Norman Ingram:
Just had a thought Rigby Dave has white hair, but the old fellow in Dads army had a full head of hair■■?
hiya,
Talking about hair or the lack of it, I’ve just had my head shaved again, if i did’nt have a snot box i’d resemble a bowling ball,i’m sure my old lady tries her hardest to make me look less desirable to the opposite ■■■, do you think she’s frightened i might run off with another woman. Or in my case limp off with another woman.
thanks harry long retired.
Bewick:
Now I don’t wan’t you thinning your single malt down with tears “H” but I’ve found a shot of the Octopus, JEO 192, I was mate on with Eric.It was shot before I started and is parked at Brady’s origional garage farther down Duke St.,prior to them moving to a brand new depot up nearer the Steel Works at the top of Duke St.in the area of Barrow called Hindpool.Cheers Dennis.
If anybody can find a better looking or sounding lorry than that Octopus I challenge them to put it on.
The mechanic:
Bewick:
Now I don’t wan’t you thinning your single malt down with tears “H” but I’ve found a shot of the Octopus, JEO 192, I was mate on with Eric.It was shot before I started and is parked at Brady’s origional garage farther down Duke St.,prior to them moving to a brand new depot up nearer the Steel Works at the top of Duke St.in the area of Barrow called Hindpool.Cheers Dennis.If anybody can find a better looking or sounding lorry than that Octopus I challenge them to put it on.
Your right there Robert! Some of the wieghts that were put on the Octopus and trailer were “heavy” and I can tell you that after a good stretch,working at “full chat” the O/S drivers wheel was as “black as night”!! Many a time Eric would say to me “give that wheel a quick swill” and I’ve got a bucket of water from the cafe or the digs we were at!A few times we have gone over Beatock with 20 ton of plate on the wagon and 7/8 ton on the trailer,Shap could make the 680 Power Plus work as well when we were fully frieghted! My parting treat when I was leaving was Eric let me drive the motor back to Barrow from Glasgow on the Friday empty.They wanted to load it during the night.The Octopus finished pulling the trailer not very long after I left as the new transport act did away with the need for a mate and by the December of '68 they got rid of the Octopus and had bought some rear steer Atki’s to run at 32 ton.My old mate Eric went to Bowater Scott and was yard foreman until he retired. In later years the lads in our traffic office often “wondered” why I could get loaded quicker than any of our other drivers in Bowater Scott!!! It must who you know,not what you know!! Cheers Dennis.
This is a shot of the first Power Plus Octopus Brady’s bought, HEO 557,at the end of '61 and this was followed a few months later by JEO 192,the one I was mate on with Eric.HEO 557 didn’t pull a trailer very long before working solo for the rest of it’s time in the fleet.
Bewick:
This is a shot of the first Power Plus Octopus Brady’s bought, HEO 557,at the end of '61 and this was followed a few months later by JEO 192,the one I was mate on with Eric.HEO 557 didn’t pull a trailer very long before working solo for the rest of it’s time in the fleet.
I can here the lovely purr of that 680 engine.
Put the cotton wool back in your lugs Robert!!! Cheers Dennis.
hiya,
Never got hold of an Octopus with the 680 in it i struggled with the 600 but they was man enough in their day only got near the bigger one in Scammels lovely soundng motors though and well up to the job in those days but you had to really drive them.
thanks harry long retired…
Well Harry, the next vehicles you will most likely, be talking about will be old folks mobility scooter, bathchairs, wheelchairs. But knowing you, you will save money and get a old bath put wheels on it and get a couple of huskies to pull you along, I wouldn’t put it past you to add a storage tank, so you had at least a month supply of whisky. 
v7victor:
Bewick:
Yes “H” it’s Dalton Square where the memorial is.As for St. Georges Quay,my pal Malcolm Woodhouse Snr,had is depot there for many years,just under the main line bridge on the right,Pine Garage.Cheers Dennis.Get the thinners out in The yard i delivered fuel to not good ,VIC .
