Looking through pages of the ‘‘Old Time’’ theme, the seems to have been very little posted in respect of Pickfords Heavy Haulage. There cannot ever have been a company in that sphere of the industry, which had a comparable UK geographic coverage, or as large a customer base. Many ex employees must still living to tell the tale, a tale which, if not noted through the medium of these pages, will remain untold.
So I am starting the process here, and hope many will follow with their memories of the vehicles, management, drivers and depots , and even customers, which made up the whole.
I joined Pickfords on 25th May 1959 from BRS, after an interview with the Chief Heavy Haulage Manager, Mr J.N.Drummond, at 52, Bedford Row, London WC1. The two things I most recall, were the bundles of Documents spread around the office, and the fact that he appeared to be wearing bike clips ! He telephoned Park Royal, the nearest depot to where I lived at Southall, as to their then current staffing level, and grilled me quite intensely, with regard to my reasons for wanting to transfer from BRS. The Park Royal depot was located in Coronation Road, and the vehicle allocation at the time was as follows ;-
Fleet Nos M 1009 and M 1011, PUC 473 and 475, Scammell Constructor 6x6 ballasted tractors, with TM 451, a Crane 6 axle 24 wheeled beam trailer, I would think with a carrying capacity of around 180 tons, although I cannot be sure of this. Park Royal had no responsibility to control, or find work for this beast, since it was one of a number of like vehicles based around the country, but operated by Stratford, East London depot, (Formerly Rudd’s) under what they called, the Heavy Loads Programme. The crew were drivers Eddie Carr and Jack Higgins, mates Weeks and Steadman, and steersman Grossett. Park Royal was in fact, just a place to park the outfit, and to alter the position of the beams, commensurate with it’s next load. This was the time of a large power station construction programme, and most loads were transformers and generators from manufacturers throughout the UK, to the required locations.
Fleet No M 1828, UXC 614, Scammell Constructor 6x4 ballasted tractor, with TM 611, a Crane 45/60ton drawbar, 2 axle, 8 wheeled drawbar low loader. Crew were driver George Wright and mate Gartell.
Fleet No M 750, NGF 120, Scammell 35ton 2 axle ballasted tractor, with TM721, a Crane 20ft well 2 axle, 8 wheeled, drawbar low loader. Crew were Bill Cook and mate Williams.
Fleet No M1846, UXA 723, Scammell 25ton 2 axle ballasted tractor, with TM 478, a Crane 20ft well, 2 axle, 8 wheeled drawbar low loader. Crew were driver Ben Mann and mate Mansfield.
Fleet Nos M102 and 98, HYH15 and 16, 20ton Scammell artic units, with TM 153 and 155, Scammell 4 in line, 20ft well low loaders. Crews were drivers Sid Sinnett and Tommy Ware, and mates Higgins and Harris.
Fleet No M 2164, VXR659, a 15ton Scammell unit, with Scammell 4 in line, 16ft well low loader. Driver was George Gale.
Fleet Nos M 802 and 879, NYN 939 and 943, 10ton S type Bedford petrol units, with TM 524 and 528, 16ft well low loaders. Drivers were Fred Brandon and Bill Lyons.
Fleet Nos M 1593 and 2014, TYX505 and VGN676, 10ton Commer two stroke units, with TM703 and 746, 16ft well low loaders. Drivers were Tidman and Fred Green.
Fleet No M799, NUC 865, was a 5ton Morris Commercial, with a sided body, used as a tackle wagon.
TM50 and 51, were a pair of Crane 18ft long x 3ft 6in high drawbar trailers,15tons capacity.
TM407 was a 25ft long x 3ft 3 in high flat drawbar trailer, only 8tons capacity.
There were 3 mobile cranes, 2 Ransomes & Rapiers, EXC298 and SLP99, and a 25ton Coles Lorry Mounted VGN652. Drivers were Keen, Clark and Hicks.
The rest of the manual staff comprised of two machine moving gangs, each of foreman and two men. Foreman Percy Wright had messrs Green and Rayne, whilsy foreman Fred Greenwood, had Edwards and Kean. In Percy Wrights gang, Green drove the tackle wagon, whilst Fred Greenwood usually had the use of M1593, because Tidman refused to do long distance work!
The yard man, who cleaned up and made the tea (very frequently!) was a Geordie named Hope.
The Depot manager was Tom Jones, traffic operator Charlie Roberts, plus a cashier, lady typist, female office junior, and then me!
Other depots in operation at the time, were as follows:-
Barrow in Furness. Hindpool Road. Operated 1 vehicle only! Main customer Vickers Shipbuilding.
Birmingham. Wood Lane, Erdington. Main customer, GEC Witton.
Birtley. Durham Road. Main customers, CA Parsons, Coles Cranes, Swan Hunter. Manager Eddie Milne
Bristol. Main customer Strachan & Henshaw
Cardiff. Newport Road
Derby. Alfreton Road. Main customer International Combustion.
Edinburgh. Main customer Bruce Peebles
Exeter. Manager Jack Crwys
Glasgow. 2600, London Road, Carmyle. Manager Mr Irving
Hull. Main customers, Priestman Bros and Holmpress Piling.
Ipswich. Wright Road. Main customer Ransomes & Rapier.
Leeds. Gelderd Road
Leicester. Blaby Wharf, Glen Parva. Main customers, GEC Whetstone.
Lincoln. Ropewalk. Main customers, Ruston Bucyrus, Ruston & Hornsby. Manager Stan Crawford.
Liverpool
Manchester. unknown, later moved to Spindle Point, Kearsley, Bolton. Main customer AEI, Wythenshaw. Ferranti, Hollingwood.
Peterborough, Peterborough Road, Whittlesey. Main customers, Peter Brotherhood, Baker Perkins. Manager Maurice Clarke.
Preston. Chorley Road, Walton le Dale.
Rugby, Market Street. Main customer GEC
Sheffield. Brightside Lane. Main customers Davy United, Newton Chambers. Manager Ted Fitzpatrick.
Southampton. Manager Desmond Bull.
Stafford. Common Road. Main customer GEC.
Stockton.
Stratford. 68/74, High Street, E.15. Main customer, Hackbridge Transformers. Manager Mr Mcean
Walsall. Pleck Road
Additional depots were later opened at Luton and Orpington.
Will amend and add further detail when memory allows! Where have given no address, customers or manager, cannot presently recall. Time and other’s comments, may bring further information to post.
at the time it was way beyond anything else on heavy haulage and I am sure it was the only one ever built but I remember some Scammell blokes coming to Sheffield with some people from New Zealand to look around her as they were on about ordering some for their cattle transport roadtrains. The trailer was a Crane which was rated for 60 tons payload but several jobs were well over that as one job I did was supposed to be 58 tons and it turned out to 78 tons when we tipped it. Thanks for the picture
t and he retired when the depot closed down. Ted Fitzpatrick was the manager but he was promoted to northern area heavy haulage manager and Mick Irvine came in as manager who was the son of the Glasgow manager. The biggest customer was English Steel Corporation an Firth Brown, Cravens and Snow Grinding machines were also company’s who we worked for regularly.
