I have just had a closer look at the “Robert Baillie” Wigan Depot picture,
and having zoomed in, I can see that the forklift truck is being driven by
Jack McLoughlin, depot manager. The building looks quite new,so it must
be about 1977. Jack passed away in January 1980,aged just 53. R.I.P.
Ray Smyth.
I have been scouring my grey matter to try and recall vehicle types and registration numbers from early 1970.
Also trying to remember drivers names from so long ago.
GPH 395C AEC Marshall 6 wheel flat. GTR 953D AEC Mandator Artic. JRV 44F AEC Mercury Artic. LRV 974G AEC Mercury Artic.
MTR 646F, AEC Mercury Artic, JRV 300F Bedford TK Pantechnicon.
These 6 lorries were ex Percy Powell, Horndean.
5498 ET Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. 5505 ET Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
5510 ET Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box . FPO 12C Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
FPO 13C Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. FPO 14C Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
NPX 57D Atkinson 150 Gardner 5 Speed Splitter G/Box. LNJ 14E Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
LNJ 80E Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. LPM 25E Atkinson 150 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
NAP 30F Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. OPN 26F Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
VWJ 174F Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. XOT 573J Atkinson 220 ■■■■■■■ ZF 6 Speed G/Box
XOT 574J Atkinson 220 ■■■■■■■ ZF 6 Speed G/Box . YCG 734J Volvo F86 8 Speed Range Change G/Box
AOR 655J Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. AOR 656J Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
AOU 595J Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. FOR 881K Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box
FOU 928K Atkinson 180 Gardner David Brown 6 Speed G/Box. FCR 567L Atkinson 220 ■■■■■■■ ZF 6 Speed G/Box ■■
During my 3 years with Robert Baillie,and because I was a day shunter, I drove a different vehicle every day,including all of the above.
I will try and remember some more of the drivers names for my next post.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
Drivers names at Robert Baillie Transport from early 1970 to end 1972.
Horndean Depot: Bob ■■■■■■■■ Les Fuge, John Fuge, Jack Webb,
Maurice Joel, John Heather, Les Lashley, Mervyn Wright
Bill Penwarden, Dave Youlden , Ted King, Roy “Dusty” Miller,
Jimmy Farmer, Henry Drzystek, Mick Pullen ,
Roy Murfin, Richard Bock, John Porter, George Woodcock,
Ray Golds.
Horndean Office: Amos Phipps, Bert Blaskett, Mick Ansell.
Horndean Garage/Workshop: Terry Walker.
Wigan Depot: Alan Rutter, Roy Sumner, Brian Roby, Harry Jones,
John Walker, Jack McLoughlin, Dave Brookwell, Ray Smyth,
Bill Jones, Bill Brown.
Doncaster Depot: Colin Brooks, ■■■■ Brown, Reg Watson.
Sheerness Depot: Mick Mackender.
Croydon,Head Office: Robert Baillie, Bill McKay, Jim Adams.
Lady in the Office ■■?
Regards, Ray Smyth.
This picture of “Mrs Wheelers” pulling one of the first Tautliners in the Robert Baillie fleet was discovered bay Ray Smyth, Eagle Eyed as ever, on the Scrapbook Memories thread.
I read a couple of posts recently about “Palm Couplings”, I had forgotten all about them.
Early 1970 when I joined Robert Baillie, all the units were fitted with Palm Couplings,
and on/off taps on the 3 Susie lines, Red,Blue,& Yellow.
If you were coupled up to an Agnew & Lithgow,Stranraer,trailer loaded with Guernsey Tomatoes
for Belfast Market, you had to make sure that you had some “Susie Adaptors” with you,
because Agnews trailers were equipped with the “Self Sealing Push On/Pull Off” Susies.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
I have just remembered another Percy Powell lorry
JRV 300F, Bedford TK Pantechnicon, I cant spell
Pantechnicon, I will call it a furniture van.
Ray Smyth.
Speaking of palm couplings Ray, I encountered quite a number of trailers equipped with those things back in my early days and like yourself, had to carry a set of adapters in the cab. I also used to carry two different winding handles, one for each of the two types of trailer legs that I’d often come across. One with a hexagon head and another one with a bolt through it for the other type. Add to this a full set of trailer light and indicator lenses and bulbs, a wheelbrace, a short length of scaffolding pole, a bottle jack and handle, a gallon can of engine oil, several hundred yards of hessian rope, a few chains and stretchers and it’s a wonder there was any room left to get in the thing in order to drive it. And forget picking up hitchhikers.
