Hauliers around the Ashton in Makerfield area

[cja1]

John West:
I subbed off Pritchett’s a fair bit in the early seventies.I had two yellow Mastiffs and brother Andy drove the other one. The business was run by a fearsome lady from the West London depot, whose name I can’t remember, but it wasn’t Pritchett. Her son ran the maintenance garage and I can remember his embarassment when a black lad who worked there called him ‘pinky’. Well he was wearing a pink shirt. I met him again when he became fleet engineer at Crescent/Sealand in Dammam. The night security guard was called Ted. Everyone called him ‘Fried Tucky’ Ted because of his resemblance to a certain Colonel Sanders. Ted would try and keep you talking late into the night for company if you were sleeping in the yard.

Bill Spragg was the boss at Ashton in Makerfield at the time. I didn’t have much to do with the warehousing side, except to load Cadbury’s chocolate sometimes. I understand that Pritchetts had stored oranges and chocolate next to each other and were a long time paying off the claim against them for orange flavoured chocolate.

My dad always amused Andy and me because he always called Bill Spragg ‘John Snagg’, after the wartime radio announcer. ‘That John Snagg’s been on the phone, can you call him back.’ No Dad, Bill Spragg! Now I annoy my daughter in the same way by getting names wrong or not remembering them. Such is life!

Bill had a Mercedes diesel which sounded like a tank. He also allegedly had an affair with his secretary and was allegedly dismissed for fiddling the warehouse contents. I wouldn’t know if either things were true.

I remember a total of four guys in the traffic office, but names are harder to remember. A big pleasant bloke, another lad with glasses, who left to join North West Freighters. Another guy who I think was called Fred and finally (I think) Arthur Wilson, who had been a driver. I thought Arthur had a Big J, Eddie? I was following him up the A702 when he jacknifed on black ice just before Biggar. I think he pulled his thumb out of joint on the spinning wheel. Arthur wouldn’t go on strike for higher pay when the other lads did, and was rewarded with the job in the traffic office. I have to say, there was no resentment from the drivers towards Andy and me, they knew I’d go bust if we didn’t carry on working.

There was a very pretty ■■■■■■■ reception, only about 17. Very naive. Arthur almost had her convinced that part of the job was to go to bed with the traffic manager.

I have an image of you in my mind Eddie, but it may be the wrong one. Did you have a couple of young children at the time? You need to find someone to scan the photos for you. Once they are digitalised, they’re pretty easy to upload here. I’m sorry, I don’t have a single photo from those days.

I think I would have to see photos to remember Bob Horrocks. I remember one of the lads who had a Foden - he’s the one who said ‘get thissen a Fodden lad’ to me, his would be an S40, with the comfortable seat with armrests. I think it had a ■■■■■■■ 220 in it? He also told me the tale of doing a flier home unit only on an earlier job, but forgetting that it was market day, and going for his unit at 7.00am to find it in the centre of the now erected stalls! Difficult phone call, end of job.

He had a memory of playing in the street where he lived as a kid. it was a steep hill with traffic lights at the top. fooling around with his friends, he fell into the road, right under the rear wheels of an eight wheeler, his pullover got caught and he was staring up at the tyre tread. He said he was lucky the driver was a professional and didn’t roll back slightly when he set off again. But I can’t remember his name!

Another lad had one of the Mercs. Again, can’t remember his name. He kept the Merc shining like new, was always smartly dressed and would f*** anything that moved. He wouldn’t swear though!

I’d forgotten the Ratcliffes, Barry. They also started building 40’ box vans which they leased to Pritchetts. One of them was constructed from 2 single axle 20’ vans, and looked very odd with old signwriting that of course didn’t match. I seem to remember it was christened ‘the Charlie Cairoli’ trailer.

Other local hauliers were NMT (they’re mentioned on a thread here somewhere) and a firm with red and white trucks who were unusual in that they had a fleet of tautliners which were rare at the time. I was friends with one of their drivers. He was quite ‘hippy’ like with very long hair. He was a chum of Roy Woods from the Move.

