Was a regular backed onto Central Avenue in 69/70 when I drove an AEC Mercury. Bloody steering was so stiff sometimes had to ask for help from the boy who came with me as I reversed into a slot. Must have been comical two of us pulling on the steering wheel. Then had to be careful one of the dossers didn’t climb into you cab for a sleep as the smell would linger for weeks. Had to get there early as could get busy. Open eleven in the evening in summer and midnight in winter.
gingerfold:
240 Gardner:
gingerfold:
in 1930 brothers Wallace and Frank Turner bought a lorry for transporting produce from their family farm at Soham, Cambridgeshire. Soon they were carrying produce for neighbouring farmers to wholesale markets. From humble beginnings 90 years ago their company that has become Turners (Soham) Ltd. is still delivering nightly to wholesale markets throughout the mainland UK. Ninety years of unbroken transport services to wholesale markets with fresh produce. I would be interested to learn if any other company can match that record. For many years until the end of the Cold War they did it the other way round as well. Loading up from 5 to 8 lorries daily from Covent Garden to deliver to US military bases as far apart as St. Mawgan in Cornwall to the Mull of Kintyre and Wick. Lakenheath base had an artic load daily from Covent Garden.What did the Turner brothers do during the period of nationalisation then, Graham? Were they doing haulage outside the remit of the RHE?
There was an article in one of this month’s comics, but it didn’t make that clear
Evening Chris, they were running a few lorries on the 25-miles radius “get-out” rule, but their main work during nationalization was livestock transport, which often escaped nationalization. When they bought the BRS depot at Fordham in 1953, along with a few smaller sub-depots in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, general haulage was done from Fordham, but the livestock side remained at Soham with overnight lairage at the farm if required. There was a yardman there when I joined Turners who had been the last cattle float driver, and thy had finished with livestock in the 1970s, mainly because many of the fenland farms had turned to arable. Wallace Turner still went to Bury St Edmunds cattle market every week and did a bit of buying and selling.
Thank you Graham, that’s interesting to read about the continuous 90 years’ trading, and certainly Turner’s is an impressive business today. I dealt with them only briefly, as a customer in the mid-2000s, but it was a positive experience.
There are some transport businesses which claim a history of many decades, but airbrush out the bit about starting anew after nationalisation, or after the business collapsed and restarted!
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How very true. There is a photo in the gallery at head office of a Turners Dodge Kew (normal control) artic cattle float taken at Banbury cattle market circa 1955 IIRC, that appeared in either Farmers Weekly or Farmers Guardian. There were probably only a handful of livestock hauliers running artics back then. When, (or if, lock down permitting) I next go to head office I’ll get a copy of the photo. There is an impressive gallery of photos taken down the years, new ones appear all the time.
gingerfold:
^^^^^^^^^^
How very true. There is a photo in the gallery at head office of a Turners Dodge Kew (normal control) artic cattle float taken at Banbury cattle market circa 1955 IIRC, that appeared in either Farmers Weekly or Farmers Guardian. There were probably only a handful of livestock hauliers running artics back then. When, (or if, lock down permitting) I next go to head office I’ll get a copy of the photo. There is an impressive gallery of photos taken down the years, new ones appear all the time.
Hi Graham.
Have you ever come across photos of the “S” Type Bedford,Austin FFK and BMC tractor units that Turners ran around 1960/61 out of Norwich and Manchester.I’d love to see any of them,I’ve seen some of their LAD Dodges.
This was a sight I never saw. Covent Garden in daylight although if I’d had a bad drop, like sometimes happened, where you were perhaps sixth in line to deliver ten tons of oranges down the rollers, the sun would be coming up as I came down Wrotham Hill on my way back to the yard.
Chris Webb:
gingerfold:
^^^^^^^^^^
How very true. There is a photo in the gallery at head office of a Turners Dodge Kew (normal control) artic cattle float taken at Banbury cattle market circa 1955 IIRC, that appeared in either Farmers Weekly or Farmers Guardian. There were probably only a handful of livestock hauliers running artics back then. When, (or if, lock down permitting) I next go to head office I’ll get a copy of the photo. There is an impressive gallery of photos taken down the years, new ones appear all the time.Hi Graham.
Have you ever come across photos of the “S” Type Bedford,Austin FFK and BMC tractor units that Turners ran around 1960/61 out of Norwich and Manchester.I’d love to see any of them,I’ve seen some of their LAD Dodges.
