GBW:
McKelvies were the first to tow the Glasgow Corporation trolley Buses.They used a Foden 8 wheeler for this purpose.
Reg number LHS 208.
Not only did it tow the trolley bus but the platform was also fully loaded + as people quite rightly say,the trolley bus was also loaded with parcels etc.which were kept below the window line,so as not to draw attention to this fact by the ministry.
My Dad was on night trunk for McKelvie at this time,and he tells me that they had to get ahead of the Foden before they reached Shap or face a long hold up as it climbed over Shap Fell.LHS 208 was a plodder even when empty.
My Dad also trunked for a time LHS 208 but not towing a trolley bus as well.
His comments about LHS 208 are that Glasgow Corporation should of errected a tribute to this vehicle as you enter Glasgow
for all the buses it towed to Scotland.
I was not aware that Goodfellows got involved in this work,but as David Goodfellow was previously Transport Manager for
McKelvie at Manchester,need I say any more.
Regards,
GBW.
My former colleague ex McKelvie, also told me that some drivers also picked up (and charged!) hitch-hikers who rode in the trolleybuses!
This picture of one of Kaye Goodfellow’s Foden’s was taken in Rochdale on the A58 Manchester Road at the junction of Tweedale Street. Similar images can be found in the interesting book ‘Views from the North’ HERE
Hi Geoff/240 Gardner,
McKelvies depot in Paisley was Clark St. The Motherwell depot was first Albert St. and then they moved to a new
depot at Frood St. When the T.G.D. took over McKelvie the Motherwell depot became Strathclyde Transport and then later
Brogan Fuels. I think there are houses built there now.
The HS registration mark was for Renfrewshire.
McKelvies original Manchester depot was at Goddard St. Newton Heath.
I remember that there was always several hitch-hikers stood in North St trying to get a lift back to Scotland,by the night
trunkers,but I am not aware that some trunkers charged them for this priviledge.I`ll ask my Dad.
Regards,
GBW.
Absolutely spot on GBW well done your memory is better than mine but we are talking certainly from my point of view over 30 years ago, good on yer .Crow.
Stanfield:
Any of you lads remember a mechanic at Goodfellows during the late 60s early 70s called John Fairhurst.
Hi i remember john he was a mechanic and then he got the position of fleet engineer i think he then had a fall out probably with M.M he then went to work for Frank Daces new company called ARTICULATED TRAILER HIRE and i went with him. I used to knock about with him outside work as well that would be 69/71
Hi redbeard 1.I worked with John at John Beistys Rochdale Rd Collyhurst during the early 70s before they closed the workshop in 73.He was only there for a few month and then left,dont know where he went from there.He knew is stuff though and was as strong has an ox, he used to lift gearboxes out without the use of a jack no messing.
Stanfield:
Hi redbeard 1.I worked with John at John Beistys Rochdale Rd Collyhurst during the early 70s before they closed the workshop in 73.He was only there for a few month and then left,dont know where he went from there.He knew is stuff though and was as strong has an ox, he used to lift gearboxes out without the use of a jack no messing.
your right and his nose didnt up that shape from lifting gearboxes either. do you recall any of the following drivers Gerry Ganston,Harry Fitzhugh,Cyril Price,Slim Griffiths ■■? Gallagher And Ian Gillis who used to do a bit on the doors. 40 odd years ago now
Stanfield:
Hi redbeard 1.I worked with John at John Beistys Rochdale Rd Collyhurst during the early 70s before they closed the workshop in 73.He was only there for a few month and then left,dont know where he went from there.He knew is stuff though and was as strong has an ox, he used to lift gearboxes out without the use of a jack no messing.
your right and his nose didnt up that shape from lifting gearboxes either. do you recall any of the following drivers Gerry Ganston,Harry Fitzhugh,Cyril Price,Slim Griffiths ■■? Gallagher And Ian Gillis who used to do a bit on the doors.
Hi Redbeard,you brought some memories back with those names,i left school in 63 and it was about 64/65 i started at Mckelvie in north street as a mate on a 60foot trailer ,the driver was called John Toole from newton heath a great guy ,i had many a smack around the head off tooley when something went wrong,we used to run copper pipes from Yorkshire imperial metals at leeds or Kirkby to all the new power stations being built at the time Didcot,Aberthaw,Fawley,kingsnorth,Ferrybridge,Eggborough and others ,we made the news one night when coming home from Leeds on a dodgy enroute to Aberthaw and the rear steer cable snapped ,the rear end of the trailer ended up enbedded in a newsagents shop on Manchester Street in Oldham ,i left Mckelvie and went to Kaye Goodfellow in Queen Street Bradford,where i mated all those lads who’s names i.ve not heard for years ,the yard foreman was a big scot called bob sweeney ,the names you mentioned were all characters in their own ways ,i rememeber ian gillies running a sheep over on woodhead and bringing it into the yard roped on the back of his trailer ,little cyril lived in rochdale and had a red jag which was his pride and joy,i went out to load with gerry ganson and he called home to pick some things up and he had more tackle in his airaid shelter than gooodies had in their depot and harry fitz was a cracking guy great company,there was many more good lads worked there tony hardman ,dicky smith tommy dunne,all memories now,take care pal,regards Tony Smith
Stanfield:
Hi redbeard 1.I worked with John at John Beistys Rochdale Rd Collyhurst during the early 70s before they closed the workshop in 73.He was only there for a few month and then left,dont know where he went from there.He knew is stuff though and was as strong has an ox, he used to lift gearboxes out without the use of a jack no messing.
your right and his nose didnt up that shape from lifting gearboxes either. do you recall any of the following drivers Gerry Ganston,Harry Fitzhugh,Cyril Price,Slim Griffiths ■■? Gallagher And Ian Gillis who used to do a bit on the doors.
