York Trailers .

[saviem]

Bewick:

ERF-Continental:
Would like to illustrate quite some details as well as range-info. Enjoy it!

Great shots of the various York products that were available over the years they were in business.If my memory serves me right from the era I was in the Industry York’s two market leading products at that time were the BIG “D” coupling and the Freightmaster van.However,York always had to play second fiddle to Crane Fruehauf/Boden in the platform and tipper trailer segment of the industry.The Boden designed running gear coupled with the ROR axles were classed as the best set up so the Crane Fruehauf always commanded a higher price both as new and certainly in the secondhand market place.There were,of course,plenty of other smaller trailer manufacturers years ago with one or two specialising,and leading,in their chosen field,I’m thinking here of the coil carriers built by M&G and AHP and then there were a few large hauliers that stuck religiously to one of the smaller builders.Suttons of St.Helens ran Dyson trailers,Robsons of Carlisle were big users of Northerns and,peculiarly, Smith of Maddiston were big operators of Highway trailers which were built in Andover 400 miles to the south of the SOM Head Office.Anyway thats my recollection of the trailer industry in my time.Cheers Bewick.

Evening all, you know how everyone moans about the “cut backs” …mainly when true accounting for the money you are spending proves too difficult…because most of the local Government people could not manage the proverbial drinking spree in a Brewery…so they do what they are good at…shouting…“empty vessels making most noise” comes to mind… and noise is just about all these pillocks are good at!

So why am I beucholic…well, well surrrounding the farm we have miles of beautiful quiet lanes, a real benefit for all to enjoy, (and behind the farm we have the Bird Reserve, on Belvide, plus an SSI, (Site of Special Scientific Interest), plus the Shropshire Union Canal, and a fairly large Caravan Park…all co-exist without any problem, as do we with our neighbours.

Every year around late May/early June, along comes some poor soul, with about 50ks worth of kit, cutting the virulent brash that arises alongside the lanes, leaving a fairly smooth, and safe walkway for any pedestrians/cyclists/Dog walkers, to get out of the way of on coming traffic,(despite the fact that he is being paid a pittance for what he does), so everyone co-exists quite happily…

But this year, no, “due to cut backs”, no verge cutting can take place on unclassified roads…so yesterday we had the first accident I can remember on our lane…Last week, only the good sense of the Milk Tanker driver, prevented the demise of a caravan occupier, and her dog,…and today I saw an elderley couple panic as they were confronted by the approach of one of our tractor/trailer combinations…Personally I have had enough…

So for the last four hours I have been cutting the verges so everyone is safe, and can enjoy what this wonderful part of Staffordshire/Shropshire can offer…but the “dead leg” attitude of our local Authority, (Staffordshire County Council), makes my blood boil…If they wish to save money, then why do they not get rid of the over employed “dead leg” road repair gangs, in their “health and safety” festooned Ford Transits, (1 wacker plate, 2 men, and less than a metre of tarmac laid, equals a days work for these universally “portly” sunburned crews)!!! Specialists in the study of the daily Tabloid…and shady parking spots!!!

So what has this to do with York Trailers, and our friends Bewicks post…quite a lot…

What did happen to mainland UK trailer builders…the UK Government sacrificed the remaining ones on the “alter of peace in Northern Ireland”!

So great were the subsidies paid out to manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland, so great were the advantages in fiscal tax over a mainland builder, that today , (just as an example) SDC can market a curtain sider at less than the cost of refurbishing an existing trailer in the UK. And this trend started many years before.

Why did Tasker subside into dear Harolds empire? They simply could not compete.

Fruehauf created the end of Crane , and ERF-Continental is quite correct in his post regarding marketing ties, and where we are today.

