Hi Paul, you have just reminded me of an exciting story that happened to me after I broke a spring hanger on my way from Greece to Brasov to load tractors, I shall have to write it down one day and stick it on here.
Here is a very old photo of your dad with Roy Kershaw and Ken and Ute Bates.
Paul, I don’t know if you ever met John Roberts but I think that your dad might of mentioned him. If he turns up at the funeral could you ask him if he could please contact me via Trucknet.
Regards Steve.
I met most of my dad’s mates and work colleagues… I post funeral service details soon…
Paul
mushroomman:
Hi Paul, you have just reminded me of an exciting story that happened to me after I broke a spring hanger on my way from Greece to Brasov to load tractors, I shall have to write it down one day and stick it on here…
I think your story of Stan and The Vomiting Vicar in Istanbul takes some beating Steve!! 
Ohh i just love that story 
how many times do things like that happend 
Reg Danne
A celebration of the life of Kenneth Corrigan"Corry" will be on the 1st May at 2pm at The Chapel, Blackely Cemetery, Victoria Avenue, Manchester M9 8JP. No flowers please and donations in Ken’s memory to Cancer Research. Please go to the Donate in Memory page on the website and search for Ken’s full name. Or follow this link donateinmemory.cancerresearchuk.org/0006040
You are all welcome to join us afterwards for refreshments at The Wilton Arms, Middleton, Manchester, M24 4RF, which is 1 mile from the cemetery. Directions will be given on the day. Thank you Sheila and family.
Hi Paul, thanks for that information, I obviously can’t make it to the Wilton Arms but I shall certainly be raising a tinnie or two to your dad. If Ken Singleton (Singo) and myself were ever at home on a Saturday we used to drive over and meet your dad in The Gardeners Arms on Greengate which used to be his local in the eighties. As you know this was not far from Crow Carriers yard and I remember meeting Brian O’Grady on a couple of occasions abroad and he would say that I saw Corries wagon parked on Hollinwood Avenue by the railway station, if he had a trailer on. Paul, I posted this about your dad somewhere on here about three years ago but it gives you an idea of what a quick thinking fellow he was, which you probably already know.
It was over thirty years ago when one of those jobs in transport crops up like they do now and again 
, can you deliver it today it should of been there yesterday. I think it was an oversize front end loader that was destined for somewhere in the Commie Block, possibly Budapest or Belgrade. 
It was such a rush job that the only low loader that was available on the day was one of those old four in line trailers which were notorious for having punctures. The only Dow driver who had been at home for a couple of days was Jimmy Walker (a.k.a. The Dormouse) and they asked Corrie whose motor was due an M.O.T. if he would double up with Jimmy and ship out a.s.a.p.
It was such a rush job that they didn’t even have time to apply for an abnormal load permit 
and not having one to transit West Germany could in the long run cost a fortune in fines, if you got caught. But Ken and Jimmy had thought it through and decided to cross into West Germany from Holland at Aachen (Nord) while it was still dark. They switched off the rotating beacons and took off the wide load signs just before the border. If they would of been measured up by the customs and parked up for not having an abnormal load permit they could drop the trailer and run down to the capital Bonn and apply for one. As luck would have it they must of got through the border O.K. and set off while it was still dark to run down to Frankfurt.
Jimmy told me that they arrived at Weiskirchen Services which was just past Frankfurt Airport as it was just getting light, they had decided by then not to push their luck and to park up for the day. They knew only too well that if they were caught doing such a misdemeanour in the Commie Block that the fine would only be a couple of Deutsch Marks or a couple of packets of cigarettes but trying to out smart the West German Polizie, well they really were taking a chance.
It was about 10 a.m. when Jimmy was coming back from the toilets after having a wash that he heard Corrie shouting to him across the car park. Come on Jimmy, hurry up shouted Corrie were are going now and with that he started up the engine. No sooner had Jimmy climbed in the cab than Ken was heading down the slip road of the service area on to the E5. Jimmy asked Ken if he thought that he was taking a risk but Ken said that he just seen a big American Army convey go past and if he could catch them up then they might be O.K. Fairly soon they did catch the convoy up but instead of sitting at the back of it Ken started overtaking it. He carried on until he came up to several tank transporters complete with their heavy armoured tanks and decided to squeeze in between two of them. Jimmy said that he thought that the driver of the transporter that Ken pulled in front of was probably swearing like a trooper at them but with all of the warning signs and the flashing beacons not even the West German Police were going to halt such a large American Army Convoy to ask why one of the trailers had a Townsen Thorenson G.B. sticker on it. They sat in the middle of that convoy all the way down to Regensburg which was about 300 kilometres away where it eventually turned off the autobahn. Ken pulled up at the next service area where they waited until in got dark before they made their way to the Czechoslovakian border.