The old yard on the Quay was part “setts” and otherwise hardcored so I don’t think there was a problem with drips on the floor! But if a “slapdash” tanker driver(and I’ve had one or two or three deliver to me!)spilt a dollop it might have got into the Lune estuary and then there would be trouble,wouldn’t there!! In my book,tanker drivers liked to think of themselves as “superior” to other drivers,which was a load of B******S,So as I was always paying “top dollar” for my Derv it was only fair that it was delivered in the same polite and well mannered way the Oil Company expected payment(on the due date!) In the main the Shell & BP drivers were OK,although TEXACO drivers could be arrogant but I could bring them to earth with a bump by signing their notes"load refused,insolent bad mannered driver" twice this happened and both drivers went mad,said I couldn’t refuse the load! couldn’t I,well watch!! 10/15 mins later in both instances I had two very "crest fallen"drivers begging me to accept the load as if they had to return it to the terminal their “cards” would be waiting! Apparently the Shop Steward couldn’t defend misconduct like this on a customers premises! A quick call to the Sales office on each occaision secured me another 2ppl reduction and the load was delivered and a stroppy tanker driver had been taught a salutory lesson that he wouldn’t forget!!! I could carry on about our militant tanker bretheren but enough!!! Bewick.
Norman Ingram:
Well Harry, the next vehicles you will most likely, be talking about will be old folks mobility scooter, bathchairs, wheelchairs.
hiya,
So long as it’s not a hearse Norm, I want to hit the pension for a bit longer i worked had for what bit I do get.
thanks harry long retired.
harry_gill:
Norman Ingram:
Well Harry, the next vehicles you will most likely, be talking about will be old folks mobility scooter, bathchairs, wheelchairs.hiya,
So long as it’s not a hearse Norm, I want to hit the pension for a bit longer i worked had for what bit I do get.
thanks harry long retired.
There’s nowt wrong with "H"s drop handle bar,21 gears,racing bike with “eyewatering” racing saddle!And he’s renewed his membership of Consett Wheelers club for another year!! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
v7victor:
Bewick:
Yes “H” it’s Dalton Square where the memorial is.As for St. Georges Quay,my pal Malcolm Woodhouse Snr,had is depot there for many years,just under the main line bridge on the right,Pine Garage.Cheers Dennis.Get the thinners out in The yard i delivered fuel to not good ,VIC .
The old yard on the Quay was part “setts” and otherwise hardcored so I don’t think there was a problem with drips on the floor! But if a “slapdash” tanker driver(and I’ve had one or two or three deliver to me!)spilt a dollop it might have got into the Lune estuary and then there would be trouble,wouldn’t there!! In my book,tanker drivers liked to think of themselves as “superior” to other drivers,which was a load of B******S,So as I was always paying “top dollar” for my Derv it was only fair that it was delivered in the same polite and well mannered way the Oil Company expected payment(on the due date!) In the main the Shell & BP drivers were OK,although TEXACO drivers could be arrogant but I could bring them to earth with a bump by signing their notes"load refused,insolent bad mannered driver" twice this happened and both drivers went mad,said I couldn’t refuse the load! couldn’t I,well watch!! 10/15 mins later in both instances I had two very "crest fallen"drivers begging me to accept the load as if they had to return it to the terminal their “cards” would be waiting! Apparently the Shop Steward couldn’t defend misconduct like this on a customers premises! A quick call to the Sales office on each occaision secured me another 2ppl reduction and the load was delivered and a stroppy tanker driver had been taught a salutory lesson that he wouldn’t forget!!! I could carry on about our militant tanker bretheren but enough!!! Bewick.
hiya,
Dennis did a spot of tanker driving but other than the odd load of “cherry” only carried “polished water” from one power station to another power station on nights only ever had to take a sample to the chemist each trip, piece of cake but did’nt last long missed the tramping and the roping and sheeting, what you might call a glutton for punishment or that’s what other tanker drivers said i was some of the lads could’nt understand why i’d chucked such a cushy job,was single at the time so i could drive tidily dressed well there’s all sorts of things turn up on nights. always pleasant to anyone i had to deal with though ( polished water very pure water can only be carried in food grade tankers and purer than the stuff that flows from the tap in your home, but surely everybody knew that )
thanks harry long retired.
harry_gill:
Bewick:
v7victor:
Bewick:
Yes “H” it’s Dalton Square where the memorial is.As for St. Georges Quay,my pal Malcolm Woodhouse Snr,had is depot there for many years,just under the main line bridge on the right,Pine Garage.Cheers Dennis.Get the thinners out in The yard i delivered fuel to not good ,VIC .
