Alfred manchester & Sons

[zippy155]

Wheel Nut:

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!

No worries Wheelnut, you reside it seems from Melbourne Nr Derby, a place close to my heart, well Donnington Park anyway Do you use the indian restuarnat that used to be a pub, i forget its name now !!

Does anyone know (not that its anything to do with this thread, how Merrick died per chance? Was it natural or an accident■■? Anyd you thought you were derailing it LOL!!!

Anyway, yes a few names there, especially Pure Lard, or Pura Foods as it became known! All those Dutch tankers unloading, a “small” company called VOS I believe !!! BUT that was way way back touching 1973!

Mr W did not in fact have the wash near the pilot that was "Blackwall Services and owned by a guy called JIM, and supposedly run by a shyster called Terry Burrows!

The Waddliove cleaning station came a few years later after his love affair with an American truck came to an end have to say Geoff was a top bloke and knew his stuff, FKG moody at times but there you go with those pressures he was under what would you expect. he did move I am told to Purfleet somewhere, might still be going but he knew what he was at and that was the main thing to worry about, even more so with what came out of those tanks!!!

So back to Alfred manchester & Sons. i have pictures going back to the steam truck days!

Z

[sammyopisite]

Thats a blast from way back when “Young-husband Stevens” it was in Barking used to do a bit out of there one regular run was to Newburgh in Fife soya oil for the lino place I think it was Nairn floor coverings right on the the river tay down a side street and the guy who tipped you lived on the street and would tip you when he came back from “fishing” if you wanted. You could park in the street on the off loading point and no one bothered you then.

[wheel_nut]

zippy155:
No worries Wheelnut, you reside it seems from Melbourne Nr Derby, a place close to my heart, well Donnington Park anyway Do you use the indian restuarnat that used to be a pub, i forget its name now !!

Does anyone know (not that its anything to do with this thread, how Merrick died per chance? Was it natural or an accident■■? Anyd you thought you were derailing it LOL!!!

Anyway, yes a few names there, especially Pure Lard, or Pura Foods as it became known! All those Dutch tankers unloading, a “small” company called VOS I believe !!! BUT that was way way back touching 1973!

Mr W did not in fact have the wash near the pilot that was "Blackwall Services and owned by a guy called JIM, and supposedly run by a shyster called Terry Burrows!

The Waddliove cleaning station came a few years later after his love affair with an American truck came to an end have to say Geoff was a top bloke and knew his stuff, FKG moody at times but there you go with those pressures he was under what would you expect. he did move I am told to Purfleet somewhere, might still be going but he knew what he was at and that was the main thing to worry about, even more so with what came out of those tanks!!!

So back to Alfred manchester & Sons. i have pictures going back to the steam truck days!

Z

Choo Choo, not so fast! I remember now, it was called Blackwall Services but thought Geoffs family owned it, maybe he just spent a lot of time there. Geoff is still in a thriving business with South East Tanker Services (S.E.T.S) in Dagenham under the flyover, his son Gary is there, Geoff is still pottering around with his gammy leg and is still FKG moody at times He moved about 3 times from my first dealings with him I think, although I had several breaks from tankers to “London”

I am not certain where the news about PM came from, I was involved with IFF, Seawheel and eventually UBC & knew many of the original bosses. I am still in occasional contact with a couple of people from UBC. I am sure it was just mentioned in passing but wonder now if there was some misunderstanding. I heard he had died, not killed in an accident so wonder if someone is at cross purposes, it doesn’t matter now, except to Peter Merricks family of course If he is fit and well, my apologies, if not, my condolences.

Melbourne Arms is the name of the Indian and Pub the couple who own it are the perfect hosts, we use it quite often, especially for parties or the Sunday Buffet, eat all you can for less than a tenner

Now then where were we?, oh yes Alfred Manchester and Steam Lorries

[wheel_nut]

sammyopisite:
Thats a blast from way back when “Young-husband Stevens” it was in Barking used to do a bit out of there one regular run was to Newburgh in Fife soya oil for the lino place I think it was Nairn floor coverings right on the the river tay down a side street and the guy who tipped you lived on the street and would tip you when he came back from “fishing” if you wanted. You could park in the street on the off loading point and no one bothered you then.

I used to take Linseed Oil to Nairn or Forbo Nairn in Kirkaldy, but my delivery in “the smoke” was definitely a small place where the oil came out of the tanker straight into bottles and drums with a pistol. I remember it quite well as all the staff seemed to have injured their heads

[newmercman]

Wheel Nut:
I used to take Linseed Oil to Nairn or Forbo Nairn in Kirkaldy, but my delivery in “the smoke” was definitely a small place where the oil came out of the tanker straight into bottles and drums with a pistol. I remember it quite well as all the staff seemed to have injured their heads

[mushroomman]

I used to take Linseed Oil to Nairn or Forbo Nairn in Kirkaldy, but my delivery in “the smoke” was definitely a small place where the oil came out of the tanker straight into bottles and drums with a pistol. I remember it quite well as all the staff seemed to have injured their heads
[/quote]
Velly Gud Wheelnut, I bet that they were not wearing hard hats .

[zippy155]

The “Melbourne Arms” that’s the one! Yes a great couple I agree.

So we have gone from Greenwich and Alfred Manchester’s to Middle England so I guess better get back to the subject!!!

I would really like some more info on the company, the drivers where they are now and any other info if possible! Thanks guys.

Z

[newmercman]

zippy155:
The “Melbourne Arms” that’s the one! Yes a great couple I agree.

So we have gone from Greenwich and Alfred Manchester’s to Middle England so I guess better get back to the subject!!!

I would really like some more info on the company, the drivers where they are now and any other info if possible! Thanks guys.

Z

Well, Geoff waddilove runs a tank cleaning company in Dagenham, don’t know if anybody’s mentioned it

Sorry

[zippy155]

who ■■?

[gaztrucker]

Just found this site from searching internet for info on Manchesters as my dad and two of his brothers worked for them in the early/mid sixties. I,d love to know if you ever got your book done. I used to ride with my dad every chance I got as a youngster and well remember the depot at tunnel avenue as it was previously used by E H Jones Ltd another tanker firm where my dad and his dad both worked before E H Jones moved to Belvedere in Kent. Alfred Manchesters motors at that time were dark blue with the rising sun logo on the back although they also had motors that were in customers liveries. I,m sure my uncle drove one in Gulf colours. I had trips in many different trucks, a lot of Mk 5 AEC,s,Atki,s and well remember several brand new ones too! I can still recall my amazement at the comfort■■? of the Ford D series, that must have been about 1965 also the ergo cabbed AEC mercury in the same year and Scammel Routemans about 1967 if I recall, they were Dads favourite. I can also remember an old AEC Mustang twin steer and a Thames 15cwt service van. It shows how good these designs were on the old british lorries however much we berate them now,as I cut my own teeth on many of the same type of vehicles when I started driving some 14 years later.