John

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Eddie Heaton:
0Apologies for the delay in my response Dennis, the Invincible was equipped with a Gardner 150. I think this particular vehicle had a ZF gearbox. Straight 6 obviously, no splitty [zb] back then. The 8 wheeled rigid had a David Brown box. Nothing between them in my opinion apart from the fact that the gear positions were in reverse. I’ve got another photo here of the same motor. This time the location is Brackley colliery. Just up the A6 from Little Hulton. This was taken when they were constructing the M61 motorway and Mc Alpine’s had their plant there. This would have been around about 1970. This was my motor, but the lad in the passenger seat was John Bennet and the other guy’s name was Derek Southworth. Isn’t it it strange that you can remember the the names of people that you barely knew almost 50 years ago and yet I couldn’t tell you what I did this morning. At the close of play, all I am is an ex wagon driver, and an inebriated one at that.

Cheers. Eddie.

Hi eddie Remember Spence Seddon? e Worked For Lippy. wer Once Sent for a Job we Pownalls From Dole Office towd um I wer avin Nowt do we that Kin lot loL"“”

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Eddie Heaton:
0This is the third time I’ve posted this photo on various threads. I think it’s an absolute beauty. It was based in Ashton in Makerfield and deserves to be seen on this thread in my view. I just wish it was parked in my back garden. Eddie.

When I Worked at NMT Kilbuck Lane we had a few Fodens had um Serviced at Warrington Comms Cheers Chris

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Eddie Heaton:
They all look as though they were taken at Kelbit’s at Edge Green to me Viking. Did you ever load out of there?

Hi Eddie remember Ellams From Down Edge Green Back o" Dam lone, Nr Kelbits?

[eddie_heaton]

Hiya Chris, here’s a photo taken in Liptrot’s yard off ■■■■ lane in Golborne. That’s Tom Liptrot on the right, wearing the solar panel and wielding the cutting gear. I’m pretty sure that’s Spence wearing the white shirt isn’t it? I don’t remember the fitter’s name, the lad in the centre, and I’m not sure of the year either, but if I said 1973, I don’t think I’d be that far off.

[cja1]

Eddie Heaton:
0Hiya Chris, here’s a photo taken in Liptrot’s yard off ■■■■ lane in Golborne. That’s Tom Liptrot on the right, wearing the solar panel and wielding the cutting gear. I’m pretty sure that’s Spence wearing the white shirt isn’t it? I don’t remember the fitter’s name, the lad in the centre, and I’m not sure of the year either, but if I said 1973, I don’t think I’d be that far off.

Hi Eddie aye does av a look of Spence? e wer a Big Lad, I used live just up rd from ther Yard, Spence Passed away a few yr ago now, when e worked we an owd mate o" mine at Asda Wigan? Grt Piccs by the way Eddie.

[eddie_heaton]

A few names here for you Chris, you may recognise one or two, as several of them lived not too far from the yard. I’m going back to 1968/9 here mind. Enoch Rathbone, Len Wilding, John and Harry Bennett, all these lads lived on the estate. Harry Bennett and his mate Jack, another one of Lippy’s drivers but I can’t recall his surname, he lived down Slag lane but died young, worked together on day work at Lancashire Tar Distillers at Cadishead and used to drink in the Red Lion. Another lad was Duncan Rasburn, he was a mate of Jack’s. His party piece was supping a pint, then eating the glass, this was when he wasn’t fire eating or pushing darning needles through his face. If you live in Golborne, you must have heard of Big Dunc. He was as mad as a [zb] wasp, but a decent lad at heart. Another character was a bloke from Daisy Hill by the the name of Don Dootson. His nickname was Kipper, after the wide ties that he used to wear at the time. He’s still around. I saw him going through Wigan a couple of years back in a 7 ton chassis/cab with a touring caravan bolted onto the chassis. Priceless. Another one of Lippy’s drivers going back to the late 60’s was a lad called Tommy. Again I’ve forgotten his surname. He used to live in Turton St. and he was known as the Coalite king. His wagon had unusually high sides and Lippy kept him constantly on the Coalite job, running out of Grimethorpe and Askern. There were many more, but these are the only names that I can remember at the moment.

