Paul Griffiths in the firms last Foden,seen in Strinds Quarry,Radnorshire.
What are people’s opinions on auto tailgates? A godsend or a PITA when they play up? Just wondering because my Thompson Skylift is playing silly beggars; It’s the cable operated system that draws the tailgate up as the body lifts. I’ve found carrying a fairy liquid bottle with some oil in to pour down the shafts helps until the oil collects dust and becomes a paste. I do think asking a digger driver to give the 'gate a friendly tap works, or as other Earthline drivers have advised “Hit some potholes a bit quick!”
Apart from the block lorry nearest,all the rest of these are tippers at Kington lorry park, early 1990.s.
Tim Tyler with his Leyland, recently parked up.
Dave the Renegade:
Tim Tyler with his Leyland, recently parked up.
Well that was a bloody stupid place to park 
Don’t see many of them about anymore.
Muckaway:
What are people’s opinions on auto tailgates? A godsend or a PITA when they play up? Just wondering because my Thompson Skylift is playing silly beggars; It’s the cable operated system that draws the tailgate up as the body lifts. I’ve found carrying a fairy liquid bottle with some oil in to pour down the shafts helps until the oil collects dust and becomes a paste. I do think asking a digger driver to give the 'gate a friendly tap works, or as other Earthline drivers have advised “Hit some potholes a bit quick!”
Got an air one seems pretty good
kr79:
Muckaway:
What are people’s opinions on auto tailgates? A godsend or a PITA when they play up? Just wondering because my Thompson Skylift is playing silly beggars; It’s the cable operated system that draws the tailgate up as the body lifts. I’ve found carrying a fairy liquid bottle with some oil in to pour down the shafts helps until the oil collects dust and becomes a paste. I do think asking a digger driver to give the 'gate a friendly tap works, or as other Earthline drivers have advised “Hit some potholes a bit quick!”
Got an air one seems pretty good
Had a driver this way,that had his hand trapped in the air operated tailgate of his lorry while he was cleaning the back end after tipping. Luckily someone was close by to start the lorry up and build the air back up to release him. Miraculously he didn’t have any broken bones, just a badly bruised hand.
Cheers Dave.
I wonder if anyone can help me .I m looking for any pictures of lorries from whitwick granite company Leicestershire from the 1950s 1960s and 1970s. My dad drove from the early fifities for them he had a maudsley badged aec mammoth major for about 14 years (HAY 492) one of a batch of five. He later had a 4 wheeler commer with a steel body (tnh265) until 1966 when he went in the weighbridge he retired in 1977 and died in 2000.His name was Hughie Robinson. I would appreciate any of local companies operating at the time eg Parkin and Jones T.W. Glover Beeneys Palletts Boam Emersons haulage . Nobody operating in this region at this time seemed to own a camera.I know its a long shot thanks in advance
Telekonsteve:
Mr S C Ferneyhough for one and a K P Parnell for another and then M Neild, which was one of the best jobs I’ve had and a nicer man you could meet, the other two, well all experience along life’s long road {
some pass selection others are binned 
True,some always fall on Stoney ground 
Thanks for the emerson tippers…they seem to be about the only firm left from the 1950s and 1960s in the coalville Leicestershire area they used to haul exclusively for bardon hill quarries at one time having their yard in belton. In about 1958 my dad on holiday from whitwick granite company did about 4 loads down to slough bucks out of bardon for emersons he drove a fairly new Leyland octopus. They had a fleet of leylands and later fodens got out of quarry work in the 1960s
Dave the Renegade:
The only Atkinson that Sharples ran to the best of my knowledge, seen brand new in Hereford in the early 1950’s.
Hello Dave, just come across this one !!! Sharples ran two other Atkinsons, both 8 wheeler flats. They were on steel, South Wales / Midlands.
When I first started there for Burgoynes in 1963 Colin Prosser used to drive the one NVJ 247? No 7 in the fleet. The other one I think was driven by Jack Watkins ? Reg no RTX 889? No 14 in the fleet. They were both on change over, but I can’t remember the two mates!!! ( Could of been Ernie Smith and Walter Greenhouse) ? Both Atkinsons had Gardner 6LW engines and David Brown 5 speed gearboxes. NVJ, was on 9.00 x 24 tyres and RTX 9.00 x 20 All cross ply. Best regards. Jack.