But if we go back to Bewick and my own pasts…

Crane/Boden, the best…but do not forget Highway, probably the best Coil Carriers ever came from Eastleigh…biggest market share in South Wales, then Tony Phillips was pushing like mad with M&G, (bit heavy, but B… strong), Then of course he set up as AHP, and built some real rip snorters…(and pocketed lots of my cash, paid for his Golf, but I never ever had a problem with his Wombourne built trailers)! Funny old world that Gerald Broadbent, the creator of the Tautliner ended up down “the Lye” at M&G running that…and building “little” trailers.

OzzyHugh is quite correct to draw our attention to the manufacturers that he mentions, (boy I hated the axles of those Merriworth platforms…yet as a trailer they were not too bad at all! But Peak!..bendy wendy comes to mind…and they had no brakes!!!

Then of course Liverpools finest, Dyson, innovators, air suspension before most even knew what suspension was!, fantastic trailer builders…as were West Bromwich based Brockhouse, (and they made motor cycles in the USA), anyone remember the big wheel that applied the handbrake, or the rectangular pierced frames■■? Ive one here, goodness knows how old, but with a dolly under her, and plenty of HP pulling she will carry…well quite a lot…Officer!

But my favourites, the Highway superlightweight tandem, a legal 24 ton payload at 32 tons gross…and no, they did not break, no wonder smiths ran them!!!

Northern…well, as Dennis well knows, those brothers knew how to sell trailers…wonder how those young “ladies” never got frost bite at Kelvin Hall!!!

But Fred Davies York…we will never see such a company again, the current industry, its parameters, and low margins, would not allow such a diverse company to flourish again…I wonder just how many redundant Miners Fred saved, and some of the welding that they could achieve was remerkable…and they built the best integral vans ever!!!

Back to my Bollinger…then I may venture to open the back door, and ask if there is any tea left!!!

Cheerio for now.

[frankydobo]

My tribute to the York trailer in model form and a maker from the Northeast in the second pic, most general haulage in the area had these trailers by Arrow Construction known as the Target in 33 and later 40ft guise. Not everyone’s favourite and a bit user unfriendly but very strong with that outer chassis frame and good brakes. Most people may think the York name derives from the old English town but it has its roots in Canada hence the maple leaf motif in the name. The list of trailer manufacturers in the Sixties is quite comprehensive even from Britain, their demise was probably greater than the vehicle makers but received less attention. Cheers Franky.

[kennyjohnson]

This photo of a 27ft. Freightmaster van was taken off a York trailer advert. 1963

[erf-continental]

Herewith some scans…Transpart as well as the wide productrange.

Scans are from 1977 documentation.

Transpart/York claimed to furnish spares to suit most popular makes
of trailers: York, Craven Tasker, Doughty, Duramin, Dyson, M & G,
Freight Bonallack, Crane Fruehauf, Fromant, Fromco, Merriworth,
Carrimore, Scammell, Tidd…

[philbutler]

shugg:

smokinbarrels:
The site that York trailers operated from on Yafforth Road, Northallerton has just been levelled in the last year, I believe it’s now going to be a housing estate. York trailers was a large employer for a small town and just seemed to close down overnight.

What was the reason for the closure of what appears to be a very good trailer manufacturer .?

Hi Shugg,

When York trailers were in dire financial difficulty, and the receivers and administrators were appointed in 1991, every effort was made to sell the business as a ongoing concern. Eventually Utility International (USA based) bought the existing premises at Northallerton in April 1998 , and continued to manufacture curtainsider, box van and refridgerated trailers under their own Utility brand name. This continued for a few years in which they invested heavily in the plant, until their own sales took a nosedive due to lack of orders, and trailer competition from home and abroad. I think the factory finally closed its doors in July 2002.

The York Thermostar site at Harelaw Durham, which started manufacturing Refridgerated trailers in 1987, was one of the most profitable companies in the whole York Group of companies, building approximately 30 fridges a week. Customers included Tesco, Pulleyn Transport, TDG, Safeway, Aldi, Matthews International, Turners of Soham, NAAFI, Clan International, Dragon Ice and many more.

