In the mid 90’s Promotor returned to its roots. Peter Calderwood had worked for Fords in the 60’s and when he set up Promotor (Europe) Ltd Fords supplied a large percentage of the regular work. It was mainly promotional work, from film shoots to appraisals and much of it was out of Dunton. The company did less work for Fords during the 80’s but in the early to mid 90’s they picked up a contract to look after the cars and vans that Ford needed to promote sales of their products.
I was involved in the contract negotiations but even at that early stage I could see it wouldn’t be my type of work. I stayed on for another couple of years before retiring to the funny farm. Fords were not an easy company to work for but Peter soldiered on as he knew ultimately other companies would be interested in taking over the contract. However, Peter was always looking for other ways to increase revenue and one (silly) idea was to convert one of our lorries to include living accommodation, workshop and car transport to out of the way locations. Unfortunately very few production or film companies were interested. Peter told me it had cost over £50 grand to convert the lorry and have the trailer built and knowing him, as I did, I’m sure the cost was a lot higher.
I have posted a photo of the finished rig and a copy of part of a brochure Peter had printed. The lorry and trailer were quite impressive but unfortunately that didn’t pay the bills.
Of course later on in the 90’s ‘Ontime’ came knocking on the door and before long Promotor was history.
I’ve added another image taken from a sales brochure that Promotor put out in the mid 90’s. It shows one of our units pulling a car transporter. We only had one of our own, an old one purchased from Glendenning, so we hired in when necessary. However, if we had a large job, such as the launch of the first Ford Mondeo, where well over one hundred and thirty cars had to be moved between a number of locations in a short space of time for appraisal by dealers then we would bring in Richard Lawson to handle the movements.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
I have very few photos from our Ford contract days in the 90’s. The first two are again taken from a brochure while the third I took from just outside our office. The first photo shows an aerial shot of our premises. When we first took over yard we had to have white lines painted and numbered so we could find the cars or vans that had to be worked on. Little did we know that the parking area would be nowhere big enough as Ford needed more and more promotional vehicles to be in our care as they ramped up the number of different models in their range. Virtually all the vehicles seen in advertisements or the Motor Shows at that time were from our fleet and looked after by us.
In the main building we had valeting bays and spray booths as well as stores and the mess rooms. Tom Miles also looked after the fleet from here but soon he was relocated to another factory unit down the road. We could have done with premises twice the size especially when the Fashion Show business was in full swing.
TNT operated a fleet of vehicles from next door operating on the Newspaper contract out of Wapping (I think). We always hoped they would move so we could take over their yard but they never did and anyway there wasn’t enough money in the Ford contract to cover it.
One thing eagle eyed readers may have noticed is that the company name has been changed to Promotor Europe PLC. This was a precursor to the sale of the company, something Peter had in mind for a number of years.
Some more photos from the 90’s. The first photo is of our crew at the Motor Show held I think in Earls Court. It was always a busy time for us and not always easy to get decent conscience guys to work the unsociable hours that were required. We put them up in digs near the venue but often they had to work much of the night changing cars over, valeting them and replacing bits that had been stolen during the day. Yes, you tell me how wiper blades and the like could disappear on a much observed stand with hundreds of people around.
In the main photo there are a few people I can name. Back row on the left is my son Christopher next to him is Paul Maloney and back row on the right is Tony Blackman who would have been in charge. In front of Tony to the left is Clive Newman sporting a large badge. In the same row as Clive on the right had end is I think, Jim, one of our paint sprayers. I must admit I have forgotten the names of the other lads so if anyone can put names to faces please do so.
The second photo is a Roadshow trailer Peter designed then sold the idea to Fords exhibition manager. It toured the country for a year or more and I had the job of finding venues for it. From the Fairford Airshow to Weymouth seafront to a hotel near Loch Lomond. That trailer pulled by a Ford Cargo unit accompanied by Tony Blackman and two young ladies who acted as hostesses certainly got around.
Few more pics (the last) from a Promotor sales brochure. I was looking at the first photo of the car being loaded in the trailer. Bit different from our old trailers where chains and a pully were used to manually haul the ramps up once the cars were loaded.
