Stourbridge Rolling Mills,
Joseph Foulkes
Saviem:
Evening all,By gum Gentlemen, you are taking me back now…Lowes Sand and Gravel, nice AECs, one of the first that Chris, (Kelly), bought out in the late `70s. Their quarry was on the left and right of the road up from the A460 to the Windmill at Essington. Had a tunnel under the road, (its still there), and their plant on the left is now the Block plant, and the South Staffs Council built some starter units on the back of the site.
When they finished the site was sold for housing, when I pass it I often wonder how all the lorries were parked in such a small area…
Lovely little fleet, red and always looked clean and tidy. It was about the time Chris was working from Mervyn Jacksons yard in Neachells lane, (where Foulkes ran the Mercedes Dealership from originally), and Square Deal Neil was “helping out”, and training Mike Kelly…
Now you have really got the little grey cells vibrating…remember Webbs at Bilston, those lovely AECs, and the well worn Boden tandems on Steel , squeezing down between those terraced houses… yet another yard that is now housing…Even the Café, and parking is now a Sikh Temple…and poor old Kevin Biddlestones emporium is just a hole in the ground!..What a tragic end he met, and such talent…he could make a piece of Hardboard look like solid oak!
And remember Barry Sanson, top of Harden Road, owned the row of houses, flattened all the gardens, nice arched entrance in the centre of the row…and all those Foden artics lined up behind, another smart fleet. Gaynor, Barry`s daughter married Jimmy Jones , (Stadium Commercials, at Perry Bar), and of course Marcus ran Cromwell Commercials…
One of the lads who does a bit for me showed me an article in one of the old lorry books about F86 Volvo
s.....mostly in the Midlands............When I looked at the vehicles, (and the incorrect captions).....all except one were sold by my pal Rob Owens, or me from Hartshornes…Is it really that long ago?
I need a drink…M Bollinger calls…
Thanks for the info Saviem
I remember the yard well,with all those red trucks crammed inside.
pete smith:
Joseph Foulkes
Thanks for posting Peter.I remember Foulkes wagons well.Is Ron still about? I used to see him driving around quite often,but now I think about it I have’nt seen him about for ages.
John West:
Evocative pictures Hereford 1971. I wanted a Big J in 1969, preferably with a Gardner, but you simply couldn’t buy them without a load of cash and a backhander then as a newcomer. I had to settle for BMC/Leyland Mastiffs.What’s fascinating me in the pics is that the Mastiffs are actually the same height as the big Js, which I always thought of as bigger! Much more comfortable cab in the Mastiff - shame about the engine!
John
A few more pic’s John
hereford1971:
A few more
Hi Nigel,
Thanks for posting those pictures, I can remember the curtainsider but not the Foden and is the Routeman is pictured on the drive at home?
One from Blackheath West Mids loaded with tube out of Stewarts and Lloyds Coombes Wood Works Halesowen, Cheer’s Pete
pete smith:
hereford1971:
A few moreHi Nigel,
Thanks for posting those pictures, I can remember the curtainsider but not the Foden and is the Routeman is pictured on the drive at home?
Morning Pete
The Forden and the curtainsider ran to Dagenham daily, weren’t too many curtainsiders about back then.And yes the Routeman is on the drive. We were just in the process of digging out the driveways. If I can restart my laptop I will post a few more.
hereford1971:
A couple more
Is that Reiver on the main road outside the farm? And is that the gaffer in the machine opening up the new gateway?
pete smith:
hereford1971:
A couple moreIs that Reiver on the main road outside the farm? And is that the gaffer in the machine opening up the new gateway?
Hi Peter
The Reiver was parked on the drive while “the gaffer” loaded it. While the Reiver was being loaded I would tip the Routeman, then swap them over. Didn’t take long to dig two gateways out that way!
Shorthouse
pete smith:
Shorthouse
they used to run alot of seddon atkinsons as i remember did it change to faber prest after shorthouse?
ergomatic man:
pete smith:
Shorthousethey used to run alot of seddon atkinsons as i remember did it change to faber prest after shorthouse?
And Atki Borderer’s before that, Faber Prest bought them out then the name changed to Multiserve all gone there is a truck repair facility in there yard in Strawberry lane now.
Hi Peter, have you any photos of Ron Davies Scania s? His yard was on the Stafford Road by the Harrows pub.
hereford1971:
Hi Peter, have you any photos of Ron Davies Scania s? His yard was on the Stafford Road by the Harrows pub.
Nigel,
I cannot remember this company, I wonder where Trev H is ? he may know, Cheer’s Pete
One of Foulkes for Maggie D, Cheer’s Pete
pete smith:
One of Foulkes for Maggie D, Cheer’s Pete
Now that is a class shot of a great motor Pete, I recall motors like that still running around in S. Wales on locals in the mid/late 60’s.Cheers Dennis.