Had another session of reminiscences with Ian last night. What an incredible person he is. His stories of times gone by could fill a book. Characters in the haulage business, of companies he worked for and men he has worked with. He remembered it all like yesterday. Eighty years old now and still on the road. I only wish I had a tape recorder so those stories arnt lost. His very strong Mancunian accent only emphasised those events even more but unfortunately my own brain is the weak link here. Much of what he told me has been forgotten already.
When he attained the legal age to drive he was told by the farmer he worked for to take his driving test as he needed him to drive a small lorry and deliver milk to a local dairy. A few years later he moved on to larger vehicles and proper transport companies. He worked for many companies, mainly south of Manchester in that part of Cheshire. Most of his work was in the UK but he did some Swiss for R H Stevens and some Italian but I’m not sure who that was for. I know he also did a few trips to Greece and on one occasion driving a Scania 143. “What a motor” he said “only problem was I couldn’t find any real mountains to put it through its paces”.
His time at Stevens was short. About two years. He thought he got on well with Reg Stevens and his son Mark (hope I got the names right) but it all came to an inglorious end. Now its hard to believe to look at him but then he weighed just under eighteen stone, I reckon not much more than ten now. Anyway he was in the pub one evening having done a days work. Mark and a few other drivers were there and by mid evening the bosses son was well oiled. For some reason Mark had a go at Ian who tried to play it down. Mark would have none of it and said “right outside, now”. Ian couldn’t get out of it and followed Mark outside. As Mark turned round Ian settled the argument by bopping him on the chin and Mark was left spreadeagled on the tarmac. Next day Ian was called in to see Reg who gave him a dressing down. Ian was a bit miffed as it wasn’t his fault but accepted it. However, he was then sent out to load down at Berresfords in Stoke. On the way back he called into Gordon Plants yard to sound them out for a job. “Theres always a job for you here” he was told. “Ok, I have to give Stevo’s a weeks notice so see you in ten days time”. And that was Ian set up to work for ‘Plants for Service’. When he got back to the yard he was told he was taking two Manchester Lines containers down south. OK he said but its a bit late to go now so I’ll go early in the morning. With that he went home in the unit. That evening there was a knock on the door and one of the lads from the yard was there with Mark. Both were looking embarrassed and asked for the keys to the lorry. Ian handed them over and asked what was going on. They both apologised and Mark said it was nothing to do with him but Reg didn’t want to see him again. Next morning Ian started on with Plants an association that would last many years.
Ian mentioned the names of many drivers from Stevens and Plants. I managed to jot down a few. Spelling may not be correct.
John Seabridge
Jack Schofield aka Blackjack
D Jackson
Albert Oldfield
Bill Sutcliffe
Terry Minshall
Tom Worthington
Mick Whittiker
Ian Gilbert
A Hughes
Peter Owen
Brian Cambell
Kris Keilson
Tom Dorman
Bob Ikin
I hope some of you recognise names shown above. If any of you have any reminiscences I can pass on to Ian please post them soon as I have a feeling he’s had his time off and will be back on the road again soon.
