Longton Industrial Holdings

Who remembers Longton Industrial Holdings from Stoke on Trent

Transport Storage and Distribution Division
Longton Storage & Transport Group
Stoke
Bolton
Farnworth
Tetbury
Barking
Hull

Knight & Riley
Stoke

Bulk Storage Limited
London and the Eastern Counties

Bulk Storage (Transport) Limited
Hull

Pennant Shipping & Forwarding
London & Stanwell

Vehicle, Plant Distribution and Crane Hire Division
Longton Garages Limited
Hanley, Longton & Stafford

Longton Trucks Limited
Stoke

Longton Crane Hire
Stoke

Industrial & Constructional Plant
Stoke

Steel Stockholding and Engineering Supplies Division
James & Tatton Ltd
Stoke, Liverpool, Slough, Tetbury and Otley

JATON

Stoke, Swindon & Leighton Buzzard

Quite a large group in the eighties

Regards

Spud

Roadtrain

Evening all, Spud, I have been surprised at the lack of coverage of this Group on the various threads. International transport, freight forwarding, Steel Stockholding, Vehicle Distribution, Truck and Van Rental. Industrial Property Development. It was a family Grouping of some holding, and a big player in our industry. I think that the only bit left in the ownership of the Dale family must be Longton Crane Hire, in Clarence Street, Longton. Does Richard Dale still run this? Was it about 1988 when the Group was “overnight raided” by Hugo Bearman, and Julian Asken, the South African owners of The Diamond Corporation of Johannesburg. This following a article in the London Evening Standard reporting the comments of the LIH Group financial Director, Graham Gascoigne, that the Group “had a crock of gold at the end of the rainbow”, meaning the Thames side yards of Bulk Storage. These were , post takeover to become part of the Docklands development.and more than paid for the Groups purchase price. Longton Trucks, and Garages were sold to Evans Halshaw. And of course “died”. Longton Transport, in a high leveraged deal to its MD Brian Riley. James and Tatton, and Jaton to their management. The rest, well it, along with its staff just withered away, yet another tragedy to befall Stoke on Trent, and rubbish the hard work of loyal management and workers, yet again because of the short sight of financial managers who only see the immediate return, not the potential return. Gentlemen, whatever your endeavour, never, never invite the Corporate Investor into your business, he only sees the quickest return, not the long term view! Oh, how I dislike British management!! Cheerio for now, (I do hope some computer literate “Potters” put up some photographs of this once great Potteries Group, Its vehicles, its conversions, and it`s fleets)>

spud1960,didnt they have a place up old wieldon road on the right hand side ?

Hi Saviem,

I worked over at Bulk Storage (Transport) Limited just outside Hull, I would guess it was a little earlier than 1988 when the group was asset stripped, as I remember being told that the group had been sold to Thompson T Line and that it was run by a Mr A and Mr B never did know their names, and that there would be money available for investment.

Shortly afterwards they started selling chunks off, Bulk Storage (Transport) which had originally been part of the Bulk Storage Group was packaged up with Longton Storage & Transport and as you say sold to a MBO led by Brian Riley and others and the holding company became the Birch Group.

You are correct regarding the docklands warehouses and property, I was also told at one point that they owned the land where the the Channel tunnel entrance complex is (which may also have been the crock of gold at the end of the rainbow)

We were then advised that they were looking to take over other small tanker operators to compliment the tanker operation at Hull, of course this never happened and shortly afterwards we were put up for sale, eventually being sold to Hoyer UK Limited in the October of 1988

The last I heard was in 1993 when I wrote to Brian Riley requesting a reference and he wrote back on Harp Riley Holdings letterheaded note paper, who were dissolved in 2009

Regards

Spud

curnock:
spud1960,didnt they have a place up old wieldon road on the right hand side ?

Hi Curnock,

They may have done I was based over in Hull and only visited the Stoke office twice

