What a bunch of cynics you all are Gentlemen, is our “Spring” weather getting to you?? As Gardner 240 implies , many in our industry have done the hard learning, whatever position they hold , and can still do it.
A good few years ago I was sat next to a rather elderly lady at a friends dinner party, when she asked me about my job. She replied, “Oh you work with lorries, I did so enjoy driving the Queen Marys”. Turned out she had driven just about everything from Scammells, via Diamond Ts, down to Bedfords during World War 2. A really enjoyable evening, where I learned a lot, and from such an elegant lady, who one would suppose could only manage a Morris Minor!!.
Trev H, adr, the lad in the picture could certainly have done a reasonable sheeting job, he , like us was a driver originally. But I suspect that the trailer was pulled out for the shots.
He worked for the Renault Truck outfit up in the North East, (I cannot recall either the dealership, or sadly his name, but I recall “hosting” them on a visit to Venissieux).
Like certain convenience foods…do not go by what you think is inside the wrapping!!!
My Dad joined the RAF in 1939, at the start of hostilities, and spent the first 3 years driving Queen Mary’s etc. I think he was based at Glasgow and a regular task was ferry to Northern Ireland, drive down into the Republic (In civvies as they were neutral) recover a crashed Spitfire or Hurricane from the coast somewhere and return it to Glasgow for repair etc.
We went to the Republic for a holiday in the late 60’s and he knew every little bay and cove down the west coast.
It makes me smile the tester’s comment that the Foden nine speed gearbox was easier to use than the twelve speed as it was basically the same! Only nine gears were listed but there were twelve in there and all could be used!
adr:
Are you implying that he didn’t do it, & might be a HGV-less Manager posing for the pic’?
Not all managers are HGV-less…
Hi 240 Gardner/Saviem,
I didn’t actually say, ALL, Managers are HGV-Less, & I agree there are many managers that have been on the road & done the miles, but sadly now they are becoming a very rare beast! More & more now as sadly the old style General Haulage firms etc are dsappearing, the new modern “Logistics” companies don’t seem to think that miles under the belt experience combined with common sence are as important as a University Degree!
Regards Chris
windrush:
It makes me smile the tester’s comment that the Foden nine speed gearbox was easier to use than the twelve speed as it was basically the same! Only nine gears were listed but there were twelve in there and all could be used!
Pete.
I can remember my dad driving a foden s40 eight wheeler with the foden nine speed box and his boss wouldnt believe him when he said he could find twelve lol
Mick
What a bunch of cynics you all are Gentlemen, is our “Spring” weather getting to you?? As Gardner 240 implies , many in our industry have done the hard learning, whatever position they hold , and can still do it.
A good few years ago I was sat next to a rather elderly lady at a friends dinner party, when she asked me about my job. She replied, “Oh you work with lorries, I did so enjoy driving the Queen Marys”. Turned out she had driven just about everything from Scammells, via Diamond Ts, down to Bedfords during World War 2. A really enjoyable evening, where I learned a lot, and from such an elegant lady, who one would suppose could only manage a Morris Minor!!.
!
Abientot, Cheerio for now.
My aunt spent the war in the WAAFs and she was the same driving everything but mainly Queen Mary’s and her daughter was one of the first women to drive gas tanks for Calor at Kings Lynn depot in the late 70s or early 80s, my Ma started in the land army as a timber (jill ) jack felling trees before joining the WRENs where she met my dad and only left when she was pregnant with me. I made such an impression that they went onto have 10 more but non like me I have just applied for dads artic medal as he did several trips up to Russia but I am not sure if I have been able to supply enough information and I am about the oldest living in our family now so there is no one to ask but one never knows I may be lucky.
cheers Johnnie
adr:
Are you implying that he didn’t do it, & might be a HGV-less Manager posing for the pic’?
Not all managers are HGV-less…
Hi 240 Gardner/Saviem,
I didn’t actually say, ALL, Managers are HGV-Less, & I agree there are many managers that have been on the road & done the miles, but sadly now they are becoming a very rare beast! More & more now as sadly the old style General Haulage firms etc are dsappearing, the new modern “Logistics” companies don’t seem to think that miles under the belt experience combined with common sence are as important as a University Degree!
