One of Hudsons Engineers of Sandside attended a breakdown on the M6 one night and couldn’t “sort the problem” so in desperation the driver bought the fitters tools off him and told him to ■■■■ off,this is a true story and I could name said fitter but I won’t for decency’s sake 
I recall in 1967, Going to Birmingham with a Dodge Artic, The usual driver didn’t turn in so I took it, The bloody steering was crap, But I percivered got down to Brum tipped & loaded back, Anyway when I got back to the depot at Benton I just parked it up & said nowt. The next day the usual driver complained to the gaffer that I had left his motor & not reported the dodgey steering.Well I wasn’t having that so I told the him that’s why he didn’t turn in for work, Well the fitter being another smart arsed git blamed me too, I came very close to giving him a slap, But anyway he took the steering box off took it to bits couldn’t put it back to-gether & fitted an exchange box, Only to find the problem was still there.It was the knuckle joint on the shaft from steering wheel to the box, This was a tilt cab Dodge K Series, The gaffer wasn’t impressed at all, But he did say I was wrong not to have reported it, But did agree that was the reason the regular driver didn’t turn in, Mind you both the driver & the fitter were Prize J.Arthur Rankers in my book & both ended up getting the tin tack, Regards Larry.
:
philberg182:
Keith do you remember me and you flat out down the M621 in one of A.Ones F12s which was good fun until we came off the slip road at the side of The Scania workshops and there wasnt any brakes whatsoever
What about you and your weak stomach lol. Taking you out on road test and ■■■■■■■ in the cab , you was gipping like mad and I was ■■■■■■■ myself cos I’d taken the passenger side window winder handle off
Phil,yes i do remember the brake fault,i went white as a ghost when that happened 
as for the ■■■■■■■ you and ■■■■ corner when he had been on the tetleys could clear the workshop 
did a while on spanners for a seddon dealers in east lancs in late 60s and had just fitted a t.k. Bedford with a replacement engine.put cab back on and bolted down when w/shop manager shouts is that engine any good jack,i says I,ll try it ,jumps in cab cracks it up and off it goes down workshop,no stop cable,clutch ,h/brake or brake pedal connected no steering either and heading for w/shop managers office,just by luck an 8 wheeler was backing in so the Bedford t boned it and stopped.manager out calling me alsorts,i said you should be so lucky the 8 legger came in when it did.we were never best of buddies after that.but these things happen. 
One of my least favorite breakdowns was for Richard Read.Leyland broke down at High Wickham with big ends gone.Started out from Longhope in that Douglas 4x4 Matador at 4pm.Got to truck,started it,lifted bonnet to find the springs that keep the oil filler cap down broken 
Tap,tap when ticking over I can still hear the goveners rattling on that AEC at 32mph.
My F12 Globbie draw bar wasn’t going to well and seemed to run out of puff after a long pull, and as I was doing big mileage I didn’t have much of a chance to have a proper look at it. Saturday afternoon back at the yard I did the fuel filters and a bit look round but couldn’t see anything obvious, the pump and injectors had been done over the Christmas brake (3 days) and as it was still only April I though it should still be fine. Back out on Sunday morning I was running light going south but had to load 2 large tanks 9 feet dia and 26 long feet about 30 ton all up for Aberdeen and as soon as they were on the truck I noticed the lack of power again. From Tebay up over the top I was down an extra 2 gears and knew something wasn’t right. I decided to take it the Volvo dealer near Edinburgh to let them have a look so I phoned them to let them know I was coming and told them I was loaded whit a bit of weight so they could experience the problem first hand. I also mentioned that the injectors pump and filters had been done.