In the second photo a cutaway car is shown. Although we did some of this work ourselves, if it was an engine or gearbox had to be done we had that done by an outside contractor but we carried out the finish painting.
This little anecdote follows on quite nicely from my last few posts which featured the brochure put out after the Ford contract had been secured.
Even though I didn’t like working on the Ford contract it had its attractions. I was already a director and major shareholder of Promotor and once everything was running kinda smoothly on the Ford job Peter and I treated ourselves to some new wheels. We didn’t buy new cars but there was no need. He bought another BMW M5 and I found a nice Jaguar XJRS. If I remember rightly both vehicles were eighteen months to two years old.
Seeing that Ford owned Jaguar at that time I thought it good for the company image that I was buying one of their cars but there were a number of people who felt it was a bit ostentatious and over the top but I didn’t let that worry me. I knew I wouldn’t be around much longer and I was determined to make the most of my remaining time with the company.
With reference to the crew photo I can recognise Clive Newman too (now deceased) and 2nd from the left of the front row is Tony “schizzo” Tiffen who did a fair bit of work for us at Motorvation as a free-lancer but could only drive 7 1/2 tonners so his work was rather limited. He could always be found having a heated argument with himself in some quiet corner!
Nottsnortherner:
With reference to the crew photo I can recognise Clive Newman too (now deceased) and 2nd from the left of the front row is Tony “schizzo” Tiffen who did a fair bit of work for us at Motorvation as a free-lancer but could only drive 7 1/2 tonners so his work was rather limited. He could always be found having a heated argument with himself in some quiet corner!
and ‘Aldo’ is third from the left in the middle row. Terrible isn’t it! I knew most of the guys but time plays terrible games with your mind and it just gets worse. I’ve said it many times ‘the little grey cells are not what they were’ and never will be now. Bit morbid ain’t it. Nurse, fix me a stiff drink please.
Nottsnortherner:
With reference to the crew photo I can recognise Clive Newman too (now deceased) and 2nd from the left of the front row is Tony “schizzo” Tiffen who did a fair bit of work for us at Motorvation as a free-lancer but could only drive 7 1/2 tonners so his work was rather limited. He could always be found having a heated argument with himself in some quiet corner!
and ‘Aldo’ is third from the left in the middle row. Terrible isn’t it! I knew most of the guys but time plays terrible games with your mind and it just gets worse. I’ve said it many times ‘the little grey cells are not what they were’ and never will be now. Bit morbid ain’t it. Nurse, fix me a stiff drink please.
I’ve just spoken to my son Christopher and he says the group photo was taken at the NEC Birmingham and the crew were put up in digs in Walsall as our office couldn’t find anywhere nearer to the exhibition. He, being a driver, did a lot of car and van movements to and from Daventry, I think thats where he said, each day as many of the days were themed. ie cars days, van days, sports vehicle days etc. Often if vehicles were scratched they had to be removed for a couple of days whilst repairs were carried out. He said most of the guys worked on the job for three very hectic weeks and were glad when it was over.
Another Promotor Scania 111 photo given to me by Paul Willis. DEV 194T had a number of drivers and on this occasion it looks a bit like ‘Little Dave’ Lloyd is the steering wheel attendant. Again, if anyone knows better please let me know.
sandway:
Another Promotor Scania 111 photo given to me by Paul Willis. DEV 194T had a number of drivers and on this occasion it looks a bit like ‘Little Dave’ Lloyd is the steering wheel attendant. Again, if anyone knows better please let me know.
Looking at this very closely it’s not David Lloyd. I’m guessing but it might be Richard Brown or Doug _____ (part-timer). But if I were a betting man I’d say Richard Brown.
Glad to see you’re on the ball Buzzer. By the way it was me that posted that on FB this morning. Still don’t matter, that was one of my favourite photos and am glad its being shown again. I remember climbing up the hill at the back of the lay-by and waiting for another lorry to drive by so I could get it in the background. Didn’t know it was going to be an old Yugo dog of a lorry and drag.
Glad to see you’re on the ball Buzzer. By the way it was me that posted that on FB this morning. Still don’t matter, that was one of my favourite photos and am glad its being shown again. I remember climbing up the hill at the back of the lay-by and waiting for another lorry to drive by so I could get it in the background. Didn’t know it was going to be an old Yugo dog of a lorry and drag.
