I’m sure my Dads mate Tommy Liddle had a spell at Dents I’ll ask Tom next time I see him.
dazcapri:
I’m sure my Dads mate Tommy Liddle had a spell at Dents I’ll ask Tom next time I see him.
Hi I’m sure he did, the name rings a bell but I cant put a face to it. John
He was from Chester-le-Street sometimes got called Gingertom
dazcapri:
He was from Chester-le-Street sometimes got called Gingertom
Sorry but that doesn’t ring any bells. I’m sure as the weeks go on I’ll find out. At 68 my memory isn’t what it was…some will say I could never remember anything anyway lol.
I do remember that most of Dents trucks were Atkinson eight wheelers and tractor units, as I said earlier there was an Atki four wheeler and a Thames Trader both with box vans, the Atki was later made into a flatbed for work out of the Cape Universal Asbestos factory at Bowburn. The Thames trader I drove a couple of times, it wasn’t a bad truck, but murder in the winter as your feet went straight out in front of you and the wind shot straight up your trouser legs. Most of the youngsters drove Dodge vans on local deliveries. The trailers if I remember right were mostly 27’ 4-in-line and tandems although these were replaced by 30’ then 40’ trailers in the mid 70’s and Volvo 86, 88, Man and Merc’s replaced the Atkinson’s.
Most of the work away was from Bowburn, Asbestos being the main building material, mainly for farm sheds etc, work back was mostly Tea for either Ringtons at Newcastle or Tetley’s at Eaglescliff. Tea was pick up from London and Liverpool Docks where it could tack a couple of days to load (all handball, one tea chest at a time) and all had to be kept dry while loading. We also picked tea up from warehouses in Avonmouth, West Wratting, Cambridge, Banbury and Stowmarket. I do remember waking up at the Stowmarket warehouse, which was long side the railway, when a freight train derailed on the level crossing and sent coal flying into the warehouse yard, amazingly, no trucks were touched, I do believe Ronnie More and Roly Dodds were also there that night. We used to take our lives in our hands crossing back and forth across the line to go into town.Other work we had was Petfoods at Melton Mowbray and Basildon Bond at Hemel Hempstead.
I’ve just read about the death of Ken Seaton who drove for Dent’s. Smashing bloke and quite a good footballer who played for the works team. R.I.P.
is that kenny seaton who drove for reeve and john dee ?
scaniia141:
is that kenny seaton who drove for reeve and john dee ?
Quite possible but I cannot be sure as I never heard from Kenny since early 70’s. Tall, slim chap from Quarrington Hill.
Mysterron:
scaniia141:
is that kenny seaton who drove for reeve and john dee ?Quite possible but I cannot be sure as I never heard from Kenny since early 70’s. Tall, slim chap from Quarrington Hill.
I do remember ken, if my memory serves me right I think he started on the Dodge vans first. He did enjoy his football and was a very nice lad. RIP Ken.
Does anyone remember John Chapman, worked for Dents when I was there in the late sixties, early seventies, one of the nicest people you could ever meet, never had a bad word for anyone. He had a brother (name escapes me) who if I remember right also worked for Dents. The last I heard of John was that he was working for Allison’s transport, Darlington, always looked out for him but our paths never crossed. I think he must be the same age as me (68) so he would be retired now.
beano111:
dazcapri:
He was from Chester-le-Street sometimes got called GingertomSorry but that doesn’t ring any bells. I’m sure as the weeks go on I’ll find out. At 68 my memory isn’t what it was…some will say I could never remember anything anyway lol.
I do seem to remember Tommy Liddle, cant remember him being called Ginger or Gingertom though, we all had nick names in thoughs days, I suppose it was possible never to know someones true name.
beano111:
beano111:
dazcapri:
He was from Chester-le-Street sometimes got called GingertomSorry but that doesn’t ring any bells. I’m sure as the weeks go on I’ll find out. At 68 my memory isn’t what it was…some will say I could never remember anything anyway lol.
I do seem to remember Tommy Liddle, cant remember him being called Ginger or Gingertom though, we all had nick names in thoughs days, I suppose it was possible never to know someones true name.
I spoke to Tommy the other day apparently after he left he drove a Daf for a company called ( I think) Smiths that used to get their diesel from Dents yard. They only had the Daf and one or two coal wagons Tommy more or less ran the Daf as an owner driver. I dunno if that helps to identify him I’ll probably be speaking to Tommy in a couple of weeks I’ll try and pick his brains then I’d be surprised if nobody remembered him he worked at a lot of places
On most of Dents Atkinsons about 1960 the warehouse is on the right Tudhoe Colliery in the backgrond. We also had about 25 local motors. There were no artics at the time only twin steers, four wheelers and eight wheelers.
Cracking stuff K. Dents is an old firm , so keep the memmories comming Regards Larry
kennyjohnson:
On most of Dents Atkinsons about 1960 the warehouse is on the right Tudhoe Colliery in the backgrond. We also had about 25 local motors. There were no artics at the time only twin steers, four wheelers and eight wheelers.