A couple of hours later I was out side and went to look for the foreman who told me he would get S…e to come out and take it for a run as he had an hgv license. St.v. turned up after having just washed his hands, looked at the Globbie loaded with tanks and said “What the f…s that, who ever drives that must be a f…ig bampot, now where’s the truck you want me to look at”
After he realized I wasn’t kidding, he went very white, then told me there was no way he was going to get into it let alone drive it so he went back into the workshop and told the foreman. A couple of minutes later he came out he workshop with the foreman and before I saw them I heard the foreman saying something about St…e being a wimp and should just get on with it after all it’s just a truck. The foreman had seen my truck before but never loaded.
Once he came out the workshop he took one look at it and his eyes went like organ stops and said pretty much the same thing as S.e… After a few minutes most of the mechanics came out and pretty much said the same thing, then the manager turned up. They all had a vote and it was decided that I should take the manager for a run so he could assess the problem first hand.
To say that it was top heavy and leaned a bit on corners was an understatement, but I had spent many years hauling tanks so I was well used to it. We went out by Livingstone as I though I could well prove my point using the drag up from the round about to show how it would just die on it’s asre. The manger was looking very uncomfortable and I notice his white knuckles as his lingers were digging into the arm rest of the seat. Presuming that his left hand was doing the same to the door handle I tried to engage him in some light conversation and mentioned that with a sir name like his surely his ancestors would have looked after the Kings pigs. Seemingly the manager wasn’t to interested in genealogy and only squeaked occasionally. Every time we went round anything like a corner the manager would almost crap him self, and by the time we got to the bottom round about at the Camps end of the duel carriage way I was worried enough to ask him if he was alright.
As we were about 3/4 of the way round the round about the camber of the road changed at the same time as the truck was caught by a bit of side wind, but I was more used to that kind of thing that the guy in the suit that spent most of his day in his office who by now was pumping the imagery brake in the passenger foot well.
Coming up past the test center the Volvo died on it’s asre like I though it would, but the manager had missed it as he was now hyperventilating, so I asked him if wanted to go round again. No he wanted to go back to the workshop but not in the Volvo and could I let him out as he would get a taxi form the pub. I don’t know why as there were only 4 more roundabouts to go before we got back to the workshop.
He phoned in his result and when I got back to the work shop the fitter came out with a length of welding rod and stuffed it down the breather pipe on the back of the tank. That did the trick and after another test run ( on my own ) I went on to Aberdeen to complete the run. ( I was pretty annoyed that I’d missed the blocked vent )
A few months later I took the Globbie back to the dealer to get the clutch done, when I went back to collect it there was a bag of ball bearings hanging form the front bumper. I asked the foreman what it was about and he shook my hand saying Balls of Steel, and was told never to bring the truck back if it was loaded.
Jeff
Well I started driving HGVs in the 50s, & I was taught be some of the greatest old timmers of all times, If there was a problem with you motor I was told allways try to fix it yourself before phoning the yard for assistance, I recall one evening traveling from Manchester up to Rutherglen when the driver I was running with pulled into a bus stop at Westhoughton & said he had heard a sort of loud noise coming from the front of his motor, After having a close look underneath we discovered a broken front spring on the near side, This was about 9.00pm so what do you do at that time of night,■■?, I jacked the front end up & put a piece of timber between the spring & the axle & he carried on up to Rutherglen very steady of course, Our gaffer was delighted when the motor got back to Newcastle with a return load with the timber still wedged in, With a thank you & a couple of extra hours at time & a half, They were the days Eh, When a good gaffer was greatful for getting back to the depot, Regards Larry.
once did a bit on spanners for a large bread firm in Lancashire and as you walked through stores to billy the managers office a ford cylinder head was under bottom shelf and if not carefull you would trip over it,much to billys amusement.why it was there no one knew as they stopped using fords years before.anyhow me and my mate pete god rest him got a job on a ford tractor with a cracked head,so we borrowed? this one and he noticed it missing next day and asked where it was with no response.the day after that we put the exchange head back .he was then well suited.they say exchange is no robbery and he was happy to keep laughing at the unfortunate trippers.
old f 86 will not start in nr blackpool,could have told the driver wot to check,bugger that nice ride out ,blowen fuse ha ha,and had dinner paid for 
keith
Workshop lads at Ripponden. All good blokes and exellent at their jobs.