Regards Chris
When I was a Director at WRM there was only Roy Hook (ex Henleys) and me that had an HGV licence and had done any graft at “the sharp end” but this fact was imaterial to the other Board members and if you heard the Scots wallies spouting and didn’t know they were talking out of their “back passages” they would have you believing that they had more miles rolling backwards at traffic lights than I had gone forward.It was like watching “Jackanory” !!! Cheers Bewick.
harry_gill:
hiya,
I’m afraid I’d have to do battle with Chris Webb before I stood
a chance of a bit of a tootle in the eight legged AEC, and he’s
got youth on his side, never got hold of a Park Royal cabbed
job to pull a trailer with but have had a go in them solo they
was my favourite motor of that era.
thanks harry, long retired.
I think there would be a queue to mount that AEC, I know I’d be there hoping to have a dabble.
Aye,form an orderly queue lads,she’s a beauty,my favourite old motor. I wonder if it’s ex F B Atkins with that “CH” Derby reg.?
Anybody know the history of this Commer with a Sheffield reg.?
should be back out on the circiut this year, has been off the road for a long while after my father passed away, it was a ketton cement mixer when my father aqiured it in the early eighties and we have had it ever since,
harry_gill:
hiya,
I’m afraid I’d have to do battle with Chris Webb before I stood
a chance of a bit of a tootle in the eight legged AEC, and he’s
got youth on his side, never got hold of a Park Royal cabbed
job to pull a trailer with but have had a go in them solo they
was my favourite motor of that era.
thanks harry, long retired.
I think there would be a queue to mount that AEC, I know I’d be there hoping to have a dabble.
Aye,form an orderly queue lads,she’s a beauty,my favourite old motor. I wonder if it’s ex F B Atkins with that “CH” Derby reg.?
Anybody know the history of this Commer with a Sheffield reg.?
should be back out on the circiut this year, has been off the road for a long while after my father passed away, it was a ketton cement mixer when my father aqiured it in the early eighties and we have had it ever since,
I drove a Commer Maxiload four wheeler the same cab as that one,it was the best regular lorry that I drove back in the late 60’s.
Cheers Dave.
harry_gill:
hiya,
I’m afraid I’d have to do battle with Chris Webb before I stood
a chance of a bit of a tootle in the eight legged AEC, and he’s
got youth on his side, never got hold of a Park Royal cabbed
job to pull a trailer with but have had a go in them solo they
was my favourite motor of that era.
thanks harry, long retired.
I think there would be a queue to mount that AEC, I know I’d be there hoping to have a dabble.
Aye,form an orderly queue lads,she’s a beauty,my favourite old motor. I wonder if it’s ex F B Atkins with that “CH” Derby reg.?
Anybody know the history of this Commer with a Sheffield reg.?
should be back out on the circiut this year, has been off the road for a long while after my father passed away, it was a ketton cement mixer when my father aqiured it in the early eighties and we have had it ever since,
hiya,
love the “skirt lifter” exhaust on the Commer
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
hiya,
I’m afraid I’d have to do battle with Chris Webb before I stood
a chance of a bit of a tootle in the eight legged AEC, and he’s
got youth on his side, never got hold of a Park Royal cabbed
job to pull a trailer with but have had a go in them solo they
was my favourite motor of that era.
thanks harry, long retired.
I think there would be a queue to mount that AEC, I know I’d be there hoping to have a dabble.
Aye,form an orderly queue lads,she’s a beauty,my favourite old motor. I wonder if it’s ex F B Atkins with that “CH” Derby reg.?
Anybody know the history of this Commer with a Sheffield reg.?
should be back out on the circiut this year, has been off the road for a long while after my father passed away, it was a ketton cement mixer when my father aqiured it in the early eighties and we have had it ever since,
hiya,
love the “skirt lifter” exhaust on the Commer
thanks harry, long retired.
A company called Cooper and Hart in Sheffield ran a lot of them,could well be one of their owd 'uns.