Hi Chris
There are one or two a head office and somewhere I have an Austin FFK photo, which I will try and find.
gingerfold:
^^^^^^^^^^
How very true. There is a photo in the gallery at head office of a Turners Dodge Kew (normal control) artic cattle float taken at Banbury cattle market circa 1955 IIRC, that appeared in either Farmers Weekly or Farmers Guardian. There were probably only a handful of livestock hauliers running artics back then. When, (or if, lock down permitting) I next go to head office I’ll get a copy of the photo. There is an impressive gallery of photos taken down the years, new ones appear all the time.
This is a rather poor reproduction of one of the Dodge Kew artic cattle floats, quite a rarity for the mid-1950s. The photo in the magazine is in colour.
One of the local characters doing market work was the ever cheerful one-eyed Charlie who drove for G J Duncanson Ltd of Pympes Court Farm Tovil. Because the farm was situated along a narrow winding lane, which was a short cut into Maidstone from even quite early in the mornings, Charlie had muffled air horns fitted to his Mercedes 2421 six wheeler. Living along the same road I always knew when Charlie was on his way home. He took the farm’s fruit to many of the various markets, sometimes accompanied by his May his wife and sometimes not. Charlie had two regular runs, to Gateshead which he did several times a week often turning round and coming straight home, or the easier Bristol, plus sometimes an added Cardiff and Swansea. How he managed this I don’t know, in later years, probably around 1991 when Charlie broke his ankle, I deputised a couple of times a week for him after work, but I only did one hit Bristol and back unloading myself at the stand. I soon found out that B906VKL wasn’t the fastest lorry when loaded, by then the lorry had covered around 500,000 miles and was getting really rather tired. I remember hitting the exhaust brake button once on the A20 and the flap sticking on one bank accompanied by clouds of smoke and a distinct lack of go.
gingerfold:
This is a rather poor reproduction of one of the Dodge Kew artic cattle floats, quite a rarity for the mid-1950s. The photo in the magazine is in colour.
Thanks for that, Graham, an unusual motor in its day, I imagine
sandway:
Was a regular backed onto Central Avenue in 69/70 when I drove an AEC Mercury. Bloody steering was so stiff sometimes had to ask for help from the boy who came with me as I reversed into a slot. Must have been comical two of us pulling on the steering wheel. Then had to be careful one of the dossers didn’t climb into you cab for a sleep as the smell would linger for weeks. Had to get there early as could get busy. Open eleven in the evening in summer and midnight in winter.
I have been parked on there a few times in 1969/70 when I used to load all manner of fruit/veg & flowers on my D1000 for Docker’s Fruit & Veg Merchants in Barrow and Kendal. Once you got backed into the rank you didn’t move because some ■■■■ would pop into your spot. I only moved out once to go around the block to load something from one of the sales merchants warehouse. A ■■■■■■■ Barra Boy persuaded me so as to save him coming back and forth half a dozen times !! What a Mug ! I struggled to get slotted in again and on future occasions “no chance” so bring it to me you lazy ■■■■■■■■ or forget it ! My load was always a fairly mixed load which was stuff from all over the world it was good paying job but a right grueller for the time frame it had to done in ! Happy Days ! Cheers Bewick.
240 Gardner:
gingerfold:
This is a rather poor reproduction of one of the Dodge Kew artic cattle floats, quite a rarity for the mid-1950s. The photo in the magazine is in colour.Thanks for that, Graham, an unusual motor in its day, I imagine
Literally punching above it’s weight with two decks of pigs if it was powered by the usual P6!
Louis Reece lorries from Horsemonden in Kent were seen at Wholesale Fruit & Veg markets throughout the UK.
This chap is John Freeman who drove for Louis Reece for many years. Pictures from John Freeman, son of John.
Click on pictures for full image. Ray Smyth.
Retired Old ■■■■:
240 Gardner:
gingerfold:
This is a rather poor reproduction of one of the Dodge Kew artic cattle floats, quite a rarity for the mid-1950s. The photo in the magazine is in colour.Thanks for that, Graham, an unusual motor in its day, I imagine
Literally punching above it’s weight with two decks of pigs if it was powered by the usual P6!
