gingerfold:
Metal Box Westhoughton was a regular source of loads for Bolton and district hauliers, courtesy of Bolton Kay Street BRS depot, which always seemed to have plenty of surplus work. I remember the pallets of lids, I always thought they spoiled the symmetry of the load. Regular destinations from Westhoughton I remember going to with cans were Vale of York Canners at Wetherby, and Filtrate Oils at Leeds. Plus the frequent “emergency” inter-factory transfers of tin plate, Westhoughton to MB Carlisle being a regular. As a nation we now probably eat much less canned food with the growth of the frozen food market, so less tins are used. Heinz at Kitt Green has its own can making plant.
Carnation at Dumfries also had their own “tin shop” as the can making part of the plant was called and the Caledonian drivers we stayed with in Llamsamlet used to reload with tinplate back to Dumfries.
Happen he couldn’t stand the pace Graham. 
. Anyway, on the way up the “new” M5 we would pass various Welshmen in their new 180 LXB Atkis hauling the similar 20ton of steel we had on board, just kept them in “their place” 
they were no match for the 680 Power Plus once it got rolling and it was higher geared so it had the “legs” and in modern day parlence it was kept “lit”. I recall one snow covered winter evening, on our way to Penkridge, we pulled up outside the Police Station on Birmingham New Road going in towards Wolverhampton with the Power Plus boiling it’s bollox off, it had been using a bit of water for a while. Anyhow Eric says “off you go into the Nick and get some warm water”. 
So in I go’s to the desk and explained to the Sarge what our predicament was and he directed me through a door to the side and down the corridor to a utility room where there was a mop bucket which I filled with warm water. However, I had to pass the “secure accommodation rooms” on the way and a couple of them had inmates. Well they started shouting " got any ciggies mate" and “what have you been up to” etc. I’d never been exposed to that sort of “craic” so it was a new experience I can tell you ! 
Just an excerpt from the travails of a Trailer Mate in those far off days in the 60’s but I can recall some of them like it was yesterday ! If I can syc myself up for the next episode I have an interesting tale about loading ex ship on Liverpool docks with the load being split between us and a Pickfords outfit, Highwayman and four-in-line lowloader, what a bunch of wallies ! Enough until next time! Cheers Bewick.
