Dents of Spennymoor

Happy new year chaps. Stretch looked quite handsome, where did it all go wrong. Loppy Lugs name is John Dixon. Really enjoyed the re-union, but it always ends too soon.
Here is this months teaser. All the Volvos, Dafs, MANs, Mercs, etc. had a large button on the floor that you could press when going down hill to hold you back or you stopped the engine with it when you wanted to switch off. You couldn’t switch the engine off with the ignition key then. What was the name of the button?
Old Bill

old bill:
Happy new year chaps. Stretch looked quite handsome, where did it all go wrong. Loppy Lugs name is John Dixon. Really enjoyed the re-union, but it always ends too soon.
Here is this months teaser. All the Volvos, Dafs, MANs, Mercs, etc. had a large button on the floor that you could press when going down hill to hold you back or you stopped the engine with it when you wanted to switch off. You couldn’t switch the engine off with the ignition key then. What was the name of the button?
Old Bill

I think it was called an exhauster brake which came in very useful when going downhill with a heavy load on board. As for Stretch he never was as good looking as me :smiley: :smiley: Would love to have been at the reunion and seen a lot of old faces from the 60’s & 70’s, unfortunately health does not permit me. All the best to everyone for 2014.

it was very unusual for any of DENTS motors to have any “extras” fitted, spot lights etc

so how come the muppets M.A.N has a nice sun visor fitted, i bet it came like that

alan

Yeah. It was on when we got it. Very roomy cab for its time. ( they haven’t really changed much)…I seem to recall about 7 of us in it coming back from the pub to West Wratting.
Colin.

I saw in the Northern Echo that a John Hart from Willington died aged 65.Is this the same fellow who was a fitter at Dents and later ran a Recovery business?
Old Bill

Hi Bill, I`ve not heard anything,but 65 would make him 5yrs older than me which would fit I guess.
Nice fella John.

hi all

ronnie moore called in today and he confirmed it is john hart who worked for dents, R.I.P

anyone out there !!!

Looks like it’s just you and me Alan, I sometimes think that everyone else has lost interest.
Come on Lads, say something! Even if it’s just Hello, we will know that you are still alive.
Old Bill

Hello Alan / Bill not a Dents but nearly in the same boat as you 2 & Ronnie although dont think Ronnie remembers me. Retirement coming Sept. Prob asked before but what are Gordon , Stretch, Chappie, Kieth, Ray,Tommy, Corkscrew,& uncle Tom Cobley & all anybody from that era Alan be nice to know what they are all doing now & something for you 2 to write & interesting for me to read. Thanks in anticipation :smiley: :smiley:

Hi lads i’m still here. A photo of Rolly standing at the back of 9846UP

rolly.jpg

another good photo kenny

hello greek, september retirement for you, well how are you going to fill in your time ■■?

i will try and answer part of your question ;- magic is driving for LAFARGE i think, on a tipper, stretch has his own motor, ray is now retired, chappey is driving for a chesterfield outfit pulling out of aycliffe, ronnie moore is retired, tommy is on a tanker delivering fuel out of teeside, keith is still driving but cannot remember who for (doh), yan is retired, billy is retired, i am retired, my finger is tired lol

alan

Hello all,

I’m still here.

Greek - Dad cannot place you from either Collinsons or Elddis - I’ve asked him a few times now.

Darren.

Here`s a couple of pics for Ronnie Darren I used to run with Peter Mangan quite a bit Pics a bit better than the one some bugger has just posted of me on the North East blog. 1st pic early Collinson

second Witton Castle late 80s or early 90s

hey greek!!

whats this unexploded bomb thats been found in chopwell park,

some funny people from chopwell :laughing: :laughing: :unamused:

alan

Never heard anything Alan there is some funny people live in Chopwell but not me though STANLEY man. Hope big Brian off Glennies dosen`t read this he might visit stanley to see me.

Never thought Yan was old enough to retire!

Hi all, Im still kicking about. Been on agency for 7yrs. Running out of Morrisons Stockton and DH bleedin L (Boots/TKMaxx) Spennymoor.
To anyone whos retired and thinking about the good old days.... thats what they were! Its utter ■■■■■■■■ now. You cant blow your nose without some Herbert who`s superior to you in every way telling you why your not allowed to unless in a designated nose blowing area. (Yellow hatched area, near the fire assembly point).

I took a photo of a poster on the wall at DHL, it was one of many. I can`t get it uploaded unfortunately, but it says…prepare to be shocked!

Winter Driving Guidlines.

SNOW- Grip is reduced. Falling snow reduces visibilty. Snow may cover hazards such as kerbs.
ICE- Causes grip to become almost non-existent and can cause slides and spins. Black ice may be invisible.
WINTER SUN- Tends to be very bright and low on the horizon causing difficult visibility during the day. (Although they don`t say what the heck a horizon is)!
FOG- Can cause poor visibility.
RAIN- Heavy rain will reduce visibility. Also causes pools of water or floods.

Loading steel out of Lackenby now, you`re not allowed to climb up on to the trailer/load, so you have to yuck yer chains over, (following the diagram they gave you earlier), from the side. Stand on tippytoes and hook the top hook of the ratchet on and tighten it while stretching as far up as possible. Then when it looks ok, drive out onto the A174 stop at a layby, climb up and tighten the ■■■■■■■ properly. Ludicrous.

How on earth did we manage all these years? 5 years to go for me and I`m out!!

Take care all.

Colin…Muppet!

Hey Colin, I hope that when you’re chucking them chains over, you have a second man at the other side keeping watch (or use red and white barriers) to stop people walking past and getting clobbered on the head. If at the same time its icy, snowing, low sun or raining you should to stop work, sit in the cab and ■■■■ your thumb.

You may want to put that forward as a suggestion and get them to include it in the diagrams. You should know that common sense doesn’t count for much any more. :smiley:

Darren.

I remember running oiled steel out of Scunthorpe, no head board or safety net with the steel as close to the cab as possible to save on having a second man. people talk now-a-days about Depression, it was certainly depressing knowing that the slightest breaking could send the steel straight through the cab. What we took as the norm would be a definite NO NO to modern drivers. Mac

Hi all, How did we ever find some remote farm when we were delivering asbestos sheets for farm buildings without sat-navs, mobile phones etc.
We could run rings round the drivers these days. If we had problems, we were told ‘‘You are the driver, You sort it’’. Imagine the drivers of today having to manage without a mobile or a Sat-nav.
I am coming up 75 in May but I still miss the old days, or am I daft for thinking that way.
Old Bill