When the receivers came in 1991, the business was offered for sale. Gray Adams, and Schmitz were the only 2 interested parties, and eventually Schmitz bought the business for a bargain £1.4 million.
They invested heavily with more production machinery which lead to building approx 50 -55 trailers per week, to keep up with the huge demand.
Some trailers were badged up Schmitz thermostar, until they became Schmitz cargobull.

A curtainsider assembly plant was built adjacent to the existing factory, which also had a full order book, with Stobart becoming a satisfied customer, among others.
Having left the company in 1993, I still went there every week or so to collect customers trailers for nationwide delivery.

It was a hell of a shock to learn that Schmitz had mothballed the site in 2010, due to the UK recession. All of their trailers for the UK and Irish markets are now built in Germany. Another kick in the teeth for UK workers

Regards

Phil.

[bewick]

Saviem:

Bewick:

ERF-Continental:
Would like to illustrate quite some details as well as range-info. Enjoy it!

Great shots of the various York products that were available over the years they were in business.If my memory serves me right from the era I was in the Industry York’s two market leading products at that time were the BIG “D” coupling and the Freightmaster van.However,York always had to play second fiddle to Crane Fruehauf/Boden in the platform and tipper trailer segment of the industry.The Boden designed running gear coupled with the ROR axles were classed as the best set up so the Crane Fruehauf always commanded a higher price both as new and certainly in the secondhand market place.There were,of course,plenty of other smaller trailer manufacturers years ago with one or two specialising,and leading,in their chosen field,I’m thinking here of the coil carriers built by M&G and AHP and then there were a few large hauliers that stuck religiously to one of the smaller builders.Suttons of St.Helens ran Dyson trailers,Robsons of Carlisle were big users of Northerns and,peculiarly, Smith of Maddiston were big operators of Highway trailers which were built in Andover 400 miles to the south of the SOM Head Office.Anyway thats my recollection of the trailer industry in my time.Cheers Bewick.

Evening all, you know how everyone moans about the “cut backs” …mainly when true accounting for the money you are spending proves too difficult…because most of the local Government people could not manage the proverbial drinking spree in a Brewery…so they do what they are good at…shouting…“empty vessels making most noise” comes to mind… and noise is just about all these pillocks are good at!

So why am I beucholic…well, well surrrounding the farm we have miles of beautiful quiet lanes, a real benefit for all to enjoy, (and behind the farm we have the Bird Reserve, on Belvide, plus an SSI, (Site of Special Scientific Interest), plus the Shropshire Union Canal, and a fairly large Caravan Park…all co-exist without any problem, as do we with our neighbours.

Every year around late May/early June, along comes some poor soul, with about 50ks worth of kit, cutting the virulent brash that arises alongside the lanes, leaving a fairly smooth, and safe walkway for any pedestrians/cyclists/Dog walkers, to get out of the way of on coming traffic,(despite the fact that he is being paid a pittance for what he does), so everyone co-exists quite happily…

But this year, no, “due to cut backs”, no verge cutting can take place on unclassified roads…so yesterday we had the first accident I can remember on our lane…Last week, only the good sense of the Milk Tanker driver, prevented the demise of a caravan occupier, and her dog,…and today I saw an elderley couple panic as they were confronted by the approach of one of our tractor/trailer combinations…Personally I have had enough…

So for the last four hours I have been cutting the verges so everyone is safe, and can enjoy what this wonderful part of Staffordshire/Shropshire can offer…but the “dead leg” attitude of our local Authority, (Staffordshire County Council), makes my blood boil…If they wish to save money, then why do they not get rid of the over employed “dead leg” road repair gangs, in their “health and safety” festooned Ford Transits, (1 wacker plate, 2 men, and less than a metre of tarmac laid, equals a days work for these universally “portly” sunburned crews)!!! Specialists in the study of the daily Tabloid…and shady parking spots!!!

So what has this to do with York Trailers, and our friends Bewicks post…quite a lot…

What did happen to mainland UK trailer builders…the UK Government sacrificed the remaining ones on the “alter of peace in Northern Ireland”!

