Anyone remember this haulage company from Bradford (1970’s)
Just wondered what happened to them?
something rings a bell - give us some clues, location, motors, livery etc? 
jj72:
something rings a bell - give us some clues, location, motors, livery etc?
Going back 35 years when I was 15. Think they were red or orange livery, scammell handymans, guy’s etc.
Seen a mention elsewhere on here about “Chapman Group” probably same company. Not far from Bradford town centre, sorry for the lack of info it’s been a while.
TIA
I remember Chapman Shields Transport in Hull 
The ones I saw 35 years back (when I was14) were red all over with a Chapman Group Bradford sticker on the door. In 73 I worked with a bloke from the Wigan area who had worked for a firm they took over based around there. They seemed to operate allsorts which must have come from the firms they took over. At least one picture exists which I have in a book somewhere but I cant remember what make it is.
boden:
The ones I saw 35 years back (when I was14) were red all over with a Chapman Group Bradford sticker on the door. In 73 I worked with a bloke from the Wigan area who had worked for a firm they took over based around there. They seemed to operate allsorts which must have come from the firms they took over. At least one picture exists which I have in a book somewhere but I cant remember what make it is.
More I think of it, they were red.
cheers for the answers, been repairing all sorts since time began, nobody understands when you say the industry has changed.
No what pis*es me off the most, fact that in the 21st century we can go to the moon and beyond, but cannot prevent wheel loss. Time to let go of the 10 stud design and try something new.
I have a picture of a Chapman Mk 1 Atkinson eight-wheeler. I should add that this is a Peter Davies picture which can also be found in his ‘Lorries Illustrated - Atkinson’ book.
Here it is:
definitely remember guy big Js in that livery - can’t remember much else though 
The old Mk 1 Mark, I once ran into the back of a tipper with one in slow moving traffic at road works, the queue stopped and I was distracted by my mate’s son who was out for the ride and - whack!
No damage, that solid radiator took the full force leaving two barely discernable nicks. Took hours to sort out the brakes though, I nearly pressed the pedal through the floor and locked 'em up good and proper 
Good bit of detective work mate and a nice picture at the end of it.
Did they call that one Cyclops do you think, a forerunner of todays overhead bling displays?
I also noticed the Trader in the background, like driving a sports car, seat about 6" off the floor and legs straight out in front 
.
Salut, David.
I’ve just tracked down the picture in the book, and the narrative that accompanies it says that it is fitted with 40x8s on the back bogie to give a better top speed.
The differences in tyre sizes must’ve really altered the gearing, and a smart-witted engineer spotted a chance for some more performance.
Wouldn’t have fancied climbing anything more than a 1:10 though - 6 speed DB an Gardner 150 do you reckon? Couldn’t read the badge properly.
Salut, David.
I think you’re right David - it’s probably a 150.
Unless the back bogie is a single-drive with a 2-speed axle at the front, it would’ve been a bit of a challenge, wouldn’t it?
That 8 legger reminds me just of Craddock’s of Coven. They had a few of them, still on the road in the early 80’s.
They were taken over by A One Transport i think
depablo:
Anyone remember this haulage company from Bradford (1970’s)Just wondered what happened to them?
Chapmans were based just out side Bradford City Centre and were indeed taken over by A one Transport in the 70s. Aone turned the large warehouse into a garage workshop then in the 80s transferred all the mechanics to the Gildersome garage workshop and used the now empty workshop into a wool warehouse when Renwicks closed down in Bradford and the Renwicks staff started wool haulage from there for A one.
marky:
I think you’re right David - it’s probably a 150.Unless the back bogie is a single-drive with a 2-speed axle at the front, it would’ve been a bit of a challenge, wouldn’t it?
1:6 hill, no 2-speed axle needed just stick in crawler at the bottom, the elite could change down on the climb, sit back and watch out for cycles overtaking. Driving one of chapmans Big Js, with 150 gardiner, running at 32 tonnes never a problem just took time.
