HOG595:
Not sure if any of you are still interested ?. My Father worked for Stanley N Evans for 20 odd years with a few short Breaks, he grew up just down the Road on my Grand Fathers Small Holding, just up from the “Wildmoor” Oak Pub.
I have a lot of hazy memories from my Child hood as we were a working Family my father had to take us in “the Lorries”, (as we called them), which meant an early rise, sometimes 5 or 6 O’clock in the Morning. One of my first Childhood memories was going along Fog bound roads in the night in a freezing cold Leyland, (Albion Badge on the Bonnet), Comet - the old Bubble front type. Then Evans’ got the new Leyland Super Comet with the common, Flat Cab, they also bought one Leyland Bison, 6 Wheeler but only “Old Charlie” got to drive that. They bought their First Leyland Clydesdale about 1974, (Reg No. “ROG ***M”), from what I remember.
In the late 70’s they let Colin Pittaway / CP Haulage, use the Yard - he had 2 x 8 Wheeler Magirus Deutzs’ in Evans’ Dark Green livery.
Most of the Work was to the Foundries in the Black Country and round about. When Dad got a “Long Run” to BICC at Prescott, (Near Liverpool), Pegsons, (was it, I’m not sure…), Stow Market, or to Luton, either myself, Brother or Sister would go along. If it was BICC at Prescott we would always stop off at the BIS, (British Industrial Sand - used to Paint Camels on their Trucks !), Quarry at Congleton - their sand was very “Sharp”, large grained and Ginger, compared to Evans’ and John Williams’, (Quarry over the Road from Evans’), much smoother, fine grained, Red Sand.
Mr. STANLEY N EVANS was a great Gentleman from what my Father told me, I think at one stage he was MP For Wednesbury in the West Midlands. He had two Son’s Ian and Robert. Ian Evans I remember; he was, so my Father said, one of the first ever people to have a successful “Hole in the Heart” Operation in the U.K. He was a really nice calm, collected man, always nice to us. We would sometimes go to his house in Solihull to do small Jobs. I only remember Robert Evans as the Legal side of the Company - he Studied Law and defended a number of the Drivers in Court, (My Father Included), with alleged “Speeding Offences” and some more serious things like RTA’s.
In the Quarry there we Originally 2 Ruston Bucyrus, (“RB”) 19 Face Shovels, absolute monstrosities by todays standards - all Clutches and Cables - they looked like something used in the Manchester Ship Canal 100 Years before, (probably were !). Then a RB 22. Ginger drove / operated these. The rough uncrushed Sand would be transferred to the “Hopper” at the back of the Crusher - this was a German “AziMag” / “HaziMag” - the beast that lurked in that tall Sheet Metal Tower that overlooked the whole of “The Moor”, (Wildmoor). The Quarry Tipper were two cool looking AEC Dump Trucks - like the Leyland version on Free’s “Wishing Well” Video on You Tube.
A gent used to Back Load Sand for Scotland in a Artic, from West Calder, I will remember his name later. Also Eggbeer’s of Newton Abbott, Devon were regular visitors. When Redditch and Telford New Towns were being constructed we would do our first Load of Sand early Morning then be attached to the Lime Stone Quarries at Much Wenlock, (Farley Quarry, Shadwell or Ridge Limestone). To Redditch we used to Load ancient Furnace Ash at a large “Hole” between Dudley and Wolverhampton, (just off that Dual Carraige way).
Well it’s time to go to bed. I’m on a Large Gas Carrier, mid Pacific, en route to Bontang, Kalimantan, (Borneo). Hope this is of use to someone. Thanks for your time Gents. 8th. AUGUST 2016.
You must be Dave Hartill,s son.My dad was good friends with your uncle John.
I worked there in the early 90,s as the plant operator and on the weighbridge,for a couple of years then went to Roger Constant in Stourport.
They used to run 2 6 wheeler and 3 4 wheeler Volvos,and 2 Clydesdales in the quarry as haulers to the plant.Komatsu PC 240 360,Komatsu W90, a W250 and a 1978 Cat 930 was the plant.I remember the old Albion Reiver that lived under the hoppers get towed away for scrap.
Around 200000 tons of rock sand went to Mcalpine Budge/VHE for the black country new road as foundations,hauliers such as DJ Whitehouse,T&S Element,Regis,Males and numerous others hauled 8-9 loads a day to great bridge for months!.
Ron Murray was the manager,Roy Poulson was the foreman,Ron Crisp,Len,Tom and Brian Watts,Steve Davis,Matt Harley,Andy Rowley,Martin Murray(always crap weights,too much or too little-360 operator),I took over from Stan Bissell when he retired and I remember Ginger (Lawrence Eades?) well as he was my dads mate.He was riddled with cancer due to the 22RB,s having asbestos clutches that were not covered over.