Think this picture is taken on trailer park which Saviem mentioned earlier,which F W Bickrords use now,last time i went past Trev they had a load of demounts in there off goodyear/dunlop contract ex christian salveson/nobby donkeydangler,ta,Pete
Apart from all the heavy stuff, A G Bird in the mid 60s operated a ERF 8 wheel tipper that came in to Kevin Quarries twice a day and collected stone for a foundry or British sugar? always the same elderly driver but can`t remember his name. anyone else remember this… Happy Days
3piece-wheel:
Apart from all the heavy stuff, A G Bird in the mid 60s operated a ERF 8 wheel tipper that came in to Kevin Quarries twice a day and collected stone for a foundry or British sugar? always the same elderly driver but can`t remember his name. anyone else remember this… Happy Days
I’ll ask Paul about ERF tipper when i return the photos,ta,Pete
fantastic pics I was a kid in the 70s working in the garage at bowies at sale in the school hols when birds had the auction we ended up with half a dozen erfs some were scrapped but two were rebuilt happy days
pete smith:
Another shot of ERF in previous photo,ta,Pete
Now then Pete, a little story…
From what I remember that ERF had a 180 ■■■■■■■■ and I think a ZF 6 speed, plus the double drive…
Now I was a young" European driver ", (so knew everything about everything…and absoloutley nothing about anything)!!!
So armed with such knowledge I tried to buy this vehicle from Ken, and Geoff…Why…because I had seen nd worked amongst the Somuas, Berleit, and Willeme 6x2, and 6x4 rigid drawbars in “La Belle”, and thought that “we” had something better…on payload…on body length, …and of course as I had never had a cab , “avec Couchette”, well I lusted after that big power ERF!!!180 after a (nominal) 84 hp was BIG!!!
Anyway my attempts at the deal were fruitless…and then my Uncle , "graduated me to a 1965 S21 “Micky Mouse”, 12 speed, 150 Gardner…B…r the sleeper, I kept my tent…and all that power…and so many gears…Was I really so innnocent…YES…but I loved that cold plastic pig of a Foden!!!
Cheerio for now.
3piece-wheel:
Apart from all the heavy stuff, A G Bird in the mid 60s operated a ERF 8 wheel tipper that came in to Kevin Quarries twice a day and collected stone for a foundry or British sugar? always the same elderly driver but can`t remember his name. anyone else remember this… Happy Days
A relative of them (Trevor Bird) and his son ran some tippers out of Tilcons Mancetter, Kevin and Ballidon quarries amongst others in the 90’s, they were based at Nuneaton I think?
Pete.
windrush:
3piece-wheel:
Apart from all the heavy stuff, A G Bird in the mid 60s operated a ERF 8 wheel tipper that came in to Kevin Quarries twice a day and collected stone for a foundry or British sugar? always the same elderly driver but can`t remember his name. anyone else remember this… Happy DaysA relative of them (Trevor Bird) and his son ran some tippers out of Tilcons Mancetter, Kevin and Ballidon quarries amongst others in the 90’s, they were based at Nuneaton I think?
Pete.
Been informed today they used to collect limestone from kevin quarry for midland tar distillers,ta,Pete
Seen another ex Kevin Quarries Dodge driver from 1965/69 and the A G Birds 8 wheeler ERF driver that collected for Midland Tar Distillers was called George… Happy Days.
Trev_H:
pete smith:
You should know where this pic was taken Trev,got one in colour as well if you struggle!ta,PeteI would say it’s Monmore green outside Delta, the picture would have been taken on Don Everall’s forecourt.
I worked for Don Everall when I first left school… the picture must have been taken just below the phone box 
As an aside, the layby just below M6 diesel on the A460 is locally known as Birds layby… something to do with Birds trailers often being dropped there
Kate:
Trev_H:
pete smith:
You should know where this pic was taken Trev,got one in colour as well if you struggle!ta,PeteI would say it’s Monmore green outside Delta, the picture would have been taken on Don Everall’s forecourt.
I worked for Don Everall when I first left school… the picture must have been taken just below the phone box
As an aside, the layby just below M6 diesel on the A460 is locally known as Birds layby… something to do with Birds trailers often being dropped there
Hi,Kate,think last pic [the ERF] was took on A460 between M6 diesel and M6 jcn11,also i been informed that there was an feature in the news of the world titled “Trailer boys being exploited”,one of the lads mothers wrote to the paper as he was doing over 100hrs a week,lad still about will ask him, do any of you gents remember this please?ta,Pete
pete smith:
Kate:
Trev_H:
pete smith:
You should know where this pic was taken Trev,got one in colour as well if you struggle!ta,PeteI would say it’s Monmore green outside Delta, the picture would have been taken on Don Everall’s forecourt.
I worked for Don Everall when I first left school… the picture must have been taken just below the phone box
As an aside, the layby just below M6 diesel on the A460 is locally known as Birds layby… something to do with Birds trailers often being dropped there
Hi,Kate,think last pic [the ERF] was took on A460 between M6 diesel and M6 jcn11,also i been informed that there was an feature in the news of the world titled “Trailer boys being exploited”,one of the lads mothers wrote to the paper as he was doing over 100hrs a week,lad still about will ask him, do any of you gents remember this please?ta,Pete
Hi Pete, I remember that, a lad I worked with Terry was a trailer lad/ second man but he was looked after as he was teamed up with his elder brother, who looked out for him. I’m certain some of the young lads looking for a step on the ladder into heavy haulage were less fortunate.
