gazsa401:
Just found this on social media
A bit weird- I was of the opinion that the Evans 240 was supplied from Stoke. And sadly, the chap who could have solved the dilemma is probably looking down on us and chuckling!
Bewick:
John West:
Ah, but we only have Mr Bewick’s word that he didn’t change the 240 badges for 180 badges, so that the opposition would be impressed with the power of his 6LXBs…
Anon.Now there belies a tale John! We once had a Driver, from Kendal and an old school pal, who we gave a start on one of the Big J’s and this particular morning he had to run through to Bowies with an empty 36ft van. He only picked up a loaded one and ran to Barrow ! When he landed back in the yard two and a half hours later he swore blind he never noticed the difference ( Lindale hill etc.) so that says a lot for the powerful 180LXB doesn’t it
Needless to say this pillock didn’t last long with us as IIRC there was another balls up with a trip Glasgow so he had to have them “licked and sticked” and pointed towards the gate but funnily enough he never bore me a grudge his undying ire was directed towards our manager ! This particular individual went on to run his own taxi firm in the Town and is, unfortunately, no longer with us. Cheers Dennis.
Ah Dennis! As one who collected the wrong trailer in the port of Iskenderun in Southern Turkey, misreading a 12 digit number with 2 numbers reversed, and took a tyre making machine, which was destined for Baghdad, when the one I was supposed to be be pulling was a prefab house for Al Khobar in Saudi…
I got half way across the desert of H4, travelling with a few other lads, which was a sand stretch between Jordan and Saudi before I realised my mistake. Luckily a piece flew off the machine and through the tilt side and when we stopped for tea, we all looked in the tear and I realised what I’d done!
I had wondered why the Volvo was pulling so well. The tyre making machine was about half the weight of a prefab! Bit like your man…
I went back to the Jordan customs post. Dropped the trailer, and went back unit only across Jordan, Syria and Turkey. Took the correct trailer on the wrong paperwork back to H4. After clearance I tucked the paperwork for Baghdad into the documents box on the dropped trailer - and carried on for Khobar!
An Astran driver, who had been supposed to collect the trailer in Iskenderun bob tailed down and collected and delivered the tyre making machine to Baghdad.
Kinda makes your driver’s mistake trivial! Do I get to keep my job, or are you licking and sticking them as we speak■■?
John
I’ve a feeling you’ll be awarded the DCM, John. Don’t Come Monday!
Retired Old ■■■■:
gazsa401:
Just found this on social mediaA bit weird- I was of the opinion that the Evans 240 was supplied from Stoke. And sadly, the chap who could have solved the dilemma is probably looking down on us and chuckling!
Morning ROF,
If I remember rightly Dave said that this motor was bought second hand by Evans from Chaddesley Commercials at Kidderminster and its first owner was a tanker firm,they ain’t known for over speccing a motor are they? Cheer’s Pete
Spud1960:
John West:
Ah, but we only have Mr Bewick’s word that he didn’t change the 240 badges for 180 badges, so that the opposition would be impressed with the power of his 6LXBs…
Anon.never thought of that
And it’s not as daft an idea as you might think! I believe that years ago the old bill on Boughton Hill on the A2 to Dover were cannier than usual about the capabilities of different lorries so the boys from the Haemorrhoid Isle used to F10 badges on their F12s & F16s to disguise the fact they were over-loaded - apparently . Robert
pete smith:
Retired Old ■■■■:
gazsa401:
Just found this on social mediaA bit weird- I was of the opinion that the Evans 240 was supplied from Stoke. And sadly, the chap who could have solved the dilemma is probably looking down on us and chuckling!
Morning ROF,
If I remember rightly Dave said that this motor was bought second hand by Evans from Chaddesley Commercials at Kidderminster and its first owner was a tanker firm,they ain’t known for over speccing a motor are they? Cheer’s Pete
Thanks, Pete. Your memory’s better than mine!
robert1952:
Spud1960:
John West:
Ah, but we only have Mr Bewick’s word that he didn’t change the 240 badges for 180 badges, so that the opposition would be impressed with the power of his 6LXBs…
Anon.never thought of that
And it’s not as daft an idea as you might think! I believe that years ago the old bill on Boughton Hill on the A2 to Dover were cannier than usual about the capabilities of different lorries so the boys from the Haemorrhoid Isle used to F10 badges on their F12s & F16s to disguise the fact they were over-loaded - apparently
And I remember having a “Gardner 150” badge on my Mini van!
Retired Old ■■■■:
robert1952:
Spud1960:
John West:
Ah, but we only have Mr Bewick’s word that he didn’t change the 240 badges for 180 badges, so that the opposition would be impressed with the power of his 6LXBs…
Anon.never thought of that
And it’s not as daft an idea as you might think! I believe that years ago the old bill on Boughton Hill on the A2 to Dover were cannier than usual about the capabilities of different lorries so the boys from the Haemorrhoid Isle used to F10 badges on their F12s & F16s to disguise the fact they were over-loaded - apparently
And I remember having a “Gardner 150” badge on my Mini van!