Mechanics were exactly that,mention the word " FITTER " at your peril…!!!
Regards John
great pic old 57 do you have any more and any more info on rippendon. regards,jack preston.
Retired Old ■■■■:
Well, if I don’t admit to it, Gonzo will be on here telling everyone about his know-it-all mate, so here goes:I had parked the unit the previous night with the back end against the warehouse wall and the front facing down a slight incline. Next morning I unlocked the cab, threw my dinner bag over the driver’s seat onto the engine cover and turned the key to let the engine warm up while I yawned my way to the coffee machine. Half a cup of mud later I sauntered out into the yard to find my pride and joy buried in the chainlink fencing opposite the warehouse. In my haste I had managed to hook the strap of my bag around the handbrake and, as the air built up, the old girl decided she didn’t want to wait for her driver.
Red face, or WHAT?
Driver couples trailer on a hill next to our wharehouse trailer air tanks are empty he connects air lines up turns on taps vehicle ticking over forgetting. he hasn’t applied the hand brake … then he went into the garage next to wharehouse for a cuppa next thing the wagon rolled down the hill and over the embankment . A old hand driver walked into the garage and calmly said " hi Joe where are you going"
Seaforth joe said …Tom said you had better hurry up it looks like your wagon will beet you there
And said to the fitters "why don’t you service it while it is up in the air the crane won’t be here for three hours!, PS. The driver earned the nickname. …DELL SHANON ( run. run runaway)
Worked for a firm who ran a Glasgow Trunk most of the time we carried fruit so Truck had to go no matter what. I was drivers mate on this Seddon 4 wheeler that had a broken back spring so on return to yard it had to be changed a dodgy job at the best of times especially when loaded to the gunnels but we had done it many times before so got on with it. The Gaffer was sitting on a box next to the old Salamander oil stove (remember them ) smoking his pipe when just as we finished the jack slipped trapping the wiring loom agin the chassis causing a short , the Gaffer jumped up and knocked the top off the battery with a bar saving the whole thing going up in smoke. Now this grieved him cos he,d buggered a battery up but on examination it was found that the moter had electrics forward ( Headlights ect ) but nothing from the cab back, so he told us to tidy up the wiring with tape and he would be back in a few mins. The nightman ( Trunker ) was still waiting when the Gaffer appeared with 2 road lamps and a gallon of parafin, he proceeded to nail these to the rear of the waggon and stood back to admire his handiwork. That was it sorted as far as he was concerned but the Trunker asked " what about indicators " he was told to stick his hand out of the window , " But who can see my hand in the dark ?" put a white glove on was the reply, " What if i have to turn left ?" . There are no left turns between here and Glasgow was the reply… The fruit was duly delivered in Glasgow the next morning, the waggon reloaded and back down the next night, it was fixed at the weekend. !!!
norfolk:
Worked for a firm who ran a Glasgow Trunk most of the time we carried fruit so Truck had to go no matter what. I was drivers mate on this Seddon 4 wheeler that had a broken back spring so on return to yard it had to be changed a dodgy job at the best of times especially when loaded to the gunnels but we had done it many times before so got on with it. The Gaffer was sitting on a box next to the old Salamander oil stove (remember them ) smoking his pipe when just as we finished the jack slipped trapping the wiring loom agin the chassis causing a short , the Gaffer jumped up and knocked the top off the battery with a bar saving the whole thing going up in smoke. Now this grieved him cos he,d buggered a battery up but on examination it was found that the moter had electrics forward ( Headlights ect ) but nothing from the cab back, so he told us to tidy up the wiring with tape and he would be back in a few mins. The nightman ( Trunker ) was still waiting when the Gaffer appeared with 2 road lamps and a gallon of parafin, he proceeded to nail these to the rear of the waggon and stood back to admire his handiwork. That was it sorted as far as he was concerned but the Trunker asked " what about indicators " he was told to stick his hand out of the window , " But who can see my hand in the dark ?" put a white glove on was the reply, " What if i have to turn left ?" . There are no left turns between here and Glasgow was the reply… The fruit was duly delivered in Glasgow the next morning, the waggon reloaded and back down the next night, it was fixed at the weekend. !!!
