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.
Dennis,
James and his brother Alex were still hands on in 1979,Alex came down to Manchester depot on a personal mission to discuss an item of importance with me and the then Depot Manager,Harold Gilmore.
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.
Dennis,
James and his brother Alex were still hands on in 1979,Alex came down to Manchester depot on a personal mission to discuss an item of importance with me and the then Depot Manager,Harold Gilmore.
David
I met James on three occasions in the late 70’s when he would call at Milnthorpe on his way up the road in his XJ6,but I’m positive he had finished completely at SOM by this time, IIRC one time he had come from Blackpool and the back of his car was full of plastic toys !! The last time I met him was at Burton Services when he’d rung me and asked if I fancied a crack over a brew, which I of course agreed to. He was a great bloke to talk to and he was quite interested in how I was developing Bewick Transport,he told me that Alex and him had enjoyed building up SOM during the 50’s and 60’s but they weren’t getting any younger so they had took the decision to sell out to United Transport Group.I count myself fortunate to have been around at that time and met some of the Greats in the UK transport world, James Smith been one of them ! Cheers Dennis.
Retired Old ■■■■:
So you won’t be able to help us out with evidence, Fergie?
No need for “evidence” ROF, I (along with a fair few others) KNOW they existed. My “evidence” is the S.O.M. lads who drove them, and that’s good enough for me… …
Bewick:
I only asked if there was a side view photograph in existence Bewick.
Stop back peddling Dennis…you’ve put 4 people in asylums, 5 in care, 6 in hospital with brain damage, 1 suicide, 10 possible suicides, and aged C.F. by 50 years, and you have the ordacitiy to say you only wanted a photograph…
I assume that I’m one of the six with “brain damage”? I’ll have you know that I have had my brain damage for far more years than I’ve known the ■■■■■■■■ Sheeter. In fact, I have a growing suspicion that I was born with it, given my choice of profession- nobody in their right mind would deliberately choose to put up with the cr*p we had for fifty years, then retire on a state pension.
Bewick:
I only asked if there was a side view photograph in existence Bewick.
Stop back peddling Dennis…you’ve put 4 people in asylums, 5 in care, 6 in hospital with brain damage, 1 suicide, 10 possible suicides, and aged C.F. by 50 years, and you have the ordacitiy to say you only wanted a photograph…
Funny that Dave I thought the TN site had gone a bit quiet like Although there are still one or two we need to “capture”,ROF appears to have evaded capture and he should have been one of the first to have the “net thrown over him” but he was probably hiding in amongst his taties on his allotment, well you know what they say “all top and nowt underneath” Nurse, nurse, pass the horse tranquelizer please. Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
I only asked if there was a side view photograph in existence Bewick.
Stop back peddling Dennis…you’ve put 4 people in asylums, 5 in care, 6 in hospital with brain damage, 1 suicide, 10 possible suicides, and aged C.F. by 50 years, and you have the ordacitiy to say you only wanted a photograph…
Funny that Dave I thought the TN site had gone a bit quiet like Although there are still one or two we need to “capture”,ROF appears to have evaded capture and he should have been one of the first to have the “net thrown over him” but he was probably hiding in amongst his taties on his allotment, well you know what they say “all top and nowt underneath” Nurse, nurse, pass the horse tranquelizer please. Cheers Dennis.
Well Den, not much point in capturing ROF, he’s passed it now, I hear he’s living in a 2cwt sack with some beautiful FRENCH Charlottes, (that’s the spuds, not the women) anyway, even if you did, what would you do with him…
I recon the 8LXB thread will keep going to 200, a few more will no doubt have lost the will to live by then…
Retired Old ■■■■:
I reluctantly have to agree, chaps, I’m not much good for anything at my age!
Come on ROF Pull your self together man, Treat yourself to a bottle or two of Malts Its a cure for everything in my book Us old drivers never give up my friend, Regards Larry.
Apologies if this has been added before(not my photo found on net) thought it might be of interest on this thread. Had a quick look through and its not already on
Stanfield:
Apologies if this has been added before(not my photo found on net) thought it might be of interest on this thread. Had a quick look through and its not already on
0
Fleet No 142,indicators or hazards on the roof,tiny mirrors!
I can’t recall whether Smiths had a Midlands depot,would’nt surprise me,they had the ICI contract out of Grangemouth,and Oldbury was the chemical centre for the Midlands,I never ventured into a Midlands depot during my years with Smith’s though,nice picture “Stanfield”.