Cheers. Eddie.

[cja1]

Eddie Heaton:
A few names here for you Chris, you may recognise one or two, as several of them lived not too far from the yard. I’m going back to 1968/9 here mind. Enoch Rathbone, Len Wilding, John and Harry Bennett, all these lads lived on the estate. Harry Bennett and his mate Jack, another one of Lippy’s drivers but I can’t recall his surname, he lived down Slag lane but died young, worked together on day work at Lancashire Tar Distillers at Cadishead and used to drink in the Red Lion. Another lad was Duncan Rasburn, he was a mate of Jack’s. His party piece was supping a pint, then eating the glass, this was when he wasn’t fire eating or pushing darning needles through his face. If you live in Golborne, you must have heard of Big Dunc. He was as mad as a [zb] wasp, but a decent lad at heart. Another character was a bloke from Daisy Hill by the the name of Don Dootson. His nickname was Kipper, after the wide ties that he used to wear at the time. He’s still around. I saw him going through Wigan a couple of years back in a 7 ton chassis/cab with a touring caravan bolted onto the chassis. Priceless. Another one of Lippy’s drivers going back to the late 60’s was a lad called Tommy. Again I’ve forgotten his surname. He used to live in Turton St. and he was known as the Coalite king. His wagon had unusually high sides and Lippy kept him constantly on the Coalite job, running out of Grimethorpe and Askern. There were many more, but these are the only names that I can remember at the moment.

Cheers. Eddie.

Hi Eddie, That Tommy Wer It Tommy Foster ? John [Tutty] Bennet aye e worked we Pete Kavanah On Gas Bottles Cant Remember Name ot" Firm but but I think they Double Manned Peter Lived Bottom of Derby Rd, Big Dunc Aye I Remember him, And Aw Them Names Rattle Grey Cells, Remember ad Bin In Hare n Hounds at Lowton Theer one neet, Went tut Chippy Late On Young Fella In Theer Givin Lip Big Dunc Lifts Slings him Out, E Did Live IIRC off Sawley Ave off Stonecross Lane for a Good While? a mate of mine Lived across Rd, Think e went off we a Drivers Wife, who Worked at Sankey Sugar at Time? Not Lived Aroun Golborne For a Long Time Eddie Prob around early 70s? Bumped Into John Bennett Prob around mid 90s e wer on for Stobart IIRC? Cheers Eddie Thas Rattled a few Grey Cells theer mate Cheers Chris.

[eddie_heaton]

Hiya Chris. No it wasn’t Tommy Foster, I just can’t remember his name. You’re right about John Bennett being on the gas bottles though. I met him on the northbound M5 near the exit for Worcester one time in the late 80’s. There’d been some kind of fender bender and both lanes were stationary. I got out and walked back down to his wagon to have a bit of a chat. He was on the Calor gas job then. I seem to remember they used to park the wagons on that farm in Slag lane. The last time I saw him was in Kellogg’s in Trafford Park, and as you say, he was driving for Stobart’s then.

I remember Big Dunc lost a 45 gallon drum of pyridine off the back of a TK Bedford flatbed one time near Culcheth. The drum didn’t rupture fortunately, just got a bit dented, so Dunc lifted it back onto the wagon and just carried on. Imagine trying to lift a 45 gallon drum full of liquid onto a flatbed without assistance. Lippy was away on holiday at the time, but the fitter who held a grudge against Dunc rang him up to tell him what had happened and Lippy sacked Duncan over the phone.

The last time I saw Dunc, he was operating a machine for some outfit in Leyland, working on a building site in Worsley Mesnes. I was on the concrete mixers for Pioneer at the time. It would have been around 1995. He told me he was living in Abram and frequented the Dover Lock. I kept meaning to go up there and have a pint with him but then I heard shortly afterwards that he’d died. Nice lad.

