Hi boys
I don’t know if i’ve got the right chap but Archie was his name Graham. He set up a firm called Southern Marine Navigation and Transport Co (Dover) Ltd.He had a yard top of Blackwall tunnel which makes me think it is the same chap.He was always offering us return loads (early 80s) and did use him odd times for clearing. I remember he had big plans,often wonder what happened to him.
Regards Keith.
Wheel Nut:
Archie Paice:
I believe then that the Son ( I completely forget his name now ) was the first person to start up the pager call system in Dover, so that when you were needed or cleared either DFG or DFS could call you. I never ever saw him after that.
Cheers, Archie.Probably not cleared yet.
Wheel Nut, that deserves a place in the ‘Top 10 funniest comments on TNUK’ 
I think I saw him on Jubilee way he had a long beard now!
Seriously his name was Graham. reliably informed he went to the USA in 1989 (to see NASA who he thought was the transport company of the future!) and brought back the idea of the internet world wide web and GPS ! Used it for the first internet distribution system in partnership with BT but BT pulled out in 1992 stating the internet would never happen in the UK!! errrrrrrr that’ll be BT then! I know this as I worked on it with him! He then went on to win the IFW award for special achievement with work through the channel tunnel using a GPS controlled fridge swap body in 1994/5!!!
I am trying to put a book together for the Alfred Manchester transport company having seen a picture of a Garrett steam truck in Alfred Manchester logo for the guide to Woking!!! Lots of history, many drivers worked for them over the off 100 years or so.
The sun logo was in fact Alfred Manchester’s logo after the second world war.
All contacts gratefully received.
Yes the Scania was indeed called Wendover but Racketeer NOT Rocketeer though, again I have the photos and the truck magazine which featured an article on the truck as it was the FIRST ADR regulated vehicle in the UK!
Z
And there was i thinking he had a fruit and veg stall in greenwich market… …well its true…his old site is a few minutes from where i live now…as said earlier…its now Makro`s…i worked in anchor & hope lane for Hiltons…we moved from a small yard in Eltham down to the old united glass works…( u.g.b.) which is now sainsburys.
One of Alfred Manchester’s Leyland Octopuses - ■■■■■■■ - Octopi 
truckyboy:
And there was i thinking he had a fruit and veg stall in greenwich market…
Hi, yes thats also true, it was the other side of the Manchester family who had the fruit and veg stall in Woolwich so you are right.
I can remember the Ralph Hilton yard in Eltham is was behind Roper Street school. (Orangery Road off Archery Road!) I used to watch the trucks coming in and out while doing the old cycling proficiency test in the playground! (its a car park now!)
The trucks were just plain light blue at that time if I remember with Ralph Hilton transport on the side. D800s mainly. Then the "Big move to Charlton when like the Manchester trucks, many of HTS were also parked in the old Greyhound stadium car park! The new white and blue livery with HTS for all to see.
The came the TV series “The Brothers” which was filmed in the HTS depot and the cast frequented the pubs at the top of Anchor and Hope Lane.
Z
Chris Webb:
One of Alfred Manchester’s Leyland Octopuses - ■■■■■■■ - Octopi
Hi Chris, well well the picture from where the Corgi model comes from it seems. Do you have anymore? What is the connection ?
Z
This post clears something up for me, it doesn’t help Zippy with his book though. I await that with interest.
I hadn’t been driving artics very long and was working out of Felixstowe one week when they sent me to “London” I cant remember where but seem to think it may have been Leytonstone. I arrived at the customer at 8am and at 10.30 I gave up trying to get into his yard.
I had a tandem axle stepframe skelly with a long neck, the wheels were right at the back and try as I might it just would not go in this gate, forwards or backwards, the customer was waiting for his stuff, we didn’t have any mobiles and eventually I admitted defeat, convinced it was my lack of experience. I called back to the tank operator and my boss expecting a bollocking. Both apologised and said they forgot to tell me the customer could only accept 20’ skellies with a short neck.
