chorcheela:
An obscure one was a garage in Rattlesden which had an old Fiat that did tilt work to Europe and possibly further…
Quite possibly this company,Mitchell-Rowlands,who were indeed based at Rattlesden…
They drove for Trans UK to the Middle East and beyond with Fiat 619’s,and one of the driver’s,Paul Rowlands,went on to work for Trans UK.
This picture was taken at Kapicule,on the Bulgarian-Turkish border,standing under the canopy is Bob Carter,owner of Trans UK.
Actually, I believe they were based in Buxhall, at the garage which has just been knocked down to build houses on. The firm at Rattlesden may have been called Hewstons (?) who reputedly did M/E work in the 1970’s??
chorcheela:
An obscure one was a garage in Rattlesden which had an old Fiat that did tilt work to Europe and possibly further…
Quite possibly this company,Mitchell-Rowlands,who were indeed based at Rattlesden…
They drove for Trans UK to the Middle East and beyond with Fiat 619’s,and one of the driver’s,Paul Rowlands,went on to work for Trans UK.
This picture was taken at Kapicule,on the Bulgarian-Turkish border,standing under the canopy is Bob Carter,owner of Trans UK.
Actually, I believe they were based in Buxhall, at the garage which has just been knocked down to build houses on. The firm at Rattlesden may have been called Hewstons (?) who reputedly did M/E work in the 1970’s??
Buxhall with a Rattlesden phone number,how’s that?
The only company I can recall with a name that sounds like Hewstons is Wallace Houston who ran a fleet of Scania’s on continental work.
They came from Thurston out near Bury St.Edmunds.
Mitchell-Rowlands are still going strong. Just not in haulage…The old garage in Buxhall was demolished about 18mths ago, they built a couple of houses on the plot, but they continue in agricultural machinery sales from a farm nearby.
No doubt they have some interesting memories too.
KW, out of interest, did you live locally at some time (Mid Suffolk being ‘locally’)
chorcheela:
…
Essex International Transport- based in Chelmsford/Colchester I think, who ran Scanias with the word ‘Essex’ in huge letters on the headboard in the UK, Europe and I believe further afield. ]
They were near Chelmsford. Jack Essex used to run it. I think they moved to Witham & wanted to add more trucks to the fleet but the locals complained to the licencing authority & Jack packed up. KW I notice that M/R Fiat has the lovely Tri-lex wheels.
chorcheela:
KW, out of interest, did you live locally at some time (Mid Suffolk being ‘locally’)
I lived in Felixstowe from 1979 until 1998,but I have very vivid memories of visiting my brother who has lived in Felixstowe since around 1971.
He used to have a flat near the Ordnance roundabout (which I took over) and I can remember laying in bed listening to the trucks going to and from the docks,which was before the Trimley,Walton & Felixstowe by-pass’s were built.
My brother was a fitter at Ancliff’s,the tanker firm,which had their original base next to the ‘Little Ships Hotel’ near the dock basin before moving to a new purpose built site just off Walton Avenue.
Eventually Ancliff shut up shop after they were taken over by United Transport Group,the site being taken over by Sheffield based Newell & Wright,but I’m not sure who is there now.
anyone remember the o/d with the F16 on for maersk late 80’s ?
his truck was painted up in Mercantile colours - silver / dark & light blue stripes - mercantile was a division of maersk and it was when they were starting to get big in the uk
i seem to remember the reg no was F16 — something or other - last 3 letters showed it were a local ipswich plate i think
Hello all. Didn’t know this thread existed. There are a lot of names I recognise. I worked on the Trimley St. Mary and Trimley St. Martin by-pass for Ben Wyatt. Also Johnny Wyatt - Ben’s brother, at Fridged Freight. We used the A45 mostly from Bury St. Edmunds out.Fridged Freight finished in 1974 and never got involved in what was then the new container traffic out of Felixstowe, but had the opportunity to establish a yard there in the sixties. The first trip to Germany I went on, the lorry and trailer were lifted on to a Boat called the Bay Fisher using the old Seaplane crane and shipping to Rotterdam. Jim.
vernonbish777:
i worked for brains at their bham yard on castle vale.
they were sposed to have the biggest scania fleet for a private operator in europe at one time about 250 but will stand corrected on that.
they ran from about 10 depots in the UK, had a set up in rotterdam and also trucks based in the middle east. that was in the 70’s.
There was a picture in our traffic office of John Brain collecting their 100th Scania and the reg was ■■■ 100L whens that - 1973 ish ■■?
theres a post somewhere about a book on Russell Davies, someone should do a Brain Haulage one, they were doing boxes big time long before RD’s even started. One of the ACT contract drivers at Grays depot was the unofficial fleet photographer - had loads of albums stuffed full of nearly every truck they’d run. definitly every make and model
Would that driver have been Pete Sumpter? I’m sure I recall someone saying that he’d been working on a book.
One of the Scanias was restored a few years ago but, sadly, has moved on to a new owner in Ireland and has lost both the livery and the reg no in the process.
yes chris is right pete is going to to do a book on brains he has over 10 folders on the company my family all worked there for many years from the early 60s
when there were tippers till the mid 70s i have restored 2 scanias in brains colours a vreg 81 which is now in irish hands and a hreg super80 which i still have would have loved to have done a 400 day cab in iff colours
Its true KW I just get red xs to.
Would love to see the Hako picture as my old man used to work for them.
I think one of the Cowan Bros moved to Spain And got murdered in a botched Robbery.
stupot wrote-I think one of the Cowan Bros moved to Spain And got murdered in a botched Robbery.
not true im afraid. jock moved out there and was violantly robbed. he got shot etc but he survived. he now runs a trailer rental company rushmere rentals and his son ben runs “cowans” haulage with 3 scanias. both out of suffolk.
Right so who remembers some of these?
Machins
James Downey
Orwell Transport
Mair’s (Tilbury and Felixstowe)
Teamhaul
Pearsons
E J Pod
Hatcher Freightlines (all in hapag loyd colors)
Martin Woods
KW:
Perhaps you’ll also remember Hako Ferry Services,that were based in Felixstowe in the mid-70’squote]
Blimey Keith thats going back a few years, used to clear some of there trailers when i worked for Davies Turner in the 70’s along with ADT (Anglo Dutch Trucking), Welton NST now north sea trailers all used to run out of Felixstowe.
few more but don’t remember, will have to have a look see if ive got any pics still.
Steve
The only company I can recall with a name that sounds like Hewstons is Wallace Houston who ran a fleet of Scania’s on continental work.
They came from Thurston out near Bury St.Edmunds.[/quote]
Sure wally Houston had a truck runinng to Tehran for Davies Turner in the 70’s
tho i thought he had Volvo’s, long time ago, so not sure, Don Hubard was pulling for us then as well, tho for the life of me i can’t recall were he came from, do remember he held the record for the most Tehran’s in a year, hottly disputed by Maurece Gray when i was talking to him about it a few years ago
rgds
Steve