With regard to the airlines with the on / off taps. I really don’t know why they abandoned that system. It was far easier to couple up without having to push against the air pressure as is the case with the modern system. It’s particularly difficult in confined spaces such as coupling up to a fridge. As most wagons have sleeper cabs these days, you’re having to work within the space of a foot or so in some instances.
My own technique of coupling to a reefer is to reverse close up to the trailer, engage the trailer brake, couple up the airlines, then back under the kingpin. I’m sure a lot of other drivers employ the same technique, although I’m aware that it’s frowned upon, in fact, a dismissible offence in certain quarters. The job hasn’t got that much easier over the years really, has it ?
Nothing to do with Robert Baillies I’m afraid Ray. Just reminiscing. Apologies.
Regards. Eddie.
Robert Baillie depot at Wigan, early 80s. Sainsbury,s Supermarket is on
this site now. My KM Bedford 6 wheeler flat is peeping around the left
side of the building. It looks like myself just to the left of the Hillman
Avenger. I wish I knew how to enlarge a picture,prior to posting it on
this thread. Regards, Ray Smyth.
Robert Baillie depot in Chapel Lane Railway Goods Yard, Wigan, early 70s.
2 pictures of Connals of Maryhill, Glasgow, they used the yard for their shunting
and trunking operation. Pictures courtesy of Eddie Heaton. In the background
of picture 1,is KM Bedford ORV 126H, a 16 ton GVW Flat of Robert Baillie,
parked next to Baillies Warehouse,which was formerly the banana ripening
rooms of Eldders & Fyffes, fruit importers. The Volvos were G89 day cabs.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
I know this picture has been on this thread before, The trailer is
loaded with 271 sacks of castor meal, handballed on at Croda Premier
at Ann Watson Street in Hull,Just over 20 tons. The main sheets were opened partway
to cover the top of the load, then roped on alternate rope hooks,
followed by the flysheet on the top. After leaving Hull and driving
to a layby, somewhere near to where the Humber Bridge is today,
it was advisable to stop,and re rope the load again, because the bags
had settled down. Each of the sacks of meal were 75 kg, 12 stone,
or hundredweight and a half in old money. You had to catch each sack
off a chute, and walk the length of the trailer with them.
At least,the walk became shorter after each row of sacks went on.
I am only 5ft 4",and in early 1970, weighed only 9 stone, so the sacks
were a third heavier than me. The night trunk drivers would get down
as far as Sutton Scrotum on the A34, and stop for 45 minutes break,
during which time they would re rope the settled load again.
The day shunters at Horndean would take the load to a Mushroom
farm some where near Bognor Regis in West Sussex, remove the sheets
and ropes, 2 farmers boys would climb on the trailer,and as the driver
drove slowly through the field, the boys would pitch the sacks off.
Those Hampshire drivers had it so easy. (Tongue in cheek)
This picture is taken at Doncaster Depot.
Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.
I have been reading some of the early posts on the “Roping And Sheeting” thread.
It brings back many memories. When I started at Robert Baillie in early 1970,
their trailers were 28ft,30ft,32ft,&33ft length. Our main work was Guernsey
Tomatoes, and Cauliflowers from Brittany, and the sheets were “Tailored” to
suit these loads. Each trailer had 1 sheet, with a rectangular 10ft x 5ft piece
at each end,we called them “Flap Sheets”. Toward the end of 1970, Mr Baillie
purchased 10 Crane Fruehauf spread axle 40 footers,with 5ft high headboards.
The new sheets for the 40 footers were,as above, 1 piece,with a flap at each end.
They were very heavy,and even more so when they were wet. After complaints
from the drivers, they were returned to the supplier,who cut them in half,
and added a 5ft length to 1 sheet,to allow for the overlap when sheeting up.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
The night trunk journey from Baillies at Wigan was quite unusual,
and involved the night trunk drivers based at Horndean.
Normally, 3 x 20 ton loads would leave Wigan about 6.30pm, and
proceed to H.J.Heinz at Harlesden, NW10, London, off with the
ropes and sheets,unload, and then reload with a “Direct” load for
the Portsmouth and Southampton area. By this time it would be
about 2am,and 3 “Night Shunters” would arrive at Harlesden,
having driven up from Horndean,in a Triumph Herald car.
