windrush:
I think they were a BRS ‘special’ as I never saw any others. I quite liked driving those in rigid form to be honest, the optional power steering, five speed overdrive box and two speed axle made a big difference but not many buyers chose that. Of course they were lighter without those options as they could legally carry six tons in standard form but were under three tons unladen so no HGV licence needed. A local company in Reading used them, and the smaller four cylinder models, on the trunk to Glasgow in the sixties and we used to service them and they were not a lot of trouble really.
Pete.
The one I drove, Crowfoot carriers, was a favour for a mate. Can’t recall what engine /box put suspect smaller one. At the time I was on a S39 ,my God the difference in noise n ride was unbelievable. Having said that you used to see them everywhere but I’m still glad I didn’t have to work one.
I drove that unit, BB 59, a couple of times when I was at the Douglas Group, Port Dundas, Glasgow. It was on the Forfar C/Over for Aberdeen Trunk, I’m sure the regular day driver was John Daw.
I just shunted round Glasgow when the regular driver was off on holiday and my Seddon was off the road.
I also have that Corgi model as my wife bought it for my birthday some years back. We spotted it in a Model shop in Blackpool, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the depot code BB on the door, when I looked at the trailer it said ‘DOUGLAS’ on the side.
The trailer is a model of a 45 foot trailer we used on loads from Carruthers Cranes in East Kilbride. There is a photo of it in Nick Baldwin’s ‘Pictorial History of BRS’ showing it loaded with Broome and Wade compressors at High Wycombe. It’s not a BRS photo but was commissioned by B & W as they had never had as many compressors on the one trailer, as long as it was a back load we could do that. The normal trailers were 40 foot, as you know.
When our depot was closed the unit went to Ayr Depot (BE).
Incidentally, we had a Guy Big J with an AEC engine which, at night, was coupled to a 40 foot Containerway & Roadferry Tilt full of groupage, it’s trunk was to Stranrear Ferry Terminal for transit to Belfast, one down, one back.
I drove that unit, BB 59, a couple of times when I was at the Douglas Group, Port Dundas, Glasgow. It was on the Forfar C/Over for Aberdeen Trunk, I’m sure the regular day driver was John Daw.
I just shunted round Glasgow when the regular driver was off on holiday and my Seddon was off the road.
I also have that Corgi model as my wife bought it for my birthday some years back. We spotted it in a Model shop in Blackpool, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the depot code BB on the door, when I looked at the trailer it said ‘DOUGLAS’ on the side.
The trailer is a model of a 45 foot trailer we used on loads from Carruthers Cranes in East Kilbride. There is a photo of it in Nick Baldwin’s ‘Pictorial History of BRS’ showing it loaded with Broome and Wade compressors at High Wycombe. It’s not a BRS photo but was commissioned by B & W as they had never had as many compressors on the one trailer, as long as it was a back load we could do that. The normal trailers were 40 foot, as you know.
When our depot was closed the unit went to Ayr Depot (BE).
Incidentally, we had a Guy Big J with an AEC engine which, at night, was coupled to a 40 foot Containerway & Roadferry Tilt full of groupage, it’s trunk was to Stranrear Ferry Terminal for transit to Belfast, one down, one back.
Alex
Mr Savllie you mention a gent named John Daw , I worked at Freightliner Coatbridge with a gent with the same name , I remember him being a very helpful and pleasant guy to know , could this be the same man . ?
coomsey:
I drove a 4whlr version of this for about 12mls without a shadow of a doubt the worst lorry I ever drove. In fact possibly the worst vehicle I ever drove n that includes a Terex 24 motor scraper.
Didn’t realise they did an artic version, was there a different engine /box in this or just low gross weight?
