ISTR delivering to various SPD depots in the early 1970s, Domexq sherry I would guess, but to be honest that is about the sum total of it. I can’t find anything about the company at all on t’internet. Any memories?
cav551:
ISTR delivering to various SPD depots in the early 1970s, Domexq sherry I would guess, but to be honest that is about the sum total of it. I can’t find anything about the company at all on t’internet. Any memories?
Hi “cav551”, IIRC They had their own pallets, Very similar to the Blue Pallets that we have today, They used to deliver to Baxters Warehouse on the Milk Market in Newcastle with Magic Margerine for A.J.Mills,This was in the late 50s, Regards Larry.
cav551:
ISTR delivering to various SPD depots in the early 1970s, Domexq sherry I would guess, but to be honest that is about the sum total of it. I can’t find anything about the company at all on t’internet. Any memories?
" Speedy and Prompt Delivery" SPD, were owned by Van Den Burghs who I believe became or were part of Unilever, but however they were the delivery arm of a big Multi national. Cheers Bewick.
The only SPD I remember was the transport division of United Biscuits /Huntley and Palmers/ Jacobs etc. We used to repair their BMC FGK’s and they also ran Commer Superpoise box vans.
Pete.
Bewick:
cav551:
ISTR delivering to various SPD depots in the early 1970s, Domexq sherry I would guess, but to be honest that is about the sum total of it. I can’t find anything about the company at all on t’internet. Any memories?" Speedy and Prompt Delivery" SPD, were owned by Van Den Burghs who I believe became or were part of Unilever, but however they were the delivery arm of a big Multi national. Cheers Bewick.
Spot on Dennis, Baxters used to store a bit of Van Den Burghs stuff ,Mostley bottles of fruit juice which was very popular in those days, IIRC Magic Margerine contained 10 percent butter which we delivered to the likes of Broughs, Meadow Dairy, Hadrian, & lots more old grocery shops, Regards Larry.
Aye Larry they had a depot in Kendal down in Longpool then in1960 they built a brand new depot on the Mintsfeet Trading estate and when I was still at School I helped a chap who did contract gardening and SPD had some lawns and borders in front of their offices which we kept tidy. I can remember now all those years ago that their manager was one of the “old school” probably ex Army but a real gent although you knew your place eh! Cheers Dennis.
I seem to remember them having a depot in Birkenshaw near Bradford, white Bedford TKs with sliding door bodies down both sides, the depot was also used by Birds eye as well
atlas man:
I seem to remember them having a depot in Birkenshaw near Bradford, white Bedford TKs with sliding door bodies down both sides, the depot was also used by Birds eye as well
Birds Eye was/is a Unilever Brand. Cheers Bewick.
Yes, SPD was a massive Unilever operation at one time. I seem to recall that they were also big users of the railway. I remember as a small boy going with Fred Holden to load at the SPD depot in the railway goods yard at Plodder Lane, Farnworth. If I mention to people now that there used to be a goods yard and engine shed at Plodder Lane they look at me in disbelief, the area is now completely covered with houses.
SPD had a depot in Newcastle under Lyme, prob late 60’s early 70’s, my father worked there.
They had a depot in Southampton by Sea Route Ferry, Empress Road.
IIRC, Theres a SPD Firm at Skelmersdale ,Still going as far as I know, I wonder if this is the same SPD We are talking about ?, Regards Larry.
If the SPD you refer to is the same one, at Fridged Freight we used to run peas out of Coltishall to their processing plant in Oulton Broad, Frozen vegetables to their cold store in Cleethorpe and regular deliveries from Birds Eye in Gt. Yarmouth or Lowestoft to the Springfield Rd. cold store in Belfast, usually loading chilled beef out of Southern Ireland for the American Service Camps in Europe then fruit back . Jim.
SPD used to have a place just south of Redhill at Salfrods on the right going south used to drop stuff in there in the 80s
When I was a kid (I’m 64 now) I think they had red lorries delivering food to hotels etc. I am sure they had a cast alloy SPD emblem on the door, just below the window.
SPD had a depot in Peterborough & joined on to it was a Birdseye depot , i believe there was a rail siding into the back of the SPD yard , from the time i can remember they ran white vehicles with black writing… They had box bodys & a sliding door, mostly Bedford TK , with a handful of Ford D &some Dodges…
Best regards
Wheel Nut:
Unilever Granted " Unlimited " B Licences | 16th February 1962 | The Commercial Motor Archive
These old archives of Com/motor are a right interesting read especially the bits about Carrier licencing. When I applied for my third “A” licence in 1970 for the second artic I was planning to buy I was called to appear before the Road/Rail negotiating committee, for a second time, the first time was when I had acquired a second licence which I had applied to increase the ULW of the AEC Mercury which the “A” licence had come off, I had to apply because I was replacing it with a 7ton ulw artic and the Mercury was only around 5 ton ulw.I got the grant for the uplift only after agreeing to remove a number of items from my “normal user” the number of objectors ranged from Furniture Removers, tipper operators, cattle hauliers and of course good 'ole BR who objected to everything and everybody even though they couldn’t handle the traffic. The second time was when I was applying for a new additional 8ton ulw artic which was supported by my two main customers at the time and my application was still opposed by objectors although the Furniture and Tipper whalas had dropped out of the picture. Never the less I had to attend with my Brief and show the objectors 12 months T/o figures as well as the letters of support. These Kangaroo courts were fairly intimidating when you are 22 years old but looking back it was an interesting time and the main benefit was you had to show there was need for your services whereas when the Labour shower brought in Operator licencing it was every man for himself and you had to do was prove you could maintain the motor/s you were applying for. This IMHO was the time when the whole transport industry took a turn for the worst and has continued downward ever since. Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
Wheel Nut:
Unilever Granted " Unlimited " B Licences | 16th February 1962 | The Commercial Motor ArchiveThese old archives of Com/motor are a right interesting read especially the bits about Carrier licencing. When I applied for my third “A” licence in 1970 for the second artic I was planning to buy I was called to appear before the Road/Rail negotiating committee, for a second time, the first time was when I had acquired a second licence which I had applied to increase the ULW of the AEC Mercury which the “A” licence had come off, I had to apply because I was replacing it with a 7ton ulw artic and the Mercury was only around 5 ton ulw.I got the grant for the uplift only after agreeing to remove a number of items from my “normal user” the number of objectors ranged from Furniture Removers, tipper operators, cattle hauliers and of course good 'ole BR who objected to everything and everybody even though they couldn’t handle the traffic. The second time was when I was applying for a new additional 8ton ulw artic which was supported by my two main customers at the time and my application was still opposed by objectors although the Furniture and Tipper whalas had dropped out of the picture. Never the less I had to attend with my Brief and show the objectors 12 months T/o figures as well as the letters of support. These Kangaroo courts were fairly intimidating when you are 22 years old but looking back it was an interesting time and the main benefit was you had to show there was need for your services whereas when the Labour shower brought in Operator licencing it was every man for himself and you had to do was prove you could maintain the motor/s you were applying for. This IMHO was the time when the whole transport industry took a turn for the worst and has continued downward ever since. Cheers Bewick.
Thinking back and reviewing the effect of Operator Licensing over the last 45 years (and I agree fully with Dennis), the fact that a Labour government introduced it is baffling. Everything they did at that time and before was to protect the nationalised industries including the railways, so they must never have foreseen the consequences of O Licensing which ultimately led to an even faster decline of freight volumes on the railways, and of course it also brought about the decline of BRS. The original Road Traffic Act of 1933 that implemented the A, B, and C carrier licensing system was designed to protect the railways, which even back then were beginning to lose significant volumes of freight to road transport.