night shift bri:
Here’s some pics I took a couple of years ago when the roadworks beside the Quernhow started and they were starting to flatten some of the “scenery”.432ge101.jpg[/attachment]1
Hope these are of some interest.
3rd pic down, what was the story with all those trains standing there, I went in to that plant hire place next to them a good 10 years ago, and asked the guy if I could take off and buy one of the train horns off him, he told me they weren,t his, and that they belonged to an eccentric Dentist or was he winding me up ?
Hi Dennis , this story applies to the old A6 or at least in 1962 the new Lancaster By Pass. I was heading for Banbury late one warm but muggy Friday night about 11-0pm in a mouth organ fronted Leyland Comet with three decks of sheep and had just turned onto the Lancs By Pass (M6 slip road beside Carnforth Truck Stop these days) Dragging slowly up the incline at about 28 mph a white Triumph TR 2or 3 cop car pulls alongside me passing slowly then pulls onto the hard shoulder giving no indication that I should stop so I kept going, sure enough he was out and came alongside again this time bawling over the Tannoy “RAO ■■ please pull in” he also illuminated the large box
fitted to the back POLICE STOP. I duly stopped he jumped out bristling pulling on white gloves already had a white cap cover on. Cop, “Why haven,t you got a sheet on that top deck ?” Me, “Why” ? Cop, “Because the weather is inclement” Me, “What do you mean ?” Cop, “Its raining” There was a slight drizzle. Me, " So what, these are fell sheep they don,t need top coats on" Cop, “Have you got a sheet” Me, “Yes its here on the bonnet” I carried a narrow drip sheet to cover the top deck when backloading with straw. Cop “You will have to put it on” Me “No way pal do you want them all to smother” Cop “Eh” I explained what would happen especially when the sun came out in the morning but he still insisted to which I replied that he would have to give me a written statement that he would take full responsibility for any fatalities which made him think a little. Cop, " How many sheep you got up there anyway ?" Me " I dunno there are 136 in total on the load so about a third of that number aboot 45" Cop “I will get up and count them” Me “Good idea” He then put his white gloved hand into the container ventilation slot “Oh SxxT” quoth he as he looked at his once nice white glove I will take your word for it. I offered to put the sheet on as he requeste but was not allowed to there as “this is the Motorway you will have to put it on when you get back onto the A6 at Forton” "No way I said so he gave me a producer for licence etc agd drove off. My home station cops fell about laughing when I went in to produce my licence etc and called him all the silly buxxxrs under the sun. Happy Days, Leyland 600
About 1970 I was driving an ex AEC Mammoth Major MK5 AYH 701H,that had been converted to a twin steer unit pulling a 6600 gall trailer loaded with cyclohexane for Immingham Storage.I was “invited” into a lay-by on the old A18 opposite Marshall’s garage top side of Scunthorpe.After perusing log sheet,road tax,ops licence,tank labels,delivery note the Ministry feller said his mate the spanner man was going under the trailer.Next thing I heard this tapping and banging so was out of the cab like a shot asking if the hammer being used was non-ferrous.when asked why I explained that there was always the risk of a vapour leak and there could possibly be a flash back as the vapour ignited from a spark.He told his mate to stop doing it,but not content with that proceeded to measure the full rig “I reckon you are overlength” he says.He was right too,by two and a half inches. To say he was chuffed would be an understatement,gave me a delayed GV9,told me to get it tipped and
back to Sheffield depot empty so things could be made legal.
He weren’t amused when I said it might shrink in the rain,as it had just started doing so,so I was away like a slow bat out of hell.
Anybody know if any film/photo exists of the Great North Rd/A1 from Doncaster north,Redhouse,Robin Hoods Well,Wentbridge etc, does anybody remember the old road before it was re-routed widened ?
Watch this space, I happen to know there is a book being written on the subject as we speak.
And for that matter if any of you would like to write a few lines of your experiences on the Great North Road and pass them on to me, any photos too, then you never know the guy might use them.
truckmodeller(at)talktalk(dot)net
Was wondering about that remember the A1 GNR going through Felton & that nice little hill & bend at the bottom then the nice little hill up sorry dont have any pics but it all bypassed now
Chris Webb:
About 1970 I was driving an ex AEC Mammoth Major MK5 AYH 701H,that had been converted to a twin steer unit pulling a 6600 gall trailer loaded with cyclohexane for Immingham Storage.I was “invited” into a lay-by on the old A18 opposite Marshall’s garage top side of Scunthorpe.After perusing log sheet,road tax,ops licence,tank labels,delivery note the Ministry feller said his mate the spanner man was going under the trailer.Next thing I heard this tapping and banging so was out of the cab like a shot asking if the hammer being used was non-ferrous.when asked why I explained that there was always the risk of a vapour leak and there could possibly be a flash back as the vapour ignited from a spark.He told his mate to stop doing it,but not content with that proceeded to measure the full rig “I reckon you are overlength” he says.He was right too,by two and a half inches. To say he was chuffed would be an understatement,gave me a delayed GV9,told me to get it tipped and
back to Sheffield depot empty so things could be made legal.
He weren’t amused when I said it might shrink in the rain,as it had just started doing so,so I was away like a slow bat out of hell.
Hi Chris
Cyclohexane that was the Chemical that caused the Flixborough Disaster in 1974 wasnt it, dangerous stuff,used to carry it from Grangemouth to ICI in Stevenson in Ayrshire when i was with Hemphills.
This is a photo from the bad winter of 1979 when these trucks failed to get home & only a few miles to go.W H Williams was everywhere. A1 passing through the village of Chilton near Ferryhill, years before it was bypassed. The Great North Road half way between Durham and Darlington
brothertonmick:
Brotherton fox viewed from old great north road.
I was going to say that it was a pity we can’t see the number of that Econofreight Atki because it could have been me with mine.
But it couldn’t, that is a Stockton motor, all the Leicester ones when I was there were sleepers.
However it is clear enough to illustrate Tom Llewellyn’s passion for not advertising anything he wasn’t paid to. The rad of that Atki is completely devoid of lettering and badges of any kind. Even the word ‘Atkinson’ is missing.
He didn’t like mirror rags either. Never mind that they were the most effective way of keeping them clean in mucky weather I was slated for making mine look like a ‘gypsy wagon’.
fantastic colour there pal. You can usually come up with some gems, i’m thinking back to the octopus fire one you put on. Makes you wondr about all the old cine stuff must be lying about doing nothing shame really.
We managed to ID most of the shots. Actually you aren’t on the Great North Road until about a minute in being as the first few frames are taken on Baker Street and then on the Barnet bypass which is the A1 but not the GNR.
I noticed the casual parking of a car in some early shots,then realised it was the same car,probably the car of the photographer who had just pulled up where ever he thought was a good spot for filming.
Those were the days!
toot-toot:
fantastic colour there pal. You can usually come up with some gems, i’m thinking back to the octopus fire one you put on. Makes you wondr about all the old cine stuff must be lying about doing nothing shame really.
thanks toot !!!.i love them,hardley any traffic on the roads no motorways brilliant
I wonder if it was filmed on a weekend as there was very little heavy stuff on the then “main road” in the UK? But great all the same,those were the days!!! Bewick.
or was he winding me up 
?
shame really.