Morning Paul.
A fascinating and cracking little book about a company I remember so well.I will recommend it to all my friends.
Chris.
Buzzer:
Buzzer
I might have posed this question before but I wonder which engine this Marathon had in it ? The TL12 ? ■■■■■■■ 220/250 ? I tend to think that SOM being big ■■■■■■■ users it would have been the 220 or 250 engine it defo certainly wouldn’t have been the 8LXB !! 
Cheers Bewick.
Just got my book Paul very well put together and interesting well done [emoji106]
Many tanks for your kind words Gazza…spread the word please.
Paul, have you thought of approaching someone like W H Smith to see if they would be interested in this. I’m sure that if it was on sale in motorway service areas it would attract attention and sales. There’s a lot more transport buffs out there than just us old ■■■■■ on a forum.
Just a thought.
Dennis, thats a good idea and I thought of it but I basically have not got the quantity of booklets to do that. This project is a gamble, I had a local printer carry out the work (I was shocked at the cost of this).
Word is getting around, people like you are feeding back that it is a good buy and value for money. Sales are now picking up…long may it continue as I am out of pocket but I knew before gojng to print this is a gamble and I will lose money if they dont sell.
Lets see what happens over the next few weeks, if sales rocket then I will ask the printers to print more.
As far as WHS are concerned, there is no barcode on the book so to scan for their tills would be a problem, additionally I would have to persuade WHS as a company to bulk buy to distribute across their stores. I am too small for that.
Thanks for your comments.
Paul
PMB:
Dennis, thats a good idea and I thought of it but I basically have not got the quantity of booklets to do that. This project is a gamble, I had a local printer carry out the work (I was shocked at the cost of this).
Word is getting around, people like you are feeding back that it is a good buy and value for money. Sales are now picking up…long may it continue as I am out of pocket but I knew before gojng to print this is a gamble and I will lose money if they dont sell.
Lets see what happens over the next few weeks, if sales rocket then I will ask the printers to print more.
As far as WHS are concerned, there is no barcode on the book so to scan for their tills would be a problem, additionally I would have to persuade WHS as a company to bulk buy to distribute across their stores. I am too small for that.Thanks for your comments.
Paul
Never think for a minute that you’re too small. If the buyers at WHS think it can make them money they’ll take it on. It could be on a sale or return basis which gives you a bigger percentage of the profit as you’re carrying the risk or a lower payment per item but that’s what they’re good at - deciding which sales model is best for them. Regarding a bar code you can either create your own for free or, in the case of a customer like WHS, they would probably supply one and the printer would put it on. Apart from the cost of the postage you’ve got nothing to lose by contacting the purchasing dept at WHS and hopefully they’ll let you send them a sample.
Good morning all,
Word must be getting around as the number of orders received over the past 3 days has been phenomenal. Many thanks to everyone who bought a copy of my book. Feedback has been absolutely fantastic. Volume 2 will be written at some point.
Paul
Aye , that’s definitely going back a bit Buzzer . Merely out of curiosity though , I would be interested to learn the whereabouts of Smith’s depot in Wigan if anyone could provide an answer … not unless they mean Earlestown , where Smith’s did have a depot , but then , strictly speaking , Earlestown isn’t in Wigan , or am I being pedantic ?
Eddie Heaton:
Aye , that’s definitely going back a bit Buzzer . Merely out of curiosity though , I would be interested to learn the whereabouts of Smith’s depot in Wigan if anyone could provide an answer … not unless they mean Earlestown , where Smith’s did have a depot , but then , strictly speaking , Earlestown isn’t in Wigan , or am I being pedantic ?
Sorry Eddie,the nearest that I went to Wigan depot was Newton le Willows,so can’t help you there.
Perhaps Paul could shed some info from his memorabilia?
David
I really enjoyed the booklet Paul some great photos , and info glad i ordered one thanks for sending it
Hello everyone, I know the answer to the Wigan depot post…My late father worked for S of M over two periods in the 60s and 70s. In 1975 his normal night job was the Stockton to Wigan (Newton le Willows) night trunk drop his trailer then pick up another trailer to bring back to Stockton depot. I know the depot very well having visited it many times with Dad.
I can remember Newton le Willows depot, it was the other side of the railway station at Earlstown (you could see the station over the fence from Smiths yard). It was located at Old Wargraves Road Newton le Willows, the entry to the depot was from Victoria Road. The old telephone number was 4601 - 4482. Depot Manager was Mr A Royal. The connection with Wigan was when they had a depot in the 50s at Byrn near Wigan. Wigan appeared sign written on the side of Smiths trailers well into the 70s even when the depot was at N le W. Hope this helps. Paul
Thanks for clearing that one up Paul , however that leaves the question of where precisely was the Bryn depot situated ? … any idea ?
If we’re talking early 50s then that would have been a bit before my time as I was only born in 1947. But having been born and raised a mere two miles distant from Bryn and being familiar with the area , I’m still struggling to imagine where Smith’s depot could have been .
Bryn , as you know is a mere dot on the map , but is strategically located astride the old A49 which , prior to the completion of the M6 in that area in 1960 I believe it was , formed part of the main route from the north at its junction with the A6 at Bamber Bridge to Ross on Wye , giving access to Wales and the west country , thereby making it a good choice for a haulage depot .
I don’t doubt for a moment that your information is correct , it’s just that Bryn is essentially a linear village covering an area of less than two or three square miles and I can’t imagine where the yard could possibly have been … not unless it was situated on the site that subsequently became Leverton’s , the Caterpillar dealers which stands on the left , on the northbound A49 half a mile north of Bryn .
That’s just a guess , but it’s the best that I can manage . Incidentally , Leverton’s cleared out years ago , I’m not sure what the place is now .
PMB:
Hello everyone, I know the answer to the Wigan depot post…My late father worked for S of M over two periods in the 60s and 70s. In 1975 his normal night job was the Stockton to Wigan (Newton le Willows) night trunk drop his trailer then pick up another trailer to bring back to Stockton depot. I know the depot very well having visited it many times with Dad.
I can remember Newton le Willows depot, it was the other side of the railway station at Earlstown (you could see the station over the fence from Smiths yard). It was located at Old Wargraves Road Newton le Willows, the entry to the depot was from Victoria Road. The old telephone number was 4601 - 4482. Depot Manager was Mr A Royal. The connection with Wigan was when they had a depot in the 50s at Byrn near Wigan. Wigan appeared sign written on the side of Smiths trailers well into the 70s even when the depot was at N le W. Hope this helps. Paul
Hi Paul,
It’s from NleW depot that the Manchester Manager,Harold Gilmore drove me to collect a brand new 240 Big J that had come down on night trunk the night before and drive it Manchester,that Guy had some poke!..that was my first day with SoM.
David
Brilliant
PMB:
Brilliant
It was really a Big J with a 505 AEC engine but it performed like an 8 LXB and a young Lad in those far off days didn’t know the difference eh ! 
Anon 1.
Paul,
Booklet received this afternoon,not had a chance yet to browse let alone read
but looks most interesting,thanks for your efforts,Will recontact you for my critique,as requested,once I have read it.
Thanks again,
David
David, enjoy the read.
Paul