remember tommy well and if i remember he had a big j at one time fitted with a perkins v 8 with a just abot walk through cab never seen one since
bogieman:
remember tommy well and if i remember he had a big j at one time fitted with a perkins v 8 with a just abot walk through cab never seen one since
hi boogie man will fone him and ask him later about the perkins he retired a couple of years ago at aged 70 can i ask you name and will ask him if he remembers you but take it as read that this vehicle DID exist i remember going in the truck with him for a shift as a birthday treat and watching all the other truckers shake thier heads in disbelief as we sailed passed them all lol he left after the last strike in 1979 and went to work for tommy ash recovery for a few years
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visit
If you can manage to get a photo of ND888 you will be awarded “Top man on the site medal” !! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visitIf you can manage to get a photo of ND888 you will be awarded “Top man on the site medal” !! Cheers Bewick.
hi berwick will get those albums dug out i know he has some photos ■■■■ not sure if ND888 is amongst them i have been picking his brains on his 5o odd years in the transport industry so will post his memories on tthe smith off maddiston thread he has lots to tell lol i have been tryingto get him to get on line but he is not so keen i have let him read some of he postings on here and you can see his face light up asthe memories come flooding back
will post piccys ASAP
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visit
Well done ND,I also drove a 240 Guy for SoM ,Manchester Depot,however there are some on this site,No names ,no pack drill Bewick]thought I was away with the fairies,I might be anyway,but thanks for yet another confirmation that they DID exist!!!
Rgds,
David 
5thwheel:
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visitWell done ND,I also drove a 240 Guy for SoM ,Manchester Depot,however there are some on this site,No names ,no pack drill Bewick]thought I was away with the fairies,I might be anyway,but thanks for yet another confirmation that they DID exist!!!
Rgds,
David
your welcome 5th wheel i will endevour to find a piccy but if my dad says it existed then it did lol regards john doyle
5thwheel:
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visitWell done ND,I also drove a 240 Guy for SoM ,Manchester Depot,however there are some on this site,No names ,no pack drill Bewick]thought I was away with the fairies,I might be anyway,but thanks for yet another confirmation that they DID exist!!!
Rgds,
David
Whose brought the Fairies on to the site ? I bet there was none of them driving 8LXBs at SOM ( maybe an odd one or two in the traffic offices !! ) I hope you are not riding on the wrong bus 5th wheel !!! cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
5thwheel:
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visitWell done ND,I also drove a 240 Guy for SoM ,Manchester Depot,however there are some on this site,No names ,no pack drill Bewick]thought I was away with the fairies,I might be anyway,but thanks for yet another confirmation that they DID exist!!!
Rgds,
David
Whose brought the Fairies on to the site ? I bet there was none of them driving 8LXBs at SOM ( maybe an odd one or two in the traffic offices !! ) I hope you are not riding on the wrong bus 5th wheel !!! cheers Bewick.
funny you should mention bus berwick im a coach driver hop on and we can take a wee ride over to me dads and you can hear it from the horses mouth lol as soon as i put the question to him he could tell me fleet numbers reg numbersof all the bigj 240 gardners in the fleet and who drove them
regards john doyle
ND888 BIGJ:
Bewick:
5thwheel:
ND888 BIGJ:
hi folks been trying to register on here for months now i can bring you all the good news , my dad Tommy Doyle worked for smith of maddiston in the 60s and 70s and he drove a big j with a 8LXB fleet number ND888 and reg number NWS 657 M the radiator grill dtuck out and was made from mesh and not slatts like the other big js he tells me it stuck out the back as well the cab sat a good 6 inches higher than a standard big j he recons this waggon done 74mph on the flat and nowt could catch it on his nightly runs down to st albans and back to london rd the next night if anyone wants any more info please let me know im not sure if he has any pictures of ND888 but will ask next time im over for a visitWell done ND,I also drove a 240 Guy for SoM ,Manchester Depot,however there are some on this site,No names ,no pack drill Bewick]thought I was away with the fairies,I might be anyway,but thanks for yet another confirmation that they DID exist!!!
Rgds,
David
Whose brought the Fairies on to the site ? I bet there was none of them driving 8LXBs at SOM ( maybe an odd one or two in the traffic offices !! ) I hope you are not riding on the wrong bus 5th wheel !!! cheers Bewick.
funny you should mention bus berwick im a coach driver hop on and we can take a wee ride over to me dads and you can hear it from the horses mouth lol as soon as i put the question to him he could tell me fleet numbers reg numbersof all the bigj 240 gardners in the fleet and who drove them
regards john doyle
Yea John I know the feeling I can remember what happened 40 years ago clear as a bell but can’t remember a thing from yesterday .Cheers Bewick.
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
Alex
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
Alex
Now here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Bewick:
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
AlexNow here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Hi Dennis,
I remember seeing those Big J’s in the 70’s thaught they wnt well,no wonder if they had a straight eight moter.
