Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4x2 tractor unit Reg No D880 SHG Fleet No 90 ‘■■■■ o’The North’ was registered new on the 1st of September 1986 at a cost of £30,023 plus vat.
Tom Riding continues below…
“I seem to remember this was the first Gardner 6LXDT we operated and it covered a massive amount of mileage with no problems.
This engine had been built at Patricroft before they decided to have them built by London Transport workshops an act of folly which caused many problems with subsequent engines until production reverted back to Patricroft.
This particular tractor unit spent years on the Bainbridge contract running to Enfield and back on nights and Birmingham and back on days.
Paul Spearriett drove it from new on nights and Neil Jackson was it’s day man.
Another very interesting fact is that the Bridgestone M711 pattern tyres fitted when new on the drive axle did a massive 262.000 miles with just a regroove.”
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.
Dave…
From personal recollections of conversations I had with Tom on the very same subject - some 14 years ago now - I can confirm it was from memory. that’s some memory, I think you’ll agree…
dave docwra:
Hi Paul,
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.Dave…
Spoke to Tom earlier he does look in on Trucknet on a regular basis but does not comment here is what he has to say about all the information about his old company…
“When I retired in 1995 from the company a lot of things immediately started to change, not least the fact that new vehicles were no longer bought but were leased.
The old systems that had worked well for me were no longer needed so it was around 1998 the old vehicle record cards were due to be fed into the shredder.
How fortunate was it that one of the traffic staff, Mr Alan Dixon ( this is the same man who has driven and cared for my persevered Scammell R8 from 1985 to the present time) realised the importance of these documents, saved them, and delivered them safely to my keeping”.
Like wise one of the ladies in the office Mrs Pauline Fletcher( who did 40 years with the company) similarly saved the personnel record cards and gave them to me for safe keeping.
As I have said before, you must have good people in any organisation.
Having said all of this my memory fortunately is still sharp and is still full of the companies history".
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.
Dave…
From personal recollections of conversations I had with Tom on the very same subject - some 14 years ago now - I can confirm it was from memory. that’s some memory, I think you’ll agree…
I’ve just had to withdraw Mr. Tom’s entry from MASTERMIND ! " What is your chosen subject Mr Riding" Er! " The prices paid to the penny of every new motor bought by W & J R, including VAT where appropriate, since I were a Lad" Now I’m told that Tom had been handed all the relevant documentation prior to it been “shredded”. I also had him lined up for BGT ! Go down a bomb in front of Her Maj " I say Mr Riding how much did one pay for that new Leyland Beaver in 1953 when one was Crowned "? “Hang on Ma’mam while I consult my Tablet” !! Orf to the Tower with him !!!.
However I have got say that the W & J Riding thread is the finest on TNUK and it is all down to one fine Gentleman who has diligently kept an accurate record of the fleet and it appears that only as a result of the timely reaction of loyal employees was this very valuable archive saved for posterity. Regards Dennis.
I doubt anyone could retain the sort of detail that has eventually accompanied the pictures which have found their way onto Paul’s website. I suspect it would be nigh-on impossible. All I know is that of the hundreds & hundreds of pictures I went through with Tom all that time back, all the recollections he had were from memory because there was no paperwork there to refer to - just the pictures. To say I was blown-away by not just the vast archive, but also by how much Tom could tell me ‘off the cuff’ would be a massive understatement. Additionally, I’d just like to say I’ve never seen such an appreciative audience at a slideshow as I witnessed one Saturday night at Fence, when Tom did a presentation of the history of Ridings. It was also the biggest audience I ever saw there and something which will live long in my memory.
dave docwra:
Hi Paul,
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.Dave…
Spoke to Tom earlier he does look in on Trucknet on a regular basis but does not comment here is what he has to say about all the information about his old company…
“When I retired in 1995 from the company a lot of things immediately started to change, not least the fact that new vehicles were no longer bought but were leased.
The old systems that had worked well for me were no longer needed so it was around 1998 the old vehicle record cards were due to be fed into the shredder.
How fortunate was it that one of the traffic staff, Mr Alan Dixon ( this is the same man who has driven and cared for my persevered Scammell R8 from 1985 to the present time) realised the importance of these documents, saved them, and delivered them safely to my keeping”.
Like wise one of the ladies in the office Mrs Pauline Fletcher( who did 40 years with the company) similarly saved the personnel record cards and gave them to me for safe keeping.
As I have said before, you must have good people in any organisation.
Having said all of this my memory fortunately is still sharp and is still full of the companies history".
Please thank Mr Riding for taking the time to answer my post.
Pictured here in the depot at Longridge is Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 6x2 tractor unit Reg No KPF 421W Fleet No 50
‘Alfred the Great’ which was powered by ■■■■■■■ E290 engine.
Registered new on the 1st of August 1980 it was purchased second hand when three years old from Yardley of Kidderminster
for £9,400 plus vat on the 7th of August 1983.