The lightest-weight versions had a standard 2.2 BMC diesel engine as fitted to panel vans, FX4 taxis and some Landrovers. IIRC, the big one with the protruding bonnet like the one in the BRS picture you provided had a 4-litre BMC diesel. Incidentally, I owned a lightweight farm lorry with a dropside body and I thought it was a great little beast; but there again I didn’t have to drive it all day! lol. Here’s another very rare picture of an artic version of the ‘threepenny-bit’ lorry; this time with the standard front end and therefore a smaller engine than the BRS one in the picture you presented. Robert
I drove that unit, BB 59, a couple of times when I was at the Douglas Group, Port Dundas, Glasgow. It was on the Forfar C/Over for Aberdeen Trunk, I’m sure the regular day driver was John Daw.
I just shunted round Glasgow when the regular driver was off on holiday and my Seddon was off the road.
I also have that Corgi model as my wife bought it for my birthday some years back. We spotted it in a Model shop in Blackpool, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the depot code BB on the door, when I looked at the trailer it said ‘DOUGLAS’ on the side.
The trailer is a model of a 45 foot trailer we used on loads from Carruthers Cranes in East Kilbride. There is a photo of it in Nick Baldwin’s ‘Pictorial History of BRS’ showing it loaded with Broome and Wade compressors at High Wycombe. It’s not a BRS photo but was commissioned by B & W as they had never had as many compressors on the one trailer, as long as it was a back load we could do that. The normal trailers were 40 foot, as you know.
When our depot was closed the unit went to Ayr Depot (BE).
Incidentally, we had a Guy Big J with an AEC engine which, at night, was coupled to a 40 foot Containerway & Roadferry Tilt full of groupage, it’s trunk was to Stranrear Ferry Terminal for transit to Belfast, one down, one back.
Alex
I never imagined for a moment that I’d hear from someone who actually drove that AEC. What a delight to connect with the real thing! Thank you for posting such a detailed reply. . Incidentally, mine arrived with a BRS Douglas flatbed 33-foot trailer. Robert
coomsey:
1
I drove a 4whlr version of this for about 12mls without a shadow of a doubt the worst lorry I ever drove. In fact possibly the worst vehicle I ever drove n that includes a Terex 24 motor scraper.
Didn’t realise they did an artic version, was there a different engine /box in this or just low gross weight?
The lightest-weight versions had a standard 2.2 BMC diesel engine as fitted to panel vans, FX4 taxis and some Landrovers. IIRC, the big one with the protruding bonnet like the one in the BRS picture you provided had a 4-litre BMC diesel. Incidentally, I owned a lightweight farm lorry with a dropside body and I thought it was a great little beast; but there again I didn’t have to drive it all day! lol. Here’s another very rare picture of an artic version of the ‘threepenny-bit’ lorry; this time with the standard front end and therefore a smaller engine than the BRS one in the picture you presented. Robert
0
Not designed for bulk work then. You n Pete liked them n if I was paid enough I’m sure I’d have put up with it, I did 15mths on a cabless Cat637 scraper ,but it wouldn’t do if we all preferred the same things, they’d only be one of everything. Cheers Paul
John Daw did indeed work at Gartsherrie for Freightliner, a few years ago we visited a model shop at Fleetwood and I purchased a BRS model. The woman in the shop told me she knew a John Daw of Glasgow who worked for BRS. Small world!
I’m surprised to hear your trailer is only a 33 foot one, Corgi made the model using, as a guide, the 45 foot trailer TBB 64 as portrayed in the book although the real trailer had a different sort of wings.
Thanks to the late Mike Houle, who I knew (BRS Historian & enthusiast,) I have a copy of the photograph in the book from the guy who took the photo.
I’m curious what numbers on your trailer?
I’m surprised to hear your trailer is only a 33 foot one, Corgi made the model using, as a guide, the 45 foot trailer TBB 64 as portrayed in the book although the real trailer had a different sort of wings.
Thanks to the late Mike Houle, who I knew (BRS Historian & enthusiast,) I have a copy of the photograph in the book from the guy who took the photo.
I’m curious what numbers on your trailer?