Hi, spot on mate that’s how it used to be, just get the job done, not like the crap that goes on nowadays.
Les.
lespullan:
norfolk:
Worked for a firm who ran a Glasgow Trunk most of the time we carried fruit so Truck had to go no matter what. I was drivers mate on this Seddon 4 wheeler that had a broken back spring so on return to yard it had to be changed a dodgy job at the best of times especially when loaded to the gunnels but we had done it many times before so got on with it. The Gaffer was sitting on a box next to the old Salamander oil stove (remember them ) smoking his pipe when just as we finished the jack slipped trapping the wiring loom agin the chassis causing a short , the Gaffer jumped up and knocked the top off the battery with a bar saving the whole thing going up in smoke. Now this grieved him cos he,d buggered a battery up but on examination it was found that the moter had electrics forward ( Headlights ect ) but nothing from the cab back, so he told us to tidy up the wiring with tape and he would be back in a few mins. The nightman ( Trunker ) was still waiting when the Gaffer appeared with 2 road lamps and a gallon of parafin, he proceeded to nail these to the rear of the waggon and stood back to admire his handiwork. That was it sorted as far as he was concerned but the Trunker asked " what about indicators " he was told to stick his hand out of the window , " But who can see my hand in the dark ?" put a white glove on was the reply, " What if i have to turn left ?" . There are no left turns between here and Glasgow was the reply… The fruit was duly delivered in Glasgow the next morning, the waggonreloaded and back down the next night, it was fixed at the weekend. !!!
Hi, spot on mate that’s how it used to be, just get the job done, not like the crap that goes on nowadays.
Les.
Hi I was involved in fruit haulage till the general haulage lads started to charge by the ton/pallet rate
I had a excellent crew drivers and done mechanic’s myself sometimes we needed 'jump jockeys ’
If we needed extra drivers having older wagons the spare drivers asked “has it got a cab phone because
It’s snowing and foggy down the road” why do you want a phone ? “In case it’s thick fog or I get stuck in the snow”. My reply as I walked away ------ if you get stuck in the snow I will see it on the TV if it’s thick fog
It will also be thick fog coming home and drivers really have problems when there is phone!!!
It made me really appreciate Our drivers.
Some old tales of times gone bye ( the job was tough BUT there was loads of LAUGHS). These are true but we will never hear them again.