I was sent to Freightliner who would lift off my loaded tank temporarily, another company would lend me a skelly and then lift it back onto my trailer when I got back. I have for years thought this other company was Alfred Manchester, from zippys post it could have been Alfred Simmonds. I am sorry if this post has taken as long to read as it took me to get in that bloody gate. On my second attempt it was easy, I reversed straight in, tipped the Groundnut oil and returned to Geoff Waddiloves to clean out. I spent all day in “London” it wor grand 
Wheel Nut:
This post clears something up for me, it doesn’t help Zippy with his book though. I await that with interest.I hadn’t been driving artics very long and was working out of Felixstowe one week when they sent me to “London” I cant remember where but seem to think it may have been Leytonstone. I arrived at the customer at 8am and at 10.30 I gave up trying to get into his yard.
I had a tandem axle stepframe skelly with a long neck, the wheels were right at the back and try as I might it just would not go in this gate, forwards or backwards, the customer was waiting for his stuff, we didn’t have any mobiles and eventually I admitted defeat, convinced it was my lack of experience. I called back to the tank operator and my boss expecting a bollocking. Both apologised and said they forgot to tell me the customer could only accept 20’ skellies with a short neck.
I was sent to Freightliner who would lift off my loaded tank temporarily, another company would lend me a skelly and then lift it back onto my trailer when I got back. I have for years thought this other company was Alfred Manchester, from zippys post it could have been Alfred Simmonds. I am sorry if this post has taken as long to read as it took me to get in that bloody gate. On my second attempt it was easy, I reversed straight in, tipped the Groundnut oil and returned to Geoff Waddiloves to clean out. I spent all day in “London” it wor grand
Well if you went to Blackwall to clean out (Mr Waddilove’s) then it was possibly neither Alfred Manchester or Alfred Simmons as both by that time had packed up, however it may well have been a company called “Rotahaul” which was the inter-modal company set up. along with others by Graham Manchester. The use of the Skellie would fit the timing as well. You would have used "Freightliners at Stratford " I expect!
if it was ground nut oil that may have been from Hucktra Belgium and the destination I think would have been a company called “Young Husband Stevens” which is or was until recently (well last five years) “Lasmo OIl” just off the new road! Not been that way for years though!
As for the book, trying to connect all members of the manchester family as they all have their own story! The picture above though was in the period of “Frank manchester and Brothers”. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1966. the company struggled on until being taken over by Don manchester in 1972. There followed eight years of industrial action in the Country as a whole finishing with the truck drivers strike for six weeks in 1979. That nearly about finished the company off. No ones fault, just the timing and climate during that period I guess. Shame though.
It continued until 1981 when the company was broken up… 
and the dreaded Maggie Thatcher period started… !!! Nuff said I think?
Z
zippy155:
Chris Webb:
One of Alfred Manchester’s Leyland Octopuses - ■■■■■■■ - Octopi
Hi Chris, well well the picture from where the Corgi model comes from it seems. Do you have anymore? What is the connection ?
Z
Hi zippy. Sorry this is the only photo I’ve seen of an Alfred Manchester wagon and I know very little about them.I remember seeing them about in the 70s when I worked for A.E.Evans at Barking,and the sunrise logo was always very noticeable.
flatman001:
That’s a great photo John 
zippy155:
Wheel Nut:
This post clears something up for me, it doesn’t help Zippy with his book though. I await that with interest.I hadn’t been driving artics very long and was working out of Felixstowe one week when they sent me to “London” I cant remember where but seem to think it may have been Leytonstone. I arrived at the customer at 8am and at 10.30 I gave up trying to get into his yard.
