Being an ex tanker man it was always interesting to see what drivers were waiting at the Rocket coming out of Liverpool when I was on nights end of 70s up to mid 80s,and running back to Sheffield. It could be any time between 0300 and 0500 and I’ve had as many as five A S Jones lads in the cab.OK in a Transconti but a bit of a squeeze in a non-sleeper Scania 82.Burtonwood,Birch,Hartshead were the usual drops,but I did take one as far as Woolley Edge and another into Sheffield once.If there were none at Rocket I’d run through Manchester and over Woodhead home and Castrol drivers from Hyde were regular pick-ups from Ardwick Green to Tintwhistle,usually tipping them at Dog and Partridge near Flouch. 
3 from ASCO Gt. Yarmouth. These tankers are used to refuel ships.
I have more but for some reason they wont upload, all very strange considering they were all taken by me on the same camera & are all stored in the same file.
Chris Webb:
Being an ex tanker man it was always interesting to see what drivers were waiting at the Rocket coming out of Liverpool when I was on nights end of 70s up to mid 80s,and running back to Sheffield. It could be any time between 0300 and 0500 and I’ve had as many as five A S Jones lads in the cab.OK in a Transconti but a bit of a squeeze in a non-sleeper Scania 82.Burtonwood,Birch,Hartshead were the usual drops,but I did take one as far as Woolley Edge and another into Sheffield once.If there were none at Rocket I’d run through Manchester and over Woodhead home and Castrol drivers from Hyde were regular pick-ups from Ardwick Green to Tintwhistle,usually tipping them at Dog and Partridge near Flouch.
I’ve come home from Trafford Park to Batley (empty) with so many lads, cab was full, so 3 of them got INTO the tank and rode home in there. I don’t think I could have done that but “needs must” in those days.
transportphotos.com/road/photos (Bob Hobbs collection)
Central Edible Oils ERF E10 taken on A5 Cannock
Hays Chemicals ERF EC12
Evolution of an earlier generation. Photographed by Roger Kenney
Harold Woods, Heckmondwike. Grand machines those AEC’s. I’d happily do a shift with any one of those 3.
grumpy old man:
Harold Woods, Heckmondwike. Grand machines those AEC’s. I’d happily do a shift with any one of those 3.
Aye,me too Brian. Funnily enough the last MK5 I drove for Evans was fleet 178,like the one on the right. It was ex Cawoods reg.526 GYG and I was reluctant to give it up for a tilt cab Mandator - the money was better on an artic though. 
adr:
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Now that Gentleman is a proper Fuel Tanker driver, cap/boiler suit/tie, 23 years my dad looked like that on Mobil
When I started on contract for BP Saltend in about 1976 the first thing we had to do was report to the stores for all the BP clothing, overcoat, donkey coat, big peak cap, boots, wellingtons and overalls. It was like being in the army as a new recruit, every body new because of the clean and tidy uniform.
Then we had to get our photos taken for the ID cards.
I wondered what I had let myself in for but it turned out to be a very well paid cushy job.
A typical job for me would be to run from our depot at Accrington Monday AM and load Monday afternoon for Montrose and get an ETA slip to be back at Saltend by 10AM Friday.
Can’t offer up much gen on this picture sorry, but it was taken at Stanlow and from the picture I would suggest it was loading at the solvents slops gantry, at the end of the main (solvents, paraffins, Dobanol) gantries.
Solvents of course now long gone at Stanlow, last one loaded probably six years or so ago.
Cavlad:
Can’t offer up much gen on this picture sorry, but it was taken at Stanlow and from the picture I would suggest it was loading at the solvents slops gantry, at the end of the main (solvents, paraffins, Dobanol) gantries.
Solvents of course now long gone at Stanlow, last one loaded probably six years or so ago.
I remember going into Shell Stanlow to load acetone or di-isobutylene,sometimes you could be in there all day.Used to have a good craic with Catchpoles and O B drivers though.
grumpy old man:
Harold Woods, Heckmondwike. Grand machines those AEC’s. I’d happily do a shift with any one of those 3.
Hi Brian They were some of Smith & Robinsons fleet.
Chris Webb:
Cavlad:
Can’t offer up much gen on this picture sorry, but it was taken at Stanlow and from the picture I would suggest it was loading at the solvents slops gantry, at the end of the main (solvents, paraffins, Dobanol) gantries.
Solvents of course now long gone at Stanlow, last one loaded probably six years or so ago.
I remember going into Shell Stanlow to load acetone or di-isobutylene,sometimes you could be in there all day.Used to have a good craic with Catchpoles and O B drivers though.