Great photos Kenny, the Atki with the box on was my first truck on Dent’s, although when I had it in 1968 it certainly wasn’t new. It was later made into a flat for general use, mainly asbestos from Cape Universal at bowburn. It was on a “B” licence from the days as a box, which meant it was on contract, can’t remember which company. I remember going into BRS in Portsmouth for a return load, they said they shouldn’t load me because it was only to be used by a specific company, but they did, every time I went in after that they used to laugh saying here come Dents special.
in later years I was driving an Atki 150 Gardner with a 4-in-line, returning from Glasgow one sunny day loaded, I was doing about 40mph (top speed) when I came to Beatock summit, the road was quiet so I knock it out of stick, doing about 60, the steering wheel shaking like mad, the road had been made into a dual carriageway, which was just as well because half way down, with my feet tucked under the seat…the seat collapsed, coming away from the back of the cab, where it should still be bolted…I then found myself sitting on a seat, which in turn, was sitting on my legs with my chin resting (wrong word) on the steering wheel, the steering wheel was shaking and vibrating like mad. As the truck was on vacuum brakes, which anyone who can remember them, were next to useless, you had to keep high revs to keep the pressure up, I did this by pushing the accelerator peddle and brake peddle alternatively, pulling the ratchet hand brake on and off and pulling the trailer brake on (this was on the back of the cab and released itself when you let go) The speed gradually slowed down and by the time I approached the “Beatock cafe” at the bottom, I had slowed sufficiently enough to enter the car park, as I bounced across the car park with my jaw already sore, I gave one last rev and applied all the brakes and came to a rest near the hedge at the far end. Three Drivers who had been making there way across the carriageway from the cafe which was on the north bound side to their trucks wondered why a truck was bouncing across the car park with no driver. It took some time to get me out as the seat and myself had to be lifted together. After a couple of mugs of tea and a lot of ■■■■ taking by other drivers and the girls in the cafe, I phoned the yard and the reply from John Henry Dent was… ok…see you in the yard at 9. after finding a 5 gall oil drum and some bricks, I continued on to spennymoor.
This was the van i mostley used for breakdowns VPT342,a 2.2 BMC. I worked in every layby in Britan with it until i turned. it over in the snow on Coxhoe Basics bank one morning,-tyres on the canvas no tyre laws then. VPT341 was the same van the.y were both used on local. VPT340 was a 8wheel Atki it was burnt out on Grants house cafe car park, when Toney Davidson had it. Alot of breakdowns were sheared wheel studs,drivers not checking there NUTS(wheel)
beano111:
kennyjohnson:
On most of Dents Atkinsons about 1960 the warehouse is on the right Tudhoe Colliery in the backgrond. We also had about 25 local motors. There were no artics at the time only twin steers, four wheelers and eight wheelers.Great photos Kenny, the Atki with the box on was my first truck on Dent’s, although when I had it in 1968 it certainly wasn’t new. It was later made into a flat for general use, mainly asbestos from Cape Universal at bowburn. It was on a “B” licence from the days as a box, which meant it was on contract, can’t remember which company. I remember going into BRS in Portsmouth for a return load, they said they shouldn’t load me because it was only to be used by a specific company, but they did, every time I went in after that they used to laugh saying here come Dents special.
in later years I was driving an Atki 150 Gardner with a 4-in-line, returning from Glasgow one sunny day loaded, I was doing about 40mph (top speed) when I came to Beatock summit, the road was quiet so I knock it out of stick, doing about 60, the steering wheel shaking like mad, the road had been made into a dual carriageway, which was just as well because half way down, with my feet tucked under the seat…the seat collapsed, coming away from the back of the cab, where it should still be bolted…I then found myself sitting on a seat, which in turn, was sitting on my legs with my chin resting (wrong word) on the steering wheel, the steering wheel was shaking and vibrating like mad. As the truck was on vacuum brakes, which anyone who can remember them, were next to useless, you had to keep high revs to keep the pressure up, I did this by pushing the accelerator peddle and brake peddle alternatively, pulling the ratchet hand brake on and off and pulling the trailer brake on (this was on the back of the cab and released itself when you let go) The speed gradually slowed down and by the time I approached the “Beatock cafe” at the bottom, I had slowed sufficiently enough to enter the car park, as I bounced across the car park with my jaw already sore, I gave one last rev and applied all the brakes and came to a rest near the hedge at the far end. Three Drivers who had been making there way across the carriageway from the cafe which was on the north bound side to their trucks wondered why a truck was bouncing across the car park with no driver. It took some time to get me out as the seat and myself had to be lifted together. After a couple of mugs of tea and a lot of ■■■■ taking by other drivers and the girls in the cafe, I phoned the yard and the reply from John Henry Dent was… ok…see you in the yard at 9. after finding a 5 gall oil drum and some bricks, I continued on to spennymoor.
Priceless!! 
When Billy Toas started about 61 he said he was asked if he could rope a steer.Billy replied i thought you wanted drivers,not cowboys. I somtimes wonder! KEN