[cja1]

Eddie Heaton:
Hiya Chris. No it wasn’t Tommy Foster, I just can’t remember his name. You’re right about John Bennett being on the gas bottles though. I met him on the northbound M5 near the exit for Worcester one time in the late 80’s. There’d been some kind of fender bender and both lanes were stationary. I got out and walked back down to his wagon to have a bit of a chat. He was on the Calor gas job then. I seem to remember they used to park the wagons on that farm in Slag lane. The last time I saw him was in Kellogg’s in Trafford Park, and as you say, he was driving for Stobart’s then.

I remember Big Dunc lost a 45 gallon drum of pyridine off the back of a TK Bedford flatbed one time near Culcheth. The drum didn’t rupture fortunately, just got a bit dented, so Dunc lifted it back onto the wagon and just carried on. Imagine trying to lift a 45 gallon drum full of liquid onto a flatbed without assistance. Lippy was away on holiday at the time, but the fitter who held a grudge against Dunc rang him up to tell him what had happened and Lippy sacked Duncan over the phone.

The last time I saw Dunc, he was operating a machine for some outfit in Leyland, working on a building site in Worsley Mesnes. I was on the concrete mixers for Pioneer at the time. It would have been around 1995. He told me he was living in Abram and frequented the Dover Lock. I kept meaning to go up there and have a pint with him but then I heard shortly afterwards that he’d died. Nice lad.

Hi Eddie aye n Derek Southworth e wer bit o" Lad Didn"t e Bash his Leg up? n IIRC had a Fare bad limp after that? Amazing it is how just a few piccs n comments Eddie can evoke owd Memories eh? shame we didn"t take more piccs them days eh" lot owd Memms eh"? Chris.

[eddie_heaton]

I’d forgotten about Derek Southworth Chris, I remember him starting at Liptrot’s. It would have been in 1969, before the HGV licences came in. He’d worked for Lancashire County Council previously, but in what capacity I’m not sure, but I don’t think he’d been a driver, as Lippy sent me out with him on his first day. We ran down to Cronton colliery together in a couple of 8 legger Invincibles. I followed him through St. Helens and Sutton Manor and lost count of the number of times that he clipped the kerb or mounted the pavement. I don’t know what he did to his leg, but he had a limp all the time that I knew him, right from starting.

I think he lived somewhere down near Harben’s or the Sun Pat works or The Legh Arms, somewhere around that area. He kept the windscreen of his wagon spotlessly clean. So clean in fact, that it sometimes seemed like there was no glass in there.To be honest though, I tended to give Derek a wide berth, as he could be a bit loud at times, especially in transport cafés.

Another driver was called Smith, I think it may have been Dave. He ended up starting a scrapyard with his mate up near where Johnny Harrison’s chippy used to be, on is it Harvey lane, or Barn lane? I always get mixed up with those two.

One of the drivers that started there was a relative of Lippy’s I think. I never got to know his name as he only lasted a few days. Lippy sent me with him riding shotgun in a TK Bedford. This bloke wore bottle bottom glasses and was thicker than pigshit. I think we were heading for Shell at Carrington, and as we approached the roundabout in the middle of Urmston, I told him to take the exit to the right and the dozy ■■■■ only went the wrong way round the ■■■■■■■ roundabout. I think he ended up driving a bin wagon for the council.

[cja1]

Eddie Heaton:
I’d forgotten about Derek Southworth Chris, I remember him starting at Liptrot’s. It would have been in 1969, before the HGV licences came in. He’d worked for Lancashire County Council previously, but in what capacity I’m not sure, but I don’t think he’d been a driver, as Lippy sent me out with him on his first day. We ran down to Cronton colliery together in a couple of 8 legger Invincibles. I followed him through St. Helens and Sutton Manor and lost count of the number of times that he clipped the kerb or mounted the pavement. I don’t know what he did to his leg, but he had a limp all the time that I knew him, right from starting.

I think he lived somewhere down near Harben’s or the Sun Pat works or The Legh Arms, somewhere around that area. He kept the windscreen of his wagon spotlessly clean. So clean in fact, that it sometimes seemed like there was no glass in there.To be honest though, I tended to give Derek a wide berth, as he could be a bit loud at times, especially in transport cafés.

