gb1:
Members of the PING family.
Following-on from the above picture, I found this on the internet…
In 1967, TEW997 was replaced by a new 30ton Scammell, HFL363E, with Leyland 680 engine and 22ft x 9ft wide trailer. With driver Hubert Readhead and mate Glynn Norman, first job was a 30RB, from Woodall Duckham at Oakham to a contract site at BP Chemicals, Sully, Near Barry in South Wales. The picture shows it shortly afterwards, with a new Priestman Bison, collected from Priestman Bros works at Hedon Road, Hull
A little history of Peterborough Heavy Haulage Co.Ltd - Part 3
By 1968, PHH had become increasingly busy. The motorway building programme, power station and reservior construction meant lots of work, and there were, in those days of restricted competition, only a limited number of low loaders available to hire as sub-contractors. So an application was made, to add 3 additional vehicles, 2 of 20tons and 1 of 60tons capacity, which attracted objections from Pickfords, Wynns, and E.Hull of Bedford, despite the latter being a regular sub-contractor at the time. After a hearing by the Eastern Area LA at Combridge, the application for the big vehicle was granted, but refused in respect of the two smaller ones, in reality, on the wording of the normal user requirement. Another application was made promptly,with a revision of the wording, and was granted without objection. So the first Atkinsons were ordered. A ■■■■■■■ powered 6x4 with a Viewline cab and a 60ton King rear steerable trailer, and 2 Borderers, with Gardner 6LXB’s, plus 2 20ton King low loaders. The two smaller units were delivered the following year, SFL123G and TEG597G being taken over by Danny Fry and George Sansom, and were the first of the fleet to wear the silver grey livery. The six wheeler UEG897H followed in 1970, and was crewed by Jim Henson, with mate Bruce Duncombe.
Parent company Contracors had commenced replacement of the Bedfords and Scammell trailers in 1968, and the chosen marque was AEC units and York tandem axle trailers, the initial four being Mandators with 760 engines, LFL442-3F and 636-7F. A few Mercurys were also procured, but were deemed unsuitable, and 2, SFL257G and SFL324G were later purhased by PHH, being driven by Roy Chapman and Pat Knight. A new Mercury, SEG684G, the new livery looking very smart with the AEC chromium plated grille, replaced Bill Field’s BEW491B, which was disposed of, together with 330B. PHH’s last Bedford, FEW94D was kept for the time being, with George Dale as driver. When the six wheeler become operational, LVS ‘Jack’ Lunn from Bourne took over 839, which together with 363, was repainted into the new livery thereafter.
The first weeks’ work for 897 was an NCK605 from Ramsbottom to Peterborough for Anglo Scottish Plant, a 38RB from Ruston Bucyrus, Lincoln to London Colney and another 38RB from Lincoln, to Sidcup. The Chieftain Tanks came along a little later, as will be related anon.
PHH 839 in the new livery. Jack Lunn has stopped for a break at Colsterworth, with a new SN35 dump truck from Aveling Barford at Grantham, en route to Blue Circle Cement, Westbury, Wilts
PHH 897 shown with a Cementation 38RB in an unknown city location. The mate carrying the hydraulic jack looks like Gordon Cooke.
Hermit:
0PHH 597 at Gourock Quay, with a Jones KL66 from Jones Cranes at Letchwoth, destined for Dunoon. The return load was a boiler from Marshall & Anderson at Motherwell to a hospital near Ashford, Kent.
That’s quite an early Mk.2-cabbed unit
Hermit:
0PHH 897 shown with a Cementation 38RB in an unknown city location. The mate carrying the hydraulic jack looks like Gordon Cooke.
Excellent photos of the Viewline, thank you!
It’s the only Viewline I ever saw with the hub reduction axles, and plated for that sort of weight. Do you know what happened to it?