Classic Corrigan.
R.I.P. Ken.
Fantastic story, not heard that one… The crafty bugger…
As you know, everyone is welcome to attend the Funeral, I’d love to chat to my dad’s pals…
Mushrooman can you PM me with your name, I’ll should know you… Paul
Hi Paul, I thought that you might remember me as I think that I sold you your first car, this white Ford Capri 1600 which by then had a black vinyl roof. I had it for a couple of years before upgrading it to a silver Capri 2 litre and to be honest I never had much trouble with it, apart from the day that your dad bought it.
If I remember correctly you and your dad came round to my sisters house in Middleton on the Saturday morning to pick up the car and the log book and to drop the money off. I was waiting for my brother in law to take me to the airport as I was going to have a weeks holiday in Spain and we were running a bit late. I had given your dad a lift to your house in Welbeck Drive on quite a few occasions and he always said that if ever I came to sell that Capri could I let him know as he would love to buy it for you, so when I did come to sell it I gave Ken the first shout.
I remember you and your dad turning up but after all these years I thought that your name was Steve for some reason or another. Anyway you and Ken had been gone for about fifteen minutes and we were just about to leave for the airport when the phone rang and I answered it. It was your dad and I will never forget the words that he said “HAVE YOU SOLD ME A LEMON” 
Apparently you had broken down about two miles from the house 
. I asked my nephew if he could go and help you out as I really did have to get to the airport and when I got back I think that he said that it was due to a broken spark plug. I hope that you had many happy memories in that car Paul like I did and the only reason that I can think of it breaking down when it did was that it was peed off because I had sold it. 
Regards Steve Crewe.
BFE 155S.
BFE 155S.
BFE155S.
bullitt:
Hello again Steve, hope you are well. Its good to see this thread revived again. The missus met up with Stans daughter a few months ago and mentioned this site and also about any photos that they may have of Stanleys travels back in the day. I would say “watch this space” but Im not sure if any thing new will materialise!
Maybe you can answer this question Steve, how far East did Stan go? Did he do Iraq / Jordan / Syria / Saudi etc or was he mainly back and forth to Turkey. The wife cant really remember specifically where he went, just that he was away a lot and for very long periods.
Keep the pics coming, I gotta get myself a pair of those budgie smugglers!!
Cheers mate and all the best, Rick.
Rick, can you please check your messages as I have sent you a P.M.
Stan Warmbold.
They say that every picture tells a story and Jimmy Walker who took this photo told me a few years ago about this one.
Jimmy had just taken his wife Dawn on a trip to Austria and as they pulled into the lanes in Zeebrugge docks Jimmy noticed Stan parked up waiting for the boat. After Jimmy had done his paperwork they walked over to Stan who was having a nap in the sun next to his trailer. Dawn has a great sense of humour so Jimmy said wake him up and ask him for a lift. Dawn had heard a lot about Stan over the years but she had never met him before and Jimmy loved to wind Stan up in a friendly kind of way but he never ever pushed him too far.
Jimmy said that the conversation went something like this.
Dawn: Hello are you going to England. Stan: Yes. Dawn: Can you give me a lift. Stan: No. Dawn: Why not. Stan: Because it’s company policy not to give hitch hikers lifts. Dawn: But you are an owner driver you can change the rules if you want to. (Stan must of been thinking how does she know it’s my own motor). Dawn: Go on give us a lift up to Manchester. (Stan must of been thinking how does she know that I am going up to Manchester). Stan: I can’t give you a lift I am a very happily married man. Dawn: You can drop me off on Briscoe Lane I can get a bus home from there. (Stan must of been thinking how does she know that I live near Briscoe Lane). Dawn: So you can’t give me a lift home then. Stan: No, I am sorry. Dawn: That’s O.K. there is another Dow Freight parked over there I bet that he will give me a lift home. With that Jimmy poked his head around the front of the cab and said have you met my misses Stan. Jimmy said that Stan burst out laughing and said that he thought that he was being set up but Jimmy could tell that Stan was not amused.