The “Night Trunkers”, ex Wigan would then drive down to Horndean
in the car. The shunters would then set off to deliver their 20 ton
to delivery points in Hampshire, and usually drop their empty
trailer on the quay at Portsmouth,to be loaded with Guernsey
tomatoes for tonights trunk journeys. Ray Smyth.
I’ve seen FPO 13C and FPO 14C on this thread, but do we think this is an ex Robert Baillie Atkinson…
ERF:
I’ve seen FPO 13C and FPO 14C on this thread, but do we think this is an ex Robert Baillie Atkinson…0
Hi ERF,
Yes it was, I think Ray will confirm that,is that a recent photo ? It’s a pity the ERF depot at Cowplain Portsmouth is no more as it could tell afew stories !
I hope she has been saved.
Regards
Richard
ERF:
I’ve seen FPO 13C and FPO 14C on this thread, but do we think this is an ex Robert Baillie Atkinson…0
Hello ERF, Thank you for posting this picture of FPO 12C. So pleased to see it.
If you have a look at the picture of 2 brand new Atkinsons on page 1 of this
thread by Tim Walker of Horndean, FPO 12C is the Atkinson on the right.
There is one of my posts on this thread listing all the lorries in the fleet of
Robert Baillie, during my 3 years as an HGV driver with the company from
early 1970. Do you know where and when this picture was taken ■■
Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.
Well, what a picture. Does anyone know when and where it was taken? or if it’s till in existence? The picture of FPO 14C shows the fleet number 12. The two brand new Atkinsons ,in the picture I posted a while ago, were the first two Robert Baillie & Co vehicles. Although there are no number plates in this picture the Fleet numbers are clear, 10 and 11. Ray drove FPO 13C for a while and it was Fleet number 11, making Fleet number 10, FPO 12C. It’s certainly showing its age but the stories it could tell…
Hi, thanks for your replies!.
FPO 12C does indeed survive, and I own it, but it is not quite so complete these days. The photo above was taken about 10 years ago before my ownership. Unfortunately a young lad full of enthusiasm to restore it pulled the cab completely to pieces, found himself out of his depth, lost some of the parts and abandoned the project. I bought it last year with the cab in bits, primarily to use it as spare parts, but as yet it has not been needed.
I must admit that I spent some time last year trying to research it’s history, including applying to the DVLA for previous keeper info and getting a copy of it’s factory build sheet, but drew a complete blank in finding who the original owner was - until tonight!.
So FPO 12C was fleet No 10 then, the first Atkinson with Baillie’s?
Is this the one that had an accident, or was that 13C? I ask because 12C has a ‘home made’ back panel in the cab (complete with wired glass windows) and a different roof panel with nameboard compared to the excellent photo in this thread.
Do you guys have any idea how it ended up painted bright yellow? It’s not a recent thing, the layers of yellow paint go down some way!.
Also interesting to note that all three of the FPO Atkinson’s had the ‘fake’ radiator, offered at the time to save weight.
Hello ERF, Thank you for your post and comments regarding FPO 12C.
I am so pleased to learn that a Baillies Atkinson is still around, albeit
in need of restoration. Regarding the Atkinson FPO 13C, that was
rolled over at Steventon in Oxfordshire, it was rebuilt with a new cab,
by Terry Walker (Father of Tim Walker,on this thread),and the mechanics
at Horndean depot. There was an article in the “Oxford Mail” referring to
the lorry crash,with the headline “Tomato Squash”, because it had left
Horndean with a full load of Guernsey Tomatoes, heading for Wigan Depot,
where I was waiting for it to deliver the load to the Wholesale Fruit Market
at Edge Lane, Liverpool. This happened early 1970. If you look at the first
picture on this thread, you can see FPO 13C with its new cab, and a homemade
full width aluminium signed cab headboard. (Picture quality not too good)
Depending on where FPO 12C is, I would like to see it, I live in Wigan.
Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.
I think I’d like to see it too Ray, whatever’s left. to think only a few months ago I thought the name Robert Baillie & Co Ltd was completely forgotten ! Perhaps some think it should have been but it was a huge part of my whole childhood.
