Hi Bewick, Here is a random photo I found when sorting out old albums, this was Wigton carnival about 1973 Note the ■■■■■■■■■■ Motor Services Bristol LH bus coming into Wigton from Speatrie via Mealsyet on the 67 service. Showing Norman’s D 1000 taking part in the carnival outside Huntington’s garage Soth End. When he had the Trader I think he would be working almost full time for Watt’s I know he did a lot of London trips. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to work out of Smiths knowing the hassle getting loaded at three or four different manufacturing plants ranging from Hensingham to Workington and taking all day, plus getting a load consisting of many drops, I had my fill driving a Commer two stroke for Harry Fearon on Smiths contract work in the London smog in 1962.
Cheers Leyland 600. Photo won’t upload will try later.
I think Willie Ismay from Speytri would be the driver at one time.
Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Hi Bewick, Here is a random photo I found when sorting out old albums, this was Wigton carnival about 1973 Note the ■■■■■■■■■■ Motor Services Bristol LH bus coming into Wigton from Speatrie via Mealsyet on the 67 service. Showing Norman’s D 1000 taking part in the carnival outside Huntington’s garage Soth End. When he had the Trader I think he would be working almost full time for Watt’s I know he did a lot of London trips. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to work out of Smiths knowing the hassle getting loaded at three or four different manufacturing plants ranging from Hensingham to Workington and taking all day, plus getting a load consisting of many drops, I had my fill driving a Commer two stroke for Harry Fearon on Smiths contract work in the London smog in 1962.
Cheers Leyland 600. Photo won’t upload will try later.
Thanks for the “gen” L600,Norm must still have done a bit for Smiths because I can definitely remember the fact,when he packed up he sold his motor to a lad in Kendal and he was supposed to carry on out of Smiths,but he didn’t have the “stamina” of a “Marra” so he didn’t last long running out of Smiths! Another long gone marra of mine was Harry Thompson who I got to know at a similar time to Norm,now HTT was a grafter if ever there was one,he ran an single drive Tilt cab Reiver then and I used to come across him up and down the road at all times of day and night( I was as bad eh! 
),and I used to see him at Watts office as well.He replced the Albion with a new ERF 6 wheeler and then added a new 4 wheeler ERF when Operator Licencing came in.But as you say Smiths was a gruelling job,everything was desperate and urgent.I don’t know how good the rates were,not enough for what they expected I guess.Cheers Bewick.
I knew Harry T quite well are you sure he had an Albion, I recall he bought an AEC Marshall circa 1969 just at the time I bought my ex J.G. Stamper ERF 66GX, I had been tempted to buy a new Marshall but was glad I didn’t when Harry started complaining about the fuel consumption,he was a relative of a good friend of mine, also his son Gordon drove for RWB for a time, talking to him at Distington Rally this summer.
Cheers Leyland 600
Leyland600:
I knew Harry T quite well are you sure he had an Albion, I recall he bought an AEC Marshall circa 1969 just at the time I bought my ex J.G. Stamper ERF 66GX, I had been tempted to buy a new Marshall but was glad I didn’t when Harry started complaining about the fuel consumption,he was a relative of a good friend of mine, also his son Gordon drove for RWB for a time, talking to him at Distington Rally this summer.
Cheers Leyland 600
Hiya L600,HT definitley had a tilt cab Albion when I first got to know him,and young Gordon would only be 9 or 10 mebe and he was often with his dad when I came across them.I just can’t recall the reg no of the Albion but it could have been “D” reg from memory and then he got the ERF,ask Gordy next time you see him I’m sure he’ll put you straight 
Bewick.
im supprised L600 cant remember harry havin a6wheeler commer off bells of wigton when he first started he lived at papcstle then in about 1966/67
I had forgotten about that Commer 6 wheeler Tom driven by Jimmy Turner from Brigham when in service with Bells in 1962 then Harry bought it. Thanks for reminding me.
Cheers Leyland 600.