Stan and Dawn Walker At Zeebrugge.
Steve, yes I know you… I well remember the white Capri… I blew the engine on the motorway, replaced it with a scrap yard special… The girlfriend was not impressed with smoke bellowing from the bonnet lol [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]
My dad’s old yellow merc… He said if I don’t smoke he’ll get me a car… Well share I guess… I had to save for a year or so to pay for bodywork and pay the insurance… Great car though… I think then it was the black Land-rover, then your Capri?? Not sure… Some years ago… Grateful of the pictures and stories… I remember Stan very well… Dad liked him a lot… I think I was the most travelled kid in school, I spent most of my holidays with dad…
mushroomman:
I hope that you had many happy memories in that car Paul like I did
Cheers for the message MM, sent you a reply I too have many happy memories of fun in a Ford Capri
Errrmmmm, no comment my mum Sheila might read these threads… I am going to get her on line to read up…
What a great thread to be reading, it like as an outsider you are imposing on private chat.It must have been good to have had such camaraderie with all the drivers .fitters and office a very rare outfit.It reads like it was one of the old haulage firms been going years ,but was it old ,like Suttons or BOWKERS.
Of all the drivers,on DOW i only new one, if you were all like him you WOULD BE GOOD LADS.
Deckboypeggy … Who was the driver you knew?
MICKEY DUNSTON while on A.C.H.
Sorry don’t know that name
Hi D.B.P. Mickey Dunston was one the drivers who worked from the Swindon depo, cracking lad was our Mickey and a good friend I.I.R.C. of Ken Corrigan. Mickey was an ex Radclives driver along with Alex Christie, Dave Mayer, Colin Winslow, Sean Molby and a couple of other great lads whose names I have forgotten for the moment. Some of the old Dow drivers still keep in touch after 30 years and still have a reunion once or twice a year and some of us keep in touch by e-mail.
Moral as far as I can remember was very high, most of the drivers had each others telephone number so we knew roughly who was shipping out about the same time and if you arrived in Zeebrugge after 8 p.m. it would often be a case of parking up on the sea wall and having a ten hour break by which time at least another two boats would of docked and you may of met somebody else to run with. Mind you it wasn’t only Dow who did this we often meet up with Falcongate, Whittle’s, Duxbury’s and Hick’s drivers etc.
If we were home for the weekend and somebody was having a party then it was often a case of everybody was invited as there always was plenty of duty free booze on hand.
During one bank holiday when I was actually home one of the local pubs which the fitters used were trying to raise money for charity. The pub had a beer garden which was next to a river and they had asked local business to build and sponsor a raft for their Raft Regatta. The plans were drawn up allegedly by a Navel Architect and the fitters built it during their lunch hour. Unfortunately the fitters didn’t win the race but we had a good laugh throwing self raising flour bombs at them as they passed under the bridge, something that they weren’t expecting.
Here is The S.S. ■■■■ and some of the fitters with their wives.
In answer to your question Dow (I think) started in the early seventies and they finished in 1987, the bosses then started up R.& J. International who I think are still going today.
Paul, your dad never told me about you blowing up the engine on that Capri and I must of worked with him for at least another three years after I sold it to him/you.
I do remember the big yellow Mercedes, was it a diesel left hand drive
I remember him going away once and Roy Kershaw’s (a.k.a. Roy The Boy) wife had been taken into hospital and Roy had no wheels at the time so your dad very kindly said use my Merc while I am away. I can’t remember if it was at the hospital when the hand brake must of let it’s self off, run down a hill and hit a wall damaging the front end. Roy was gutted and took it to a mate of his who had a garage to fix it up before Ken got back from his trip.
When Ken did get back Roy explained what had happened and shown him the repairs. I think that Ken said as there was only two weeks tax left on the disc and it was due another M.O.T. which it would never of passed without spending a lot of money on it then he had already made his mind up that he was going to scrap it.
If you see Roy at the funeral on Friday ask him for the full details and please pass on my best regards to him.
Many thanks, Steve.