I had a tandem axle stepframe skelly with a long neck, the wheels were right at the back and try as I might it just would not go in this gate, forwards or backwards, the customer was waiting for his stuff, we didn’t have any mobiles and eventually I admitted defeat, convinced it was my lack of experience. I called back to the tank operator and my boss expecting a bollocking. Both apologised and said they forgot to tell me the customer could only accept 20’ skellies with a short neck.
I was sent to Freightliner who would lift off my loaded tank temporarily, another company would lend me a skelly and then lift it back onto my trailer when I got back. I have for years thought this other company was Alfred Manchester, from zippys post it could have been Alfred Simmonds. I am sorry if this post has taken as long to read as it took me to get in that bloody gate. On my second attempt it was easy, I reversed straight in, tipped the Groundnut oil and returned to Geoff Waddiloves to clean out. I spent all day in “London” it wor grand
Well if you went to Blackwall to clean out (Mr Waddilove’s) then it was possibly neither Alfred Manchester or Alfred Simmons as both by that time had packed up, however it may well have been a company called “Rotahaul” which was the inter-modal company set up. along with others by Graham Manchester. The use of the Skellie would fit the timing as well. You would have used "Freightliners at Stratford " I expect!
if it was ground nut oil that may have been from Hucktra Belgium and the destination I think would have been a company called “Young Husband Stevens” which is or was until recently (well last five years) “Lasmo OIl” just off the new road! Not been that way for years though!
Z
A lot of that sounds familiar Zippy, it was most definitely Stratford Freighliner, and definitely Huktra, but from Ditton Road Widnes, my contact was a bloke named John Kelly. Huktra Belgium and Huktra UK were at daggers drawn. Peter Merrick (RIP) was the boss and I think he liked it that way.
I don’t recall that name Young Husband Stevens but could probably recognise the factory from a photo. I believe young Geoff was working with his Dad at the time or am I getting confused, did his Dad run the wash? and Geoff went to work for Tankfreight later. I remember his mate John who ran Purfleet wash for a while, John later worked for the company with brown Leyland Ergomatics off Chequers Lane.
Rotohaul was a name that I was familiar with as a company in Hull called H & P Freightways did some work with them and Tank Ferry Transport. (TFT)
Thanks for info about the book. I look forward to more posts
Big Jeff or Geoff, was a tanker driver for years, at one time he had a White Road Commander for some firm up north, I think he was on for Alfred Manchester at one time, I can’t remember exactly when it was he set up the tank cleaning firm, but it was around about 80/81, I know as my Dad was going to go in with him, they were looking at the yard that you can see as you exit the Dartford Tunnel, I think it’s RH’s yard now, they were drawing up plans & stuff, but he (my Dad) never did, which was a bit silly as it turned out, but he had a good job on the tankers & didn’t want to lose it (this was when working for Esso was dead mans boots) Geoff? went on to be very successful, happily it all turned out well for the old man too, he ended up with quite a few motors & retired to Spain in his 50s & now drives a golf cart 
Rota Haul, that’s the colours the 111 used to wear if I’m not mistaken?
When I lived by Manor Place Baths (washing not swimming) in the early 70s there was a bloke that used to park an HTS 110 or 140 outside his house, I think it was a double drive, i’m not sure but I seem to think he had some connection to the Bakers on the corner of Penton Place?
Chris Webb:
zippy155:
Chris Webb:
One of Alfred Manchester’s Leyland Octopuses - ■■■■■■■ - Octopi
Hi Chris, well well the picture from where the Corgi model comes from it seems. Do you have anymore? What is the connection ?
Z
Hi zippy. Sorry this is the only photo I’ve seen of an Alfred Manchester wagon and I know very little about them.I remember seeing them about in the 70s when I worked for A.E.Evans at Barking,and the sunrise logo was always very noticeable.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the reply. Where did you find this picture? was it in a book somewhere? whatever info you could let me have would be appreciated.
Regards
Z
flatman001:
Hi,
Thats is a great shot, where did you find it? have you anymore at all? All info greatly appreciated if you would.
