Great Pictures Paul - I have fond memories of travelling along the Manor Way with dad.
I havent forgotten my photos i do have a few new ones to post - will do asap.
Darren
Wanted to get something for my dad who is an ex BP tanker driver.
Ended up getting a painting commissioned of his old depot which like many has now been demolished. It shows The Haven Terminal in Essex and ERF B series 8 wheelers including dads leaving the depot on a Saturday morning.
The artist is a guy called Paul Atchinson and he produced the painting using old photos I gave him although i did not have photograph showing the scene he has done.
Thought this would be a good place to share it.
Hi Darren , long time no see , hope yr well , I saw a model at Gaydon not sure if I should mention it , it looks fantastic !!. the painting is wonderful , really good , I was thinking of doing the same , a painting of the Heysham terminal. all the best Paul.
Hi Paul. Good to hear from you and glad you like the painting. Yes I also saw that model at Gaydon. It’s been well over a year since Andy started on it for me and he really has done a superb job. It’s been painted now and he is working on the decals so it’s not so far off. When it’s complete I will send you photos. Hope all is well with you are you still making models ■■
Hi Darren , modelling has dried up a bit , Its been taken over by my local football team I have played for , I ve been with them for 30 years as player , manager , secretary and coach , you have to be multi talented. the modelling I have just got out of the habit of going into my model room , ive got a few tankers I want to build in my mind , Ill have to get cracking , looking forward to seeing the ERF model tanker when its finished , it looked fantastic with no paint on it , I wont ask how much it will cost just in case you faint with the thought !!!. all the best Paul.
trunkerthree:
0Havnt been on myself for some time too…Just recently found this picture of myself at the BP depot at Avonmouth prior to its closure 1991
That’s a real rare lorry that only a petrol firm could have really ,I’d like to know the chassis number ,e series day cab but plastic bumper on F reg I’d think the chassis number would start 59 or 60 ?
Hi Paul.
I’m sure the football is keeping you busy and probably taking up most of your weekends.
Here are some photos of the finished model.
I’m absolutely chuffed with it. Andy Bell has done a superb job of it.
Its as close a reproduction of dads B series 8 wheeler i used to go out in back in the early to mid 1980’s. It has been a really enjoyable project to be involved in. Obviously Andy has done all the model making but I have spent a lot of time trying to find details and information about the vehicle to give to him. I traced an ex BP Seddon 8 wheeler at the scrap dealers in Rush Green Hertfordshire. It had the same Thompson barrel as dads so managed to get in there and take a load of photos and measurements and then Andy scratch built the barrel outlets and pumps etc from those. All other details were taken from old photos and my memory banks.
I could not have asked for a better model. Yes it has been expensive but worth it. My dad doesnt know anything about it yet so I am hopefully collecting it begining of September and I’m lokking forward to showing dad.
Hope any old tanker drivers out there like it and it brings back some memories.
Hi Darren , Hope your well , the ERF 8 wheeler is absolutely superb , what a well made model and the detail is fantastic , great credit goes to you and most of all to Andy , I have seen other tanker models Andy has built and he makes a class 1 job. The model looked great without the paint job but with the paint and decals it is a wonderful model . great job. regards Paul.
DCK4168:
0Wanted to get something for my dad who is an ex BP tanker driver.
Ended up getting a painting commissioned of his old depot which like many has now been demolished. It shows The Haven Terminal in Essex and ERF B series 8 wheelers including dads leaving the depot on a Saturday morning.
The artist is a guy called Paul Atchinson and he produced the painting using old photos I gave him although i did not have photograph showing the scene he has done.
Thought this would be a good place to share it.
Hi Darren…what a fantastic painting…Being an ex BP Tanker Driver myself I can see this is exactly true to form…what a wonderful gift to your father…He will treasure that very much…Bryan
DCK4168:
01243Hi Paul.I’m sure the football is keeping you busy and probably taking up most of your weekends.
Here are some photos of the finished model.
I’m absolutely chuffed with it. Andy Bell has done a superb job of it.
Its as close a reproduction of dads B series 8 wheeler i used to go out in back in the early to mid 1980’s. It has been a really enjoyable project to be involved in. Obviously Andy has done all the model making but I have spent a lot of time trying to find details and information about the vehicle to give to him. I traced an ex BP Seddon 8 wheeler at the scrap dealers in Rush Green Hertfordshire. It had the same Thompson barrel as dads so managed to get in there and take a load of photos and measurements and then Andy scratch built the barrel outlets and pumps etc from those. All other details were taken from old photos and my memory banks.
I could not have asked for a better model. Yes it has been expensive but worth it. My dad doesnt know anything about it yet so I am hopefully collecting it begining of September and I’m lokking forward to showing dad.
Hope any old tanker drivers out there like it and it brings back some memories.
Wow!! I’ve never seen anything like this…so much detail its like looking at the real thing…a work of art I must say…Would like to see the look on your fathers face when he sees this…Yes,its brought back many memories of BP for me…and I am sure it will do for many others…Many thanks for posting this brilliant creation…Bryan
Hello Paul and Bryan
Thank you both for your comments.
I am very pleased you both like the painting and the model. I cannot wait to show my dad the model.
Having both done has certainly bought back some great memories for me and those Saturday mornings 35 years ago spent with dad. Even the 4.45 am wake up and 40 minute drive to the depot seemed fun back then. I went whenever dad was able to take me and the other drivers would always make a space for me at the table for breakfast.
I’m sure to most people they wouldn’t understand the attraction of getting up early on a Saturday to ride in a smelly old petrol tanker but I loved it as I think you did to Paul.