Alex
The number on the trailer is TBB64. It is exactly the same length as other Corgi 33-footers and significantly shorter than the 40-footers. Perhaps it was an extendable! Robert
A mate of mine drove for BRS Staniforth Road Sheffield depot,late 60s/early 70s.I parked up at Ardwick Green Manchester one late afternoon on a dodgy and he turned up in his Mandator with a load of timber out of Canada Dock Liverpool.
The load was for North Shields…via Woodhead. …anyway he ran it into the depot after the office staff had gone,booked off somewhere daft on his log sheet,into his car and we called for a pint.When I asked him how he could be off route like that and hope to get away with it,he said he hadn’t been caught up to then so wasn’t worried.
Slightly off BRS topic but still on dodgys,I was stood at Flouch crossroads,log book in hand,waiting for summat to turn up int Sheffield direction.I worked for A E Evans then and one of their AEC MK5 Mammoth Majors stopped for me of course,driven by Harry “pockets” Pearce.When I asked him where he was loaded for he said " Marchon Whitehaven,loaded out of Cadishead". 100 miles off route meant nowt to Harry bless him.
This AEC has “Prescott Lane Kitt Green Wigan” stencilled on the back of the cab,
and I know that Kitt Green depot was CG code. On the cab door is FG code.
Where was FG code from ?. Photo from Eddie Heaton. Regards, Ray Smyth.
Ray Smyth:
This AEC has “Prescott Lane Kitt Green Wigan” stencilled on the back of the cab,
and I know that Kitt Green depot was CG code. On the cab door is FG code.
Where was FG code from ?. Photo from Eddie Heaton. Regards, Ray Smyth.
Ray Smyth:
This AEC has “Prescott Lane Kitt Green Wigan” stencilled on the back of the cab,
and I know that Kitt Green depot was CG code. On the cab door is FG code.
Where was FG code from ?. Photo from Eddie Heaton. Regards, Ray Smyth.
FG was Northampton Ray.
Chris, Thank you for the BRS Depot code information, I have added your “FG” info to the same picture on the Wigan thread.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
Archive BRS, Never Did Get to Gripps we Dep Codes Mind I Wernt theer That Long few Months outta Battersby Lane Warrington Mostly Timber otta Garston Dock, and Bright Steel otta Latchford, apart from Crossfields always in n otta theer, Many Moons ago, LoL""
CJA1:
Archive BRS, Never Did Get to Gripps we Dep Codes Mind I Wernt theer That Long few Months outta Battersby Lane Warrington Mostly Timber otta Garston Dock, and Bright Steel otta Latchford, apart from Crossfields always in n otta theer, Many Moons ago, LoL""
Was that steel place at Latchford called Robertsons CA? I loaded out of there about 1968 with some rough old bars for Flathers at Sheffield.And timber off Canada Dock usually for Sheffield or Nottingham.Got the loads off Studholme Street BRS L’pool.
CJA1:
Archive BRS, Never Did Get to Gripps we Dep Codes Mind I Wernt theer That Long few Months outta Battersby Lane Warrington Mostly Timber otta Garston Dock, and Bright Steel otta Latchford, apart from Crossfields always in n otta theer, Many Moons ago, LoL""
Was that steel place at Latchford called Robertsons CA? I loaded out of there about 1968 with some rough old bars for Flathers at Sheffield.And timber off Canada Dock usually for Sheffield or Nottingham.Got the loads off Studholme Street BRS L’pool.
Hi CW, Aye think it wer Robertsons, Memory shot mate? LoL"" just nr Latchford Lock Theer? IIRC they used to load mostly with side loader , out on road? I used to do aw round midlands with Brite Steel, Slippery stuff LoL""
. Incidentally, mine arrived with a BRS Douglas flatbed 33-foot trailer. Robert
,but it wouldn’t do if we all preferred the same things, they’d only be one of everything. Cheers Paul
…anyway he ran it into the depot after the office staff had gone,booked off somewhere daft on his log sheet,into his car and we called for a pint.When I asked him how he could be off route like that and hope to get away with it,he said he hadn’t been caught up to then so wasn’t worried. 