“Great British Lorry” Er yes, trouble was its a 1965 Typical British Lorry!!!
Scania, Volvo, MANs and Mercs were on their way and we still had something that looked like it was just out of WW11
Its the same old story, trucks, Motorbikes, cars, Trains…we had it all and let it go…
Now I hear they are going to sell the Canals as well…
Z
Wheel Nut:
zippy155:
Wheel Nut:
This post clears something up for me, it doesn’t help Zippy with his book though. I await that with interest.I hadn’t been driving artics very long and was working out of Felixstowe one week when they sent me to “London” I cant remember where but seem to think it may have been Leytonstone. I arrived at the customer at 8am and at 10.30 I gave up trying to get into his yard.
I had a tandem axle stepframe skelly with a long neck, the wheels were right at the back and try as I might it just would not go in this gate, forwards or backwards, the customer was waiting for his stuff, we didn’t have any mobiles and eventually I admitted defeat, convinced it was my lack of experience. I called back to the tank operator and my boss expecting a bollocking. Both apologised and said they forgot to tell me the customer could only accept 20’ skellies with a short neck.
I was sent to Freightliner who would lift off my loaded tank temporarily, another company would lend me a skelly and then lift it back onto my trailer when I got back. I have for years thought this other company was Alfred Manchester, from zippys post it could have been Alfred Simmonds. I am sorry if this post has taken as long to read as it took me to get in that bloody gate. On my second attempt it was easy, I reversed straight in, tipped the Groundnut oil and returned to Geoff Waddiloves to clean out. I spent all day in “London” it wor grand
Well if you went to Blackwall to clean out (Mr Waddilove’s) then it was possibly neither Alfred Manchester or Alfred Simmons as both by that time had packed up, however it may well have been a company called “Rotahaul” which was the inter-modal company set up. along with others by Graham Manchester. The use of the Skellie would fit the timing as well. You would have used "Freightliners at Stratford " I expect!
if it was ground nut oil that may have been from Hucktra Belgium and the destination I think would have been a company called “Young Husband Stevens” which is or was until recently (well last five years) “Lasmo OIl” just off the new road! Not been that way for years though!
ZA lot of that sounds familiar Zippy, it was most definitely Stratford Freighliner, and definitely Huktra, but from Ditton Road Widnes, my contact was a bloke named John Kelly. Huktra Belgium and Huktra UK were at daggers drawn. Peter Merrick (RIP) was the boss and I think he liked it that way.
I don’t recall that name Young Husband Stevens but could probably recognise the factory from a photo. I believe young Geoff was working with his Dad at the time or am I getting confused, did his Dad run the wash? and Geoff went to work for Tankfreight later. I remember his mate John who ran Purfleet wash for a while, John later worked for the company with brown Leyland Ergomatics off Chequers Lane.
Rotohaul was a name that I was familiar with as a company in Hull called H & P Freightways did some work with them and Tank Ferry Transport. (TFT)
Thanks for info about the book. I look forward to more posts
I didn’t know Peter Merrick died! i know Roland Van Poucke (The founder of Hucktra) was killed in an airplane accident but not as I said aware of Merrick (Merrrick was the man behind UNISPEED tank containers)
Yes Geoff’s son was working with him I know.
Yes the Scania 111 was the Rotahaul truck and featured in the Truck magazine article in 1980 which I still have (somewhere in the files) There was also a Ford Transcontinental in the same logo.
Z
newmercman:
Big Jeff or Geoff, was a tanker driver for years, at one time he had a White Road Commander for some firm up north, I think he was on for Alfred Manchester at one time, I can’t remember exactly when it was he set up the tank cleaning firm, but it was around about 80/81, I know as my Dad was going to go in with him, they were looking at the yard that you can see as you exit the Dartford Tunnel, I think it’s RH’s yard now, they were drawing up plans & stuff, but he (my Dad) never did, which was a bit silly as it turned out, but he had a good job on the tankers & didn’t want to lose it (this was when working for Esso was dead mans boots) Geoff? went on to be very successful, happily it all turned out well for the old man too, he ended up with quite a few motors & retired to Spain in his 50s & now drives a golf cartRota Haul, that’s the colours the 111 used to wear if I’m not mistaken?
