BIG AW:
Sad to see all these old firm and drivers are fading away no more old lads with story about the good old days and tales off adventure
on the road more likly to step over you than give you hand now .
in the 25or so years in the industry things have change for the worst everybody chasing around and on the end of a phone wanting to know
when and where and it seems that every other driver in a uk lorry is a (overseas person).
Its agood job that flat trailers are only used for special work because the job would grind to a halt some drivers would drive over them has you where folding them
sorry if i sound down about this but it looks like ive got another 25 years to do.
Andy heres a shot of the little merc I bought from Onward when they closed Birtley Depot. I think you may have driven it when you were a boy before you took your HGV test.
regards Kevin. (Taken by Iain)0
Yes kev i think i did at some point i think that one spent time at kirkby when they took over before that it was on that New York Seltzer job they got at ackworth in the late 80s early 90s the age of the veh might shed some light on it. ive found some old photos as well but they aes old old ones i will try to post them on the site or e-mail you them
Send them to me if you wish Andy although its probably as easy to post them yourself once they are scanned in. I cant remember the number of that merc ,I will have it somewhere in my records,
when I have time I will seach it out. I do remember it was "A"reg. Iain will probably beat me to that I would reckon. Thanks Kevin.
kevmac47:
Send them to me if you wish Andy although its probably as easy to post them yourself once they are scanned in. I cant remember the number of that merc ,I will have it somewhere in my records,
when I have time I will seach it out. I do remember it was "A"reg. Iain will probably beat me to that I would reckon. Thanks Kevin.
Was the little Merc the one you used to deliver the motor bikes to westgate hill Triumphs if i remember.
kevmac47:
Send them to me if you wish Andy although its probably as easy to post them yourself once they are scanned in. I cant remember the number of that merc ,I will have it somewhere in my records,
when I have time I will seach it out. I do remember it was "A"reg. Iain will probably beat me to that I would reckon. Thanks Kevin.
Was the little Merc the one you used to deliver the motor bikes to westgate hill Triumphs if i remember.
Yes Brian, Onward used to backload me quite often with those bikes. It was a bit scary leaving them parked in the yard over the weekend
but I never had any problems. Ackworth depot were very supportive when I started on my own.
kevmac47:
Send them to me if you wish Andy although its probably as easy to post them yourself once they are scanned in. I cant remember the number of that merc ,I will have it somewhere in my records,
when I have time I will seach it out. I do remember it was "A"reg. Iain will probably beat me to that I would reckon. Thanks Kevin.
Was the little Merc the one you used to deliver the motor bikes to westgate hill Triumphs if i remember.
Brian they used to go on the 16 tonne rigids with tail lifts (seddon atkinsons/daf in the earlier photos). The cases which the bikes were in used to be bigger than the rear doors, so they had to be put out at an angle then turned on to the tail lift.
Kevin,
I am sure we had two 7.5tonne Merc’s at Birtley in my time there, yours was the second one Fleet no 139 reg A517MWX.
kevmac47:
Send them to me if you wish Andy although its probably as easy to post them yourself once they are scanned in. I cant remember the number of that merc ,I will have it somewhere in my records,
when I have time I will seach it out. I do remember it was "A"reg. Iain will probably beat me to that I would reckon. Thanks Kevin.
Was the little Merc the one you used to deliver the motor bikes to westgate hill Triumphs if i remember.
Yes Brian, Onward used to backload me quite often with those bikes. It was a bit scary leaving them parked in the yard over the weekend
but I never had any problems. Ackworth depot were very supportive when I started on my own.
How did you get the bikes off Kevin. Did M+S Motorcyles make a ramp or get a fork lift after we finished at Birtley.
kevmac47:
Send them to me if you wish Andy although its probably as easy to post them yourself once they are scanned in. I cant remember the number of that merc ,I will have it somewhere in my records,
when I have time I will seach it out. I do remember it was "A"reg. Iain will probably beat me to that I would reckon. Thanks Kevin.
Was the little Merc the one you used to deliver the motor bikes to westgate hill Triumphs if i remember.
Yes Brian, Onward used to backload me quite often with those bikes. It was a bit scary leaving them parked in the yard over the weekend
but I never had any problems. Ackworth depot were very supportive when I started on my own.
How did you get the bikes off Kevin. Did M+S Motorcyles make a ramp or get a fork lift after we finished at Birtley.
Dead simple Iain, open the box and wheel it down a scaffold plank!!! The motor was low enough to the ground so the angle wasn’t too steep.
brothertonmick:
Think this could of once belonged to onward, any views?
Good shot Mick that bumper was filled with concrete to keep the front axle on the ground in a suspended tow, it must have been an experience to drive on the way to a breakdown!! you would need arms like Popeye. I dont think it had power steering, i’m sure Big AW will know more about it. Ps where and when did you take the shot?
Yes kev it was a beast in its own right, i was told it came from wheeler road way back and repaired back to life and was put to use in the garage breakdowns and call outs through the T.A. ive been dragged back once. The thing could pull a house down
i was told it had a 580 ■■■■■■■ lump in it they got from some where i went to a breakdown one time at grantham roundabout a unit and trailer from ackworth had rolled over right on roundabout a team of us had to go and handball all the glass packed in boxes out the back doors what a day that was when the trailer was empty they knocked a hole in the trl floor throw a chain and pulled it back on its feet we all looked on in amazment pete shaw the garage foreman and a young fitter i think it was kev (porky ) booth went about it like it was a nothing out off the normal working day the veh was an ERF day cab the driver went through the windscreen with the steering wheel in is hand pete then just jumped in the unit put a ring spanner on the steering nut the thing fired up 1st time and he drove it on to the services. funny how a picture brings back in your head that must have been summer 1986.but the wrecker was a beast you had to have arms and legs like garth only one or two would dare drive the thing it was sold off when @*q&$ING B.O.C took over looking at the picture all the livery as been removed but the pic could be 15 years old I wonder where the pic was taken as well kev. I will try to post those photos on the site kev asap ok mate.
