most but with the oily finger marked ones we didn’t catch owt.
We took quite a few to Harrogate and Jug and Glass Gang were increased from the first 6.Steve came from Chelmoreton as did Ken Moseley and there was Roy Derbyshire from Warslow and John Wayne and didn’t he just look after his Cargo and his Leyland (or Albion) before.Actually John Webster set the job going with these lads.We arranged a meeting at the Jug and Glass one evening when a chap called Ron Armstrong from Iveco Ford gave a talk and he said that in a few years on from then there would be only about five major producers of trucks.How true that was and is.We sold a lot of these L10 Cargo 2424 tippers.I dealt with a chap called Bill Willocks at Tarmac and he bought vehicles for contract owner drivers and they had quite a few.I won’t go on now but I’m glad I’m retired but it’s good to look back on the good things.There was a lot of problems with the 2424’s at first mostly brakes but once they got out of warranty you owners sorted them out.They were good on fuel and not to big and of course a flat floor so you could get out of the passenger side.
One bloke who really comes to mind and I sold him a Ford D-Series was Don Wayne.,He could work like nobody else.He lies in a small churchyard in The Orkneys.Would be interesting to see what it says on the headstone
Sorry to hear that Don has passed on, quite a character! He drove for several days with no windscreen because he couldn’t afford another, sat all day in the quarry because the Customs and Excise were waiting down the lane and he had a tank full of red diesel, wouldn’t go uphill to Buxton or Manchester or even Mansfield as he reckoned that he got Vertigo on hills, I could relate many more tales of Don! His trouble was women, he married them and they took all his money when they left him, hence why he ended up running rough tackle. As you will know he once ran the Howard Arms at Cubley Stoop on the A515, Roy Wood the popstar owns it now I believe.
I do remember the early Cargos having brake problems, Steve Dunn had John Websters after John bought a new Sed Ak and Roy bought the Sed Ak off of John when John finally saw sense and purchased a Foden! 
Of course it wouldn’t uprate to 26 tonne like the later ones that Roy and JD had but still did good work, I found them a rough ride after the sprung cab on my Fodens though. I was certain that Dave Mackenzie told me that he sold them at TCH, obviously not!
Pete.
windrush:
rastone:
windrush:
Steve Collins, I had forgotten about him. Remember him around but that was many moons ago now. Only knew of Bob Woolley (I Hate Yorkie) of the others being wined and dined, didn’t have much contact with the Buxton based lads!Hilton Gravel were before my time, didn’t realise that they ran so many trucks.
Pete.
Hilton Gravel did have their own trucks but Allen’s were contracted to them.Hilton’s own motors were Leylands but of course Mr Spurrier who owned Hilton Gravel was related to the Leyland Mr Spurrier.There were many folk on Hilton Gravel.Cyril Billings,Harry Thorley and several more.Mr Jack Allen and I had many a chat sitting round the stove in his garage on converted car seats and drinking tea, but his mugs were cleaner than most but with the oily finger marked ones we didn’t catch owt.
We took quite a few to Harrogate and Jug and Glass Gang were increased from the first 6.Steve came from Chelmoreton as did Ken Moseley and there was Roy Derbyshire from Warslow and John Wayne and didn’t he just look after his Cargo and his Leyland (or Albion) before.Actually John Webster set the job going with these lads.We arranged a meeting at the Jug and Glass one evening when a chap called Ron Armstrong from Iveco Ford gave a talk and he said that in a few years on from then there would be only about five major producers of trucks.How true that was and is.We sold a lot of these L10 Cargo 2424 tippers.I dealt with a chap called Bill Willocks at Tarmac and he bought vehicles for contract owner drivers and they had quite a few.I won’t go on now but I’m glad I’m retired but it’s good to look back on the good things.There was a lot of problems with the 2424’s at first mostly brakes but once they got out of warranty you owners sorted them out.They were good on fuel and not to big and of course a flat floor so you could get out of the passenger side.
One bloke who really comes to mind and I sold him a Ford D-Series was Don Wayne.,He could work like nobody else.He lies in a small churchyard in The Orkneys.Would be interesting to see what it says on the headstone
Sorry to hear that Don has passed on, quite a character! He drove for several days with no windscreen because he couldn’t afford another, sat all day in the quarry because the Customs and Excise were waiting down the lane and he had a tank full of red diesel, wouldn’t go uphill to Buxton or Manchester or even Mansfield as he reckoned that he got Vertigo on hills, I could relate many more tales of Don! His trouble was women, he married them and they took all his money when they left him, hence why he ended up running rough tackle. As you will know he once ran the Howard Arms at Cubley Stoop on the A515, Roy Wood the popstar owns it now I believe.
