In the early 60’s my stepfather used to drive for “Parrys Transport” out of Gan Conwy. He took Welsh roofing slate from North Wales to Glasgow and beyond and in my school holls I would go along for the ride. The truck was a Bedford S type, the one with the split screen and no brakes. I remember one trip in the winter getting stuck in the snow on top of Shap Fell and being dug out hours later after freezing with no diesel no heater and just one blanket between us. When we got to Gretna services I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that breakfast with tea out of a cracked mug in front of a roaring coal fire.
I knew from that time what I wanted to do for a living. I did various driving jobs until I reached the age of twenty one in 1969 and called into Williams Bros. Queensferry office on the offchance that I might get a job there.
I was interviewed By John Williams himself and was told that I could start the next week at the Hawarden Airport Hanger Depot driving a Bedford TK (I think it was off Sandy Lane but its been a long time). This was where the Castrol Oil contract was run from, the man in charge being one Horace Jones and a great bunch of other guys.
I had not long been there when some Children set fire to and destroyed the rail bridge to Anglsey. What a stroke of luck for me, Redpath Dorman Long were building the aluminium works on Anglsey and the steel used to go from Shotton by rail.
This was why Williams Bros. brought in a fleet of Scanias and I was moved from Castrol to transport steel to the Island.
The A55 was just a trunk road then through all the coastal towns, Penmaenmawr to Llanfairfechan was a really narrow bit!
I loved every minute. Oh happy days!
SojournFive:
In the early 60’s my stepfather used to drive for “Parrys Transport” out of Gan Conwy. He took Welsh roofing slate from North Wales to Glasgow and beyond and in my school holls I would go along for the ride. The truck was a Bedford S type, the one with the split screen and no brakes. I remember one trip in the winter getting stuck in the snow on top of Shap Fell and being dug out hours later after freezing with no diesel no heater and just one blanket between us. When we got to Gretna services I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that breakfast with tea out of a cracked mug in front of a roaring coal fire.
I knew from that time what I wanted to do for a living. I did various driving jobs until I reached the age of twenty one in 1969 and called into Williams Bros. Queensferry office on the offchance that I might get a job there.
I was interviewed By John Williams himself and was told that I could start the next week at the Hawarden Airport Hanger Depot driving a Bedford TK (I think it was off Sandy Lane but its been a long time). This was where the Castrol Oil contract was run from, the man in charge being one Horace Jones and a great bunch of other guys.
I had not long been there when some Children set fire to and destroyed the rail bridge to Anglsey. What a stroke of luck for me, Redpath Dorman Long were building the aluminium works on Anglsey and the steel used to go from Shotton by rail.
This was why Williams Bros. brought in a fleet of Scanias and I was moved from Castrol to transport steel to the Island.
The A55 was just a trunk road then through all the coastal towns, Penmaenmawr to Llanfairfechan was a really narrow bit!
I loved every minute. Oh happy days!
I used to take steel roof sections to Wylfa Power Station from R D Long’s in Trafford Park Manchester,I was a trailer 2nd man heavy haulage with Tommy Keogh’s from Wilmslow.
Great Days,so they say!!
Rgds
David