Bewick:
I have got to say that IMHO those sheets on the Riding trailer have seen better days so I hope it didn’t rain “torrentially” between Kitt Green and Middlesbrough otherwise there would have been a GIT claim for a few quid off Heinz ! Cheers Dennis.
Wondering Dennis if you brought the subject up when you finally got to meet up with Tom in person at Llandudno yesterday or did you bottle it. 
Hiya MML ! Who’s the geezer in the flat cap ? 
Posing with “The Master” Llandudno 2019, and of course I brought the matter up of the rough sheets on the load of Heinze Beans , and Tom’s excuse was what can you expect when the same sheets were used to cover 10ft wide loads of slab steel ! 
All in all though it was about 20 degrees cooler than last year but the rain kept away and I can say that Mike Ponsonby, Vickie and Anne and I had a great day but it was even better for me when Tom came looking for me and we were reacquainted after many many years ! You could have knocked me down with a feather when he appeared around the back of our trailer, took me about 2 seconds to recognise him !! Absolutely delighted !Regards Dennis.PS I will e.mail Tom next week.
Great picture of Mr Riding with his trailer boy
dave docwra:
Great picture of Mr Riding with his trailer boy
+1
moomooland:
dave docwra:
Great picture of Mr Riding with his trailer boy+1
Unfortunately the W. & J Scammell 8 wheeler would be useless for towing a trailer so it would have to be a Power Plus Octopus and we could borrow one of those superb Sutton Dyson drawbars. Right! down to The Beanery at Kitt Green to load ! And I’ll have you know we could both still do the job, well maybe not as fast nowadays but we’d do it OK no danger ! Cheers Dennis. 
moomooland:
0While on the subject of sheets this particular photograph was a publicity shot, for what was at the time, the new ICI terylene tarpaulins which were light and durable.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver tractor unit Reg No TTC 990D was given the honour to feature in the picture which clearly demonstrates the lightness of the tarpaulins.
Bill Coolican, the regular driver of TTC 880D, is stood on top of the load while Louis Gornall is on the ground.
Great shot there MML of a class outfit ! But nowadays the H & S Wallahs would have a field day with that shot ! “Wot no harness” 
Dennis.
moomooland:
While on the subject of sheets this particular photograph was a publicity shot, for what was at the time, the new ICI terylene tarpaulins which were light and durable.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver tractor unit Reg No TTC 990D was given the honour to feature in the picture which clearly demonstrates the lightness of the tarpaulins.
Bill Coolican, the regular driver of TTC 880D, is stood on top of the load while Louis Gornall is on the ground.
Nice pic Paul, heres an advert about ICI tarpaulins.
Click on page twice.
Thanks for that Dean.
The vehicle featured in the advert above, Reg No F500 BFV named ‘Invincible’, was the first brand new Seddon Atkinson Strato 4x2 tractor unit to enter service with Riding’s on the 1st of May 1989 at a cost of £30.027.65p plus vat.
Powered by a ■■■■■■■ L10 325 engine it was the first one off the production line fitted with this size of engine, all subsequent brand new Seddon Atkinson Strato’s in the Riding fleet would be powered by the Perkins 335TX engine.
Unfortunately F500 BFV did not live up to it’s name of ‘Invincible’ as it was written off in May 1996 after being burnt out following a fire which started in a front wheel hub.
In 2012 Corgi released a 1:50 scale model of this particular vehicle at a cost of £89.99 with a limited production run of 750.
moomooland:
0While on the subject of sheets this particular photograph was a publicity shot, for what was at the time, the new ICI terylene tarpaulins which were light and durable.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver tractor unit Reg No TTC 990D was given the honour to feature in the picture which clearly demonstrates the lightness of the tarpaulins.
Bill Coolican, the regular driver of TTC 880D, is stood on top of the load while Louis Gornall is on the ground.
This shot jogged the memory cell ! and it was probably around the same time this fine shot of W & J Riding was taken ! Well anyway, During my time at Brady’s in the mid 60’s I occasionally had a few days shunting in Barrow ( When my mate Eric had a disagreement with Jackie Brady so he would go “on the sick” for 3 or 4 days!) Well about that time/s ( I understand now!) that the C & U were changing and Brady’s took delivery of some 30ft Boden tandem axle trailers ( chopped off at the back axle) which ,of course, were a vast improvement on the 4-in-lines ! But they also got a load of new Sheets( from where I’ll never know) which I can safely say ,after well over 50 years the stench of these sheets is still with me ! I am not kidding you but when they were wet they stunk of Horse ■■■■ or maybe I am being unkind to horses ---- Dog ■■■■ ! And they were ■■■■■■■ heavy into the bargain ! I kid you not ! Fortunately we didn’t have to use any of these diabolical sheets on the 8 wheeler and trailer ! Not only did they stink but they weighed a ■■■■■■■ ton when wet !
I have got to say that once I started on my own the quality of Sheets and ropes became most important and I can applaud and identify with the Riding publicity shot of the advantages of using the lightweight ICI material ! ( I wonder how many sets of sheets Tom “screwed” out of ICI for the advert ?) Once I really got into buying many many sheets for our flat trailer fleet I did settle on 15 oz TCS Ripstop for the mains and PVC covered nylon for the fly sheets. In the earlier years I did experiment ( cost driven) with 12 oz TCS and a real “Balls up” I was persuaded to try REGENTEX ! what a ■■■■■■■ disaster those dozen sheets turned out to be ! The rain could break in in ■■■■■■■ great patches all over the load if it wasn’t fly sheeted ! Luckily we never had a wet claim but "there for the grace of God " !! Interesting and happy days ! Cheers Dennis.
Just found this one on social media NMP
The drivers name is Jim Ashcroft
Pctured above is Albion Super Clydesdale four wheeler Reg No UTE 340H Fleet No 40 which was registered new on the 1st of November 1969 at a cost of £2,854.
It is seen in South Bank yard at Middlesbrough with driver Jimmy Ashcroft taking time out for the photograph.
Note the very classy towing hook that Riding’s used to make in house and fit to all their Ergomatic’s.
After eight years service UTE 340H was sold to a Mr Bradley of Preston for the sum of £833 plus 8% Vat.
moomooland:
Pctured above is Albion Super Clydesdale four wheeler Reg No UTE 340H Fleet No 40 which was registered new on the 1st of November 1969 at a cost of £2,854.
It is seen in South Bank yard at Middlesbrough with driver Jimmy Ashcroft taking time out for the photograph.
Note the very classy towing hook that Riding’s used to make in house and fit to all their Ergomatic’s.
After eight years service UTE 340H was sold to a Mr Bradley of Preston for the sum of £833 plus 8% Vat.
Hello Moomooland Jim Ashcroft is still going strong at 69 years of age still with the long hair albeit it now being grey [emoji1303]
gazsa401:
Hello Moomooland Jim Ashcroft is still going strong at 69 years of age still with the long hair albeit it now being grey [emoji1303]
Thanks for that Gaz Tom Riding saw him a few months ago in Grimsargh.
I think I saw a Ridings sleeper cab advertised in the classic commercial mag ?
Atkinson Borderer.
Tom Riding passed away this morning after a short illness He will be very sadly missed in the transport and vintage lorry scene.