Jacko1:
Dave the Renegade:
The only Atkinson that Sharples ran to the best of my knowledge, seen brand new in Hereford in the early 1950’s.Hello Dave, just come across this one !!! Sharples ran two other Atkinsons, both 8 wheeler flats. They were on steel, South Wales / Midlands.
When I first started there for Burgoynes in 1963 Colin Prosser used to drive the one NVJ 247? No 7 in the fleet. The other one I think was driven by Jack Watkins ? Reg no RTX 889? No 14 in the fleet. They were both on change over, but I can’t remember the two mates!!! ( Could of been Ernie Smith and Walter Greenhouse) ? Both Atkinsons had Gardner 6LW engines and David Brown 5 speed gearboxes. NVJ, was on 9.00 x 24 tyres and RTX 9.00 x 20 All cross ply. Best regards. Jack.
That’s going back a bit Jack. Mid 1950’s NVJ 247, as my Dad had a new lorry in 1953 a Bedford for Passey Nott LCJ 504, so NVJ would have been a couple of years later. Good to have the info. I have a lot of Sharples photo’s on the Welsh Border thread, which Jean lent me.
Cheers Dave.
I ve already put this on elsewhere…1950 maudsley mogul internal wagon at the whitwick granite company Leicestershire where my late father worked
Officially my wagon is the 6wheeler but during quiet spells I drive the 8wheeler too. In fact as Friday was invoice day I drove both of these, the 7.5t Isuzu and the JCB. Certainly makes the day go quickly.
Dave the Renegade:
Ivor Duggan’s Foden 3000 series which carried a 21 ton payload.
In contrast our 8wheeler can carry 19t. The boss is letting me have a go at speccing the new 8wheeler, it’ll be a struggle to get more than 18.5t I reckon. He’s a big fan of Thompson bodies (nothing wrong with that they’re bombproof but heavy) and wants one on the new truck. I suggested Boweld, I emailed them asking what two of their body types weigh. That was a fortnight ago and they’ve still not replied. 
I’m thinking of having a shallower Thompson Stonemaster (doesn’t have the front corner posts so it’s a bit lighter) to claw the weight back. TBH payload isn’t as important as it would be to others as we sell our materials by the load.
Does anyone know if sideguards etc are mandatory now? We don’t do London (we try to avoid Oxofrd too )I don’t want those or rear underrun nonsense. Nor do I want those beep beep bike warning things; My old chap had one on his last Smiths lorry and it annoyed the hell out of him.
Muckaway:
Dave the Renegade:
Ivor Duggan’s Foden 3000 series which carried a 21 ton payload.In contrast our 8wheeler can carry 19t. The boss is letting me have a go at speccing the new 8wheeler, it’ll be a struggle to get more than 18.5t I reckon. He’s a big fan of Thompson bodies (nothing wrong with that they’re bombproof but heavy) and wants one on the new truck. I suggested Boweld, I emailed them asking what two of their body types weigh. That was a fortnight ago and they’ve still not replied.
I’m thinking of having a shallower Thompson Stonemaster (doesn’t have the front corner posts so it’s a bit lighter) to claw the weight back. TBH payload isn’t as important as it would be to others as we sell our materials by the load.
Does anyone know if sideguards etc are mandatory now? We don’t do London (we try to avoid Oxofrd too
I would say they are mandatory Nathan, as seen on C W Griffiths latest additions to the fleet.
Cheers Dave.
lappland life 186.JPG[/attachment]
Running ‘‘off road’’ in the mine.Payload 30-45ton max depending on material.And '‘cute’'loader
Aren’t those sideguards requested by Tarmac as they have subbies in London? I know FORS and other namby pamby directives ask for them but I wasn’t aware they were law?
I’d have the adblue “taken care of” by someone with a laptop too if I have my way.