You’re not wrong ROF, the photo is from the time when Turners started its long association with J. Sainsbury (still a major customer today), and live pigs from East Anglia to Sainsbury’s own abattoir were daily jobs.
Ray Smyth:
Louis Reece lorries from Horsemonden in Kent were seen at Wholesale Fruit & Veg markets throughout the UK.
This chap is John Freeman who drove for Louis Reece for many years. Pictures from John Freeman, son of John.
Click on pictures for full image. Ray Smyth.
When Glass Glover took over Louis Reece,Dave Pike,one of their drivers came to MFS at Maltby and was then senior driver there as he’d been at Reeces a long time.His nickname was “Don’t tell 'em”. 
When working for Mitchell & Robertson there were very few nights when one of us was’nt doing a drop at T J Poupart’s in the Acre opposite Covent Garden tube station. Many’s the time I would make my way up James Street and stop near the junction at the top then get out to see if there was a space to park outside Poupart’s. Often I would be told to go round the back to unload. This meant going down the Acre, turning right at the bottom then right again into Shelton Street. At the back of Pouparts was Old Brewers Yard which we had to access. It was a bit tight, even for a rigid, but at least they had a forklift there.
Now I see the one way systems have been changed around for both Long Acre and Shelton Street but I remember one night hearing sirens from a fire engine which was almost stationary as it tried to drive against the flow of traffic up Long Acre. It did finally get through but I doubt the driver tried that stunt again. Gave us all a good laugh though.
This picture was on the front cover of the " Weekend " TV magazine in the " Daily Mail " in
the edition dated 23 May 2020, showing " The Hairy Bikers ", Si KIng and Dave Myers with
boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables. The name on the wooden box carried by Dave Myers
shows "J G Piper,Maidstone, I am wondering if J G Piper were a grower, or wholesaler, or both.
Perhaps some of the drivers of Henleys or Firmins lorries may recognise the name, or even
drivers from elsewhere having backloaded from " The Garden Of England ".
Ray Smyth.
Afternoon Ray. I’ve picked up on your message on the ‘Kent’ thread regarding the old wooden bushel boxes. Yes, coincidence for sure but it allows me to relate my own experience’s of them. Before that I’d just like to say that J G Piper of Herts Farm out at Loose are growers and although I never collected from there myself its not beyond the realms of possibility that Mitchell & Robertson did work for them. We collected from so many farms in the area it would take a page or two to name them all if I could remember who they were of course.
Getting back to bushel boxes we mustn’t forget the half bushel box, which was not very common, but had its uses. Whereas the larger box was used mainly for apples the smaller box was used for the likes of pears, plums and damsons. I was brought up on a fruit farm, my father worked for Bill Tassell of Mansion Farm, Ulcombe, and we lived in one of his houses surrounded by countless orchards of Bramley apples. At Mansion Farm Bill had a large building erected in about 1952 which housed 4 cold storeage chambers, a packing area and storage area which was where empty bushel boxes were stored. The farm operated under the name ‘Tassell Brothers’ and comprised two other farms. At ‘Grafty Green’ there were another two chambers and at ‘Church Farm’ which was run by Bill’s brother Jessie, there were something like fourteen chambers, maybe more. It took a lot of bushel boxes to fill them all.
My father worked at Mansion Farm and looked after the cold store. I was there in about 52 when it was commissioned. In September as the apples were picked they would be brought in from the orchards and put into the store by hand. They went in in two layers. I think the first layer was about 7 boxes high then once the store was full to that height a small door was opened above, a conveyer belt put in place and more boxes were loaded into the upper area. I think these were placed 5 high. Air had to circulate around the chamber so the boxes didn’t go up to the ceiling or out to the walls.
Later, during the winter and through to next spring the boxes were brought out of the chambers in small numbers. The apples were checked, graded and repacked into more bushel boxes which were all stamped ‘Tassell Bros’ to make sure they came back but to make doubly sure a deposit had to be paid. A lot of the fruit was sold through 'Boardman". I don’t know if it was a fruit broker by the name of Mr Boardman or a company called Boardman but I know a lot of the apples went to Manchester and Hull markets. I remember big old 8 wheelers coming in to load, all northern companies, one of which deposited its load in a ditch before it had gone a mile down the road. Bill wasn’t happy about that incident but by then it was the hauliers problem.