Acetone gantry was just up the ramp (out of view) from this picture if it’s where I think it is, and the tanks would have been a bit further to the right of the pictured tanker. Don’t recall di-isobutylene (before my time!) but there was a lot of Methyl Ethyl Ketone, DMK (acetone), Isopropyl Alcohol and Isopropyl Ether going out not so long back (six years or so) but as said it all went and the tank farm is now just a field basically.
I think I.P.A is still imported (to Eastham) and loads out of there. but nowhere as busy at it used to be.
Loading’s a lot quicker now though some won’t believe that!
*Edited for spelling.
Hi Cav,it would be early to mid-70s when I loaded di-isobutylene,always for ICI at Billingham.
It was a popular product as you could run your car on it… 
I spent many hours up there on the solvent gantry in the early 70’s. I mainly carried Linevol or Butanol in a 4500 gallon one potter behind a new Scammell handyman. We took a lot of dobane to Marchon at Whitehaven.
As Chris Webb says there was always the OB and Catchpole lads to have the craig with. Little Roscoe and Gobber Price, he drowned in the dock at Hull after a session in the on board bar after we had tipped oil additive.
The traffic office was over at the back end of Stanlow near the Oil Sites road but you still had to go right through the plant to get to it.
The routers were Arthur Hewitt, Arthur Bean (both ex Shell Chemics drivers) and Jock Ritchie. A year or so after I started on contract there the office and yard was moved to the front of the site (first left after you came off the A5117) and a wash bay built. Arthur Hewitt ran the wash for a while then one of our drivers who lived at E Port left Gibraiths and started on the wash bay, he was called Roger but his last name as escaped me.
Do you remember little Tommy Edge a loader, he got killed on oil sites road when he went under a lorry with his bicycle.
There was one product I hated at Stanlow and that was Dutrex, nasty greasy stuff which took some cleaning out.
The good job was teelpol, especially if you had a customer for a few tons, say no more on that subject.
I left Stanlow in 1977 and did about 9 years at BP Saltend
Stanfield:
grumpy old man:
Harold Woods, Heckmondwike. Grand machines those AEC’s. I’d happily do a shift with any one of those 3.Hi Brian They were some of Smith & Robinsons fleet.
I was going by the building in the background, I was born down Wormald Street in Heckmondwike and I would have bet a shilling that was where the photo was taken. Not to worry, still fine machines and I wish I could turn the clock back fo just one shift, (although with my arthritic knees I might struggle mounting, and I might need a stairlift to get on top of the tank. 
Tankerman:
I spent many hours up there on the solvent gantry in the early 70’s. I mainly carried Linevol or Butanol in a 4500 gallon one potter behind a new Scammell handyman. We took a lot of dobane to Marchon at Whitehaven.
As Chris Webb says there was always the OB and Catchpole lads to have the craig with. Little Roscoe and Gobber Price, he drowned in the dock at Hull after a session in the on board bar after we had tipped oil additive.
The traffic office was over at the back end of Stanlow near the Oil Sites road but you still had to go right through the plant to get to it.
The routers were Arthur Hewitt, Arthur Bean (both ex Shell Chemics drivers) and Jock Ritchie. A year or so after I started on contract there the office and yard was moved to the front of the site (first left after you came off the A5117) and a wash bay built. Arthur Hewitt ran the wash for a while then one of our drivers who lived at E Port left Gibraiths and started on the wash bay, he was called Roger but his last name as escaped me.Do you remember little Tommy Edge a loader, he got killed on oil sites road when he went under a lorry with his bicycle.
There was one product I hated at Stanlow and that was Dutrex, nasty greasy stuff which took some cleaning out.
The good job was teelpol, especially if you had a customer for a few tons, say no more on that subject.
I left Stanlow in 1977 and did about 9 years at BP Saltend
The traffic office is now by the entrance to gate six, right where you said and the former wash bays were. The wash bays are long since redundant, vehicle inspections were done under them (i.e tank internal checks) but then moved to the gantries.
I don’t remember Tommy sorry but I bet I’ll know some people who did, and Dutrex and Teelpol are not product names I’m aware of. There is a product called Teepol they use on site but I think that’s bought in now and not made on site. It’s a sort of detergent/cleaner that’s fairly good at degreasing/cleaning up and can also wash dishes but it makes them stink!
Linevol (and Neodol) still going strong, plenty of that going out daily, as are toluene and Higher Olefins (gate three and gate 1 iirc) if you’re familiar with them?
