Any old work colleagues remember HND @ Strood. Best driving job I ever had, although I also worked in the office for a couple of years before (foolishly) buying my own truck. I worked there from April 1995 - October 1999 so if there’s anyone out there with some good stories or memories please post them.
hi mate i used to wrk for hnd at strood i remember some of the swiss lads
I can only think of Hazlenut Nuttal Distribution, is that them?
I think thay were called ROBA.
When Bowaters sold off their transport and shipping assets it did not include Roba UK based in Harlow, Essex.
This Company was basically bankrupt but was purchased by two former Bowater directors who also had interest in other transport companies one of which was Wm. Nuttall in Manchester. Nuttals joined forces with Hasledean in Strood and therefore the name HND. they moved the operation from Harlow to Strood along with most of the management and drivers. Some of the names I remember were: Fred Gilbey, Stuart Oven (yap yap), Roy Harper, Terry Carvel (always moaning), Gerry Stokes (sadly no longer with us) and many more too numerous to mention.All these guys had worked at Roba Harlow and given long service there. From the management side Gary Grace (Director) Shawn Venables (Transport Manager) and Keith Brown (Export Groupage Co-ordinator) whose job I took in 1997. Obviously the new owners saw the
future potential in acquiring Roba UK as they had some very good contracts particularly with British Steel Corp. (later Corrus) and ViscoSuisse
in Emmenbruecke. This traffic was was much sought after by their competitors and unfortunately freight rates were constantly under pressure to maintain. Eventually HND was purchased by Swain’s of Rochester and the Swiss operation came to an end. I think most of the above is accurate but i’m sure if there are any mistakes somebody out there will put me right.
i remember the harlow lads moanin about traveling to strood each wk but as u said it was a gd job so they just done it still in the roba colours thn
Hi kentboy, well I suppose any new ownership brings changes and for some of the long service guys from Harlow it was not the same, however, they were compensated for the extra travelling and in most cases they only had to drive back and forth to Strood once a week because they were away for the rest of the time. I live in Dartford and before joining HND I actually worked for a firm in Harlow that used Roba’s old yard called GCi International. I wonder if they are still going or if anyone out there remembers them!
kendavies:
When Bowaters sold off their transport and shipping assets it did not include Roba UK based in Harlow, Essex.
This Company was basically bankrupt but was purchased by two former Bowater directors who also had interest in other transport companies one of which was Wm. Nuttall in Manchester. Nuttals joined forces with Hasledean in Strood and therefore the name HND. they moved the operation from Harlow to Strood along with most of the management and drivers. Some of the names I remember were: Fred Gilbey, Stuart Oven (yap yap), Roy Harper, Terry Carvel (always moaning), Gerry Stokes (sadly no longer with us) and many more too numerous to mention.All these guys had worked at Roba Harlow and given long service there. From the management side Gary Grace (Director) Shawn Venables (Transport Manager) and Keith Brown (Export Groupage Co-ordinator) whose job I took in 1997. Obviously the new owners saw the
future potential in acquiring Roba UK as they had some very good contracts particularly with British Steel Corp. (later Corrus) and ViscoSuisse
in Emmenbruecke. This traffic was was much sought after by their competitors and unfortunately freight rates were constantly under pressure to maintain. Eventually HND was purchased by Swain’s of Rochester and the Swiss operation came to an end. I think most of the above is accurate but i’m sure if there are any mistakes somebody out there will put me right.
The only name I remember from HND/William Nuttall days was an OD name Mick Ransley, there are a few who I can see their faces but cannot put names to them!
Hi, I have a Scania 143 streamline that was brand new to HND international,in August 1995,I have been told they had five brand new,mine is N83 XKJ
Unfortunately I don’t have many photos of HND International, so if anyone has any, especially the Scania 143/470 bhp G reg G —MSO (Ex- John Frost’s ) which I drove they would be much appreciated. Wish I had taken a camera with me more often in those days! ha ha
Blimey Ken, you brought some old names to the front there, I remember you on HND was that before or after you became an O/D?
Ossie
When I was doing North Africa and Middle-East for Jeff Welton he used the HND yard as an operating base. So if you remember a white unwritten Eurostar and tilt, that was what I was driving. Robert