altitude:
Hi Dave
That’s great mate too know there both doing ok, Ken used to smoke like hell I thought that may have seen him off, seems not then, so that’s only good news I smoke but not like Ken did. It’s good to talk to you because I have lot’s of happy memorys of Kington and the people down there. It’s a lovely part of the world and I spent a lot of good nights out down there. Anyway mate thanks for the info I will let you get on and talk to other forum members, I will get back to you as you must know a lot of people there that I would love to know how they are.
cheers
John.
Hi again John,
The firewater is Kens problem, probably the best bloke ever on the bridge, had several warnings etc, but I suppose it came down to health and safety in the end.
Know most of the older blokes, my generation, Geoff a big bloke drives a loading shovel at Dolyhir/strinds lives next door to me, he has a couple of years to go, he must have loaded you, very helpful and always the same, never gets angry.
Cheers Dave
Hello Dave
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, power cuts so no computer, that’s life in rural France. In reply to your post I do seem to remember someone down there telling me Ken had a problem with the old firewater, you could see it sometimes in mornings, he was a bit shaky.We all have our problems mate none of us are perfect, Ken was a great bloke, he helped me out loads of times. I had got there at night so many times after the last loading time, not expecting to get loaded and just planning to have the night out there, and Ken would ask me if I wanted loading or not, if I had a couple of hours driving time left and I said yes he was on the radio and I was loaded, but that’s Ken that’s how he was if he liked you, you were in. And big Geoff on the shovel what a great bloke, good to know he’s ok.It took a long time to get to know Geoff, he seemed to put some kind of a barrier around himself, that was very hard to break but when you get through that you won’t get a better bloke than Geoff. I could go on forever about Kington and probably will, a very good time of my life, so I will catch you again Dave, keep the info coming in.
Hi John,
You had Ken sussed as most people did, but as you say, a good bloke, well liked by most drivers and hauliers. Me and Geoff go right back to primary school, he is about 18 months older than me. He is a quiet unassuming bloke until he gets to know you, but never has a bad word to say about anyone.He has worked in the quarry for most of his working life, started as a static plant operator, then a loader driver, then a plant fitter,then back on the loading shovel. He has always worked very long hours, seven day week when he was a fitter.
The quarries are a bit quiet at the moment with the credit crunch, but keeping everyone ticking over at the moment.
Who did you drive for John. I see a lot of artics coming to backload from all over, probably seen your outfit at sometime.
Hope its warmerr in France than here, we have snow, with more forecast.
Hello Dave
I put a reply on last night just seen it’s not there, I must have hit the preview not submit put it down to old age going daft!!!
Sounds like Geoff was a usefull bloke then could turn his hand to most things, he was a good shovel driver he was quick and loaded it nice and even, not like you get in some places all up one end or the other.
When I was loading out of there I was on for J and B Swindon.
Yes the weathers not to bad here Dave not to good over there is it, I think they have got some snow up around Paris but we are well south of Paris, on down towards Bordeaux so a bit warmer down here, It’s a bit cold at night and first thing in the morning but ok in the day, well I have just been out with dogs in a shirt no coat so you can tell it’s not cold.
Hi John,
I know a couple of drivers off J & B, John Gwilliam, I worked out of the same yard as John when he drove for Llanelli Steel years ago, they ran out of C M Philpotts yard who I drove for. Also know Steve Teece ( proppy ) who is back on J & B for the third time. They still come up to the quarries most weeks.
I saw a couple of eight leggers belonging to them the other week backloading from up here, a couple of M A N, S.
We had another three inches of snow last night, not as bad as other parts of the country. Quite a sunny day today, but still cool.
Cheers Dave
Hi Dave
Just been looking at English telly it’s bad there I really feel for the lad’s that are up the road, some of them arn’t going to get home this weekend. I left J & B in 98 and the welsh lad’s were only just comeing on for us then, I think there was only 3 or 4 of there in my time, good lad’s I didn’t see too much of them and can’t remember there names, but the faces are still in my mind, Most of the time I was on for J & B I ran up north with glass or scrap and reloaded coal back down. I seemed to end up tipping in The Forest of Dean thursday night /friday morning. then they would run me down to Kington for a couple of loads back to the Nash tarmac plant next to J& B’s yard at Cricklade. After I left they had a yard in the Hereford area but that went ■■■’s up and the welsh lads just kept the trucks at home, when I’m back in the UK I go out to J & B to see them all’ I have met a lot of the South Wales lad’s that work there, most of them seem to live in the Mountain Ash area. Not sure about John Gwilliam but the name rings a bell, I don’t think I know Steve Teece but if he’s back on for his third time I must know him. I got half a feeling I can remember Phillpots what motors did they run Dave? were they on general or just there own stuff. I can remember Llanelli Steel you saw them all over the place, must have had a lot of trucks and always looked clean and tidy, a credit to them. Anyway mate hope the weather get’s better for you.
cheers
John,
Hi John, Yes I think quite a few drivers would fail to get home this weekend, the weather is better today. Don,t know if John Gwilliam was on j & B as far back as 98, he,s been there a few years. Steve Teece possibly had his first stint there then, not sure.