So great were the subsidies paid out to manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland, so great were the advantages in fiscal tax over a mainland builder, that today , (just as an example) SDC can market a curtain sider at less than the cost of refurbishing an existing trailer in the UK. And this trend started many years before.

Why did Tasker subside into dear Harolds empire? They simply could not compete.

Fruehauf created the end of Crane , and ERF-Continental is quite correct in his post regarding marketing ties, and where we are today.

But if we go back to Bewick and my own pasts…

Crane/Boden, the best…but do not forget Highway, probably the best Coil Carriers ever came from Eastleigh…biggest market share in South Wales, then Tony Phillips was pushing like mad with M&G, (bit heavy, but B… strong), Then of course he set up as AHP, and built some real rip snorters…(and pocketed lots of my cash, paid for his Golf, but I never ever had a problem with his Wombourne built trailers)! Funny old world that Gerald Broadbent, the creator of the Tautliner ended up down “the Lye” at M&G running that…and building “little” trailers.

OzzyHugh is quite correct to draw our attention to the manufacturers that he mentions, (boy I hated the axles of those Merriworth platforms…yet as a trailer they were not too bad at all! But Peak!..bendy wendy comes to mind…and they had no brakes!!!

Then of course Liverpools finest, Dyson, innovators, air suspension before most even knew what suspension was!, fantastic trailer builders…as were West Bromwich based Brockhouse, (and they made motor cycles in the USA), anyone remember the big wheel that applied the handbrake, or the rectangular pierced frames■■? Ive one here, goodness knows how old, but with a dolly under her, and plenty of HP pulling she will carry…well quite a lot…Officer!

But my favourites, the Highway superlightweight tandem, a legal 24 ton payload at 32 tons gross…and no, they did not break, no wonder smiths ran them!!!

Northern…well, as Dennis well knows, those brothers knew how to sell trailers…wonder how those young “ladies” never got frost bite at Kelvin Hall!!!

But Fred Davies York…we will never see such a company again, the current industry, its parameters, and low margins, would not allow such a diverse company to flourish again…I wonder just how many redundant Miners Fred saved, and some of the welding that they could achieve was remerkable…and they built the best integral vans ever!!!

Back to my Bollinger…then I may venture to open the back door, and ask if there is any tea left!!!

Cheerio for now.

Eloquently crafted and explained as per usual ! Regards,Bewick.

[toddy2]

I have an old York trailer I am still using from time to time,
I recently lent to a mate for a bit of storage, when he gets it emptied out of all his rubbish & tut, I’ll get it back on the road

[tiptop495]

hey, York trailer were never allowed in Belgium because of the welded rhombs holes chassis.
Of course to weak for us too. But in the UK you must have the lightest trailer with the best payload ■■?
And was the York axles were good and for parts ■■ because we here bought the BPW as the best ever.
Some trailers you had to buy with factory axles as Gheysen Verpoort, DAF, MOL and some other gave sometimes
dificulties,and you were obliged to buy from them at a high price, because of special designs which were not to get in the commerce.

Cheers Eric,

[jelliot]

I Had a York drag! that’s about all I would like to say about it.
Then I had Carry Master drag, they were just of the A1 near Lemming Spa hotel, it was a bit better then the York but not much. I had to weld the cracks on the turn table carrier ( dolly ) on a monthly basis. It made it to Tunisia but I had to weld it again in the south of Italy before I loaded it to run back to Britain. I eventually made my dolly and never had to weld it again.
The best trailers I’ve had in Europe would be Cardi tilt, Smitz fridge, Gray and Adams fridge, and Vanhool tiltI had an Essex international tilt which was slightly better than an M&G, but nothing like the Cardi. I also ran a couple of Cheraux fridges but found they were a bit heavy for general work, well finished, on air (84 models ) and really smooth airflow inside.