Hi Bewick, I have a vague recollection of Harry having an ergo Albion but I must admit I had forgotten about it, the AEC Marshall was bought at the same time as Donny Bewick got his., they both complained about fuel consumption…
There are some photos about of Harry’s later fleet of ERFs.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Like the Smiles for Miles trader they used to load lime out of Giggleswick quarry in the 60s can see them now backed under the lime shoot when going past on the school bus
Leyland600:
Hi Bewick, I have a vague recollection of Harry having an ergo Albion but I must admit I had forgotten about it, the AEC Marshall was bought at the same time as Donny Bewick got his., they both complained about fuel consumption…
There are some photos about of Harry’s later fleet of ERFs.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Hiya L600,heres a shot of what I believe is the ERF that HT got in place of the Albion,I can’t make out the reg no. but I also have one of the Marshal and that was an “H” reg I also have a shot of HT and Gordy stood in front of an ERF thats reg no starts with ARM but Gordy is blocking the the other half of the no Plate 
I couldn’t just remember for definite the make of the motor HT started with but now the old brain cells have been jogged I do recall it was a Commer which he soon got rid of and got the new Tilt cab Reiver.Isn’t it suprising what we can create an interesting thread out of,a single drive Albion Reiver that was run by a long gone marra of ours eh!,Now then where did RWB park his single drive Reiver up 
Cheers Bewick.
Here is RWB posing on the road from Ruthwaite.
Cheers Leyland 600.
Leyland600:
0Hi Bewick, 649 KRM the Reiver went to Rayner Fletcher senior at Silloth for a life on the fairground, I last saw it against the dyke separating Silloth promenade green and Carrs Flour Mill yard area. I believe it was cut up eventually. An Albion LAD pantechnicon also ended up in the same dyke and is still there as far as I know. I seem to think HT started his own business with the ex W.P. Bell Commer six wheeler that spent its life with them hauling cattle cake from BOCM, Selby to WCF Wigton.
Here is RWB posing on the road from Ruthwaite.
Cheers Leyland 600.
Great shot that L600,and if my recollection of the “terrain” is accurate the dyke to the right borders a field that belonged to the Blacksmiths shop my Grandparents owned up to the mid 50’s then my family lived there after Grandad retired.What would be the load on the Reiver,Quaker oates ex W/haven mebe or was it a load from the south,could be Metal Box ?Pity about the roping and sheeting (sorry Robbie marra,only having a “crack” eh! 
) Cheers Bewick.
Have ever seen this shot of HT’s fleet L600 ? Cheers Bewick.
Hi Bewick , Looks like a load of Big S cartons of soap powder probably for a Scandinavian country or to Winthrop Laboratories at Fawdon, Newcastle on Tyne. Loaded at Marchon on pallets hence the small gap at the bottom front corner plus the sheet has been pulled down behind the headboard.For someone who was so fastidious regarding his sheeting skills this gap surprises me. We all hauled a lot of Big S at one time a job that tested the ssheeting skills of some drivers.
Those are good photos of HT’s ERFs
Cheers, Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Hi Bewick , Looks like a load of Big S cartons of soap powder probably for a Scandinavian country or to Winthrop Laboratories at Fawdon, Newcastle on Tyne. Loaded at Marchon on pallets hence the small gap at the bottom front corner plus the sheet has been pulled down behind the headboard.For someone who was so fastidious regarding his sheeting skills this gap surprises me. We all hauled a lot of Big S at one time a job that tested the ssheeting skills of some drivers.
Those are good photos of HT’s ERFs
Cheers, Leyland 600
What kind of weight would the load on the Reiver have been ? Cheers Bewick.
13 or 14 tons I guess Bewick, I cant remember its a long time ago about 1968/9 when Big S was all the go.
Cheers Leyland 600.
Leyland600:
13 or 14 tons I guess Bewick, I cant remember its a long time ago about 1968/9 when Big S was all the go.
Cheers Leyland 600.
So at that weight on a Reiver and at that height it would be a bit off a handful I would guess,what size tyres were they on the motor,they look like they could have been 1000x20 on the fron’t but mebe 900x20 on the back,he would have wanted as much rubber on his motor as AD would allow to stand the weights he would have put on it’s back eh! Cheers Bewick.
Never mind the height, length or the weight, whats a ton or two in 1963 ■■? That Reiver could carry it not slowly either. Nuff sed !!!
Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Never mind the height, length or the weight, whats a ton or two in 1963 ■■? That Reiver could carry it not slowly either. Nuff sed !!!
Leyland 600
