A few photos from Bob Hobbs NA3T photo site
Thanks for posting those pictures John.
The late Tom Riding is pictured in 1995 on his last day at work in front of ERF 4x2 tractor unit Reg No N780 ERN Fleet No 14 ’ Hotspur’.
This particular ERF, registered new on the 1st of September 1995, was the last vehicle that Tom Riding ordered and had been delivered shortly before his retirement the following month.
The photograph above was taken the actual day Tom retired from the company on Saturday the 28th of October 1995.
Photograph courtesy of the late Michael Deuchars who sadly passed away on the 17th of July 2013.
I met Tom a couple of times when I called in for Diesel at Longridge as Stirlands was a sister company sometimes the group would rather us use group companies for fuel if we were nearby
RIP Mr Riding thanks for your vast remarkable knowledge on your fabulous company and a stalwart Gardner man through and through just like myself
Here’s a couple of pictures I’ve found on social media
Tom’s family have asked me to inform everyone that the funeral of Tom Riding will take place on Monday the 22nd of July at 1.30 at
St Lawrence’s Church of England Parish Church,
Lower Lane
Longridge
PR3 3SL
It’s Tom Riding’s funeral today at 1.30.
The funeral of the late Thomas William Riding took place on Monday the 22nd of July at St Lawrence’s C of E Parish Church in Longridge.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The church was packed with family, friends, and former colleagues, with standees at the back, showing the esteem and respect that Tom garnered in his life and business. The service was a thanksgiving for Tom’s life and it was a great tribute to a man who will be very greatly missed, but who has left a wonderful legacy of business ethics and family values.
Yes it was certainly a big turn out for Tom and the family certainly did him proud.
W & J Riding preserved Atkinson Border tractor unit Reg No PTC 440K ‘Faithful’ was used to carry Tom’s coffin from his home in nearby Ribchester to the church in Longridge
The Atkinson Borderer was driven by Alan Dixon with the cortege also made up with Tom’s fully restored Scammell Rigid 8.
Tom Riding was a life long Preston North End football fan and never missed a home game along with traveling to many away games over the years.
The club paid him a nice tribute at Saturdays home game against Wigan as can be seen in this picture below.
The team did him pround and won 3-0 
moomooland:
Tom Riding was a life long Preston North End football fan and never missed a home game along with traveling to many away games over the years.
The club paid him a nice tribute at Saturdays home game against Wigan as can be seen in this picture below.
The team did him pround and won 3-00
Brilliant tribute i bet he loved that RIP
I expect you have it Paul. Cant make reg out. 
Hi Dean thanks for that yes it’s on the site.
Pictured above at North Canada Docks in Liverpool, while waiting to unload, the vehicle was in the second phase of it’s life after receiving an in house sleeper cab conversion.
Photograph courtesy of renowned lorry photographer Peter J Davies.
Tom’s Scammell R8 was on the M60 near the Eccles Interchange junctions at about 3.15 pm today… a poignant sight. Any idea where it was going?
gingerfold:
Tom’s Scammell R8 was on the M60 near the Eccles Interchange junctions at about 3.15 pm today… a poignant sight. Any idea where it was going?
Sorry for the late reply it was heading over to Chatsworth for the annual Chatsworth Country Fair weekend.
Clipping from a Atkinson magazine.
Thanks for that Dean,
Tom sent me that quite a while back when we were thinking of adding an ‘In the Press’ section to the website.
Think i will may that shortly as i have quite a number of press clippings of Riding’s spanning many years.
Anymore would be gratefully received like the one below…
Tom’s obituary which was published in the September 2019 issue of Heritage Commercials magazine.
Click on the article to view full screen.
Nice to see that Tom is remembered in the truck magazines.
Found a colour pic of the Solrec trailer.
Thanks for those Dean.
Atkinson Mk I Silver Knight 4x2 tractor unit Reg No CTB 260E Fleet No 52 was purchased direct from the nearby Atkinson factory at Walton le Dale on the 18th of March 1967 at a cost of £3,461.
Baring chassis No FC 14193 it was registered for road use on the 1st of April 1967 and was the second Atkinson powered by a Gardner 6LXB engine to enter service with the fleet in 1967.
The picture above was taken on the 1st of April 1967 when Tom Riding took the brand new Atki on the road for the first time to take some pictures on the moors at Longridge Fell.
After eight years service it was sold on in March 1975 to a Mr Rooke of Crossens Southport for £1,200 plus vat.