Anyway getting back to the bushel boxes. I helped out a lot in the store as the apples were checked. I would help sorting the apples, stapling the paper covers over the boxes and moving empty boxes to the storage area. I didn’t get paid as such but now and again Mr Tassell would give me sixpence. I was still quite young then so thought it was great. Another job that had to be done was to sort out the broken boxes and repair them. Maybe thats why I became a carpenter/joiner when I left school a few years later.
Little did I know, a few years down the line, that when I joined Mitchell & Robertson I’d be handling thousands of wooden bushel boxes again.
However, I must admit that when bulk bins were introduced I was quite happy to see the ‘bushel box’ consigned to the bonfire on the 5th of November. But now I’m not so sure. Have you seen the prices on eBay!
That’s interesting reading. Am I correct in saying that apples in long term storage are now kept in an inert atmosphere, maybe carbon dioxide? We had a driver, maybe 20 years ago now, reversed into an apple storage shed in Kent, punctured the wall and all the gas escaped. I recall that there was quite a fuss made about it at the time. Incidentally the driver still works for us, but not at my depot so I can’t ask him.
Mention of Ulcombe reminds me of two farmers I used to collect from in the immediate area. Mr Davidson lived on the Headcorn rd Grafty Green, the entrance to the farm was on the steepest part of the hill opposite Elmstone Hole rd, I forget the name of the farm and the hill. The other one was Homesby Court off Pye corner and a short distance up Windmill Hill, each MKG co-operative members. Both were true gentlemen farmers: very polite, offering cold drinks on a hot day or tea otherwise once loaded, and always chatty and interested in what one had to say. There were others who were also a real pleasure to meet, Mr Martin at Castle Farm West Farleigh, and another next door to the Beech Cafe along Goudhurst rd Marden Beech, the farm and the cafe long gone and now posh houses.
I think I mentioned loading bushel boxes of pears on Mk V eight wheelers which was at Rankins at the bottom of Linton Hill, others were Baxters in West St Hunton and Bluehouse in Battle Lane Marden. In spite of living within less than 1/2mile from Pipers at Herts Farm Old Loose Hill for nearly 30 years, and having worked for both Henleys and Firmins, I never went there nor even knew where the entrance was, which must have been in the village so totally inaccessible to artics and a challenge even in a four wheeler.
The bushel box and 1/2 bushel box has got me confused now. ISTR that the bushel box held about 42lb of apples and was roughly the size of the similar capacity Cape cardboard box, however mention of a 1/2 bushel has got me wondering whether there was a 2 bushel box or a 1.1/2 bushel box. A Cousin of mine was a small scale grower in Somersham with whom I used to stay at picking time as a teenager. He grew mainly Victoria and Czar Plums, many of these went for jam in a bushel style box, but it was larger still being a bit longer, wider and at least 1/2 as deep again. These we really heavy to lift off his low level farm trailer ( pulled by a little grey Fergie) onto the back of the lorry, they must have weighed well over a hundredweight full of plums I reckon.
Other packages I recall were very flimsy ‘chips’ for cherries which were like an old fashioned wicker shopping basket with a handle but made of almost wafer thin strips of wood, wooden trays with a triangular peg in each corner for strawberries etc, similar but deeper Bruce boxes holding 30 lb of apples, and flimsy Tomato ‘Boats’ which were only slightly more robust than a ‘chip’. The Weald wasn’t really a vegetable growing area so I didn’t see many Cauliflowers or lettuces. It was however always interesting stacking a mixed load of the various containers, especially when having also to accommodate foreign fruit like crated oranges and the dreaded honeydew melons as well.
I don’t know what gas was used in cold stores or even if it was but there was certainly a smell and IIRC you weren’t supposed to enter for several minutes. I did learn the hard way not to get too close to the doors or the frame because they were covered in grease to seal. Years later I had a customer who grew and packed a lot of soft fruit. He did numerous experiments with fridge containers altering the concentration of gas to find out how long strawberries, raspberries and blueberries can be kept fresh while in cold storage.
The one load which stands out in my mind was a load and go from a farm in Wittersham, the farmer had gone to some shindig or other and needed to load at 11 pm, 10 tons all handball, of bruce boxes onto pallets, for delivery at 8 am to a toffee apple factory in Nottingham. It took 1/2 hr backwards and forwards in Wittersham trying to find the farm in the dark.