Jeff…

[b_waddy]

Hi, Folks , We ran YORK , BTC CRANE BODEN NORTHEN PEAK 1 BLUE LINE , THERE wre good and bad in them all , the Yorks were ok , Boden ok Northen was very heavy ,Blue line was a new frame on one of our old Fruhaff that broke in half ,the BTC was four in line heavy but done the work , crane was the best even though it had a bend on the N/S/R , THE WORST was the Peak for ever cracking , Just a bit of useless info ,Cheers BARRY

[toddy2]

When my late father drove for Marwin Transport (Ronnie Carman) - now known as Brit European,
They had York Flats, and Boden Tilts,
They also had Booth Tilts, and some PITT flat trailers - whatever happened to those

[pete_smith]

Toddy2:
0I have an old York trailer I am still using from time to time,
I recently lent to a mate for a bit of storage, when he gets it emptied out of all his rubbish & tut, I’ll get it back on the road

Your trailer was originally a 40’ but was cut down to a 33’ so central trailer rental could supply argos hire trailers over the christmas period,they was a step up from the 33’ single axle kerb catchers we had from TIP,think they was cut down about 1992/3,ta,Pete

[toddy2]

pete smith:

Toddy2:
0I have an old York trailer I am still using from time to time,
I recently lent to a mate for a bit of storage, when he gets it emptied out of all his rubbish & tut, I’ll get it back on the road

Your trailer was originally a 40’ but was cut down to a 33’ so central trailer rental could supply argos hire trailers over the christmas period,they was a step up from the 33’ single axle kerb catchers we had from TIP,think they was cut down about 1992/3,ta,Pete

Hello Pete,

that is right interesting - thanks.
True enough, it has Central Trailer Rentals stickers on it,
and has Argos Stickers everywhere, looks like it was based at Basildon first then transferred to Magna Park.
It is in surprisingly good nick for something that has been used by Argos - they do have some scruffy trailers.
It actually measures 10m (32ft 6ins in old money) and tows really well, the wheelbase is perfect for getting in the small gateways we have on our narrow roads out here in the sticks. It was made in 1988 so fit in with your advices
cheers

[bewick]

I’d forgotten about Pitt,I recall they came to prominence when the single wheeled tandem four for operation at 26 ton gvw started in '69 they were the first out with them IIRC,I did look at the Pitt when I was buying my first artic at the time but a didn’t reckon much to the centre knave wheels as they weren’t interchangeable with the normal 1100x22:5 wheels.They were also overbraked as they just used the tandem axle hubs and drums.I saw the first ones at J & W Watts depot at London Colney,they used them behind ERF 26 ton gvw with the 150 Gardner.Primrose built my first trailer,a tandem four which they used the same front hub assemblies as the Mastiff so the braking was spot on with no locking up.We could carry 18ton at 26ton gvw.Cheers Bewick.

[windrush]

Didn’t Pitt make the ‘Alligator’ trailer, quite a novel idea? A model in the link below.

google.co.uk/search?q=pitt+ … B800%3B392

Pete.

[bewick]

This is an early '73 shot of a new York SL34 standing on our trailer park adjacent to the A6 in Milnthorpe,it was a trailer that came from a York dealer in Aberdeen and it was,for some unexplained reason,only 39ft 6" long with a 1 foot high headboard,we always used it as a 40 footer and it never caused us any problems loadwise.The only slight draw back to the “diamond” frames of the SL Yorks was I had have a length of ali sheet lettered and pop riveted onto the chassis side with our name on.The solid chassis LD’s and Cranes just had the lettering painted straight on.Cheers Bewick.

[pete_smith]

Bewick:
This is an early '73 shot of a new York SL34 standing on our trailer park adjacent to the A6 in Milnthorpe,it was a trailer that came from a York dealer in Aberdeen and it was,for some unexplained reason,only 39ft 6" long with a 1 foot high headboard,we always used it as a 40 footer and it never caused us any problems loadwise.The only slight draw back to the “diamond” frames of the SL Yorks was I had have a length of ali sheet lettered and pop riveted onto the chassis side with our name on.The solid chassis LD’s and Cranes just had the lettering painted straight on.Cheers Bewick.

