DOW FREIGHT SERVICES (1970's/80's)

Hi, I was wondering if anybody could help me? My dad (Tommy Madden) from Manchester used to drive for Dow Freight Services when I was a kid. We used to travel all over Europe with him during the school holidays. He used to drive a MAN (16-280) not sure what the reg number was. I was wondering if anybody remembers him, he was good mates with a driver nicknamed ‘Dracula’, he used to drive a brown Ford Transcontinental. We spent lots of time at a truck stop in Austria called Valentines. If anyone remembers my dad I would appreciate it if you would get holf me on the following email: darren.w.madden@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks very much indeed.

mads065:
Hi, I was wondering if anybody could help me? My dad (Tommy Madden) from Manchester used to drive for Dow Freight Services when I was a kid. We used to travel all over Europe with him during the school holidays. He used to drive a MAN (16-280) not sure what the reg number was. I was wondering if anybody remembers him, he was good mates with a driver nicknamed ‘Dracula’, he used to drive a brown Ford Transcontinental. We spent lots of time at a truck stop in Austria called Valentines. If anyone remembers my dad I would appreciate it if you would get holf me on the following email: darren.w.madden@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks very much indeed.

Yeah! knew your dad well, see nick names. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Try contacting a Trucknet member called Mushroom Man. He was a Dow Freight driver from years ago and knew my wifes uncle, Stan Warmbold,who was an O/D who pulled for them. I beleive he still lives in Australia so may not see your post until later. He has many pictures and tales to tell from that time!!

Hi,

Thanks for replying. If anyone does know my dad, please send some contact details and the next time I go up to Manchester I will pass them on. Thanks again.

I seem to remember Tommy getting a bollocking off Roger for taking you to Blackpool in the unit one weekend. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Ha ha, that sounds about right. We had some good times back then. All over Europe he took us, we went to the BMW museam in Germany and anywhere else that was good at the time. Would you mind sending me your name and possible phone number and I will pass them on to my dad next time we chat? I will also ask him if he still has any photos of some of the trips we went on in the trusty M A N.

rocky 7:
I seem to remember Tommy getting a bollocking off Roger for taking you to Blackpool in the unit one weekend. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Hi Roy, Tommy left a couple of weeks before I started and the story that I heard was that he arrived back in the yard on a Friday morning, dropped his trailer, fuelled up and went home. When he went back to the yard at Sunday lunch time to ship out he topped up his tanks with another ten gallons. A friend of Roger’s (or it could of been Roger) just happened to be on Blackpool Prom watching the illuminations on the Saturday night when a Dow Freight unit complete with wife and kids was seen driving along the sea front. I remember that when I started all the drivers were told that they could no longer take their units home because of this and after a couple of drivers asked why should all the drivers be punished because of one driver the decision was over turned.
Maybe mads065 could tell us more about this incident, answers on a postcard :laughing: .

mushroomman:

rocky 7:
I seem to remember Tommy getting a bollocking off Roger for taking you to Blackpool in the unit one weekend. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Hi Roy, Tommy left a couple of weeks before I started and the story that I heard was that he arrived back in the yard on a Friday morning, dropped his trailer, fuelled up and went home. When he went back to the yard at Sunday lunch time to ship out he topped up his tanks with another ten gallons. A friend of Roger’s (or it could of been Roger) just happened to be on Blackpool Prom watching the illuminations on the Saturday night when a Dow Freight unit complete with wife and kids was seen driving along the sea front. I remember that when I started all the drivers were told that they could no longer take their units home because of this and after a couple of drivers asked why should all the drivers be punished because of one driver the decision was over turned.
Maybe mads065 could tell us more about this incident, answers on a postcard :laughing: .

If you remember Steve, when you got allocated a unit at Dow , that was your unit and no-one elses, I think Roger did this so you couldn’t blame anyone else for any damage or misuse.All units were named after horses,except Barry Longden Who named is after his wife Valerie and got a bollocking but the name wasn’t changed., I started on Golden vow which I wrote off in Germany.after I had been there about 2 years, anywere else you would have got an old unit or even sacked,but at Dow I got a brand new one Sandboy …

I have just spoke to my dad and he remembers all of the drivers and goings on very clearly (for an old man). He thought that it was funny that people remember the Blackpool incident but not the fact that he hit a bridge in Dortmund Germany. I have passed Barry Longden’s number onto him and he said that he will call. .

Hi Roy, if you remember all the lorries were named after race horses or girls who had something to do with the company so it’s only fair that a lovely lady like Val Longden had her name on Barry’s motor. Over the years I had Sandra who was the receptionist, which I took over from Billy Macdonald when he got a Scania. Irene, which I took over from Barry Longden when he went onto the Volkswagen/M.A.N. contract and Manning Grey which was the only brand new motor that I ever had.

Mads065, I did hear about your dad hitting the bridge because it was just after that film came out called Arnhem, A Bridge Too Far.
Ken Singleton who was actually dropped at Arnhem during the war put up a poster in the lunch room which read, Dortmund A Bridge Too Low Starring Tommy Madden, maybe your dad remembers this.
If your dad can remember the name on his truck then there might be a photo of it some where on this site.

Hi,

I will ask my dad if he can remember the registration number next time I talk to him.

Found this on flickr taken by( cheese 1961) hope he wont mind.

Dow Freight.jpg

I’ll be seeing Roger Hambleton on Saturday, I’ll ask him if he remembers your Dad.

His brother Tony, ( my other half) is in hospital at the moment - he can remember a lot of things from back then, if no memories of the today :frowning: , so he might start to talk of times spent with a Dow trailer :wink:

Hello Albion, I am sure that there are a lot of people on here who wish Tony a speedy recovery. Maybe you can ask him did he or Roger drive this Volvo at one time in Dow;s early days.

Photo from Foden 46.

Regards Steve.

Will do Steve - can’t make the reg out though?

Stanfield:
Found this on flickr taken by( cheese 1961) hope he wont mind.
0

…and not a Tax Disc in sight!!!

David

mushroomman:
Hello Albion, I am sure that there are a lot of people on here who wish Tony a speedy recovery. Maybe you can ask him did he or Roger drive this Volvo at one time in Dow;s early days.

Photo from Foden Hi Albion. The reg number on the volvo is GOE 159N . The address on the door says old hall rd gatley cheshire presumably that is where they were before moving to lancaster st stockport. Regards foden 46

OK Foden - thanks for that, I’ll ask Rog and Tony over the weekend.

I always thought they had their own DAF that they ran together subbing for Dow, but I maybe thinking of later on.

Have a good weekend

5thwheel:

Stanfield:
Found this on flickr taken by( cheese 1961) hope he wont mind.
0

…and not a Tax Disc in sight!!!

David

This was taken apparently when they were for sale at auction, hence no tax disc.

picture courtesy of phil bunch . with a A1 for good measure :slight_smile: