We had a contract with Boots the Chemists,where everything had to be in a 36ft box van,this came down loaded,very light from Airdrie,and had to be loaded with empty stillages/trolleys IIRC,that the only time that I can remember in 8 years of running empty or at least very light,we also had contract with ICI Grangemouth,like you, sometimes we empty drums from Blackley ICI going up,but not that often,boy did they catch the wind.
We also did new ali cans from Alcan Liverpool,usually in tautliners,they were another great light load,but you usually paid for it on the return with a good 22/25 tons of rubber to Market Drayton!!!
Just remembered,we also had the Kodak contract to Wythenshawe,Manchester that was very light also,mainly empty plastic containers up,pictures down!another flying load! the day man was Teddy Hurst on Kodak and Boots.
Take it easy Dennis,I’ve run out of the tablets,
Rgds,
David
We can’t let the Big J thread die! I want to be on the site when someone finally puts an SOM Big J 8LXB pic up ! Don’t worry I’ll not be offened in the least by all the abuse that will be hurled at me from England. Scotland, Wales (possibly) and ,of course, France if Fergie is still being observant !!In the meantime you will have to put up with the Bewick/Mcguffie 8LXBs !!! Dennis.
While I’m on about powerful Guy Big Js We once had a plonker of a driver who had been instructed to run to Barrow and load at Bowater-Scott ! He only picks up a loaded one with the consecutive No.and runs through to Barrow with it ! He backs into the loading bay and opens the door! Oh dear I am a dozy t**t ! But this idiot swore blind he didn’t get any inkling that the trailer was loaded by the way the motor was going !! It would have had about 9 ton of tissue on so hows that for a good motor !!! (The Numpty) Bewick.
He should have found out whether it was empty or loaded at Lindale hill ! you could watch the tide come in at Morcombe bay going up there in a gardner powered big j
He should have found out whether it was empty or loaded at Lindale hill ! you could watch the tide come in at Morcombe bay going up there in a gardner powered big j
Hiya Trev I didn’t mention Lindale’cause not everyone will be familiar with the road but what do you think was the first thing we asked the dozy B*****d ? But he still would’nt have it and said it flew up Lindale !! Dennis.
I know a experianced driver who was told a trailer number then backed under it and pulled it from Leek to Avonmouth, only to open the
back doors to find 20 tons in the box. and that was with a Mandator.
John
3300John:
I know a experianced driver who was told a trailer number then backed under it and pulled it from Leek to Avonmouth, only to open the
back doors to find 20 tons in the box. and that was with a Mandator.
John
Yea John I’ve taken quick calls from drivers who had pulled the same trailer for 2/3 days and if I wasn’t in the traffic office at the time I would say what No. you got on and they would say Urrrrrr! so I would say back well hold the F*****g phone up so I can see for my self !!! Then I somtimes got a load of abuse back but I had proved my point !! Dennis.
Trailer numbers - well We had a driver who took 40177 to Tesco Harlow which was loaded for Middleton and the excuse was that he couldn’t find 40176 so he took the nearest number to it and another,which I managed to stop at the gatehouse,which was loaded with hanging pig for Ipswich and would have ended up at Asda Washington - they would have been well chuffed having to cure it and slice it first
He should have found out whether it was empty or loaded at Lindale hill ! you could watch the tide come in at Morcombe bay going up there in a gardner powered big j
Hiya Trev I didn’t mention Lindale’cause not everyone will be familiar with the road but what do you think was the first thing we asked the dozy B*****d ? But he still would’nt have it and said it flew up Lindale !! Dennis.
You could watch the tide come in and go out again in an AEC MK3 going up Lindale Dennis
He should have found out whether it was empty or loaded at Lindale hill ! you could watch the tide come in at Morcombe bay going up there in a gardner powered big j
Hiya Trev I didn’t mention Lindale’cause not everyone will be familiar with the road but what do you think was the first thing we asked the dozy B*****d ? But he still would’nt have it and said it flew up Lindale !! Dennis.
