Berkshire Companies

Still on the look out for any old photo’s of Harry A Coff lorries if anybody has any in there collections that they dont mind sharing.

What’s happened to C&B of Thatcham? I used to see an FH unit of theirs near Grundons at Colthrop. Also, anyone got info/pics of Padworth oil terminal? I used to fetch flint out of the quarry just down the road and often stopped in the oil depots’ entrance…

Hi Muckaway, C&B finished as Brian Burgess retired & the yard was sold for housing, Graham his son is still running out of Thatcham & Brian does a bit of relief driving for him still, there are also still a couple of trucks still running in C&B colours which are possibly Owner Drivers on behalf of Graham but not 100% sure on that.

The old padwoth oil terminal has now been cleared & turned into a waste transfer station of some description, we used to rent the Padworth oil terminal workshops around 12 or so years ago for our forklift business.

Hi Paul

How are you■■? Do you still live in the area? I saw Dave Plumb a year or two ago at a funeral :frowning: What are you up to these days…

Alan…I hope you are well…I was driving for Lambourn Racehorse Transport then went to Halfords for DHL driving and ended up as Transport manager and then when they relocated I came back to LRT lambourn as transport manager…think I would like to go back to driving sometimes…not sure I suit driving a desk :slight_smile:

Maybe we should all meet up and have a good old catch up :smiley:

neversweat1:
Windrush you don’t remember Albie Lavender that used to drive for Lawes Transport - he had a Dodge Commando one of the first that came out.He lived at the other end of Whitley wood lane by the Engineers pub.
The Absoloms that ran Caversham Haulage lived in the same street as my Nan - South Street Caversham and they had a small yard in North Street.
They used to park the bigger lorries ay the block plant at Sonning eye.
My Dad worked for Claude Fenton Plant and i worked at Reading Garage which became part of the Penta Group as did Morris Garages.
Did you know Roy Asher,Vic Plank or Harold Ayres ?
Steve

Did you remember a fella who drove for Laws transport,jonnie small was his name,rode a250cc royal enfield,souped right up for its day n he was as mad as a hatter on it,nice bloke tho,im goin back bout 44years,wow old or wot,those days we all gathered in the crown at lower basildon along with micky prior,micky jones n myself roger smith,we all drove for R L Nash then,great days.








Hollis Transport eh, that takes me back nearly 40 years to when I rebuilt the engine in their Leyland Terrier!!

Pete.

Hollis Transport, another firm that got swallowed up… I remember filling up with diesel at Jabeke in about 1991 and a 7.5tonne day cabbed D-Series came truddling in painted in the old Hollis colours with a young lad driving it who had loaded in Germany… Ahhhh… Those were the days!!!

Thats me in the pics, spent all my school holidays away with my dad all over europe, its where I learned the basics, he had me driving (well steering while sat on his lap) around a few factories. I remember we used to collect from a Siku factory in Germany and every time I went with him they gave me a toy lorry, still got them now, even got a replica Hollis Transport one. I also remember having to park in Rekkem on multiple occasions, and being told by my old man to hide in the footwell as we came in to Wuppertal as there was a plane flying round that would shoot at kids. I was petrified. Anyone know what plane he was on about? lol

Any one remember Walter Parsons 10 forbury road reading had purple lorries mostly Clydesdales animal feed mechants you wouldnt forget the chain that took 2 bags at a time up into the store…took a day nearly to unload and worse if re loaded out. Laterly changed livery to a yellow colour and changed premises as well I believe. Had a storeman addicated to the bottle but Know one ever new till he left.Roy Wing was the transport manager I’ll have to think of the other names…it will come back in time!
Also Daltons of Hermitage purple volvo F 7s and 6’s with stars or similar round the name in the same job, had a black yard cat I remember, hell to pay if went out over the bridge with the cat on board!

lifesadrag:
Any one remember Walter Parsons 10 forbury road reading had purple lorries mostly Clydesdales animal feed mechants you wouldnt forget the chain that took 2 bags at a time up into the store…took a day nearly to unload and worse if re loaded out. Laterly changed livery to a yellow colour and changed premises as well I believe. Had a storeman addicated to the bottle but Know one ever new till he left.Roy Wing was the transport manager I’ll have to think of the other names…it will come back in time!
Also Daltons of Hermitage purple volvo F 7s and 6’s with stars or similar round the name in the same job, had a black yard cat I remember, hell to pay if went out over the bridge with the cat on board!

They had a driver called Ken Parsons that drove a Dodge 500 series bulk blower

Steve

I remember the lorry but dont recall the driver used to see it in BOCM Alton quite regularly.Later on they had an 8 wheel Daf as well but I could be corrected,the Clydesdales were on the fleet and near the end some Scanias as well.The little grey cells arent working too well at present.

lifesadrag:
I remember the lorry but dont recall the driver used to see it in BOCM Alton quite regularly.Later on they had an 8 wheel Daf as well but I could be corrected,the Clydesdales were on the fleet and near the end some Scanias as well.The little grey cells arent working too well at present.

We looked after the Dodge 500 - a Seddon Atkinson 300 bulker and 2 Dodge Commando flatbeds - this would be early 80’s

Steve

Can vaguely recollect the seddon, a tale to be told about the Commandos but I dont think its wise to persue that on here,then they got chopped for the 6 wheel scanias.Suppose you’re right early 80’s.I remember that in the late 70s that during a strike down the docks in Avonmouth we had the pleasure of a Clydesdale for a week or so with a 2 speed axle,used to give an electic shock through the gear lever,tempory cure a fert bag and a big glove!They wanted us to buy that one but it was no good for us as too short.

:unamused: :unamused: hi all in new to here and may i say this is great seeing these from when i was a nipper i remember all these but you forgot some like j mason from finchamstead who ran green and white bedford km,s flat and b,e boilers from easthampstead rd bracknell,also finchampstead based b n gray who had volvo f10 cattle trailers and my dads old firm hollyreed transport from bracknell they had green and white bedford km,s flats we also went to lignasites in bracknell and w w hall elgar road reading any one remembering hollyreed id like to know please i have pictures of my dads bedford but dont know how do you put it on help

Welcome howlingmad.
I remember your Dad’s lorries when they had the yard in Binfield and loading in Lignasites. Your Dad will remember my Dad with the Albions at the start of the tread and later with a Royal blue Bedford KM. There was also another owner driver in Binfield called John May who had an AEC if my memory serves right. Would love to see the photo’s that you have, there is a bit on the index page that explaines how to upload photo’s.
All the best
Boyze…

When I was a kid lived in Headley, used to see Millers of Wantage,blue “S” type Bedford tippers think they used to run topsoil to Greenham Common when the yanks where there, remember Palmers of Ecchinswell, red Austin or Morris flats also Hughs&Marriot old Fordsons 7Vs & ET6s black or dark blue tippers,Hills of Swindon had a gravel pit in Headley, red “S” types with U-shape bodies not many AECs, Leylands or Fodens in those days!

Walter Parsons lorries were brown when I lived in Reading, Goodenoughs on station approach had yellow ones. Wittherington and Over brother’s had green and, later on, brown trucks, based at Sindlesham, Sandford and Sonning mill’s.

Pete.

hi guy,s here is my dads lorry sorry about picture quality sticky fingers :smiley:

here are the other for older one,s