Ackworth / Onward Transport

Obscure question of the day: did any of those CRTS / Ackworth tilts ever make it to the Middle-East in the day?

I worked for Onward transport from 1985 until 1992 at their Birtley depot which principly existed
to service the north east area Castrol contract. Unfortunately when the contract came to an end
the depot was closed as it was no longer viable. That apart I have some great memories of that
time, it was a family owned business and my abiding memory is that you could talk to the senior
management (with certain exceptions) on a one to one basis. The chairman of the board
Mr Granville Storey could be approached and spoken to on a first name basis something
I had never encountered before. We had a depot manager imported from yorkshire
(Bill Gallimore, sadly no longer with us) once he knew he could rely on you left you alone
to get on with the job. I am sure there are lots of former employees out their to prolong this thread.
I will try and sort some photos out in the next few days. kevmac47.

Hiya ,
Didn’t Onwards have a depot at Castleford? Think it closed soon after Swifts opened their Normanton depot in 1980 & taking all the Rockware glass work off them .

Yes they did have a depot in Castleford which was still open when I left
in 1992. They also had depots at Livingston, Purfleet, Selby, South Kirby,
and also the East Lancs Paper Mill at Radciffe. The main depot at Ackworth
is now rented out to several hauliers but the approach to this site is ringed with
weight limits and low bridges making it very difficult for strangers to find
particularly if you rely on satnav!!!

kevmac47:
Yes they did have a depot in Castleford which was still open when I left
in 1992. They also had depots at Livingston, Purfleet, Selby, South Kirby,
and also the East Lancs Paper Mill at Radciffe. The main depot at Ackworth
is now rented out to several hauliers but the approach to this site is ringed with
weight limits and low bridges making it very difficult for strangers to find
particularly if you rely on satnav!!!

I thought Bewick hauled out of there!

georgeking:

kevmac47:
Yes they did have a depot in Castleford which was still open when I left
in 1992. They also had depots at Livingston, Purfleet, Selby, South Kirby,
and also the East Lancs Paper Mill at Radciffe. The main depot at Ackworth
is now rented out to several hauliers but the approach to this site is ringed with
weight limits and low bridges making it very difficult for strangers to find
particularly if you rely on satnav!!!

I thought Bewick hauled out of there!

They did “george” until our guy’s took over the Mill and then we took over transport and cut vehicle movement on and off site by half as the local residents were “going mad” about a line of Onwards waiting to load and another line of hauliers “various” waiting to tip!!! Solution!!! Bewick Transport hauled everything in and out Bingo!! no more probs with the neighbours!!! Cheers dennis.

Re East Lancs Paper, Seems like this facet of the diamond known
as Bewick Transport was also perfect.

kevmac47:
Re East Lancs Paper, Seems like this facet of the diamond known
as Bewick Transport was also perfect.

Our customers called it “common sense” at the time Kev! Bewick.

Bewick:

kevmac47:
Re East Lancs Paper, Seems like this facet of the diamond known
as Bewick Transport was also perfect.

Our customers called it “common sense” at the time Kev! Bewick.

We did the same for J &J Makin and Devon Valley Industries ------They never had service like it and were prepared to pay good rates for it too !! Bewick.

I assume all the guys who drove for Ackworth/Onward had plenty experience of driving Scammell Crusaders then■■? was a pretty smart fleet if my memory serves me correct. Spookily enough I have an Aunt & Uncle who live in Ackworth!!! :smiley:

When I worked for Onward most of the artics were ERFs and the rigids were Daf
although our shunt unit at Birtley was a very dilapidated Crusader.
I started out with a day cab “B” series ERF with a 265 Rolls Royce, after about
9 months I was given a new E series ERF,I was like a dog with two tails!!!
I am still trying to sort out some photos from this era and when I do I shall
post them. My good friend Iain Wilkinson has a lot more photos than I do
so I hope he will respond to this prompt■■?

I used to have an ERF E10 that came from Onward. (Fleet No 383, G906JHD)

If you’ve got any photos of that, it would be nice to see them.

Sorry it took so long to find any pictures but here goes.The barrels outside the building are empties to go back to Stanlow, the sheeted load will probably be the aforementioned empties ready for shipping to Stanlow. The H &S brigade would have a fit if anyone tried to do this now as all the barrels are “on the roll” held in place by a back scotch with ropes attached. Kevmac47 PS the handsome brute is yours truly when I still had a little bit of hair left.


i can remember seeing a few of their motors ready to be sold off in bocs yard at barnsley in the mid 90s,i think boc had bought them out then disposed of the trucks.

Not sure were this picture is from but its one of Akworths continental trucks.

Onward took over part of Smith of Maddison and for a while their logo displayed “Onward for service”.

At one time Onward had the Thames Board contract with Robsons so they used to base a lot of lorries at Workington.

georgeking:
Onward took over part of Smith of Maddison and for a while their logo displayed “Onward for service”.

At one time Onward had the Thames Board contract with Robsons so they used to base a lot of lorries at Workington.

Right “George” guess who had the contract at The East Lancashire Paper Mill Co Ltd. in 1990 and got kicked out? and guess who took the contract over and knocked it into shape? Photo’s to follow!! Anon.

Remember seeing Onwards leyland buffalos regularly parked up at the old Grays lorry park… remember that? on London rd in the 70s

Bewick:

georgeking:
Onward took over part of Smith of Maddison and for a while their logo displayed “Onward for service”.

At one time Onward had the Thames Board contract with Robsons so they used to base a lot of lorries at Workington.

Right “George” guess who had the contract at The East Lancashire Paper Mill Co Ltd. in 1990 and got kicked out? and guess who took the contract over and knocked it into shape? Photo’s to follow!! Anon.

rich12:
i can remember seeing a few of their motors ready to be sold off in bocs yard at barnsley in the mid 90s,i think boc had bought them out then disposed of the trucks.

I think you’re right.

The ERF I bought showed BOC as the previous owner on the log book. I bought fleet no. 383 from a dealer in Coventry in 1996.