Geezer500:
HiAnyone know how I can contact Peter Sumpter?
Would like to ask him on the off chance he has any pictures of me with my dad out in the lorry.
Thanks in advance
Paul
Hi mate,
Pete works for pentalver in tilbury or he did he may be retired now, mrken will know.
Steve.
Brain Haulage
Hi, does anyone know what happened to Stan Gray out of Barking depot, i worked with him when we were both trailer mates on Macks hauliers and then BRS Silvertown in 1949. Bill S.
Hi all, new member here, I remember Brain Haulage very well being a driver on the Ford fleet and going to the chequers lane depot to pick up 20ft containers for Fords, also remember an ex Ford driver Peter Partridge who used to be on my shift at Fords. Is there anyone who knows if Peter is still around.
flyer747:
Hi all, new member here, I remember Brain Haulage very well being a driver on the Ford fleet and going to the chequers lane depot to pick up 20ft containers for Fords, also remember an ex Ford driver Peter Partridge who used to be on my shift at Fords. Is there anyone who knows if Peter is still around.
Hi mate,
Peter still about to the best of my knowledge, last worked for maritime in tilbury but now retired.
Steve.
Thanks Steve, another member is in contact with Peter and hoping something comes of it…ray
mrken:
Hello Ken,
Great to see one of Charlie’s Retrievers, I’ve heard a lot about them but never seen a photo. Father rated them highly when he drove them during the half a dozen periods he worked for Charlie. He prefered them to the Fodens except for the couple of Leyland powered tilt cab eight wheelers. The Retrievers were better shute (tip for anyone outside the south east) motors than the later Ergos having better ground clearance under the front and less likely to nose dive. The one pictured looks like it’s on muck away from one of the Squares in London with blue clay from the Victoria line tunnelling. Father doesn’t recognise the location but remembers running out of Drummond St. and a side street off Oxford St…The clay all went out to Woodside Brickworks in Croydon who’d exhausted their large pit, this lot filled it up again.
All the best, Tony.
pollystag:
flyer747:
Hi all, new member here, I remember Brain Haulage very well being a driver on the Ford fleet and going to the chequers lane depot to pick up 20ft containers for Fords, also remember an ex Ford driver Peter Partridge who used to be on my shift at Fords. Is there anyone who knows if Peter is still around.Hi mate,
Peter still about to the best of my knowledge, last worked for maritime in tilbury but now retired.
Steve.
Hi. I was also on the Ford fleet, G Shift, did try to get on F troup, but I didn’t drink enough, I left Fords afetr 3 years, I could not addapt to the shift work, and went to work for Brains, I can confirm that Peter is alive and kicking, saw him last Saturday at a Brain Haulge get together and he is looking well.
Mick Hubbard
Hi Mick, Nice to hear from you, I remember the name but cant put a face to it yet, spoke to Peter on the phone the other week. My name is Ray Butler if that rings any bells. I left fords in 92 , done a bit of casual when my business went south and then ended up at Gatwick airport. Way things are in driving now I really don’t miss it and the way things are for American truckers it aint too rosy either.
ray
Russell Winmill had a heart attack on News Year Eve by all accounts and was still in hospital last week having tests
Oldtimer Trucker:
Scania 80 tractor
DAF 2800 tractorSalut, Oldtimer Trucker
I bought VVX 513S daf 2800 from brains it was on ACL contract paid good money about 1979/80 for it but
I ran it till about 2001. !! This photo taken about 1998 after a bad bump and we put a new cab on
I also bought daf VVX520S I think it was on spot hire it had a lot more wear it must have more miles
OR it had a harder life
Ron Forsyth
Russ first I hope you and dad are ok. No photos but my take on brain haulage. First time in the 70s drivers strike I just had my first mortgage approved andthen I, m sitting outside hayes storage with my 2 daughters sitting in my austin 1100 cold and being told someone called brain was calling the shots. Russ it gets better. I worked for a company before I went to mtx later I went back to them. The work had changed a lot only 2 units subbing for brain haulage so 10 to 15 years later I, m working as a subbie to brain. I was also doing my cpc, s at the same time. Russ I get a beer so in time I took over the truck yes a maggie and was doing shunting to the docks then local work was ok. The maggie was drinking oil the forman fitter said they never did a full repair and the other fitter a man mountain who was on special brew at 5 am used to let me top up with oil also a manager in brains helped me out. And 1 day the man mountain could not look me in the face he grassed me up. So I backed the maggie with was another problem and I bought my lhd 141 from Keith. Brains kept me going. Russ yes another beer
ok I jump forward a little the other driver with the maggie ent on holiday and the same ■■■■ that tried to tuck me up with the oil drinker sold his truck while he was on holiday. ?.. you dont believe so what did brain haulage do. They gave him a job in an instant with a bit of info from me.
bless him good old boy in less than 3 weeks his wearing gold I kid you not.
so me I used to shunt emptys some times both ways in the morning before the night shift finished do 1 or 2 locals and be shunting emptys when the night shift started. Hollywood haulage the royals yes true never ever give me a problem, was ahh you not finished yet , me no not yet ok blue, why they called me blue I don’t know. They helped me and they new I would help them. 1 night 40ft loaded on a skel without sidegards 38 ton wine to westbury I took it in my 2 axel 141. And that’s all I have to say about brain haulage. Miss them yes
Hi guys,long time since any news or photos of the old firm and just to add a bit more sad news the passing of Geoff Barnet a couple of weeks back after a short illness,another one of the good guys.so long Geoff.R.I P.
does any body know if martin hoare from Southampton then grays is still involved in the job
slatey:
does any body know if martin hoare from Southampton then grays is still involved in the job
HI SLATEY CANT HELP YOU THERE BUT COULD YOU HELP ME,DO YOU REMEMBER ROLY,OR PAT, BOTH DRIVERS FOR BRAINS ON A C T SOUTHAMPTON— I DIDN,T WORK FOR BRAINS, BUT WAS ON A C T LEEDS 1982–1990 REGARDS HARRY H.
well another year just about gone .no post,s for nearly a year maybe all the old guys have died or just lost interest what a shame
merry Christmas john c
Yes Brain surgeon, loosing interest is I think with all posts of companies you can only tell so many stories, I well remember BRAINS drivers swanning around with all the gold chains, bracelets. I never did get it .we had our own name for them!! sounded like hats .
What about a brief history? When did they start, when did they finish? Where were they based? How many vehicles and what makes? Clearly Scania 110’s were a favourite.
