I remember those G Range Volvo’s well, I used to see them running down Maryhill Road on their way south at night. The trailers looked odd as well, they seemed to be narrower, maybe that was just because their height made them look that way. I also remember the later Scania’s.
Like most drivers of my generation, I could kick myself for not taking photo’s so can’t add any here, sorry!
Connals were a very old firm, being mentioned in a book called ‘The Second City’, the history of the City of Glasgow. They were originally Storekeeper’s, adding Transport much later.
Their first artics were LAD Albion’s with Scammell couplings and single axle trailer’s. The Volvo’s were their first heavy tractors, following on from the Albion’s.
As well as having vast storage sheds at Craigmont Street, just off Maryhill Road, they got involved with Distribution. They fell foul of the Law for using BMC threepeeny bit chassis with swap bodies, the chassis were under 3 t ULW and were only (The Law said!) legal if they swapped the bodies, which were deemed to be part of the load.
Unfortunately, great attention to the vehicles by the commissioners discovered the bodies didn’t get swapped often, that cost Connal’s a hefty fine.
They were taken over by the TDG, keeping their name.
Highland Haulage was another company taken over by the TDG, although the name was kept, I was told that the owner didn’t sell the name with the company and retained the title while TDG was allowed to use the name.
In later years TDG amalgamated Connal’s and Highland Haulage, becoming Connal-Highland. When the TDG closed both business’s, the original owner formed a new Highland Haulage with two other transport companies in Inverness and that the one in business today.
As we all know up here, TDG was the kiss of death for many long established Scottish transport companies.
Hope all this is interesting to you all.
Alex