Llanelli steel only had 3 artics on swap over, running from Llanelli to Bilston, mainly scrap to S Wales and steel back to midlands, the Drivers lived in the Kington area, some did night s others days. Think they were owned by a bloke from Bilston, a scrap dealer.
C M Philpotts only ran about 8 lorries, only four and six wheeler tippers when I drove for him hauling out of the Gore quarry. He moved on to artics with a couple of 8 wheelers on bulk haulage in the seventies, still had a couple of four wheelers in the quarry. He packed most of them up in the eighties. His son ran the garage business for a while, but folded in the early nineties. Charlie Philpotts was a good bloke to work for, to nice and to easy going, he was a garage owner/car salesman who got into lorries, but never really kept his finger on the pulse, would never survive these days.
Cheers Dave
Hi Dave
Well it’s not just you with the snow, we have got it now, yesterday I was in a T-Shirt , today I’m b*^^dy freezing, but not as bad as you have it over there, we can still get about.
As I said John Gwilliam is a name that rings a bell, Steve could have been there in my time but I don’t remember him. As I said I ran north most of the time, so if I didn’t meet him in Kington or in the yard we just didn’t meet. J & B ran you on what you were best at, if you knew your way about up north or down south that’s were they sent you. The South Wales lads just ran scrap out of Coopers, Swindon back down to South Wales. I suppose it made sense,they were keeping their trucks at home, so they had more chance of being home at night.
I have got Llanelli Steel wrong not who I thought it was, I can remember seeing them about, I know I’m wrong again, Dave!!! but were their trucks light blue? In my last post to you I think I am mixing them up with another company that ran steel down there, they ran dark green mostly 4 wheelers. Leylands and I think some DAF’s. I can see the trucks in my mind but I can’t get the name.
cheers
John.
Hi again John,
Don,t really know on the steel haulier with green lorries, unless its Dyfed Steel from Llanelli who are steel stockholders and run to their own customers, they have a lot of rigids and some artics. I think they run about fifty trucks.
Shame about your weather
Cheers Dave
Guys, I know this is a bit off topic (geographically) but does anyone have any pics of Cawley Bros from North Wales, they have always interested me as they run a tidy fleet in unusual colours.
Used to run Leyland T45s I believe and latterly ERFs including some Detroit powered units.
Actually, whilst Im rambling on, how about a trip to South Wales, dont suppose anybody has any pics of Alan Price’s six wheeler Ford Cargos by any chance?
Ok Dave, I will get back to the borders now and ask for any pics of any Bayston Hill Tarmac wagons, any age will be welcome.
roadcommander2:
Guys, I know this is a bit off topic (geographically) but does anyone have any pics of Cawley Bros from North Wales, they have always interested me as they run a tidy fleet in unusual colours.
Used to run Leyland T45s I believe and latterly ERFs including some Detroit powered units.
Actually, whilst Im rambling on, how about a trip to South Wales, dont suppose anybody has any pics of Alan Price’s six wheeler Ford Cargos by any chance?
Ok Dave, I will get back to the borders now and ask for any pics of any Bayston Hill Tarmac wagons, any age will be welcome.
Cheers Mark
Hi Mark,
Sorry got no pictures of Alan Price or Bayston Hill Tarmac wagons, I go to Shrewsbury and Telford quite often, I will get my good Lady to take some pics of the Tarmac wagons if we have a chance.
roadcommander2:
Guys, I know this is a bit off topic (geographically) but does anyone have any pics of Cawley Bros from North Wales, they have always interested me as they run a tidy fleet in unusual colours.
Used to run Leyland T45s I believe and latterly ERFs including some Detroit powered units.
Actually, whilst Im rambling on, how about a trip to South Wales, dont suppose anybody has any pics of Alan Price’s six wheeler Ford Cargos by any chance?
Ok Dave, I will get back to the borders now and ask for any pics of any Bayston Hill Tarmac wagons, any age will be welcome.
Cheers Mark
Hi Mark,
Sorry got no pictures of Alan Price or Bayston Hill Tarmac wagons, I go to Shrewsbury and Telford quite often, I will get my good Lady to take some pics of the Tarmac wagons if we have a chance.
Cheers Dave
I’d love to see some pics of Tarmac tippers as well mate.
MA Evans Still Running,Suncrest of Ludlow,W Bengry & Sons used to have Leinthall Quarry (now Ennstone) Wigmore,sold out in 1977 to Johnstone Roadstone my Dad was still working as wages manager for them when he was 68,my mother also worked for them in the Office until she retired,spent loads of time in the school holidays riding shotgun in those Albions/Leylands/Bedford TKs wages were hard earned in the seventies they still ran a few Albion Reivers into the early 80s
M A Evans still running five trucks, four artics and one Eight legger. Remember Bengry,s well green tippers, also ran flats from Longmoor, they used to come up to the strinds quarry for dust, as did Johnstone to mix in the tarmac. Also Dennis Williams of Wigmore ran tippers and then artics out of the quarries backloading.
put it down to old age going daft!!!