KPF 421W was unique in being the one and only three axled tractor unit that W & J Riding operated while Tom Riding was
managing director of the company and was also used on a regular basis pulling a tandem axle tipping trailer plated at 38 tons GVW.
240 Gardner:
Looks like Battersea Park, the start of the HCVS London to Brighton Run - 1988?
As ever Chris your right.
Peter Davison sent me the picture below back in 2009 which he took in Battersey Park London at the start of the London to Brighton HCV run.
He told me at the time he was there with Bowker 47 along with yourself Chris.
Tom Riding’s personal possession his "Scammell Rigid 8 Reg No FJH 102 is on the trailer after
being transported down to London to take part in the rally.
Atkinson Borderer Reg No STJ 670M Fleet No 70 ‘Dynamic’ was powered by a ■■■■■■■ 250 engine and was registered new to Riding’s on the 1st of February 1974 at a cost of £6,979.
Driven from new by Rodney Preston the ■■■■■■■ engine was retro fitted with a turbo charger for extended mileage trials after which time ■■■■■■■ eventually marketed the engine as the 240T.
As for STJ 670M after nine years service in the Riding fleet it was broken up and scrapped on the 31st of March 1983.
Photograph courtesy of Steve Richardson.
Hi Pete thanks for that shot of STJ 670M, here’s another one of it taken in the depot at Longridge.
0Atkinson Borderer Reg No STJ 670M Fleet No 70 ‘Dynamic’ was powered by a ■■■■■■■ 250 engine and was registered new to Riding’s on the 1st of February 1974 at a cost of £6,979.
Driven from new by Rodney Preston the ■■■■■■■ engine was retro fitted with a turbo charger for extended mileage trials after which time ■■■■■■■ eventually marketed the engine as the 240T.
As for STJ 670M after nine years service in the Riding fleet it was broken up and scrapped on the 31st of March 1983.
Photograph courtesy of Steve Richardson.
Morning Paul,
Thanks for the info on the Atki, there are a few more Riding photo’s on that link, I will see if I can find it, Cheer’s Pete
ERF E10 4x2 tractor unit Reg No F260 XRN Fleet No 105 ‘Ingleborough’, powered by a ■■■■■■■ L10 325 engine, was registered new on the 10th of February 1989.
Driven from new by Vinny Chambers and based in Keighley this was the result of an electrical problem causing it to burst in to flames when just two years old in June 1991.
As Tom Riding says “fibre glass cabs wont rust which is a good thing, but unfortunately if you get them hot enough they sure as hell will burn”.
F260 was later fitted with a new cab and remained in service with Riding’s for another six years until 1997 and is pictured below after being re-cabbed travelling down the A6 approaching Broughton traffic lights.
Hi Pete thanks for that shot of STJ 670M, here’s another one of it taken in the depot at Longridge.
0Atkinson Borderer Reg No STJ 670M Fleet No 70 ‘Dynamic’ was powered by a ■■■■■■■ 250 engine and was registered new to Riding’s on the 1st of February 1974 at a cost of £6,979.
Driven from new by Rodney Preston the ■■■■■■■ engine was retro fitted with a turbo charger for extended mileage trials after which time ■■■■■■■ eventually marketed the engine as the 240T.
As for STJ 670M after nine years service in the Riding fleet it was broken up and scrapped on the 31st of March 1983.
Photograph courtesy of Steve Richardson.
Interesting about the retro-fitted turbocharger on this motor, Paul. I would have assumed it was an 8LXB, given the wide grille - was it retro-fitted with that too, I wonder, for additional cooling? A 250 ■■■■■■■ would normally have the narrow grille
Looks like Battersea Park, the start of the HCVS London to Brighton Run - 1988?
Was that the year a certain someone gassed everyone out of their tents by starting 47 up?
To be honest, I don’t remember, Mark!
It was certainly the year that four of us went down with a three-seater Atki, so a certain someone rode in no.47 on the trailer, all the way there and back!
240 Gardner:
Looks like Battersea Park, the start of the HCVS London to Brighton Run - 1988?
As ever Chris your right.
Peter Davison sent me the picture below back in 2009 which he took in Battersey Park London at the start of the London to Brighton HCV run.
He told me at the time he was there with Bowker 47 along with yourself Chris.
Thank you Paul, I remember it well - it was our first trip to Brighton, and we had a great time. Of course, we didn’t fully engage with the whole judging scene, and the shiny vans and buses.
If I remember rightly, that was the year we camped out on Paddington Wharf in my trailer tent on the front of the trailer, and which gave rise to one or two amusing incidents with the locals.
Now I’m told that Tom had been handed all the relevant documentation prior to it been “shredded”. 
I also had him lined up for BGT ! Go down a bomb in front of Her Maj " I say Mr Riding how much did one pay for that new Leyland Beaver in 1953 when one was Crowned "? “Hang on Ma’mam while I consult my Tablet” !! Orf to the Tower with him !!!.