Aye that would seem to be “par for the course” now I can tell “H” where his Gardner badge is and which despicable Scroat nicked it eh! Cheers Dennis. 
Retired Old ■■■■:
robert1952:
Spud1960:
John West:
Ah, but we only have Mr Bewick’s word that he didn’t change the 240 badges for 180 badges, so that the opposition would be impressed with the power of his 6LXBs…
Anon.never thought of that
And it’s not as daft an idea as you might think! I believe that years ago the old bill on Boughton Hill on the A2 to Dover were cannier than usual about the capabilities of different lorries so the boys from the Haemorrhoid Isle used to F10 badges on their F12s & F16s to disguise the fact they were over-loaded - apparently
And I remember having a “Gardner 150” badge on my Mini van!
This one one is in my Wine & Whisky Bar, Only open to the Hard whisky men & Ladies of course,Regards Larry.
Hiya,
Dennis, it was my knights “yed” that I got pilfered, Oh’ I did get D O G removed
from a Dodge when I overnighted at I think the Red House Doncaster, Gaffer
had a go at giving me a bollocking but his words wouldn’t come out me having
my hands round his throat at the time might just have rendered him speechless
and when I explained I was employed as a driver and not a nightwatchman he
actually apologized and and had new insignia ready to replant on my return
from my next trip, he did like his motors tidy He used to wash mine he knew I
was hosepipe shy I stated as much when I got the job I was a bit cruel really he
was desperate for a driver at the time and he didn’t know London.
thanks harry, long retired.
There you go, Dennis. Photographic proof that it was Larry who nicked H’s 150 badge, not me! Now if Mr Dunbar can come up with similar snaps of those two cylinders poking out from the back of a Big J cab, we’ll all be happy!
Retired Old ■■■■:
There you go, Dennis. Photographic proof that it was Larry who nicked H’s 150 badge, not me! Now if Mr Dunbar can come up with similar snaps of those two cylinders poking out from the back of a Big J cab, we’ll all be happy!
Sorry ROF No can do, Anyway Big Js were not one of my fave motors, Not in the same league as my old Fodens that displayed this Gardner 150 badge Regards Larry.
We’ll have to agree to differ on that one, Larry. I thought my Big J was the absolute dog’s.
But then, it did have a ■■■■■■■ instead of your smoky, underpowered old rattlers!
I’m with ROF on this one. I loaded timber from the Scottish Borders, mainly the Peebles area, in 1969. (It autocorrected to 1069 - I know I’m old, but give me a break!) R.Charnley & son, Longtown, also used to load round timber. They had 6x4 Guy Big J’s. I’ve googled them but can’t find any info, so can’t say what they were powered by, nor, sadly can I find any photos!
Their big J’s looked the business!
John.
In my opinion they were miles better than their reputation would suggest. If you could forgive the crushed thumb and having to clobber the engine cover if it had the AEC/Thorneycroft gearbox!
Retired Old ■■■■:
In my opinion they were miles better than their reputation would suggest. If you could forgive the crushed thumb and having to clobber the engine cover if it had the AEC/Thorneycroft gearbox!
Five minutes work with two spanners soon solved that problem. Foden S80 and 83’s were the same, loosen a bolt, move lever slightly, retighten bolt, job done. Of course the 8LXB engined Big J’s did have a slightly wider bonnet though, maybe why they suffered more than the smaller engined ones?
Pete.
I recall when I was an apprentice for Alfie Ellis and we got a brand new Big J with a straight six ■■■■■■■ (1969/70), it looked terrific in the new paintwork and I can still remember the smell of the cab interior, funny how different makes had different smells. Some of the Fitters took turns to have a short cabby and one lad pulled away, changed gear and a slight crunch was heard before the unit suddenly shot backwards as he’d engaged reverse instead of the next forward gear, of course this brought forth great cheers and merriment along with jeers about him working in a Bank, at least at my young age I think that’s what they were saying. I was looking forward to working on this what was then quite a big motor but this was short lived as we were taken over by Crows Transport (Crowbar will no doubt recall this motor and the others they got), I never got near another Big J again and went to my new job for an AEC dealership. I still vividly remember how nice that Big J was though. Franky.
That’s triggered another memory, Franky:
Is anyone else old enough to remember the smell of a Thorneycroft’s cab? The firm ran four or five in the 1950s and they all had the same aroma, totally different to the Perkins-powered Bedfords of the time. I can still smell it but I haven’t a clue what it was that made it.
Retired Old ■■■■:
That’s triggered another memory, Franky:Is anyone else old enough to remember the smell of a Thorneycroft’s cab? The firm ran four or five in the 1950s and they all had the same aroma, totally different to the Perkins-powered Bedfords of the time. I can still smell it but I haven’t a clue what it was that made it.
Wasn’t the Thornycroft cab frame made of wood ? that could be the cause of the smell when compared to the steel framed Bedford,I vividly recall the smell every time I climbed into the Atkinson I drove for Humber McVeigh’s.
David
I’m far too young to even remember Thorneycrofts, let alone what they smelt of.
Pete.