I was in the garage talking to the boss about some urgent repairs but I had the feeling I was wasting my time , in came a old ET6 ford from local meat shop deliveries . The driver must have had some good tips
Because he was ■■■■■■ as a neut . The bosses. face dropped as the driver walked across the yard with one brick sticking up and yes the driver stumbled over it at which point the boss shouted Ben YOU are in no fit state to be in one of my wagons Ben replied " YOUR wagons are in no fit state to be under my feet" the boss was horrified and looked at me, I said HE does have a point…and went about my work
As he said can we get Bens wagon in next…NEXT or after the other load of junk in the queue . He closed up when the M.O.T. Came in…
In fruit transport. The load must go DON’T miss the markets;;;;
Boss there are no brakes on that wagon
" good you get paid for going not for stopping"
Boss Come and look this wagon it blowing BLACK smoke
" revit up lad , aye your right there is loads of smoke but no one
Will see it on nights"
Boss .I am picking the back load and this trailor has a soft tyre
“Don’t worry son put the heavy stuff on the other side I will sort a tyre out for you. Give me a ring when you are tipped”
Boss. That trailer you loaded for me last night has no brakes
“OH here we go again moaning over brakes, ONLY cissies need brakes”
Boss it’s ■■■■■■■ torrents here at Hither Green, I don’t know what time I will get loaded and this wagon has a split in the roof and the cab is soaked
" if it’s that bad put your coat over the dash you’ll get soaked anyway
It’s a good job you have got good sheets" it will soon clear up and that load has to be in the market at 4.30
it’s going to be sunny tomorrow …trust me
Boss this is the short trailor ,I have had to load the apples nine high
To get the weight on, and these ropes are full of knots and frayed …
" Swop them with one of the big firms they always have spares and while your at it ask for some bulbs for the trailer " …
" oh by the way john did you get the full load on we can’t run at a loss these days"
Boss I was stopped last night going down Watford Gap out of stick the copper said I was doing 75 mph .i told him these Atki’s the speedo only goes to 60 mph and stops he said to put it in the garage when I get back to base
" He is a clever copper on my reckoning going down Watford Gap
Out of stick 30 ton of spuds you should have been doing at least
80 mph do as he said there must be some thing wrong
Asked my gaffer for a headlight bulb once.His reply was which headlight is not working ? nearside says i. Well why dont you drive with your left eye shut says he.
I recall a Driver/Fitter who worked for F.Short & Son Ltd on Tyneside, He was a great lad & an expert with the electrics on the old wagons, He went out one day to collect some spares with the works van, On his return Ken Short noticed that he had had a haircut & mentioned it to him & told him that he should not be getting his hair cut in the firms time, Old Bob replied why not it grows in the firms time, Ken Short just walked away shaking his head, Of course everyone else had a good laugh, Regards Larry.
The same old Gaffer used to say to us if we complained about handballing fruit , " There are hundreds of people paying thousands of pounds to go to gyms and keep fit , your getting it for nothing get on with it ". Same man … one of the Albion Reivers ( ex Munro,s Aberdeen ) had broken down with a load of whisky for Liverpool Docks ( gearbox problem ) ,the nightmen had towed it ( on a chain ) 50odd mile back to the yard with one of the other Reivers. The load was for a ship closing at Canada no 1 so we continued to Liverpool and unloaded it, the other moter went and tipped his load came back towed us to Huskinson dock we loaded a full load of Mac reds (apples) 8 high and a binder on both moters , towed us back to the yard , the gearbox was changed and off it went again ! The Gaffer in question was one of the finest men i ever met ,if you ever needed help of ANY kind he there he never asked you to do any thing he wouldn,t do himself . Old school he lent drivers his car to go away on holiday any problems at home, illness,ect he was always their and as a result his men or boys as he called us would do whatever he asked ,we didnt always like it but we got on with it.
norfolk:
The same old Gaffer used to say to us if we complained about handballing fruit , " There are hundreds of people paying thousands of pounds to go to gyms and keep fit , your getting it for nothing get on with it ". Same man … one of the Albion Reivers ( ex Munro,s Aberdeen ) had broken down with a load of whisky for Liverpool Docks ( gearbox problem ) ,the nightmen had towed it ( on a chain ) 50odd mile back to the yard with one of the other Reivers. The load was for a ship closing at Canada no 1 so we continued to Liverpool and unloaded it, the other moter went and tipped his load came back towed us to Huskinson dock we loaded a full load of Mac reds (apples) 8 high and a binder on both moters , towed us back to the yard , the gearbox was changed and off it went again ! The Gaffer in question was one of the finest men i ever met ,if you ever needed help of ANY kind he there he never asked you to do any thing he wouldn,t do himself . Old school he lent drivers his car to go away on holiday any problems at home, illness,ect he was always their and as a result his men or boys as he called us would do whatever he asked ,we didnt always like it but we got on with it.
To be honest most old time gaffers alway lead by example …I think the university of life taut
People about the real world , there didn’t seem to that many ‘get rich quick merchants’