H Crabtree Ltd

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OLD TIME LORRIES, COMPANIES AND DRIVERS (INTERACT
1

Hi
Has anyone got any old photos or stories about high peak haulier H Crabtree.
I have worked for crabbies for over 30 years driving a variety of vehicles of various types and sizes.
These days i work in the warehouse, with my driving restricted to the occasional trip out at weekend but i long for the days of the late seventies and eighties and would love to wallow in nostalgia with any old pictures or stories from these times.
Thanks in anticipation.
dexydog

2

I heard Crabbies were one of the firms chosen by Foden to test out new engines for them before going into production is that right.
You can probably shed more light on this story, but was one of their 8 leggers once spotted late at night by one of the mechanics thinking it was working late, only to find out next morning it had been stolen. Then a long while afterwards another employee on holiday in Greece or Cyprus, spotted it running round still in Crabtree’s livery ?

Here is my favorite photo of Crabtree’s wagons, I just love this look of real British wagons on show.

And one from Bonkey Dollocks.

3

Nice photos Tipit,are they still going?
I remember seeing two ex Hanson Atki 8-wheelers running about near Paphos in Cyprus,sometime in the 90s,complete with original livery including name and address on the cabsides and one still had the old West Yorks number plate as well as the Cypriot. :laughing:

4

Hi Chris … Yes they only run curtainsiders though now I think, is that right dexydog, and is everything now DAF 's ?

5

heres that 2 stroke foden when new dexydog

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Took me long enough to find it, but here’s an S80 for you when it was a ‘brannie’.
(Also included a pic of an F reg too)

7

Brilliant pics once again BD.What got me with tipper companys from the 60s & 70s was they mostly all had greedy boards fitted why not have the body made that size in the first place :confused: :confused: .Both tipper firms I worked for during this time were the same Always bought new motors and then straight into the workshop to have boards made & fitted :unamused:

8

Thanks for that photo CtoC, bet you have seen it many a time when you were taking tea with crabby in the top office.
Them were the days.
Dexydog

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Thanks for the photo`s TIPIT.
I dont know if Crabbies ever tested any engines for Fodens,all i can remember are Gardeners and then later on rollers,but if anything was going free owd crabbie would have been there.
The story about the fitter waving at the stolen Eight legger is true, he was coming back from a breakdown and he waved and flashed his lights and the cheeky bleeders waved back, there was a story about somebody seeing it on holiday in malta, but if it is i do not know.
It was a pig of a wagon anyway, with a gardener engine and the gearbox was a 9 speed fuller with the top 4 gears the wrong way round , not enough gears for a gardener!!.
Thanks again
Dexydog

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NAY595W was the foden nicked, do you remember when i was on it when clive
was off sick, he sent word he would give me £50 if i smashed it up. when
crabbie found out he hit the roof. (never did have much sence of humour)
tea in top office was good untill he started hidding the choc bisc :frowning: :frowning:

11

Havent they got a few motors based in Calne (Wilts)? running out of a pvc factory - cant remember the name :blush:

12

coast to coast:
heres that 2 stroke foden when new dexydog

Don’t think it would take a lot to have that on it’s side with a high load on, they don’t come much shorter than that.

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A couple more lads. Sorry the resolution isn’t higher on these.

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Thanks for the pictures mate.
The S80 unit PRJ993R was a top motor in its day, 240 gardener foden box ect I had it for about three years thought i was the dogs ■■■■■■■■.(so did CtoC he used to drive it before he had a licence “dont ask”)
The one next to it GDJ 840V not so bad for its time either 290 roller 9 speed fuller ex demo with all mod cons.
There was not many firms running artics in the high peak in those days.
Dexydog

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could have been worse with old crabtree.

you could have worked for ken smith :smiley: i know. i did. worst job ever.

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Hi Suedehead.
In answer to your question,crabbies have a depot in Calne Wilts, they took a haulage company over a couple of years ago to create a base for a contract they do for a belgian company called Decueninck who manufacture pvc window profile.
The company they bought out was called M&J transport, but crabbies have operated vehicles from down there for about 10 years.
Cheers mate.
Dexydog

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BonkeyDollocks:
A couple more lads. Sorry the resolution isn’t higher on these.

good to see PRJ. GDJ. and will that be A924? dexydog.
i wonder if thers any photos around of the B series ERF i had FWH903Y
or your new FODEN G928YRF.
i remember having J382LCM new with trailer 9, being only about a
mounth old a letter was sent to the office quoting prices on some pictures
taken on the A1, and stating how good it would look on the office wall !
when i thought back to the date and were i had been i realised i had the wife
and westie dog with me in the cab, nither were allowed, the lady in the office(eileen) distroyed the letter,
i have wondered what the look would of been if ROY had paid X number of pounds for
his new ERF E14 and got ANGUS(the dog) looking back at him :question: :angry:

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Hey up C2C.
I have been looking at the pic F601and it has to be you driving.
This pictire of G928YRFis the only one i can find at the moment, it is parked outside the yard on a saturday morning waiting to load on the maiden voyage.
There is also a pic of SMA558H in new mills carnival . :unamused:
DD

19

do you think the picture was taken of G928 or that new lamp post that
had just been replaced dexydog :blush: :smiley: , and you will have to get that
white fiesta moved, you will never be able to back over the bridge with that there
saturday mornings, bet you can still hear ROY shouting and balling :smiley:

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Another one I’ve found.