Cheers Dave.
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
AlexNow here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Hi Dennis,
I remember seeing those Big J’s in the 70’s thaught they wnt well,no wonder if they had a straight eight moter.
Cheers Dave.
Thanks Dave for confirming the fact ! Two of them came from your part of the country ( well nearly ) Shropshire Reg. nos.PAW480M & OHA *** M the third one we bought new PEC318P ? They could catch pidgeons so thats how you would remember them one one sailed past you !!Cheers for that mate. Dennis.
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
AlexNow here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Hi Dennis,
I remember seeing those Big J’s in the 70’s thaught they wnt well,no wonder if they had a straight eight moter.
Cheers Dave.Thanks Dave for confirming the fact ! Two of them came from your part of the country ( well nearly ) Shropshire Reg. nos.PAW480M & OHA *** M the third one we bought new PEC318P ? They could catch pidgeons so thats how you would remember them one one sailed past you !!Cheers for that mate. Dennis.
It was the Shropshire reg that I remember,as I live just 7 miles from the Shropshire border,it used to fly down the M6 around the Brum area,it’s a wonder you didn’t have the smokies after the driver.
Cheers Dave.
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
AlexNow here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Hi Dennis,
I remember seeing those Big J’s in the 70’s thaught they wnt well,no wonder if they had a straight eight moter.
Cheers Dave.Thanks Dave for confirming the fact ! Two of them came from your part of the country ( well nearly ) Shropshire Reg. nos.PAW480M & OHA *** M the third one we bought new PEC318P ? They could catch pidgeons so thats how you would remember them one one sailed past you !!Cheers for that mate. Dennis.
It was the Shropshire reg that I remember,as I live just 7 miles from the Shropshire border,it used to fly down the M6 around the Brum area,it’s a wonder you didn’t have the smokies after the driver.
Cheers Dave.
Hiya Dave our drivers used to stay at the Sunset Cafe at Penkridge so I am suprised no one round there ever got a shot of one of the Guy’s !!! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
AlexNow here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Hi Dennis,
I remember seeing those Big J’s in the 70’s thaught they wnt well,no wonder if they had a straight eight moter.
Cheers Dave.Thanks Dave for confirming the fact ! Two of them came from your part of the country ( well nearly ) Shropshire Reg. nos.PAW480M & OHA *** M the third one we bought new PEC318P ? They could catch pidgeons so thats how you would remember them one one sailed past you !!Cheers for that mate. Dennis.
It was the Shropshire reg that I remember,as I live just 7 miles from the Shropshire border,it used to fly down the M6 around the Brum area,it’s a wonder you didn’t have the smokies after the driver.
Cheers Dave.Hiya Dave our drivers used to stay at the Sunset Cafe at Penkridge so I am suprised no one round there ever got a shot of one of the Guy’s !!! Cheers Dennis.
I expect they never had camera’s in those days Dennis,you probably wouldn’t have got a pic,as they would only be parked after dark.
Cheers Dave.
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
alexsaville:
Young Mr Doyle!
If you can get bogieman to tell you his name, I’ll send you a bar of chocolate!
I’ve been trying for weeks and he’s become very shy!
Which strikes me as very odd!
AlexNow here’s one to set the cat among the pidgeons I’ve heard enough of these phantom 8LXB Big Js So here’s a shot of the three 8LXBs Bewick ran pictured in the yard at Milnthorpe hiding behind two rows of Atky’s !
Hi Dennis,
I remember seeing those Big J’s in the 70’s thaught they wnt well,no wonder if they had a straight eight moter.
Cheers Dave.Thanks Dave for confirming the fact ! Two of them came from your part of the country ( well nearly ) Shropshire Reg. nos.PAW480M & OHA *** M the third one we bought new PEC318P ? They could catch pidgeons so thats how you would remember them one one sailed past you !!Cheers for that mate. Dennis.
It was the Shropshire reg that I remember,as I live just 7 miles from the Shropshire border,it used to fly down the M6 around the Brum area,it’s a wonder you didn’t have the smokies after the driver.
Cheers Dave.Hiya Dave our drivers used to stay at the Sunset Cafe at Penkridge so I am suprised no one round there ever got a shot of one of the Guy’s !!! Cheers Dennis.
I expect they never had camera’s in those days Dennis,you probably wouldn’t have got a pic,as they would only be parked after dark.
Cheers Dave.
There was no cctv in those days Dave ! Dennis.
I used to park a Big J on the Sunset every night and I haven’t got a photo of that one either, got payed a night out there and walked across the road to my house ! 
Trev_H:
I used to park a Big J on the Sunset every night and I haven’t got a photo of that one either, got payed a night out there and walked across the road to my house !
What engine did it have Trev,was it one of those 240 eight cylinder gardners 
.
Cheers Dave.
This is Dennis.