Yes it is Slovenia Efes. It was late winter, as you can tell from the bits of snow still hanging around. I can’t remember exactly where I was or where I had loaded but I am sure I was on my way home from Zagreb, where I had cleared customs, to the Italian border. Yes, I was lucky again! France/Italy permits. The trailer looks heavy so doubt it was furniture nor the zinc sheets we did out of Zagreb as they normally went on straightframe trailers.
sandway:
Another Promotor Scania 111 photo given to me by Paul Willis. DEV 194T had a number of drivers and on this occasion it looks a bit like ‘Little Dave’ Lloyd is the steering wheel attendant. Again, if anyone knows better please let me know.
Looking at this very closely it’s not David Lloyd. I’m guessing but it might be Richard Brown or Doug _____ (part-timer). But if I were a betting man I’d say Richard Brown.
Efes. I think you are right, its not Little Dave but Richard!!.. Hmm could be. I don’t have many photos of him but have attached one I took in Tripoli, Libya when we were doing the medical shows out there. Of course you recognise the other guy about to shove something in Richards ear.
I have attached a very rare photo from the mid 70’s I think, of one of Promotor’s small Ford D Series lorries with a canvas covered body. Perhaps Nottsnortherner knows a bit about it? Could the driver be Paul Linscott?
Looks like Paul’s arm… Wonder what he’s up to now? I think he was set adrift after Pro-Motor, a bit lost. I always liked him, always cheerful.
Didn’t like travelling with him as he was up at dawn doing press-ups and exercises.
Update: He lurks on Facebook and is living in Edenbridge, various photos of him hiking in a kilt looking a lot frailer than I remember him, Good to see he’s looking well and still extant!
Efes:
Looks like Paul’s arm… Wonder what he’s up to now? I think he was set adrift after Pro-Motor, a bit lost. I always liked him, always cheerful.
Didn’t like travelling with him as he was up at dawn doing press-ups and exercises.
Update: He lurks on Facebook and is living in Edenbridge, various photos of him hiking in a kilt looking a lot frailer than I remember him, Good to see he’s looking well and still extant!
Thanks for the heads up Efes. Yes he still looks in good shape. Mind you I always thought he was unhealthily fit. Why would you want to put your body through all that!!! Make me ill just thinking about it.
I have attached a photo I took of Chic Steadman and Paul in southern Turkey in the early 80’s.
In Turkey? Was that when Paul’s Cole’s Crane broke down in Silopi on the Iraq/Turkish border and he became King of Silopi for a week or so? He had all the locals fetching and carrying for him.
That town was like the Wild West as the kids jumped onto the trucks as we waited (3 days and nights) for the border crossing. Once I was with Johnny Ward who was behind me and as the kids approached I’d give them the arabic head sign - jerking the jaw up and down quickly (sort of opposite to a nod. the sign which means leave me alone) and they passed me by and swarmed all over Wardy’s truck. He was not amused and couldn’t understand why they chose him and not me…
The kids used to ask for passport photos and I handed out one of myself and then later another child came along and I gave him one too… All of a sudden world war III erupted in front of me as the two kids started hammering each other - I mean REALLY hammering each other. I had to jump down to separate them. Apparently the photo gave some kind of business ownership rights for changing money, begging etc etc…
It was in Silopi that they set an army guard to stop the trucks queuing all through the town and letting them through bit by bit… I was stopped just at the entrance to the town and wait there for hours. The soldier controli9ng the traffic engaged me in conversation (he was after a ■■■) and I took photos of him aiming his gun at me… All was well till he got involved in an altercation with a Turkish truck driver that he hauled out of his cab and beat the ■■■■ out of him, bashing him on the head with his rifle ■■■■, kicking him etc leaving the fellow lying in the road. Scarey! Then he came back to me and demanded my camera. I think he thought I might have photographed him or perhaps he just wanted it. I refused and a battle of words ensued and i became increasingly anxious having seen him dish out violence so casually. I was saved by a guard change… A military jeep turned up and he was swapped for another soldier… Phew…
