Paul John:
Andrew, the top photo looks like the Newport yard. Taffs Wells was a lot bigger. I also remember a yard in Hirwaun close to Tower colliery.
They were distributors for Ford plant products and used many in their own fleet.
Paul
Hi Paul,
The top photo is the Newport yard.Was the tale ever true about the both of the Short Bros.respective houses? at Taffs Wells…
Regards Andrew.
Hi Andrew. To be honest I dont know anything about the Short Bros family.
Back in the early 70s my father did quite a bit of business with them, mostly Hirwaun as it was the closest yard to Rhymney. When my father and his youngest brother set up their engineering company they rented the mobile Iron Fairy cranes to remove, load and install their machine and fabrication shop machinery. They would purchase equipment from factories looking to update their machinery or from auctions, mostly unfortunately when factories were closing down. If they were in the Midlands Shorts would recommend a supplier there. More often than not, other purchasers would come ill prepared and they would cross hire the cranes they hired.
We had a Leyland Boxer at that time with a Perkins 6354, usually kept busy between the engineering company, Whitbread Brewery and HY-MAC.
Funny you should put a photo up of L.C.Lewis, he was my last customer at Gullivers the day I finished to emigrate. That was back in September 1991 as you said a few years back. Was H reg August 1991? He had a 2035 Merc to pull some flatbed trailers. He new his stuff, it was always good to talk to him. A huge fan of the Transcontiental.
Regards Paul
Hi Paul , Both brothers Gabe and Vernon now passed on company is still going as Shorts property developments still own vast areas in S Wales now run by Nigel and Stephen cousins .
Ianto, thanks for the update. Looking back they were a large company back then and successful. Good to see the next generation taking over even if it is now into property. You have to evolve to survive, the days of having all your eggs in one basket are just to risky!
pete 359:
Hi all,
I am unsure if this SCANIA was ever a Bridgend depot lorry? Might be a British Tissues load under there?..
Pretty sure this is a Newport depot motor,Bridgend had B197,198 .RFX.
Dai
Hello Dai,
Thanks very much for that,I’d guessed you’d know.Here is another BRS conundrum,a welsh registered Seddon.
Morning Andrew,B915 OJT also arrived that year and they adopted a 112m day cab B996 VHW that came off the british tissues contract.
They had the spicer gearbox fitted [range change on the top 4 if i remember].Ron perkins asked for B996 because he was changing over in
sandy lane Oxford with Wisbech depot to tip dog food in Westbury tesco on the way back.Eastern ran at 38 ton and we ran at 32 and those loads
were on the needle of 32 ton or just over.
5 Years later when i was driving Tony Dorrell was over taken on the M11 by a NFC director and he demanded bridgend get B996 off the road.
It did look awful but drove perfect and they just resprayed it and it seemed to be unbreakable and lasted years later.
Dai
pete 359:
Hi all,
I am unsure if this SCANIA was ever a Bridgend depot lorry? Might be a British Tissues load under there?..
Pretty sure this is a Newport depot motor,Bridgend had B197,198 .RFX.
Dai
Hello Dai,
Thanks very much for that,I’d guessed you’d know.Here is another BRS conundrum,a welsh registered Seddon.
Morning Andrew,B915 OJT also arrived that year and they adopted a 112m day cab B996 VHW that came off the british tissues contract.
They had the spicer gearbox fitted [range change on the top 4 if i remember].Ron perkins askked for B996 because he was changing over in
sandy lane Oxford with Wisbech depot to tip dog food in Westbury tesco on the way back.Eastern ran at 38 ton and we ran at 32 and those loads
were on the needle of 32 ton or just over.
5 Years later when i was driving Tony Dorrell was over taken on the M11 by a NFC director and he demanded bridgend get B996 off the road.
It did look awful but drove perfect and they just resprayed it and it seemed to be unbreakable and lasted years later.
Dai
Hello Dai,
Thanks for your reply.You are a mine of detailed information on BRS.Two Ailsa edition FH,s here owned by Mansel Davies & Son.Photo courtesy of Chris Richards.The Alisa edition commemorates 50 years in the uk for Volvo Trucks.
Hi Andrew . I honestly cant remember which side of the road they were ask my brother he will know we both worked there with Clive Templar , Reggie Wackett , Crazy horse , Don Payne aka Daz Dafs and Guy big J,s .
Ianto full pelt:
Hi Andrew . I honestly cant remember which side of the road they were ask my brother he will know we both worked there with Clive Templar , Reggie Wackett , Crazy horse , Don Payne aka Daz Dafs and Guy big J,s .
Hi Ian,
I am told that Argosy were in what is now Cam engineering on village farm industrial estate Pyle,opposite to CRH plant.I can vaguely remember them being there,oddly enough I clearly recall Vale Transport being right next door at what is now CBL plant hire.You May? remember Smith and Robinson Tankers were based in there before CBL.
Regards Andrew.
pete 359:
hi all,
Short Bros.I think they were originally from Taffs Well?.A big company in their day,lots of steelworks had Shorts vehicles in them…
That pic is definitely the Newport yard, on Cardiff Road, Maesglas. I worked there on vehicle maintenance in 1966/68 when it was Pitchford’s Pies, later to become Pork Farms. I believe that after Short’s it became the South Wales Argus, or was that before Shorts?
I left Pork Farms to go to Cardiff, spannering for Hutchinson Transport. Anyone remember them? Grey and blue ergo AEC six wheelers on Cardiff - Newcastle nightly trunk.
It all seems a long time ago.
I remember you owning that F88 Andrew,i knew that reg rang a bell.
It was ex midland,s division but you had fitted the wider grille.
Have the photo and a book with it in…
Dai
I remember you owning that F88 Andrew,i knew that reg rang a bell.
It was ex midland,s division but you had fitted the wider grille.
Have the photo and a book with it in…
Dai
Hello Dai,
Thanks,once again,you are correct on all counts.Midlands BRS had quite a few F88.This must qualify for one of the first MAN operated in South Wales ? I never realised they (MAN) built steam engines?
I remember you owning that F88 Andrew,i knew that reg rang a bell.
It was ex midland,s division but you had fitted the wider grille.
Have the photo and a book with it in…
Dai
Hello Dai,
Thanks,once again,you are correct on all counts.Midlands BRS had quite a few F88.This must qualify for one of the first MAN operated in South Wales ? I never realised they (MAN) built steam engines?
Well now then Andrew did you just button your “ganzy” (jacket) by the top button when you were on Joints ? Cheers Dennis.
The steam lorry is actually a MANN built in Hunslet, Leeds, and not by the German truck maker. They sold out to Atkinson who in turn sold them to Scammell. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann%27s_ … on_Company
windrush:
The steam lorry is actually a MANN built in Hunslet, Leeds, and not by the German truck maker. They sold out to Atkinson who in turn sold them to Scammell. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann%27s_ … on_Company
Pete.
Hi Pete,
Thanks for that.my mistake mate.
Regards Andrew.
