Bowker Bros was started in 1926 by my late Grandfather - The greatest man I ever knew. - Sadly this Company is no longer live, But the reason I drive a Truck !!!
These photos are well over 20 years old so the quality will obviously be questionable.
The Bedford TK in the first two pics was driven by Steve, when he were a lad, and I thank him for teaching me everything I know.
The Bungalow in the background was the family home, and was also where my great-grandfather lived previously
Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
nice pictures KATE , do you have any more hidden away ,also what about a story or two that you may know ,
Great photos there Kate. Bedford TK’s - memories 
Excellent photo’s Kate, real archive stuff. Do you have any more?
Nice pic’s Kate
Lovely photos, but sad to see yet another good old fleet missing from the roads. Was there a connection with Peter Bowker at Bridgnorth at all?
Also, I see that the Atki has a Lancashire reg - any idea where it started life?
240 Gardner:
Lovely photos, but sad to see yet another good old fleet missing from the roads. Was there a connection with Peter Bowker at Bridgnorth at all?Also, I see that the Atki has a Lancashire reg - any idea where it started life?
Funny you should ask that, Peter Bowker is the son of the founder of Bowker Bros. Still alive and kicking in Bridgnorth, still in Haulage although no longer as Peter Bowker, and still driving us all daft on a daily basis.
The Atki had the name Abingdon or Abington (cant remember which) Carpets in the headboard, when we accquired it. It was Blue, with a 180 Gardner, and a David Brown straight 6 crash box. No power assistance on the clutch, just a bar from the clutch pedal to the bell housing. No such thing as power steering either…
If Steve’s memory serves him rightly, the Atki was about 3 years old when it landed in our yard, and THINKS it has been restored by the guy who bought it from us. I will try to find out more about this at the weekend.
It could be Adlington Carpets - I believe they ran Atkinsons and then Seddon Atkinsons (certainly 400 series because there’s an archive picture of one)
Kate:
No power assistance on the clutch, just a bar from the clutch pedal to the bell housing.
Just requires a strong left leg! You don’t get many problems with this system though 
PS. Any idea where the Bedford TK came from? It’s a Doncaster registration which is local to me.
Kate:
240 Gardner:
Lovely photos, but sad to see yet another good old fleet missing from the roads. Was there a connection with Peter Bowker at Bridgnorth at all?Also, I see that the Atki has a Lancashire reg - any idea where it started life?
Funny you should ask that, Peter Bowker is the son of the founder of Bowker Bros. Still alive and kicking in Bridgnorth, still in Haulage although no longer as Peter Bowker, and still driving us all daft on a daily basis.
The Atki had the name Abingdon or Abington (cant remember which) Carpets in the headboard, when we accquired it. It was Blue, with a 180 Gardner, and a David Brown straight 6 crash box. No power assistance on the clutch, just a bar from the clutch pedal to the bell housing. No such thing as power steering either…
If Steve’s memory serves him rightly, the Atki was about 3 years old when it landed in our yard, and THINKS it has been restored by the guy who bought it from us. I will try to find out more about this at the weekend.
Interesting - thanks for that. Proper lorry! What you don’t fit doesn’t go wrong! Anyway, if the clutch is properly set up then it’s not especially heavy. The Brown box is a bit of a duffer though, with a huge gap between 4th and 5th, and no proper crawler. Power steering? They were usually fitted with the “Armstrong” system!!
I bet Killsville has that wimpy power steering on his Borderer…
And, yes, I remember the demise of Peter Bowker, and the subsequent rise of Terbow Transport.
240 Gardner:
And, yes, I remember the demise of Peter Bowker, and the subsequent rise of Terbow Transport.
You do? 
240 Gardner:
I bet Killsville has that wimpy power sreering on his Borderer…
Why of course it does!
Kate:
240 Gardner:
And, yes, I remember the demise of Peter Bowker, and the subsequent rise of Terbow Transport.You do?
Indeed I do! Apart from having read the weekly comics for the last 30 years, I was nearly 20 years with W. H. Bowker, so it particularly caught my eye. There was one mutual customer in those days who use to confuse themselves between us - might have been one of the Beecham factories.
Excellent pictures…brings back some happy memories when I used to work for my dad.
Bully
Great Pics Kate, I remember Bowkers!
240 Gardner:
[ The Brown box is a bit of a duffer though, with a huge gap between 4th and 5th, and no proper crawler. .
Which is why you knew if you changed down on a hill, you weren’t going to be troubled about changing up again before the top 
Also, climbing anything steeper than a 1:10 you just hoped you didn’t get baulked half way. Re-starts were not guaranteed.
I started up steeper climbs but my right foot was white at the top from trying to press the pedal right through the floor, the right knee was trembling, and hands locked solid on the wheel from sheer terror .
I’d had one or two ‘moments’ going both up and down you see
Salut, David.
Spardo:
240 Gardner:
[ The Brown box is a bit of a duffer though, with a huge gap between 4th and 5th, and no proper crawler. .Which is why you knew if you changed down on a hill, you weren’t going to be troubled about changing up again before the top
Also, climbing anything steeper than a 1:10 you just hoped you didn’t get baulked half way. Re-starts were not guaranteed.
I started up steeper climbs but my right foot was white at the top from trying to press the pedal right through the floor, the right knee was trembling, and hands locked solid on the wheel from sheer terror
I’d had one or two ‘moments’ going both up and down you seeSalut, David.
Absolutely! A friend of mine took a fully freighted (and quite highly geared) Atki of that spec over the Kirkstone Pass. It did make it, but only just!! I don’t think he needed any All Bran for a few days afterwards…
found this one out of my collection
Curnock, Thanks for sharing the picture.
curnock:
found this one out of my collection
Good old rope and sheet with dolly knots!
Brings back memories.
I wonder how many drivers could rope and sheet nowadays…