Hi Harry,its a sad picture…what a lash up,and whoever did it had the cheek to put fairy lights and a air horn to make it look nice!! 
I photoed it outside in the car park at Truckfest P/boro…I expect he was turned away 
Bubbs, 
bubbleman:
Hi Harry,its a sad picture…what a lash up,and whoever did it had the cheek to put fairy lights and a air horn to make it look nice!!
Bubbs,
hiya,
Outside the show and in the car park, and did’nt even have the decency to put a sheet over the heap but then you would’nt have got the pic Marc, and i bet he thinks it looks the “dogs”.
thanks harry long retired.
ainacs:
A few of Andy Stratton (RIP) of Southampton’s pics supplied by Ennis Stratton
This looks like Bowlers colour’s can anyone spread some light on this? Great pics
Another one of Dawson Groups Volvos no doubt, the JO signifies Oxford licensing office.
What a bloody waste of a classic lorry
240 Gardner:
BigG-Unit:
Am I right in remembering reading an article that John lived on a canal boat and took the wagon home and did all his own servicing & minor repairs in his own time?You are absolutely right! When Bowker’s fleet was taken over by the RHE in 1949, John would have none of it, and he left to do other things. At some stage in the early 1950s, he acquired the m.b. Peacock, which had been built new by Fellows, Morton & Clayton in 1915. It was a 73’ narrowboat, fitted with a Bolinder engine, and he bought it to work.
He rejoined Bowker in 1955 as their first London-based driver of the post-BRS era, but kept the boat at Paddington Wharf, and continued to live on it for the rest of his life. Peacock was always kept in original, working condition, and never converted as a pleasure boat. John had always said that he was leaving it to the City of Birmingham Museum, as it had originally been registered in Birningham.
It’s now an exhibit at the Black Country Museum, though back in its original FM&C colours. I do wonder what became of the brass nameplate on the front of the cabin, and which John bought directly off the GWR loco, ‘Peacock’, in a scrapyard in the late 1940s.
The Historic Narrow Boat Owners’ Club still presents the John Hemelryk award every year: hnboc.org.uk/awards-and-trophies
And yes, he used to to do the routine servicing himself at Paddington, on the wharf at the side of the boat, and he would take his holidays at M.O.T. time, during which time he would sail the boat to Uxbridge to the dry dock, and where he would repaint its elm bottom.
Hi 240 Gardener, Thanks for the extra information, most interesting and something not in the article I read before. I was very impressed by the story of this man and could identify with him to some (very small) degree, as by my nature, my own little operation was never going to grow to much, but was more a way of life than a job,… If that makes sense! 
I went on a longboat at the Black Country Museum some years ago, but probably not the same one. must get up there again and see this one. 
I remember the folk duo Gary & Vera Aspey singing a song about the Bolinder Engine back in the '70s. Thanks again, much appreciated.
bubbleman:
Hi again,
Cheers Bubbs,
Hi Bubbs, Great to see one from over here, and looking well tidy too! They are just up the road from me but tucked out of the way a bit. A fair few big motors, but don’t think anyone could complain as they seem to keep a low profile, so to speak! I think they keep their motors a fair time, or they did do, but with the personalised reg’s I am never sure now!
Wheel Nut:
Another one of Dawson Groups Volvos no doubt, the JO signifies Oxford licensing office.
What a bloody waste of a classic lorry
All the F88’s we had at Midlands BRS were Oxford registered JO,FC BW etc. but at that time the head office was at Oxford.
Trev_H:
Wheel Nut:
Another one of Dawson Groups Volvos no doubt, the JO signifies Oxford licensing office.
What a bloody waste of a classic lorryAll the F88’s we had at Midlands BRS were Oxford registered JO,FC BW etc. but at that time the head office was at Oxford.
hiya,
Tell you what Trev the BRS who were skilled in pop rivet and thick paint repairs (we was always roadworthy though) would’nt create a horror like this one i’ll bet the driver wore a wig and dark glasses before driving that thing.
thanks harry long retired
Hi Marc this is a model of F737 RPX one of my old drivers Jim Ski is making the detail is unbelievable!!!
And the real thing
A few years ago
BigG-Unit:
bubbleman:
Hi again,
Cheers Bubbs,
Hi Bubbs, Great to see one from over here, and looking well tidy too!