Trev_H:
pete smith:
Kate:
Trev_H:
pete smith:
You should know where this pic was taken Trev,got one in colour as well if you struggle!ta,PeteI would say it’s Monmore green outside Delta, the picture would have been taken on Don Everall’s forecourt.
I worked for Don Everall when I first left school… the picture must have been taken just below the phone box
As an aside, the layby just below M6 diesel on the A460 is locally known as Birds layby… something to do with Birds trailers often being dropped there
Hi,Kate,think last pic [the ERF] was took on A460 between M6 diesel and M6 jcn11,also i been informed that there was an feature in the news of the world titled “Trailer boys being exploited”,one of the lads mothers wrote to the paper as he was doing over 100hrs a week,lad still about will ask him, do any of you gents remember this please?ta,Pete
Hi Pete, I remember that, a lad I worked with Terry was a trailer lad/ second man but he was looked after as he was teamed up with his elder brother, who looked out for him. I’m certain some of the young lads looking for a step on the ladder into heavy haulage were less fortunate.
I will ask lad i know who worked as trailer boy there as i’ve been told it was his mother who wrote to news of the world!ta,Pete
bob-lad:
fantastic pics I was a kid in the 70s working in the garage at bowies at sale in the school hols when birds had the auction we ended up with half a dozen erfs some were scrapped but two were rebuilt happy days
My uncle Sam drove this truck for birds nice photo .
Saviem:
Evening all, Pete, a thread well worth putting up!Two views of AG Bird…a skinflint operator who made a lot of money out of exploiting his staff, paid little…asked a lot…ran “threadbear” kit, and made money from good men pulling together!
Or…
An operator who utilised modest assets to the maximum of their ability/competence,…“.then got out”…just in time…and invested in a Log Cabin complex in Snowdonia…before the job…and Black Country industry in general collapsed in a heap!!!
Take your pick…
I had a fair bit to do with them over the years…from selling them the families Heavy Haulage S18 Foden…double drive, 150 Gardner, "underdrive 12 speed mechanical split, (you could leave black rubber on the road in low reduction on the hubs), what a tool, I think she was rated at 80 tons, but I have a picture of her, (on one of Ken Birds postcards), at the Moxley junction, (just down from Paul Adams current premises at A& R), with a Wellman overhead crane beam of 115 tons on one of their “home made” bogies, (Albion axles X 4 off). Birds certainly got their moneysworth!! Let alone the couple of BTC Four in Lines that they had, then put in copious steel and stretched from 28FT!!!
I have told the story before of demonstrating to Ken, an Atkinson Venturer 75 ton, when the passenger windscreen fell out going in, by the Red White, and Blue…then going out, (with a full compliment of P… taking fitters, and Ken), and the drivers screen fell out…and it was raining as well!!!..B… long way back to Cradley Heath in a downpour, with no windscreens, I can tell you!
Rawcliffes bought the heap…Birds stayed Foden…(after all they were “real” heavy haulage lorries)!
The trailer yard down the “Concrete Road”, was a delight for anyone interested in “home built” bogie trailers…whoever the axle came from, drop out the diff, (and down to be weighed in at Gordon Rickards yard, then couple the springs up…hey presto a 100 ton , (nominal), trailer!
Self steer, rigid, our steered by “a lad”, all were created…Alan on the fork lift at J Kelsall Builders Merchants, down in Saredon, and I often laugh about some of the strokes they pulled…he from the experience of being a young lad, out alone , with no communication on the bogie, (and total decision making responsibility), having to judge with precision just how to miss the obstacles…houses, Banks, Traffic lights…whilst the driver and mate forged on like a Tea Clipper in a rough sea!!!
No wonder he is good on a Fork Lift!
Somewhere Ive some great AG Bird pictures, an outfit of its time…and today no longer possible!!
Cheerio for now.
Pete, sorry to requite this, but was talking to Allen at Kelsalls today, ( when he was loading me with bricks and block)s, and he remembers the one bogie of Birds being the rear end of two Albion Caledonians, and the other bit two Leyland Octopus rear ends!..imagine steering that out from behind the red white and blue on a frosty morning with 80 ft of Thompsons pressure vessel on it…and a Foden on the front!
Cheerio for now.
I used to think Mainline done well getting in and out with there Ford D Series with a single axle trailer! There’s a lad that drives for EMR that started as a trailer boy for for Bird’s, the same lad I mentioned earlier in the thread, it was his mother who rang the Sunday people to report Birds as her son, Tommy, had been doing 90 hrs a week. I have spoken to Tom since and he says they used to load over length bridge girders from Chepstow and the girders were for the building of the Erskine bridge! Tom would ride in the cab only getting out to “steer” the trailer, which was a cut down 6 x 4 lorry chassis with the seat nearly touching the road, remember not many motorways in the mid sixties and Chepstow to Glasgow is a fair run in a nice car never mind the worn out motors and home made equipment Saviem mentions.
Saviem is this the trailer Allen was talking about? How about screwing that thing round on a tanner?!
