I worked for J.Jacques & Sons in Watford from 1970 to 1982. It was me driving in the “Some Mothers Do Have Them” Christmas Special.( BAR 215 N,Borderer with 240 Gardner.) The heavy Fodens didn’t have the turnover hubs,so 28 mph was all you got,except in “silent 13th” ( out of gear downhill )Some of the drivers I remember were, Bill Armstrong,who I am still in touch with, Joe Armstrong ( no relation to Bill ) Ken Coy,Tony Jordan, Tony Blyth,Bill Loveday,■■■■ Bryden,Bob Deacon, his stepson,Bob Fildes,Phil Reuter,Gary Bryant,Terry McMahon,John Le Tissier,Mick Palmer,His brother,Fred,Tony Moore,Dennis Leveridge,Ronnie Gost,who,as far as I know,still works for Hallet Silberman,who bought Jacques in1985,Nobby Hackett,Dave Benham,sadly killed during road construction at the then new city of Milton Keynes,Peter Pugh,Johnny Holland,Kenny Hunter,Jim Bolton,Albert Read,and myself,John Ramm.There were more,but time fogs the memory. In the office were John & Ron Jacques,(the & Sons of the company name),Les Leeming,Ted Watson, Len Hagger,Trevor Utton,Laurie Foster,and after many years as Workshop Manager,Bill Coker,as his two sons had then joined as fitters.
VENTURER:
I worked for J.Jacques & Sons in Watford from 1970 to 1982. It was me driving in the “Some Mothers Do Have Them” Christmas Special.( BAR 215 N,Borderer with 240 Gardner.) The heavy Fodens didn’t have the turnover hubs,so 28 mph was all you got,except in “silent 13th” ( out of gear downhill )Some of the drivers I remember were, Johnny Holland,hi venturer,
bit of a long shot but can you remember if john holland was an ex fitter who worked for greenwoods transport at edmonton (about 1970-71)■■cheers steve.
Hi,Steve,I don’t know if Johnny Holland worked for Greenwoods,if it’s any help,he had long blonde hair,bit of a hippy,he went to Astrans after Jacques,driving a Scania 110 wagon and drag. Ken Coy worked for Greenwoods in the mid sixties.Another driver I remember was Bob Power,who later worked for Range Transport in Holloway/HighburyRegards,John…
Hiya… i got word that Kenny isnt very well, i don’t know where he lives these days its 30 years since i dropped him off nr home
so a visit seems a no go
john
A couple of questions. Do any of you remember John LeTiss getting a beesting and blacking out? How about the diesel tanks getting torn off the Atki by the two busses? And how about the car that got rubbed that John insisted couldn’t have been him because there was no paint on the trailer?
Great photos, thanks for posting!
I found this negative - taken by Pete Smith, I believe.
Hi all, I also worked for Jaques in the early 70’s as a fitter along with Bill Coker jnr,his dad was the workshop manager? we had a handyman Cyril, who used to clean the jags of the 2 brothers John & Ron each week,who I remmeber sitting talking to 2 drivers from Mulkerrins? who were from Eire & Cyril thought they were Polish!!
I remember John Le Tiss cracking his sump at Taunton railway station & taking the “spare” Atki “DNK” down early one Sat morning to bring him & his outfit home, he allways drove in clogs!!
Ronnie was the mate & Bill & myself were also used as mates when needed, Ronnie had a new Honda motorbike that at times he’d take about on the trailer.
Bill & I had a lot of trips from ASME? vessels in Gillingham? to a chemical works in Birkenhead & getting run through the tunnel to get the train home to Watford
Billy Armstrong ended up doing a lot of forklift transport after the trailer we got had the neck lengthed so we could couple the Atki’s to it, hard work for him with no power steering I seem to remeber.
We had a yard dog that nicked our dinner (sausages) out the frying pan as they were cooking! our tea room was a garden shed out the back of the workshop which backed onto the “Force” factory next door (breakfast cereal) where we watched the rats running about.
I also recall one weekend where the whole fleet was out taking a complete replacement railway bridge to some where in south London only to be told when we got there it was the wrong weekend & we had to return it all to the railway yard opposite us at Imperial & get it unloaded as the trailers were all needed on the Monday morning, took my dad as a mate on that trip as we didnt have enough of our own.
Terry Mac used to drive the six wheel unit & lived in Hertford, I took his wages out to him one week I think he was off sick at the time
there was also a driver, sorry cant rember his name but he had a testical removed & took delight in showing all & sundry
hard work but experiences that will never be forgotten
will recall some more soon
Bill Collett
VENTURER:
I worked for J.Jacques & Sons in Watford from 1970 to 1982. It was me driving in the “Some Mothers Do Have Them” Christmas Special.( BAR 215 N,Borderer with 240 Gardner.) The heavy Fodens didn’t have the turnover hubs,so 28 mph was all you got,except in “silent 13th” ( out of gear downhill )Some of the drivers I remember were, Bill Armstrong,who I am still in touch with, Joe Armstrong ( no relation to Bill ) Ken Coy,Tony Jordan, Tony Blyth,Bill Loveday,■■■■ Bryden,Bob Deacon, his stepson,Bob Fildes,Phil Reuter,Gary Bryant,Terry McMahon,John Le Tissier,Mick Palmer,His brother,Fred,Tony Moore,Dennis Leveridge,Ronnie Gost,who,as far as I know,still works for Hallet Silberman,who bought Jacques in1985,Nobby Hackett,Dave Benham,sadly killed during road construction at the then new city of Milton Keynes,Peter Pugh,Johnny Holland,Kenny Hunter,Jim Bolton,Albert Read,and myself,John Ramm.There were more,but time fogs the memory. In the office were John & Ron Jacques,(the & Sons of the company name),Les Leeming,Ted Watson, Len Hagger,Trevor Utton,Laurie Foster,and after many years as Workshop Manager,Bill Coker,as his two sons had then joined as fitters.
Great memories you are sharing, Guzzi. Thanks man.
I know John from Camelford. met him in the pub and we had some great times.