Would that be the Grattan site now at Listerhills,i for some reason thought that Chapmans were at the top of Young Street where Ladyroyd Garage is now.Harry Bagguley was in there for a while .I will probably be wrong cos i was very young when Chapmans were around
maxhagar:
Chapmans were based just out side Bradford City Centre and were indeed taken over by A one Transport in the 70s. Aone turned the large warehouse into a garage workshop then in the 80s transferred all the mechanics to the Gildersome garage workshop and used the now empty workshop into a wool warehouse when Renwicks closed down in Bradford and the Renwicks staff started wool haulage from there for A one.
Cant remember the exact date, but Chapman’s Haulage was in Fitzwilliam Street, Bradford, they were all red and black livery.
Originally bought from J G Fielders Haulage Ltd, the fleet consisted of many Ford thames Traders, 4/6 wheelers, and artics, there were also a few Guy’s, Seddons 6/8 wheelers, also AEC Mandators and a few 8 wheelers and one of the very first semi auto Leylands artics, most of the work at the time was in the wool trade too and from L/Pool Hull Southampton, and London Etc.
Chapman’s Springs from Leeds who made road springs who we carried for them to the docks for shipping, the father and owner of the company bought J G Fielders when he decided to retire to Australia,cant remember the exact date, late 60s early 70s he bought for Donald since the rest of the company was run by the rest of the Chapmans family, sadly Donald was a waster, he bought a few new vehicles including a new Atki which I ran, he also bought DLS Europe international transport from Kenn Mallinson, and eventually the company was bought by A One Transport (Leeds)Ltd in 1974/5.
And to carry the story on join the A One Transport page, because most of us who worked for J G Fielders/Chapmans, eventually joined there company.
The reason I know is because I worked for J G Fielders from 1962 and onwards, Amen■■? :-Jack Graham
ramone:
Would that be the Grattan site now at Listerhills,i for some reason thought that Chapmans were at the top of Young Street where Ladyroyd Garage is now.Harry Bagguley was in there for a while .I will probably be wrong cos i was very young when Chapmans were aroundmaxhagar:
Chapmans were based just out side Bradford City Centre and were indeed taken over by A one Transport in the 70s. Aone turned the large warehouse into a garage workshop then in the 80s transferred all the mechanics to the Gildersome garage workshop and used the now empty workshop into a wool warehouse when Renwicks closed down in Bradford and the Renwicks staff started wool haulage from there for A one.
Sorry but you got it the wrong way round, the large warehouse was the original garage where all the servicing and repairs were carried out, then it was turned into a warehouse by A One when all the mechanics were transferred to Gildersome. :-Jack Graham.
Jack Graham:
The reason I know is because I worked for J G Fielders from 1962 and onwards, Amen■■? :-Jack Graham
Hi Jack…can you remember the 4wheeler t/traders with the primrose axle upgrade to 6 wheeler, think Cyril bean had something to do with their development, loaded first load of wool on one out of St Kathrines dock nr Tower Bridge. I remember one of the ERF 8 wheelers, loaded with wool, going over at top of Blackfriers depot. Came to rest with offside against the wall of the Mitre pub, driver got hit on the head with a jack dislodged as uncle George wrenched open the n/side door to help get him out. I drove one of the Leyland semi/auto we aquired from Whatleys (I think thats the spelling) paper, Pool-in-Wharfdale. Great motor to drive, the driver who brought it up for me had trouble on return journey with my 180 big J, he forgot he had manual gearbox and blew out the diff. Remember we had some of the earliest Ford D series units on test on night trunk to London including the V8? D1000 6 wheeler. Do you remember the V8 Mandater that was shown at Earls Court, I took my driving test in it when the driving school unit broke down on way to test station on the day of my test. Can you remember who went abroad with the Guy Invincible with the great big crew cab that had been used by Chapmans driving school. Didn`t the Chapman daughter run the sheet loft were our great wool sheets were made, often wonder what the future would have been if Donald had been more of a business man.