Stanfield:
Just thought I would bring this post back with a photo.0
TD■■? denotes it as a Stockton motor,going to/from ICI by the look of the load.
David 
Just looking through some old photos this was taken at J Stirlands Willow Road Nottingham in about 1970 Stirlands used to do a changeover with Smiths at the Stainmore cafe on the A66
gazsa401:
0 Just looking through some old photos this was taken at J Stirlands Willow Road Nottingham in about 1970 Stirlands used to do a changeover with Smiths at the Stainmore cafe on the A66
I remember that changeover gazsa. I took an artic up to Penrith late one afternoon in 1980 or 81 and was supposed to go back to Sheffield by train 
.
I walked out of town to the A66 island and a Smith ERF stopped for me,about midnight it was. We low flew to Stainmore and I got in a Stirland Atki and was dropped at J1 of the M18 about 0330,walked into Maltby for me car (hiding from night TSM) and was in Sheffield for just after 0400. Good payer was that,night out in Penrith and train fare home Saturday plus 5 hours pay. 
Good story that mate after Stainmore closed the changeover moved to Crooklands then to Carnforth I can’t remember what happened to Smiths we started changing over with another group company Harris Road Services they had a few lorries based at Coatbridge sometimes we would run straight through to Boots at Airdrie if the changeover didn’t show up
gazsa401:
Good story that mate after Stainmore closed the changeover moved to Crooklands then to Carnforth I can’t remember what happened to Smiths we started changing over with another group company Harris Road Services they had a few lorries based at Coatbridge sometimes we would run straight through to Boots at Airdrie if the changeover didn’t show up
Those single axel box trailers were used for either Boots or Kodak traffic,as gazsa401 said,change over with Stirlands,there was another transport company from Nottingham whose name escapes me,still going today as I saw an artic of theirs over the weekend,Kodak used to be tipped at Wythenshawe Manchester and empty stillages or pallets back loaded to Aidrie.
Just come to me now,West’s of Derby,not Nottingham,but not that far away!!!
David
We did a nightime changeover at Tebay with Smiths carrying Unipart car spares from BRS at Smethwick in the 70s/80s.
Smith
McWilliam:
Smith
I wonder how long that D1000 lasted in the SOM fleet,not long I’d guess and,of course,it was only a 28 ton GVW tractor as well,I just bet Fords “gave” them the tractor just to get the famous SOM livery onto one of their D1000’s,I wonder how they felt after it was battered to death on trunk running.Cheers Bewick.
Smith
McWilliam:
Smith
Same model, same age as mine. I wonder if it had the same V8 Perky? About 5 mpg and almost as bad on oil after three years!
Retired Old ■■■■:
McWilliam:
SmithSame model, same age as mine. I wonder if it had the same V8 Perky? About 5 mpg and almost as bad on oil after three years!
SOM where big ■■■■■■■ fans “ROF”,except,of course,for the 39 or was it 41?( Jury is still out 
) Guy Big J’s fitted with the Gardner 240LXB engine 
Cheers Bewick.
Chris Webb:
gazsa401:
0 Just looking through some old photos this was taken at J Stirlands Willow Road Nottingham in about 1970 Stirlands used to do a changeover with Smiths at the Stainmore cafe on the A66I remember that changeover gazsa. I took an artic up to Penrith late one afternoon in 1980 or 81 and was supposed to go back to Sheffield by train
I walked out of town to the A66 island and a Smith ERF stopped for me,about midnight it was. We low flew to Stainmore and I got in a Stirland Atki and was dropped at J1 of the M18 about 0330,walked into Maltby for me car (hiding from night TSM) and was in Sheffield for just after 0400. Good payer was that,night out in Penrith and train fare home Saturday plus 5 hours pay.
Bit off thread here, I wonder what happened to all the photos of stranded vehicles and white outs that used to adorn the cafe walls at Stainmore? I have to say it was a great spot to be if you were stranded. The staff were magic!! ( I was only stuck there once,) and that was before they built the dual carraigeway. Regards Kev.
Now then, Bewick, don’t start that again or I shall feel obliged to claim that I threw the Perkins out and replaced it with a Guy radial engine.
And before anyone berates me, I’m sure zbanorak or Valkyrie will confirm the existence of such a beast.
Designed at Wolverhampton, of course, NOT Birmingham
Hi all did smiths have a yard on Wellington road birmingham as a kid there used to be a transport yard on the left as you went from church rd to birchfield rd perry barr, Davis had a yard in oxhill rd this would be 60s early 70s thanks
Bi J SOM circa 69ish
Trev_H:
We did a nightime changeover at Tebay with Smiths carrying Unipart car spares from BRS at Smethwick in the 70s/80s.
Trev,I could tell you a story about that Unipart trailer and The Moss cafe at Carlisle,but suffice to say,it joined the Irish meat trailers at the bottom of the rear car park on a regular basis!!!
David
5thwheel:
Trev_H:
We did a nightime changeover at Tebay with Smiths carrying Unipart car spares from BRS at Smethwick in the 70s/80s.Trev,I could tell you a story about that Unipart trailer and The Moss cafe at Carlisle,but suffice to say,it joined the Irish meat trailers at the bottom of the rear car park on a regular basis!!!
David
Thieving gits 
Bewick.
Bewick:
5thwheel:
Trev_H:
We did a nightime changeover at Tebay with Smiths carrying Unipart car spares from BRS at Smethwick in the 70s/80s.Trev,I could tell you a story about that Unipart trailer and The Moss cafe at Carlisle,but suffice to say,it joined the Irish meat trailers at the bottom of the rear car park on a regular basis!!!
David
Thieving gits
I’ve heard the stories, strange that they carried parts manuals in their cabs 
Trev_H:
Bewick:
5thwheel:
Trev_H:
We did a nightime changeover at Tebay with Smiths carrying Unipart car spares from BRS at Smethwick in the 70s/80s.Trev,I could tell you a story about that Unipart trailer and The Moss cafe at Carlisle,but suffice to say,it joined the Irish meat trailers at the bottom of the rear car park on a regular basis!!!
David
Thieving gits
I’ve heard the stories, strange that they carried parts manuals in their cabs
nice one Trev!!!
Bewick:
Someone must have stories and photos of this outfit as they were nationwide in the 50s,60s&70s I was priviledged to know James Smith in the 70s but that was after he had left the firm and it was part of United Group .
Mr James will be having a right good laugh in the Board room in the sky with all this controversy about Big J’s with 8 LXB engines, at least when he was buying Big J’s they all had the 180 ■■■■■■■ engine, apart from the one “5th Wheel” drove from Newton-le Willows to Manchester which had the AEC 505 engine. Cheers Bewick.