I remember loading Linevol out of Shell,I can’t remember where I delivered it though. I presume toluene was loaded further down Oil Sites Road,on the r/h side,where the white spirit and xylene were? I got chucked out of there in 1976 because my Marathon was fitted with a tachograph.Irrespective whether or not it was being used,all vehicles fitted were dealt with similarly. I wasn’t particularly bothered but it didn’t take our firm long to fit a speedo head.
steptoe:
Wheel Nut:
steptoe:
Wheel Nut:
steptoe:
Wheel Nut:
I am still amazed that no one has any photos of Graham Gardners Mercedes Fleet, they were everywhere and mainly on the Wim Vos job but they did do everything else.Remember the Orange cabs with the huge white numbers on them, although some did get the Vos livery in later years
Steve Kirby off Bertschi’s worked for Gardener for quite a few years, I will ask him when I see him, he may have some pictures. The lorries where all Mercedes and based on Stallingborough Industrial Estate nearly oposite P&O roadtanks yard. I belive Gardener only had about 6 motors, but the fleet numbers didnt follow and started about 101.
That is they, like I said you saw them allover
If that is Catweazle Steve give him my best.
MalcYes, and hes still got all the facial hair…
He was a nice lad and started on the tanks around the same time as me, he always had a joke and a laugh
He still is a nice lad, he trained me on tanks when I first started.
Seconded, Steve is a great bloke and a gentleman. Saw him the other day and forgot to tell him his name was up in lights on here!
Chris Webb:
I remember loading Linevol out of Shell,I can’t remember where I delivered it though. I presume toluene was loaded further down Oil Sites Road,on the r/h side,where the white spirit and xylene were? I got chucked out of there in 1976 because my Marathon was fitted with a tachograph.Irrespective whether or not it was being used,all vehicles fitted were dealt with similarly. I wasn’t particularly bothered but it didn’t take our firm long to fit a speedo head.
I would imagine the toluene is still where it was when you used to go there. That’s all that loaded from that gantry now, though seemingly there used to be loads of different products going out from there at one time. In fact the North side of the plant was once the busiest many moons back, not the case now I’m afraid.
Cavlad:
Tankerman:
I spent many hours up there on the solvent gantry in the early 70’s. I mainly carried Linevol or Butanol in a 4500 gallon one potter behind a new Scammell handyman. We took a lot of dobane to Marchon at Whitehaven.
As Chris Webb says there was always the OB and Catchpole lads to have the craig with. Little Roscoe and Gobber Price, he drowned in the dock at Hull after a session in the on board bar after we had tipped oil additive.
The traffic office was over at the back end of Stanlow near the Oil Sites road but you still had to go right through the plant to get to it.
The routers were Arthur Hewitt, Arthur Bean (both ex Shell Chemics drivers) and Jock Ritchie. A year or so after I started on contract there the office and yard was moved to the front of the site (first left after you came off the A5117) and a wash bay built. Arthur Hewitt ran the wash for a while then one of our drivers who lived at E Port left Gibraiths and started on the wash bay, he was called Roger but his last name as escaped me.Do you remember little Tommy Edge a loader, he got killed on oil sites road when he went under a lorry with his bicycle.
There was one product I hated at Stanlow and that was Dutrex, nasty greasy stuff which took some cleaning out.
The good job was teelpol, especially if you had a customer for a few tons, say no more on that subject.
I left Stanlow in 1977 and did about 9 years at BP SaltendThe traffic office is now by the entrance to gate six, right where you said and the former wash bays were. The wash bays are long since redundant, vehicle inspections were done under them (i.e tank internal checks) but then moved to the gantries.
I don’t remember Tommy sorry but I bet I’ll know some people who did, and Dutrex and Teelpol are not product names I’m aware of. There is a product called Teepol they use on site but I think that’s bought in now and not made on site. It’s a sort of detergent/cleaner that’s fairly good at degreasing/cleaning up and can also wash dishes but it makes them stink!Linevol (and Neodol) still going strong, plenty of that going out daily, as are toluene and Higher Olefins (gate three and gate 1 iirc) if you’re familiar with them?
Teepol was loaded via gate 3 and was used to make washing up liquid, we took it to all the major detergent companies such as Boots and Levers. They diluted it up to 10 to 1 dependent on what brand it was going to be called.
Dutrex, once again via gate 3 was a thick greasy oily liquid and we took to places that made tyres, Avon at Melksham, India tyres Renfrew and Fort Dunlpop. real nasty stuff to clean out, we tipped a bucket of parrafin in the tank when we were empty and let it swill about until we got back to Stanlow for a boil up and spinout.
I started in 1970 with the first Gilbraith Tanker on Shell and AJ Jones had also just put a 4500 gallon one pot tank in the same time, Frank Smith drove it. Pickfords were still in there as were two of S&R’s (one driver was George Riley) Harold Wood had a few AEC artics in as well.
It was a lazy mans job but OK if you liked to play cards all day.
Gilbraith finsished up with three one potters, three 5 potters and three 6 potters but I was away to BP by then.
I