Here’s the only picture I have of me as a spotty 15 year old stood next to OUW 439R which the model is based on.
Good to here from you both and hope we can keep this forum going.
DCK4168:
Hello Paul and BryanThank you both for your comments.
I am very pleased you both like the painting and the model. I cannot wait to show my dad the model.
Having both done has certainly bought back some great memories for me and those Saturday mornings 35 years ago spent with dad. Even the 4.45 am wake up and 40 minute drive to the depot seemed fun back then. I went whenever dad was able to take me and the other drivers would always make a space for me at the table for breakfast.
I’m sure to most people they wouldn’t understand the attraction of getting up early on a Saturday to ride in a smelly old petrol tanker but I loved it as I think you did to Paul.
Here’s the only picture I have of me as a spotty 15 year old stood next to OUW 439R which the model is based on.
Good to here from you both and hope we can keep this forum going.
Hi Darren…
Thanks for replying…Great picture you have posted of yourself…My son Adrian came with me quite often(I know he shouldn’t have)…for over tenyears I worked Permanent nights so it was easy to take him…Got stopped by the police one night at a routine check and the policeman remarked about how young BP drivers mates were…lol…like you he enjoyed the trips to various places…he dropped me in it one day saying to his mother that one of my girl friends at a filling station had made him a drink…lol…gosh…of course it wasn’t like that…lol…made us both laugh though… Still amazed at that ERF tanker…so much detail to it…That will have pride of place at your fathers home…the picture too…you should send a picture of them both to BP… I’m sure they would be interested…cheers for now…Bryan
Hi Bryan
In the early 80s dads depot was quite small and the depot manager didn’t go in on a Saturday so dad and other drivers used to take their sons along. Everyone else from the shift manager to the ladies in the canteen were always very friendly to me.
I went to some great places with dad and on a couple of occasions remember going to Stansted (before it got much bigger) airport and Southend airport with aviation fuel. They had a Scammell 8 wheeler that was just used for aviation fuel.
By the mid 80s BP had closed some depots and a lot of drivers moved down to The Haven. Things tightened up and I was no longer able to go with dad. I was gutted.
I did get one final day on the road with him the weekend before he retired and I took the photo I’ve attached of dads last tanker he drove for BP delivering to a site in East London.
I’m really pleased you like the model. Did you have any B series ERFs at your depot ?
I’ve also included a couple of photos of the top of the barrel. The guy who made it for me even managed to add the dipsticks.
I may well write to BP and tell them about the painting and the model.
DCK4168:
Hi BryanIn the early 80s dads depot was quite small and the depot manager didn’t go in on a Saturday so dad and other drivers used to take their sons along. Everyone else from the shift manager to the ladies in the canteen were always very friendly to me.
I went to some great places with dad and on a couple of occasions remember going to Stansted (before it got much bigger) airport and Southend airport with aviation fuel. They had a Scammell 8 wheeler that was just used for aviation fuel.
By the mid 80s BP had closed some depots and a lot of drivers moved down to The Haven. Things tightened up and I was no longer able to go with dad. I was gutted.
I did get one final day on the road with him the weekend before he retired and I took the photo I’ve attached of dads last tanker he drove for BP delivering to a site in East London.
I’m really pleased you like the model. Did you have any B series ERFs at your depot ?
I’ve also included a couple of photos of the top of the barrel. The guy who made it for me even managed to add the dipsticks.
I may well write to BP and tell them about the painting and the model.
Hi Darren…Yes,we had quite a fleet of ERF’s both Rigid and artics…a few pictures taken back in the day…
A few more…
Hi Bryan
Thanks for posting the photos they are really great. I love the last one of the artic. I have been trying to track down an ex BP b series tractor unit. It’s proving pretty elusive at the moment but I won’t give up.
DCK4168:
Hi BryanThanks for posting the photos they are really great. I love the last one of the artic. I have been trying to track down an ex BP b series tractor unit. It’s proving pretty elusive at the moment but I won’t give up.
HiDarren…sorry for the late reply…have you a Reg.No. for the B series your looking for?..There is someone on Facebook who has an interest in Shell BP goes under the name of FMRC…which stands for Fulham Motor Repair Centre…quite a few others have posted pictures on there…What did your father think of the model ERF 8 wheeler you had made?..I loved it…Could I post the picture of it on the BP Society Facebook Page mentioning your fathers name?..it sure would be of interest…I quite understand if you rather not…cheers…Bryan
Hello Bryan
Yes of course no problem with you posting the model photo. My dads name is Peter Knights and he was at The Haven Depot in Essex from early 1970s to mid 1990s.
He loved the model and I am taking it to an ex haven drivers lunch at Christmas with dad.
Thanks for the links I will have a look. I’m sure dad has mentioned Fulham was one of the maintenance depots they would go to on occasion and he remembers the fitters coming out to him if he had a break down in and around east London.
DCK4168:
Hello BryanYes of course no problem with you posting the model photo. My dads name is Peter Knights and he was at The Haven Depot in Essex from early 1970s to mid 1990s.
He loved the model and I am taking it to an ex haven drivers lunch at Christmas with dad.
Thanks for the links I will have a look. I’m sure dad has mentioned Fulham was one of the maintenance depots they would go to on occasion and he remembers the fitters coming out to him if he had a break down in and around east London.
Hi Darren…thanks for your quick reply and thanks for allowing me to post the model picture on the BP Facebook page…Hope your father is keeping well …all his mates at The Haven will be envious of that model when you show them it at the Christmas lunch…Someone posted this picture on one of the forums which I belong to…this one was in the colour livery way before my days at SMBP but great to see it all the same…Cheers…Bryan