Hi Redbeard,you brought some memories back with those names,i left school in 63 and it was about 64/65 i started at Mckelvie in north street as a mate on a 60foot trailer ,the driver was called John Toole from newton heath a great guy ,i had many a smack around the head off tooley when something went wrong,we used to run copper pipes from Yorkshire imperial metals at leeds or Kirkby to all the new power stations being built at the time Didcot,Aberthaw,Fawley,kingsnorth,Ferrybridge,Eggborough and others ,we made the news one night when coming home from Leeds on a dodgy enroute to Aberthaw and the rear steer cable snapped ,the rear end of the trailer ended up enbedded in a newsagents shop on Manchester Street in Oldham ,i left Mckelvie and went to Kaye Goodfellow in Queen Street Bradford,where i mated all those lads who’s names i.ve not heard for years ,the yard foreman was a big scot called bob sweeney ,the names you mentioned were all characters in their own ways ,i rememeber ian gillies running a sheep over on woodhead and bringing it into the yard roped on the back of his trailer ,little cyril lived in rochdale and had a red jag which was his pride and joy,i went out to load with gerry ganson and he called home to pick some things up and he had more tackle in his airaid shelter than gooodies had in their depot and harry fitz was a cracking guy great company,there was many more good lads worked there tony hardman ,dicky smith tommy dunne,all memories now,take care pal,regards Tony Smith
Hi Tony,
I used to drive with John Tooley when at Humber McVeighs,I also lived in Newton Heath and used to collect him on a Monday morning and go to Langworthy Rd Salford to work.
Last saw John about 8 years ago at Manchester Airport,■■■■■■ as a ■■■■,had just flown back from Spain!!
Hiya,i seem to recall Jays of Atherton having some S70 Fodens in the mid 70,s. they was blue with red chassis,
would they be Goodfellows cast off,s. as it happens jays was loading wire from Johnson and nephew in Graymare
lane, just across the road from Kay Goodfellows yard.
John
3300John:
Hiya,i seem to recall Jays of Atherton having some S70 Fodens in the mid 70,s. they was blue with red chassis,
would they be Goodfellows cast off,s. as it happens jays was loading wire from Johnson and nephew in Graymare
lane, just across the road from Kay Goodfellows yard.
John
That takes me back John,J & N,used to get back from Maddiston on night trunk,and then take 2 or 3 trailers over to load some wire,made it a bloody long nights work though!!
dessert driver:
Hi
Does anyone remember a chap by the name of Barry Scacy ? He used to drive for K Goodys at Wrexham and lived for a short time at The Five Crosses pub at Coedpoeth. He also did ME work for Jones Acrifair on tankers.
Regards Keith.
I remember Barry I used to get back loads from Wrexham through him while working for J R Matthews Crawley.His mum used to give me digs then he would take me out for a few pints !Later he worked for Matthews who took over Greenwoods transport Oldham and he ran the traffic office there.Not heard of him since ( dont think the opperation at Oldham was very succesfull) FLAMER
dessert driver:
Hi
Does anyone remember a chap by the name of Barry Scacy ? He used to drive for K Goodys at Wrexham and lived for a short time at The Five Crosses pub at Coedpoeth. He also did ME work for Jones Acrifair on tankers.
Regards Keith.
I remember Barry I used to get back loads from Wrexham through him while working for J R Matthews Crawley.His mum used to give me digs then he would take me out for a few pints !Later he worked for Matthews who took over Greenwoods transport Oldham and he ran the traffic office there.Not heard of him since ( dont think the opperation at Oldham was very succesfull) FLAMER
Hi boys
FLAMER welcome to TN
I’ve asked about Barry a few times on here but never had any response. We worked with him out of Minera quarry in the late 60s then did not see him again until 1976 when we walked into the Telex in Ankara and he was sat there with a table full of empty bottles, not seen or heard of him since.
Regards Keith
Here is a photo for Dave Mackie and any other ex Mckelvie drivers.
Quote The Crow :
Hello Steve it is indeed Red bank there was an Odeon cinema on the corner which later probably turned into the skittle alley. my Uncle Alf lived further down North St. in Honey St. on the left just before the steep hill which went under the railway bridge and then joined Dantzic St.
Unquote:
And for Geoff and Tony Taylor, sorry boys I haven’t come across a photo of The Milehouse pub yet so I hope that you will settle for a quick one in The Queens Arms in Honey Street while you are on your way to see your Uncle Alf.
That’s not you with your best friend is it Geoff .
If your a Manc or even an ex Manc I am sure that you will spend many happy hours like I have looking on this excellent web site.
Just put in a street name and an area in the search box.
Hiya. in that photo of the queens arms you can see the gas tanks. are they the one’s at the end of grey mare lane
that’s not very far from the old Goodfellows yard.
John
regards RAY
.