I do remember the early Cargos having brake problems, Steve Dunn had John Websters after John bought a new Sed Ak and Roy bought the Sed Ak off of John when John finally saw sense and purchased a Foden!
Pete.
Ask the lads about who solld them but a bit of bad news I’m afraid as Dave has had a bad accident at his garage and was taken to Nottingham hospital by Hellicopter.Pelvis, ribs and and lung injuries.I think he’s going on alright but a long job I think.
Coming back to the cargo’s.Andrew Barker and Robert Hadfield bought a 26tonne each but Andrew converted some.I know he did John Waynes
I have got a photo pf Bob’s four wheeler Volvo
Tony
rastone:
Ask the lads about who solld them but a bit of bad news I’m afraid as Dave has had a bad accident at his garage and was taken to Nottingham hospital by Hellicopter.Pelvis, ribs and and lung injuries.I think he’s going on alright but a long job I think.
Coming back to the cargo’s.Andrew Barker and Robert Hadfield bought a 26tonne each but Andrew converted some.I know he did John Waynes
I have got a photo pf Bob’s four wheeler VolvoTony
Yes Tony, I have been in the garage today and seen the car (a write off) and remains of the ramp, quite a mess and he was lucky to survive really. Going back to Cargos, Roy did his own I believe using a magnetic drill to re-site the back bogie. The Foden I had was done by the owner but it spoilt the truck, not as manouverable and too short for some paving machines, of course later on moving the bogie wasn’t required which was typical of Beurocoracy in changing tack part way through! 
Pete.
I spoke to Liz this morning and I sent a text to his Lordship which Liz said it would be fine.I think he’s going on alright but a long job I reckon.
Coming back to lorrys,why is it that the last ones built are always the best? It was with the Trader and the D-Series and with the Cargo.
Tony
Probably, Tony, because the last ones have had the benefit of some years of development by both the factory and the customers. It always amazed me that manufacturers released their products onto the unsuspecting end-user before the problems had been sorted. If the factory testers/development engineers were so inept, all they would have had to do is employ a couple of experienced lorry drivers.
Dan Punchard:
0
Now then Dan what a good photo,looks like it was taken in Uttoxeter Brewery Yard.No I didn’t sell it .When I was at the Universal Car Co in Derby we seemed not to be with it but I did sell a Trader (the first we had in) in 1958 to Scotney potato merchant in Roston which later on I took it off them and sold it to Dove Valley Poultry at Ashbourne when they were at Sandybrook.
We didn’t supply the Trader and I reckon it came from Kay’s although we must have supplied them.I think probably Ford Dealers were out of their depth for a while when the Trader came out.In 1959 we put a demonstrator from Ford to W.H.Phillips but I went to do my National Service and nobody followed it up and I think they bought nine from Kay’s mind you it was perhaps a good thing as they had a lot of trouble with them but then they did work them hard------ very hard and timing gears were the big problem but they could change them on the road.I never sold your familly a motor but I assume you are Geof’s lad but I only me him once but I know Doug and have a chat to him now and then and I’ve known Carole for many years.Of course we have let some of your relatives from over the Dove Boarder to Doveridge.
Do you remember Spencer Bros at the Gannister quarry at Brassington.
Tony
Yes I know all the Spencer’s ,they’re in the market for new lorry at the mow from what I hear ,get your sales man hat on,yes my Dad is Jeff although I’ve been taught by Doug ,he says you didn’t supply their D series as they came from a salesman from Great Haywood ? Staffordshire reg numbers .
Dan Punchard:
Yes I know all the Spencer’s ,they’re in the market for new lorry at the mow from what I hear ,get your sales man hat on,yes my Dad is Jeff although I’ve been taught by Doug ,he says you didn’t supply their D series as they came from a salesman from Great Haywood ? Staffordshire reg numbers .
Mick Richards.Well liked bloke and the old fashioned way of dealing.His daughter worked for Lloyds at Stafford and Mick lost his licence by working too hard in the evenings so his daughter used to drive him about.Bristol Street took Lloyd’s over.I got fed up with Harrisons after 40yrs there and left in 1994 but perhaps it was a bad move as Angus persuaded to go there and wasn’t too happy so I was offered a job at Bristol Street in 1997.The sales manager was a bloke called Doug Fisher and although I knew him from Kennings at Chesterfield I didn’t get on and I thought there was something going on and he chucked me out and I was flabbergasted.I went to John Preston’s at Ashbourne.What an awful place to be but D.F. left Bristol Street and a chap called Bill Laidlaw rang me and wanted someone to look after the sales in Stafford so Jan 2000 I went there and then I retired in Oct 2001 which they new I would when they set me on and it was good.I would be dead now if I had stopped at Harrisons.
