The Team Valley complex at Gateshead is still there and known as “BRS complex” and the large letters of the name are still on the canopy of the main transit shed. My late father was originally on United buses before the war, then back on, followed by United parcels division at Gallowgate depot in Newcastle. After nationalisation the depot moved to Second Avenue Team Valley-his ex United Bedford P10D8-GHN697 is shown in the BRS Parcels book although I dont think dad is at the wheel.He moved onto the BMC’s then on to the Noddy vans, but died in 1971. I used to be his van lad in the school holidays.(Hush Hush). I can remember the depoy yard full of AEC/LEYLAND/FODEN/BRISTOL rigids/artics when
I used to meet him at the depot on a Saturday afternoon. I do a lot of BRS modelling now, and for a periopd in the early 2000’s owned a Noddy with a long term friend, an ex BRS fitter. WE got it from a chap at Cullmpton in Devon, it had been with a showman . I worked at the Tyneside depot of Roadferry at the time and we garaged the Noddy there. We sold it to a chap down south who was involved in film work and I dont know if it still exists, it was a rare bird as the body was built in the south west by Longwell Green, not Star Bodies. It was 70SW536, Reg. No. LHT 785E. Anyone seen it around since 2003? I’m new to this so please excuse any errors, Bill.
P.S. UPS operate out of the Team Valley depot now but apart from the demolition of the old gatehouse and the construction of a security firms offices the old massive site is very much as it was. The office block half way up the right hand side is still intact but I believe unused.The fitting shop etc.was still intact last year.The transit sheds are still complete but minus Bristol HA artics etc, if only !!!
givover:
Hi i am new to the site so i would hope my first effort comes through . I was born in Bolton and as i young lad me and my best friend where mad for wagons , therefore we used to hang around the BRS Kay Street Depot at night just to soak up the sights and smells .The yard at the time was crammed full of Guys/ Scammells/ all fully loaded with 40 foot trailers finely roped and sheeted for the long haul. We used to hang around the Waterloo street exit which was at the time cobbled ,So set the scene Darkness, drizzle , yard lighting , and the wagons pulling out one by one dragging there loads into the night .(Awesome) At the time my uncle Neil Wright was the chief Engineer over the maintenance garage , and just a little later my Dad Norman Mulraney drove direct for BRS from this depot and yes i did have many happy trips awaysleeping in the cab
.Later as i left school and worked for a construction company i was involved in the construction of an extension to the maintenance shed furthering my presence at the depot.Sadly all has completely gone and of course i was to young to have recorded any of this on film.Dad went on to drive for Parkers of bolton and i also spent many a night in an AEC or Dodge Happy days.
Sleeping in the cab on for Brs 
Bury St.Edmunds had a sugar tanker fleet running out of the old engine shed at the top of Station Hill. When they got a new depot at Moreton Hall Ind Est; they closed off the ends of the engine shed and it became a roller skating rink.
gunnerheskey:
Great topic, is this.
The leicester depot of eastern BRS was on lutterworth rd, just outside of blaby. If you come off the M1 at J20 through lutterworth heading for leicester on the A426 you carry on through the dunton bassett lights back over the M1 and just after the countesthorpe turn on the left hand side is the dog and gun pub, there used to be a road at the side of the pub called dog and gun lane and on the left just after that was the Eastern BRS yard. Its now a large co op supermarket and housing estate, and they’ve shut off the top of dog and gun lane…
Colchester BRS was also alongside a pub. North Station Rd. Turn right at the Victoria pub up Victoria Chase a narrow lane with BRS yard on the right & Palmers scrap yard straight on.After a hard trip, into the pub & old Bill would serve a good pint of beer.
Sleeping in the cab on for Brs I think he was talking night trunk.
Cracking old photos of the Team Valley depot, we operate out of the the old garages at the far end of the site and it hasnt changed at all in all those years, still a few transport companies operating from the site, Tyneside Express, Carter Express, Taxifreight, and UPS, I often imagine what it must have been like in its heyday full of wagons and trailers.
TIDDERSON:
A few photos from Team Valley
TYNEXDAZ:
Cracking old photos of the Team Valley depot, we operate out of the the old garages at the far end of the site and it hasnt changed at all in all those years, still a few transport companies operating from the site, Tyneside Express, Carter Express, Taxifreight, and UPS, I often imagine what it must have been like in its heyday full of wagons and trailers.TIDDERSON:
A few photos from Team Valley
I worked in the TVTE fitting shop 1970 - 1972. Long walk every morning and night from the main gate to the far end of the depot and vice versa.