Who painted them hub caps white and is that your hillman hunter? nosey git ain’t i!

[bewick]

pete smith:

Bewick:
This is an early '73 shot of a new York SL34 standing on our trailer park adjacent to the A6 in Milnthorpe,it was a trailer that came from a York dealer in Aberdeen and it was,for some unexplained reason,only 39ft 6" long with a 1 foot high headboard,we always used it as a 40 footer and it never caused us any problems loadwise.The only slight draw back to the “diamond” frames of the SL Yorks was I had have a length of ali sheet lettered and pop riveted onto the chassis side with our name on.The solid chassis LD’s and Cranes just had the lettering painted straight on.Cheers Bewick.

Who painted them hub caps white and is that your hillman hunter? nosey git ain’t i!

We painted the hub caps white when we sprayed the trailer,don’t mention the Hunter GT Got it brand new in the January and I think it was 3 or 4 months later my younger brother smashed it up in a head-on collision on the A6 about a quarter of a mile south of where that shot was taken.It cost IIRC £1400 new and the rebuild was £1200 from memory,I got it back then traded it for a new Cortina 2000E.The Hunter paint coulour was actually Signal Red the same as our fleet colour which probably had something to do with reason I bought it in the first place,it was a right ■■■■■■ at the time,but no one was hurt,well apart from my brothers pride,so no harm done otherwise as metal and rubber can be replaced but not flesh and blood,could have been a lot worse !! Cheers Dennis.

[saviem]

Evening all, oh Dennis, Corsair 2000Es…last car I had in the UK, as a “company car” was a Ford Corsair 2000E. Rebuilt from a total write off, by our lads at Hartshornes…(no wonder we were the best Volvo Truck Dealer in the UK…Phill Ives thought so, as did Jim McKelvie…but he and AT Hartshorne worked as one, in the “old days”)!

Ex Preedy Tobacconists, boy would she fly…metallic green with a black vinyl roof, wood effect dashboard, and vinyl seats like a 60s Mustang…she would go like the wind, that 2litre V4 would crack on, and she needed too, for I was everywhere…South Wales, West Wales, London, North Staffs, Lancashire, everywhere that there was a deal to be done…and loved every second of it!!

Then came the moment of truth…I loved the job, but I was making serious profit for the company…and in the company many were sitting on their posteriors… living on my work…

I was not alone , having virtually carried the financial performance of the Ryland Dudley operation alone, my pal Chris Kelly had just started WestMid just off North Street Wolverhampton, and today Chris is the biggest private owned SCANIA Dealer in the World… and my other half kept telling me top do the same… set up by yourself…

But being an odd ball, all I wanted to do was work overseas, so I kept on writing for jobs in Europe…

So that is why one Friday Morning, I sat in my Corsair 2000E, with the Walsall rain bouncing across the roof, looking at my letter of resignation, in my hand…with a job offer to report to Saviem`s Head Office at Suresnes, Nr Paris, at 08.00 hours the following morning,… and not a lot of Domestic harmony regarding my decision…

But I did what I did…(even if one week later my “float” of Francs was sunk into a blue Renault 4)…no company cars with my new employer… but then began what I still enjoy as the best 15 years of my working life…France, Belgium, Italy, The USA…then back to the UK, and my own businesses…

But really I cannot recall a more enjoyable car than that bright green Corsair 2000E!!!

Oh yes, and one of the deals that I did from that car included a “raft” of Hobo equipped York PSKs, …and I ran on my own account very many York vans and ThermoStar fridges., but long after that 2000E

Cheerio for now…

[pete_smith]

Hi Saviem,forgot Chris Kelly was up by the Molineux before his yard in colliery road,30 yr ago?