When I lived by Manor Place Baths (washing not swimming) in the early 70s there was a bloke that used to park an HTS 110 or 140 outside his house, I think it was a double drive, i’m not sure but I seem to think he had some connection to the Bakers on the corner of Penton Place?
Geoff Waddilove came from Crow carrying to Alfred Manchester’s around 1973. He was the main driver for AM’s European work on a Volvo F88 which he loved WJD 541M! He then went onto IBIS International (with the White Road Commander) and then into “cleaning” and apart from nearly killing himself in an explosion never looked back.
The driver of the HTS truck was possibly a guy called Alan Knapp. he was the lead overseas driver for HTS and after leaving them when HTS went pear shaped came to Alfred Manchester’s before leaving for South Africa to drive road trains!
What was your dads name and the name of the company I may be able to place him.
Thanks for the info, all really useful.
Z
zippy155:
newmercman:
Big Jeff or Geoff, was a tanker driver for years, at one time he had a White Road Commander for some firm up north, I think he was on for Alfred Manchester at one time, I can’t remember exactly when it was he set up the tank cleaning firm, but it was around about 80/81, I know as my Dad was going to go in with him, they were looking at the yard that you can see as you exit the Dartford Tunnel, I think it’s RH’s yard now, they were drawing up plans & stuff, but he (my Dad) never did, which was a bit silly as it turned out, but he had a good job on the tankers & didn’t want to lose it (this was when working for Esso was dead mans boots) Geoff? went on to be very successful, happily it all turned out well for the old man too, he ended up with quite a few motors & retired to Spain in his 50s & now drives a golf cartRota Haul, that’s the colours the 111 used to wear if I’m not mistaken?
When I lived by Manor Place Baths (washing not swimming) in the early 70s there was a bloke that used to park an HTS 110 or 140 outside his house, I think it was a double drive, i’m not sure but I seem to think he had some connection to the Bakers on the corner of Penton Place?
Geoff Waddilove came from Crow carrying to Alfred Manchester’s around 1973. He was the main driver for AM’s European work on a Volvo F88 which he loved WJD 541M! He then went onto IBIS International (with the White Road Commander) and then into “cleaning” and apart from nearly killing himself in an explosion never looked back.
The driver of the HTS truck was possibly a guy called Alan Knapp. he was the lead overseas driver for HTS and after leaving them when HTS went pear shaped came to Alfred Manchester’s before leaving for South Africa to drive road trains!
What was your dads name and the name of the company I may be able to place him.
Thanks for the info, all really useful.
Z
Well I call him Dad
zippy155:
I didn’t know Peter Merrick died! i know Roland Van Poucke (The founder of Hucktra) was killed in an airplane accident but not as I said aware of Merrick (Merrrick was the man behind UNISPEED tank containers)Yes Geoff’s son was working with him I know.
Z
It was mentioned to me about Peter Merrick by a bloke who used to work for IFF / UBC, now Interbulk. I haven’t worked for Huktra since 1980 so my information is hearsay. I did do occasional work for P&O Tankmasters after they bought Unispeed
You are certainly on the ball with the tanker game of that era & I am here to learn more after seeing a lot of changes, but it seems you have seen them all. We worked from Loders and Crooklaan, Van den Burgh and Jurgens, or Pura / PL in Orchard Place for several years when Geoff Waddi had the wash near the Pilot, then he moved on top of the tunnel where he bought the drivers a car to go to the pub in. I also heard that it was found parked in the West End one night
This is a great thread but i will let you steer it back to Alfred Manchester, sorry for derailing it!