Don’t know if they have some based here, always see them parked up around Southampton on weekends.
ainacs:
Hi Marc this is a model of F737 RPX one of my old drivers Jim Ski is making the detail is unbelievable!!!
Tell you what Pat, that is a class model, well done Jim.
Hi again,Hey Pat…Great model Jim did for you,you must be made up.Tell me ,is the model for yourself to display or did Jim do it for himself…He’s got to do a 140 now surely 
Ok here we go then.
Cheers Bubbs,
bubbleman:
Hi again,Hey Pat…Great model Jim did for you,you must be made up.Tell me ,is the model for yourself to display or did Jim do it for himself…He’s got to do a 140 now surelyCheers Bubbs,
Hi Marc he has done it for himself he already has a 141 being built for his self
Not finished yet
Based on LJA 597P
His next project will be a F12 based on BBM 326T which he drove for me the only Volvo I have ever owned, be
Before he attempts a Volvo F88 based on his own one years ago
bubbleman:
Motor Panels cab obviously, but first time I see it with this grill, looks bit like a Thornycroft.
And what does it sit on, A or LV?
altitude:
BigG-Unit:
bubbleman:
Hi again,
Cheers Bubbs,
Hi Bubbs, Great to see one from over here, and looking well tidy too!
Don’t know if they have some based here, always see them parked up around Southampton on weekends.
Yeah think they do, as send a lot of trailer only back & forth. They used to have a space at the ferry yard in Portsmouth, but I haven’t been that way lately, so don’t know now. Think they used to do all the cement in tanks, when it was Blue Circle including mainland deliveries. Always seem to have a fair bit of kit about and look to be on the ball.
Yeah your right there’s always one or more in the ferry terminal in Portsmouth every weekend, and they did do a lot out of the cement works at Westbury.
HomoFaber:
bubbleman:
Motor Panels cab obviously, but first time I see it with this grill, looks bit like a Thornycroft.
And what does it sit on, A or LV?
This is an ERF MW,although the grill is different to most I’ve seen. I dont think there were that many in the UK,most went for export. Good looking truck I reckon,there were lots here in NZ.
A lot of them were fitted with 335 ■■■■■■■ and 13 speed road ranngers,that’s quite a bit of horse for the early 70’s
Here’s some pics of one thats for sale here at the moment,the bloke want’s NZ$ 9000 for it which works out at about 4400 quid. It’s a bit much I reckon for an old banga with clutch dramas.
Hello again,to reply to Pat,Jims doing a great job on the model of LJA…I reckon when its finished it should spend 11 months in your office and 1 month on Jims sideboard!!
NZ Jamie is right about the European ERF being a bit rare over here,of course the rust problem saw most of them off thats why the ones down under faired better because of the nicer climate…thanks for popping the pics on mate.
Todays stuff,a Bowker to start with…we dont want Harry to fall asleep getting bored
Cheers Bubbs,
bubbleman:
Hello again,to reply to Pat,Jims doing a great job on the model of LJA…I reckon when its finished it should spend 11 months in your office and 1 month on Jims sideboard!!
NZ Jamie is right about the European ERF being a bit rare over here,of course the rust problem saw most of them off thats why the ones down under faired better because of the nicer climate…thanks for popping the pics on mate.Todays stuff,a Bowker to start with…we dont want Harry to fall asleep getting bored
Cheers Bubbs,
hiya,
Wonder what the story is here, 240 is sure to know the area looks like Bowker “land” adjacent to the office and workshops and yes the Atki is one i’ve driven on occasion and most likely the one behind it too,you know just nip and get that trailer from or just park that one up before you go home, the mystery for me is if it is “the land” why are the “foreigner’s” parked up with the Bowker motor’s only enough room for their own stuff normally.
thanks harry long retired.
IN REPLY TO JOHN 57, BROMILOWS MERC WAS ITHINK A 1923 MODEL AND THE PIC YOU PUT ON WAS AFTER IT HAD BEEN REFURBISHED IN I THINK THE LATE 70,s. THEY EVEN FITTED ABRAND NEW CAB TO IT I WORKED FOR THEM AND SUBCONTRACTED FOR JEFF BROMILOW FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS.THEY WERE AND STILL ARE BASED IN CLUTTON 10 MILES SOUTH OF BRISTOL ON THE A37,ALTHOUGH THESE DAYS HE DOESN’T RUN ANY LORRIES.