Mr. Forsters midi artic` , photographed at Blackpool Steam Rally , autumn 2015.
Cheers , cattle wagon man.
P.S. Sorry its at wrong angle . Scanner/printer having a bad hair day` .
.
Hi, Folks are Millicans still going ? , Cheers Barry
No they gave up a few years ago, due to the directors reaching retirement, the company was integrated into John Millar Transport as far as I know.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
![garner[docks].jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/trucknetuk/original/3X/4/8/48dea121a1a3001846e535cac6d4a75c8768a867.jpeg)
Hi, L 600 , thanks for that i used to see them every where ,all our local docks loading timber ,steel ferterliser ,you name it , Cheers Barry
hodgeturbo:
MNG Silloth Dock
Hiya,
Many years during a dispute at Preston dock Silloth dock was brought into use to
handle Irish traffic I myself when working for Jos Walsh of Darwen delivered a
Lancashire flat with a track laying machine they wouldn’t take it off unless I left
my securing chains in-situ after phone calls back n forth between Mr Walsh and
the shippers Joe seemingly sold my three sets of chains and tensioners to them
because my load being too bulky was destined for deck cargo unsuitable to go
below decks, and I still got a bollocking off Joe for entering the dock with the
chains on the load and what a bleedin’ job I had getting replacements tight sod.
thanks harry, long retired.
PS isn’t it marvellous how rubbish remains in your memory. 
Hi Harry, The Irish ferry traffic through Silloth was about 1968, I was running a Mickey Mouse cabbed Foden 8 wheeler at the time and worked on the job daily for about a fortnight, no twistlocks then just ropes or chains to secure curved roof containers and Lancashire flats. I remember taking a load over to the North East on a flat then loading back from a factory at Cramlington with huge air conditioning cabinets which I believe were to go on the roof of a block of flats in Belfast. They were not ready when I got to the factory, the management were panicking as the load was booked onto the boat from Silloth the next day. I ended up with a large screwdriver in my hand helping to fit and bolt up the cabinet access doors leaving Cramlington about 9pm that night. for delivery next morning. The load was not sheeted, I cannot remember how it was secured to the flat with my ropes I guess so I must have removed them when the flat was lifted off, there was no way that I was going to donate them to IFF.
Happy days, I made a bob or two that week.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
harry_gill:
hodgeturbo:
MNG Silloth DockHiya,
Many years during a dispute at Preston dock Silloth dock was brought into use to
handle Irish traffic I myself when working for Jos Walsh of Darwen delivered a
Lancashire flat with a track laying machine they wouldn’t take it off unless I left
my securing chains in-situ after phone calls back n forth between Mr Walsh and
the shippers Joe seemingly sold my three sets of chains and tensioners to them
because my load being too bulky was destined for deck cargo unsuitable to go
below decks, and I still got a bollocking off Joe for entering the dock with the
chains on the load and what a bleedin’ job I had getting replacements tight sod.
thanks harry, long retired.PS isn’t it marvellous how rubbish remains in your memory.
Hi
I used to work for Seawheel Preston and remember the Siloth diversion well - coming off the M6 north Penrith for Wigston - the truck used to get stuck on a steep hill and required assistance in a pull up - we used yo give work to Walsh’s Darwen remember the yard well
Ken b
Kenb:
harry_gill:
hodgeturbo:
MNG Silloth DockHiya,
Many years during a dispute at Preston dock Silloth dock was brought into use to
handle Irish traffic I myself when working for Jos Walsh of Darwen delivered a
Lancashire flat with a track laying machine they wouldn’t take it off unless I left
my securing chains in-situ after phone calls back n forth between Mr Walsh and
the shippers Joe seemingly sold my three sets of chains and tensioners to them
because my load being too bulky was destined for deck cargo unsuitable to go
below decks, and I still got a bollocking off Joe for entering the dock with the
chains on the load and what a bleedin’ job I had getting replacements tight sod.
thanks harry, long retired.PS isn’t it marvellous how rubbish remains in your memory.
Hi
I used to work for Seawheel Preston and remember the Siloth diversion well - coming off the M6 north Penrith for Wigston - the truck used to get stuck on a steep hill and required assistance in a pull up - we used yo give work to Walsh’s Darwen remember the yard well
Ken b
Hiya,
Aye Ken, the “tracklayers” were a bit on the heavy side so instructed to go via
Carlisle, I had in those days an elderly aunt who lived at Aspatria where a cup
of tea and a full English was always the order of the day and on one occasion
when the order of the day was “load and proceed” my time up “conveniently”
was at Aspatria marvellous how those old logbooks got you where you wanted
to be and a wonderful meal, plus bed and breakfast Oh’ and a nice lie in, I had
to scrounge a car park ticket though to get the full expenses.
thanks harry, long retired.
It might have been but it wasn’t always
Hi Kenb, Yes Doctors Brow at Sebergham used to catch out all the strangers on the B5305 and it still does frequently, they think that taking a run at the hill will get them up but the gradient changes so rapidly that there is not time to change down through the gears anyone attempting this usually ends up jacknifed on the hill or worse. There is a sign which advise Engage Low Gear Now which should not be ignored. I found out the hard way about 53 years ago late one night returning home from Selby with a superfast Leyland Comet and 10 ton of cattle cake, young and daft I thought the same however it taught me a lesson and have never ever attempted such a manoevre again. I would have got the sack if my boss had found out as we were instructed to go round by Welton along the riverside, narrow but no severe gradients. I have lost count of the number of cars & caravans that I have towed up on Bank Holiday Friday nights as happy holidaymakers headed for Silloth. Everyone learns a lesson at sometime or other. My S21 cabbed Foden with 12 speed box would climb the steep part in one and a half minutes in second low with 15 ton on its back and a 6LW Gardner for power, certainly not worthe the hassle of taking a run at it and failing. By the way did you have a Sat Nav back then,? Wigston is in Leicestershire. !! Its Wigton you need be through known as “The Throstles Nest” and a grand laal toon.
Cheers, Leyland 600
