Hello folks I can tell you a fair bit about the Onward group because I worked for them. 1st for the Selby depot for a short time in 1960 then I started with Onward Castleford in 1964. It was the formative years of my life, where I learned about hard work and long hours. By far most of the traffic was United Glass, we new it as John Lumb & co Castleford. Rockware knottingley was never a big customer allthough some traffic did come Onward/Ackworths way from there.
Nobody I mean nobody roped sheeted and corner boarded tidier loads out of there than we did late into the evening then it would be 5.00am start for Kilmarnock or all destinations countrywide. Bill Pennington was the yard foreman and shunter in United Glass and a legend in his own lifetime. Put the fear of god into greenhorn drivers including me but you could earn his respect. I,ve seen big stong lads afraid to come down off the top of the load because they had incurred Bills wrath through letting a corner board fall or mishandling ropes. he did’nt suffer fools gladly. I had a massive respect for him, I expect he’s long gone now.
In 1970 I became an owner driver and did a lot of sub-contract work out of Ackworth depot. They were allways a smart fleet, with a high level of maintenance.
I hope this may be of interest to some folks…Dan