That Trader has got a Derby number on it.
Ballidon quarry had a fair number of Traders at one time Tony (long before my time there) but I haven’t a clue who supplied them. Was TCH living at Bradbourne back in those days, he might have had a hand in them? I remember being told of a Ballidon driver ‘going missing’ and they found him at home with the gearbox of his Trader stripped down, he was scared of telling Herbert Plumbley that he had damaged a gear and was putting a new one in himself! Might just be a tale that has done the rounds, not many folk around now to confirm or deny it I guess? 
Pete.
windrush:
Ballidon quarry had a fair number of Traders at one time Tony (long before my time there) but I haven’t a clue who supplied them. Was TCH living at Bradbourne back in those days, he might have had a hand in them? I remember being told of a Ballidon driver ‘going missing’ and they found him at home with the gearbox of his Trader stripped down, he was scared of telling Herbert Plumbley that he had damaged a gear and was putting a new one in himself! Might just be a tale that has done the rounds, not many folk around now to confirm or deny it I guess?Pete.
Yes Edward Harrison lived at Bradbourne.I don’t remember Ballidon having their own Traders but what I do remember about Ballidon was after the war when I was walking to Primary school when I was about 10 ( a bloody long time ago) their lorrys were painted white with black signwriting and when I was walking past Elkes bisquit factory I saw they had some ex W.D.Left hand drive I think they were Studebaker’s six wheelers and converted with Perkin’s engines.I understand Kays sold them to them.
It’s funny how you remember things even at that early age
The lorries were GMC’s Tony, some had spreader bodies and some were tippers. I have a rather poor photo of them and Kew Dodges at the pond by Ballidon weighbridge, I will try and post it later.
Pete.
careful restore , when i remarked about working alongside ballidon with the white bed fords on the spreading job , a certain retired ballidon fitter told me i must be very old to remember that far back . i don’t recall the studebakers though , they had the tk tippers by then . they worked hard , they had to shovel the dust into the tractor spreaders . cheers , dave
windrush:
The lorries were GMC’s Tony, some had spreader bodies and some were tippers. I have a rather poor photo of them and Kew Dodges at the pond by Ballidon weighbridge, I will try and post it later.Pete.
Well that’s cleared that up then,it was only a guess but it was a long time ago but that isn’t an excuse.
I’ve got some Dodge pics of J.H.Allen’s Dodges so I’ll post them sometime.I’m trying to clean some of these photos up but it does take a while
Tony
Some great pic’s Tony “rastone” bringing back even more great memories, looking forward to the Dodges. Does anybody on here remember the Deep Maroon Dennis Max ( bit before Dans time ) that Matlock Bath colour works ran in the fifties.The chap who drove it lived in the first house in Cromford Wharf, can’t remember his name, and he parked it in the shed right at the far end where the toilet block is now.This is before Swains occupied the site.Be nice to see some pic’s but I fear its a long shot. Here’s a poor shot of another Ballidon lorry in the back ground parked in Matlock goods yard 1978. Mick Kimpton’s AEC Mercury,well I always thought he worked mainly out of Ballidon. Pete will put me right 
.
Yes Mike, Mick Kimpton worked mostly from Ballidon. He used to let me park in ‘his’ yard at the station when I started full time driving, he was running a Clydesdale then which would be 1983 ish. Bit of a naughty lad at times, less said the better eh, and he later ran a couple of Volvo eight wheeler’s on coal from Oxcroft. Mick was a good tarmac layer as well, he was living by The Ketch on the Kniveton/Ashbourne road last I heard but that must be 15+ years ago now.
Gilly mentioned a while ago that you have a photo of the Ballidon GMC’s and Dodge’s, if so can you post it please as mine is scanned from a Parwich book and not very clear. I remember the original photo on the Managers office wall at Ballidon along with a few more from Ballidon times, I wonder where they ended up?
Pete.
rastone:
windrush:
The lorries were GMC’s Tony, some had spreader bodies and some were tippers. I have a rather poor photo of them and Kew Dodges at the pond by Ballidon weighbridge, I will try and post it later.Pete.
Well that’s cleared that up then,it was only a guess but it was a long time ago but that isn’t an excuse.
I’ve got some Dodge pics of J.H.Allen’s Dodges so I’ll post them sometime.I’m trying to clean some of these photos up but it does take a while
Tony
Here are a few pics of J.H.Allen’s motors but I have a few more
