Like a transit on steroids. Exactly right. When I was writing about my time at CHI, I thought they were like transits but surely that couldn’t be right. But it was. And yes, they did have tilt trailers.
I don’t think I knew Mark Saunders. I left in 1982 during (what I saw as) the IBM fiasco. A few trailers with jo-loader rails - not enough for the contract and those that had them were often damaged and rejected by IBM. I also had to do the accounts for the contacts, and I’m not good with num8er5 and accounts. That’s why I’m in graphic design now.
The West Thurrock mention may have been MVH, where the trailers were serviced, repaired and MOT’d. Does Dave Learmouth ring a bell?
Hudsons did have a small fleet of tractor units, but mostly it was owner-drivers and sub-contract firms. Don Collison’s from around Dagenham, a firm in Matlock - the name will come to me, A(miram) White - he used to fill the office with pipe smoke. Can’t remember, but I think the rate was 15p or 55p a mile in the early 80’s. Well I did tell you I was no good with figures.
There were about 30-40 trailer deliveries a day. Pick up from Felixstowe through the night, drive, tip, drive, pick up, back to Felixstowe. No mobile phones, so drivers had two numbers to call, Import (I’m at Felixstowe and need another trailer) and export (I’m empty, where do I go now?). I remember clients seemed to think we were running an airline rather than a road haulage company - ‘where’s my trailer, it’s 15 minutes late’.
I used to do the in-house magazine (typewriter and photocopier) and there are still some copies in the loft for those who have no life at all. There might even be some photos. I had a camera, so I became the company photographer (the A-class - see above, the first outing for the monoframe, the company brochure…)
If you had anything to do with Chris Hudson’s, you may remember Chas King, an absolute gentleman, sadly long gone I guess. Other names come to mind, Terry Poulson, who hired me, Chris himself, Chris’ sons, his brother Russell, their wives/girlfriends/ex’s who worked there; Terry O’Brien imported from Ford’s along with his son Michael - and his girlfriend Julie. David Farren, John Furness, Mike Evans, Frank Barrow, Roy Rosier, Julian… can’t remember(again), I’ve had a beer or two, but his mum/aunt was there too. Jackie and Yvonne Finn, Stuart Pinnock, Laurie (good name for the business, don’t you think?) Derry the lay preacher in repairs… If any of my former colleagues are reading this, I can see your faces, but… If you want to get in touch, go to uk.linkedin.com/in/colinkirby247. I’d like to hear from you.
As for the drivers, we saw too little of them in the office. Great characters, but at this time of night I can only remember Eric Lucas from Liverpool and Micky Tisdale from the West Midlands.
Hudsons used Allport at Felixstowe for export/import documentation (hello, Gerry Hatt and John Disney) and Ewals of Tegelen on the continent (Gus Doove, Jack van der Kerkhof). Now I see their trailers where Chis Hudsons should be, if it weren’t for the obsession with the monoframe.
Inevitably, my recollections are skewed to the office life. It was a good place to work, very sociable. Subsidised canteen and bar, they used to invite clients for table tennis and Scalextric evenings. Not great now, but in the late 70’s -early 80’s… well, no, not great then either.
By the way, Len Woolard at Ford’s, (if you’re still with us) did you ever consider treating people with respect? I’ve found it’s a great way to get what you want.