Steve Boland:
I ran the London Depot for a while back in 1980. Originally working with Sonny Bairstpw before he retired. Jack Robinson owned it, I think he was Irish.Russell Hutchinson was MD and ran it.I had huge respect for Russell and he was marmite.I spoke to him this year and he is a groundsman at Bilton CC near Harrogate. It was a great firm to work for until Russell Lost his wife in a plane crash he survied. He was out of the business for some time. During that time It was sold with Magee buying it and Ian Matthews, who ran the Middlesborough depot, got busy brwon nosing. He eventually got moved on but by then the company was being run poorly. I jumped ship then and really the company withered over the next few years. This despite acquisitions of Barnfarther plus others.
Hi Steve, nice to see someone looking in to our post, I worked in the international side, but was at London depot for a while, ans nice to see you mention Sonny Bairstow, he was in charge of Fielders depot at Blackfriers depot originally, it was on Isabella Street, just off the Cutt, under one of the railway arches, I hope your keeping well, because most of us are getting a bit passed it by now, how time flies by when you don’t see ex workmates, I also did a few months at South Mimm’s shunting etc, until I went in hospital with cancer, but sadly the firm went bust before I could get back to work, and that MaGee told the redundancy people I didn’t work there and lost my £9,000 payout, so much for MaGee the lying ba"""rd. Just keep smiling and look on here again from time to time, always nice to hear from anyone connected with the old firm.Kind Regards :- Jack Graham.