" Big " Jim Alderson was the manager. Names I can remember are Johnny Lowe, Derek Richardson, Roly Batey, Jim Skillicorn. In the internal photograph of the garage the glass sided structure at the left of the main door was the fuel injection shop. That picture must have been taken sometime before the seventies as the building loooks fairly new. I think this part was added onto the original building nearly doubling the size.
Is it still used as a workshop ■■?
The buildings for Maidstone and Canterbury still survive. Maidstone, Sutton rd is a fencing wholesaler now and Canterbury, Wincheap is a tyre depot.
hi sugar ray, just seen this bit re brs bilton, rugby depot. fleet numbers was FB, yes 3 fish trunks, 1 was fish mrkt back of temple meads bristol, 2nd was mrkt at cardiff, 3 rd was poole in dorset,my motor was a new sedden WRY96J, the outher two was AEC mercurys, i left to go to another job BIG mistake. whilst i was there there was only 2 brothers that i knew, and niether was on the fish. they had the jeyes contract as well, and cellotex from ipswich,(trunk) hope this is of help,
ps best job i had , the red and rust
laybuy:
joe clanger still works there norman was norman holland albert brown and ken wade also from that side of gods county
I just spotted two names of men I knew.
Ken Wade worked with me for over twenty years at Gilbraith Tankers after he left Ridings, I saw him in M&S’s not long ago. Poor old Albert Brown, a friend of mine died on Blubberhouses, he had a brain haemorrhage and blacked out, he ran of the road but was still alive for a while.
Albert used to park next to me behind a pub in Accrington when we took the motors home, he called his old Atki “the iron lung” but when offered a new one he refused.
The Blackburn BRS depot on Bennington street is still there and last time I past I think it was being used as a builders merchants.
By the way Harry Gill, I always called it a chock rail, never knew it as owt else. Norman Jowett’s was part of the Burnley BRS but the second time they were nationalized they were part of Halifax, or the other way around.
taffnang:
I was a fresh faced 16yr old apprentice at Midlands BRS at Chequers rd Gloucester, in 1976. Didn’t finish it but learned to drive class 1 in an old Guy that was used as a wrecker for breakdowns. It was around this time that they first brought in taco’s, and i still remember that all the drivers were going to go on strike!!! But i think that the company promised them brand new Spanish DODGES!!! Boy,they could shift. Anyway the workshop was turned into a furniture warehouse a few years later and that was the end of that.
Mid 60’s photo of Gloucester Repair depot. Sorry poor quality
Thetaff:
My father originally worked out of the depot in pontypool,then transfered to newport pulling timber out of the docks,use to love going with him when i was a kid,the workshop where they did the repairs is still there the last time i went past.Happy days
Pontypool depot 1963
cav551:
The buildings for Maidstone and Canterbury still survive. Maidstone, Sutton rd is a fencing wholesaler now and Canterbury, Wincheap is a tyre depot.
Maidstone depot 1960
trunker08:
hi sugar ray, just seen this bit re brs bilton, rugby depot. fleet numbers was FB, yes 3 fish trunks, 1 was fish mrkt back of temple meads bristol, 2nd was mrkt at cardiff, 3 rd was poole in dorset,my motor was a new sedden WRY96J, the outher two was AEC mercurys, i left to go to another job BIG mistake. whilst i was there there was only 2 brothers that i knew, and niether was on the fish. they had the jeyes contract as well, and cellotex from ipswich,(trunk) hope this is of help,ps best job i had , the red and rust
I think this could be the 1. Can’t remember where the photo came from; hope it’s not copyright.
I worked in the TVTE fitting shop 1970 - 1972. Long walk every morning and night from the main gate to the far end of the depot and vice versa.
" Big " Jim Alderson was the manager. Names I can remember are Johnny Lowe, Derek Richardson, Roly Batey, Jim Skillicorn. In the internal photograph of the garage the glass sided structure at the left of the main door was the fuel injection shop. That picture must have been taken sometime before the seventies as the building loooks fairly new. I think this part was added onto the original building nearly doubling the size.
Is it still used as a workshop ■■?
[/quote]
Photos taken in Nov.1959 soon after opening
swayze1:
WHAT ABOUT SOUTHAMPTON,
THAT WAS A LISTED BUILDING HAD BRS PICKFORDS ECT AND IS KNOW STUDENT ACCOMADATION AND CAR PARK
Regents Park Road Southampton depot
Hi Tidderson is this any better for you
paul motyka:
0Hi Tidderson is this any better for you
Thanks. That’s better than the original! Peter
TIDDERSON:
paul motyka:
Hi Tidderson is this any better for you
Any chance of sorting out this one? AEC in Bingley depot, in the rain, late evening!
Thats the best I could do tidderson,bad pic,sorry.