I have a photo of a Viewline wrecker that was sale quite a few years ago, and always thought it must be the same one, with the heavy duty back end
Hermit:
A little history of Peterborough Heavy Haulage Co. Ltd. Was formed in September 1964, to take over 5 low loaders from parent, Contractors (Peterborough) Ltd, to operate from CPL’s new depot at Broadway, Yaxley, to where they had moved to from Farcet, a short time previously. The vehicles were 2 Scammells, 839GEW with a 150 Gardner, TEW997, Leyland 600, and 3 Bedford TKs, 329DEW, BEW330B and BEW491B, all with Perkins 6.354 engines. All remained in CPL’s plain dark green livery, with the 2 Scammells being signwritten to reflect PHH ownership, the Bedfords remaining anonymous as before. The drivers were Claude Abbott on 839, Ron Pell on 997, Johnny Hawkins 329, Danny Fry 330, and Bill Field 491. This then, was the start of PHH, CPL continuing with the general traffic operation, with around 25 Bedford engined TKs, a couple of bonneted Bedford J Types, and what must have been about 70 Scammell drop sided semi-trailers. Besides the 5 low loader trailers, PHH also took ownership of 2 scammell trailers fitted with front bolsters, used for long loads in the days before 40ft flats. All remained as is for some 12 months, until Ron Pell left, citing PHH’s new traffic manager attempting to get 8 days work out of him every week, and was succeeded on 997 by Hubert Redhead. DEW329 was replaced by FEW94D, another 6.354 powered TK, and shortly afterwards, Johnny Hawkins sadly passed away. Claude Abbott took over on 94D, and was replaced on 839 by Jim Henson. Subsequently, Claude decided to seek pastures new, and George Sansom replaced him on 94, and there the status quo existed for a while. Maybe will be in a position to post a few photos from this era in the future…
Great to read Hermit - thanks for posting - but not a mention of the man behind it all, Laurie Ellson?.
PHH was full of characters in the 70’s and 80’s, and I remember many of them very well indeed.
A Short History of Peterborough Heavy Haulage Co Ltd - Part 4
After the first three Atkinsons taking the road in 1969/70, the next purchase was AFL146J, replacing 839GEW. which was getting tired after a very hard life, and anyway, more axles were now needed to carry that which was customarily done on three. 146 was rated, I think, at 45tons gross, had a ■■■■■■■ 230, with a Fuller 9 speed gearbox, and a new Crane 30ton capacity trailer was bought to go with the unit. Additional capacity was still required to cover the business on offer, so when the opportunity arose, PHH purchased the low loader operated by Sears Bros at Manea, an AEC Mandator, CJE213 with a 20ton capacity trailer, operated on ‘B’ licence. Now Sears Bros family farming business, had previously operated a plant hire operation, and the ‘B’ Licence allowed them to carry their own plant, plus others civil engineering equipment within 50miles, but with no distance restriction for J.L.Kier and Wimpey. Their long serving driver, Reg Whymark was due to retire, and anyway, they were in competition with PHH in respect of both Kier and Wimpey. The vehicle was never operated by PHH, who only really wanted the carriers licence, an application having initially been made to specify additional customers to the conditions, and subsequently to convert it to an open ‘A’ licence. GJE213 spent it’s twilight years as a shunt unit at the Cerebos factory at Sandbach for CPL, and the trailer was sold to a company in Stockport. 839 was operated on the ‘B’ licence for a while, but was soon replaced by BFL12K, another Atkinson Borderer with a 6LXB, a new 20ton Crane trailer, and Colin Gowler as driver. The three AEC Mercurys were the next to be replaced, bringing a trio of 6LXB powered Borderers, FEG140K, EEG788K and EFL190K, driven by Bill Field, Roy Chapman and Pat Knight. The movement of Chieftain Tanks has been mentioned previously, being a job PHH started in 1980, collecting from the Royal Ordnance Factory at Barnbow, Leeds and occasionally Vickers at Newcastle, for delivery to the Central Vehicle Depot at Ludgershall, near Andover. Jim Henson and 897 were employed on this for some time, moving 3 tanks each week, loading Monday, Wednesday and Friday, delivering Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Even this was insufficient to keep pace with the MOD’s requirements, so sub-contractors had to be found to cover the movement of the balance, plus of course, all the ongoing heavy work for existing customers.
flickr.com/photos/91208012@N08/8278351444/
A foden Alpha from W Hellett & Co of Kimbolton.
Has anyone got any photos of any of the ERF tippers or earlier Bedfords that Helletts ran?
Cheers
Stephen