Regards

Spud

Afternoon all, Spud, you are right, it was I believe 1985 when Bearman and Asken launched their “raid”, using the corporate vehicle of Thomson T line, (a defunct caravan manufacture I believe)! Longton Transport was founded in 1929 by A G Dale, using a Saurer 12tonner. He acquired the old Midland Railway Goods yard in Bute St as an operating base. They were unique in operating an owner driver scheme prior to WW11,Post the Transport Acts1930,1933, introducing "hours"limitations, the bulk of owners past their vehicles to Longton Transport, in exchange for shares, becoming employee shareholders.The bulk of traffic was long distance, and change over drivers were based in London,Darlington,Banburyand Gloucester. The company was active in establishing distribution agreements with other operators in South Wales, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Southampton to increase it`s coverage. 1938 Motor Sales (Longton) was established, later to becomeLongton Transport Equipment, and even later Longton Trucks. Initially having a Thornycroft franchise, later still Guy and Commer, (Silkmore Garage), then Leyland and Freight Rover, as well as Land Rover, Jaguar, and Austin Rover. In the 1950s James and Tatton was acquired, a run down Iron mongery business, later transformed into a steel stockholder of some magnitude, with associated Engineers merchants Jaton. C Knight removals was acquired,1960 John Rowley removals was merged into Knights to become Knight and Riley specialising in shipping, export packing and European Transport. Industrial and Commercial Plant was formed with a Massey Ferguson agency, I think that this still exists, with a Kramer agency, alongside Longton Crane Hire. The Group was “floated” 1971 on the back of ICFC advice and funding, (no comment)!!!1972 Bulk Storage was acquired, (Alec Greyburn),Pennant Shipping, Pauls (Hull)Bulk Storage Transport.Properties, Highway E1, Hull, Foulsham,Stanstead,Matching Green,Barking,Grays,West Thurrock,Sheerness,E14,E1,Finmere,Sandy,Milton Keynes,Bolton,Farnworth, and Stoke on Trent. No wonder it was attractive as a victim! Post the take over, Evans Halshaw took the motor side,Riley and Alan Harp the Transport, Hoyer Bulk Storage,a sad end to a family grouping. On the vehicle side quite an eclectic fleet, obviously Guy, with Longton sleeper cabs, Leyland, (and they produced high quality municipal cab conversions, as well as sleepers for Blue Line, and Roadrunners), Iveco, DAF, and a fair sized fleet for International work. I do hope that someone has a few photographs, even if they are of James and Tatton, or another group company. You know Stoke on Trent was a vibrant City, Longton was a big player there, shame that it has gone unrecognised. Cheerio for now.

I’ve a few more photo’s that I will post up

You were obviously well connected to them

Regards

Spud

Freighter - taken from a promotional leaflet, no copywrite details

borrowed from Bubbleman’s thread hope he does n’t mind

Morning all, hello Spud, no I was not connected to them, just picked up bits of all sorts of corporate information along lifes road. I must be very sad!! As I have become older I get really annoyed when I see how our industry has, and is being destroyed by a combination of political ignorance, managerial ineptitude, and public animosity and apathy.The last time I saw one of the “partners” I was having lunch with one of my associates in thePotters Club, in Longton. I could not, as could not most people in the lounge, fail to hear the arrogant statements being made. On my way home I passed a Longton 4wheeler, not looking too healthy, with a half drowned driver carrying out a tailboard delivery. I just felt a sense of injustice, and new then that it would only be time before the company would be on the way out! Thanks for the pictures, do you have any Bulk Storage ones? Hope some ex Longton people can join in. Cheerio for now, off muckspreading, again!

Foden

Fiat 170 NT 26

Fiat 170:30

Evening all, hello Spud, I`ve just come in from the yard, and been sent straight out to the farm office for a shower, as apparentley my days muck spreading has left me with a “personal freshness problem”! Thanks for the images, were those Fiats supplied by Peter Colby, from Wyndham? He ended up as the “Fiat approved”, owner of Commercial Engineers, Sneyd Hill, Stoke on Trent,. after they succumed to financial difficulties about 1978. Then the ex Lex lad was made General Manager, who ended up specialising in Fiat/Iveco products down Chemical Lane in Burslem, on his own account. Just cannot recollect his name at the moment, or his trading title, but someone will know, (16hour day so far, how can I claim this as retirement)! Or perhaps they came from BFI, or Bob Hunt "darn south? Who was MD of Bulk Storage at the time of the Bearman/Asken takeover? I seem to recollect him as quite a reasonable man. Incidentally the Diamond Corporation/ Thompson T Line offices were situated on the top floor of a grand Edwardian “pile” situated just behind the Ritz! Where of course all refreshment was taken! Quite turns one into a Bolshvik! Ah well, hot water beckons, tea, and I think a little theraputic Bollinger, Cheerio for now.

Hi Saviem,

The Fiats were supplied by our local dealer in Hull who was Springfield Truck Services, part of Springfield Haulage who used to operate black and white trucks, the Foden was also supplied by Springfields but was second hand and used on our flat operation, usually drums or packages out of BP Chems Hull.

The new kit was always purchased for the tanker operation and then passed down so to speak, strangley the only new Leyland we ever go whilst I worked their was a Sherpa Van and even then I think it was old stock.

We had a number of old big Js which I think had been supplied by Longton Trucks but they were 8 - 9 years old when I started with Bulk in 1981

Thinking back Bulk Storage (Transport) Limited was purchased off Thomson T Line by Longton Storage after the Harp - Riley MBO for £1.00
I remember the story made Motor Transport at the time with it being stated that Longton Storage had also taken over all of our debt, which was strange because our depot manager at the time was adamant that debts of Bulk Storage (our immediate parent in the organisation) had been passed over to us shortly before the sale.
regards
Spud

I remember longons being on bury rd bolton yrs ago,never had any dealings with them but i think they used to store and distribute[among other goods]a lot of sugar.
regards dave.

Hi all just having a nose around an saw the thread and the roadtrain A661JFA was my late dads Tony Hayes who had this wagon from new, then brought this vehicle when Longton finally finished,around 1989.

Hi Spud
Ive just joined up tonight and thought i wud have a look to see if there was anything on longton crane hire as i work for them for the past 12mths, i will have a chat with our fitter i know he has loads of old pics on his computer and see if i can get some to post up on here. Oh yeh and its still run and owned by Mr Dale.

was they also north staffs transport in the 1950s