You could watch the tide come in and go out again in an AEC MK3 going up Lindale Dennis
As I have always maintained Chris it dosen’t matter how simple and straight forward you made it for some drivers they were always able to come up with a new 'un that had you speechless !! And I’ll hazzard a guess it will only have got worse over the years even with all the modern technology ! Cheers Dennis.
worked for smith of maddiston as a yard boy at st albans depot back in 1976 i grew up in the yard as my dad "big hughie or jock"was the forman and we lived in a firms house at the gate of the yard . s o m did run guy b js with the 240 gardner in them if my memory serves me right they were fleet numbers887 to930 running out of maddiston and glasgow on the night trunk these done a six night trunk and the moters never got cold. they would leave glasgow/maddiston sun night run to st albans a day man would take over tip and load in the london area take it back to st albans then the night man would punch it backj to scotland this was done 3 times a week .the 240 powerd bjs had a bigger grill at the frount stickin out about 4-6 inches and the back 2 pots stuck out the back of the cab the smiths ones had a 8 speed fuler box wiith a clutch brake on the gear lever the drivers all moaned about the guys but the 240s wre flying machines doing a true 70mph and pulled like trains
Never drove a detroit plumbers nightmare and I suspect from the comments
that some of the subscribers are just blowing smoke!! However I have driven
a 240 gardner powered atki for Waugh tranport of Newcastle (now sadly no longer
around) and without doubt for reliability, power, and fuel economy "the 240"in its day
was unbeatable. My regular tractor at that time was a 1418 lps and I remember on
several occasions getting a "helping push "up Castleside Bank by an atki 240 both
of us loaded to 32tons! .I will agree with the comments about how “cool running” they
were, I remember one driver running with a gas bottle burning under his seat
and even that froze up when he was travelling!! Where are you now STEVE
GOLDING? KEVMAC47
IF any one does come up with a photo of the 8LXB poking out the back of a Big J, please do not post it on here, without giving me an e-mail first. I’ll break the news to him gently.
Old Bewick has a dodgy heart, and the shock of seeing it will send him into a possible cardiac arrest. I’m still waiting for a cheque he promised me last year, don’t want him ■■■■■■■ out before I get it. !
I really wouldn’t want anyone feeling guilty at causing the loss one our most ardent and contributing members, well, not until I’ve recieved and banked the cheque !!
IF any one does come up with a photo of the 8LXB poking out the back of a Big J, please do not post it on here, without giving me an e-mail first. I’ll break the news to him gently.
Old Bewick has a dodgy heart, and the shock of seeing it will send him into shock, and possible cardiac arrest. I’m still waiting for a cheque he promised me last year, don’t want him ■■■■■■■ out before I get it. !
I really wouldn’t want anyone feeling guilty at causing the loss one our most ardent and contributing members, well, not until I’ve recieved and banked the cheque !!
Fergie,
I’ve heard its not the only thing thats dodgy about old Bewick,and dont drop that cheque,it’ll bounce all the way down the road!
IF any one does come up with a photo of the 8LXB poking out the back of a Big J, please do not post it on here, without giving me an e-mail first. I’ll break the news to him gently.
Old Bewick has a dodgy heart, and the shock of seeing it will send him into shock, and possible cardiac arrest. I’m still waiting for a cheque he promised me last year, don’t want him ■■■■■■■ out before I get it. !
I really wouldn’t want anyone feeling guilty at causing the loss one our most ardent and contributing members, well, not until I’ve recieved and banked the cheque !!
Fergie,
I’ve heard its not the only thing thats dodgy about old Bewick,and dont drop that cheque,it’ll bounce all the way down the road!
and another,which I managed to stop at the gatehouse,which was loaded with hanging pig for Ipswich and would have ended up at Asda Washington - they would have been well chuffed having to cure it and slice it first 
.