The old yard on the Quay was part “setts” and otherwise hardcored so I don’t think there was a problem with drips on the floor! But if a “slapdash” tanker driver(and I’ve had one or two or three deliver to me!)spilt a dollop it might have got into the Lune estuary and then there would be trouble,wouldn’t there!! In my book,tanker drivers liked to think of themselves as “superior” to other drivers,which was a load of B******S,So as I was always paying “top dollar” for my Derv it was only fair that it was delivered in the same polite and well mannered way the Oil Company expected payment(on the due date!) In the main the Shell & BP drivers were OK,although TEXACO drivers could be arrogant but I could bring them to earth with a bump by signing their notes"load refused,insolent bad mannered driver" twice this happened and both drivers went mad,said I couldn’t refuse the load! couldn’t I,well watch!! 10/15 mins later in both instances I had two very "crest fallen"drivers begging me to accept the load as if they had to return it to the terminal their “cards” would be waiting! Apparently the Shop Steward couldn’t defend misconduct like this on a customers premises! A quick call to the Sales office on each occaision secured me another 2ppl reduction and the load was delivered and a stroppy tanker driver had been taught a salutory lesson that he wouldn’t forget!!! I could carry on about our militant tanker bretheren but enough!!! Bewick.
hiya,
Dennis did a spot of tanker driving but other than the odd load of “cherry” only carried “polished water” from one power station to another power station on nights only ever had to take a sample to the chemist each trip, piece of cake but did’nt last long missed the tramping and the roping and sheeting, what you might call a glutton for punishment or that’s what other tanker drivers said i was some of the lads could’nt understand why i’d chucked such a cushy job,was single at the time so i could drive tidily dressed well there’s all sorts of things turn up on nights. always pleasant to anyone i had to deal with though ( polished water very pure water can only be carried in food grade tankers and purer than the stuff that flows from the tap in your home, but surely everybody knew that )
thanks harry long retired.
Glutton for punishment I call it “H” but then the "call of the flesh pots " would have been too great for you to resist I suppose “H” Cheers Dennis.
No Harry we don’t want you in one of those, unless your only driving it. Here is a question, why was leylands named after creatures, ie Bison , Buffalo, Beaver,Octopus, my mind has gone blank now.
Hi Norm & Harry,
The Leyland Zoo — 1920’s
With the late 1920s came some legendary Leyland models which put the company at the forefront of bus and truck design, starting the “Leyland Zoo” with animal names for Leyland models such as the ‘Lion’, ‘Lioness’, ‘Llama’, ‘Leveret’, ‘Tiger’, ‘Terrier’, ‘Badger’, ‘Beaver’, ‘Bull’, ‘Bison’ and ‘Buffalo’ along with the non-animal ‘Leviathon’, ‘Titan’ and ‘Titanic’ which brought the company back to prosperity after the crisis of the early 1920s. Names such as these would be synonymous with Leyland for nearly sixty years until the T45 range swept them away.
Courtesy of wilkepedia.
Cheers Dave.
Well blow me down, I have never heard that mentioned before Dave, you learn something new every day.
Don’t get me wrong,Slapdash i was not, my idea of doing the job in hand was to do it right,but was allways asked at this drop if there was any chance of oil dropping from the engine , and was given a can of thinners and rags , just in case,no offence was intended .Vic.
Dennis, i think i proved my worth by staying with same company for 39 years , no room for slapdash in that time, or as you say i would of been out of a job.Did any of your drivers stay with you for this long?vic.
Hi Dennis here is the photo Dave is on about in the magazine.
Photos taken by Gyles Carpenter & Alan Barnes
Vic, I only went where they paid top dollar, last firm working for Carlsberg I was 22/23 years.