Another driver was called Smith, I think it may have been Dave. He ended up starting a scrapyard with his mate up near where Johnny Harrison’s chippy used to be, on is it Harvey lane, or Barn lane? I always get mixed up with those two.

One of the drivers that started there was a relative of Lippy’s I think. I never got to know his name as he only lasted a few days. Lippy sent me with him riding shotgun in a TK Bedford. This bloke wore bottle bottom glasses and was thicker than pigshit. I think we were heading for Shell at Carrington, and as we approached the roundabout in the middle of Urmston, I told him to take the exit to the right and the dozy [zb] only went the wrong way round the [zb] roundabout. I think he ended up driving a bin wagon for the council.

Hi Eddie aye thanks for info mate, Sure does rattle cells?? Aye Remember I went to a Benefit for Spence Seddon when e wer at the Asda, it came about when he wer poorly with Think it wer type o" Cancer IIRC it wer at Wigan Pier? Nice Lad, Jimmy Bond e wer on lorries round Golborne area think e did a bit for lippy? IIRC. I wer doin a bit at Wincanton Heinz Wigan, wen I Retired [Agency] Bumped into Jimmy.

[cja1]

John West:
I subbed off Pritchett’s a fair bit in the early seventies.I had two yellow Mastiffs and brother Andy drove the other one. The business was run by a fearsome lady from the West London depot, whose name I can’t remember, but it wasn’t Pritchett. Her son ran the maintenance garage and I can remember his embarassment when a black lad who worked there called him ‘pinky’. Well he was wearing a pink shirt. I met him again when he became fleet engineer at Crescent/Sealand in Dammam. The night security guard was called Ted. Everyone called him ‘Fried Tucky’ Ted because of his resemblance to a certain Colonel Sanders. Ted would try and keep you talking late into the night for company if you were sleeping in the yard.

Bill Spragg was the boss at Ashton in Makerfield at the time. I didn’t have much to do with the warehousing side, except to load Cadbury’s chocolate sometimes. I understand that Pritchetts had stored oranges and chocolate next to each other and were a long time paying off the claim against them for orange flavoured chocolate.

My dad always amused Andy and me because he always called Bill Spragg ‘John Snagg’, after the wartime radio announcer. ‘That John Snagg’s been on the phone, can you call him back.’ No Dad, Bill Spragg! Now I annoy my daughter in the same way by getting names wrong or not remembering them. Such is life!

Bill had a Mercedes diesel which sounded like a tank. He also allegedly had an affair with his secretary and was allegedly dismissed for fiddling the warehouse contents. I wouldn’t know if either things were true.

I remember a total of four guys in the traffic office, but names are harder to remember. A big pleasant bloke, another lad with glasses, who left to join North West Freighters. Another guy who I think was called Fred and finally (I think) Arthur Wilson, who had been a driver. I thought Arthur had a Big J, Eddie? I was following him up the A702 when he jacknifed on black ice just before Biggar. I think he pulled his thumb out of joint on the spinning wheel. Arthur wouldn’t go on strike for higher pay when the other lads did, and was rewarded with the job in the traffic office. I have to say, there was no resentment from the drivers towards Andy and me, they knew I’d go bust if we didn’t carry on working.

There was a very pretty ■■■■■■■ reception, only about 17. Very naive. Arthur almost had her convinced that part of the job was to go to bed with the traffic manager.

I have an image of you in my mind Eddie, but it may be the wrong one. Did you have a couple of young children at the time? You need to find someone to scan the photos for you. Once they are digitalised, they’re pretty easy to upload here. I’m sorry, I don’t have a single photo from those days.

I think I would have to see photos to remember Bob Horrocks. I remember one of the lads who had a Foden - he’s the one who said ‘get thissen a Fodden lad’ to me, his would be an S40, with the comfortable seat with armrests. I think it had a ■■■■■■■ 220 in it? He also told me the tale of doing a flier home unit only on an earlier job, but forgetting that it was market day, and going for his unit at 7.00am to find it in the centre of the now erected stalls! Difficult phone call, end of job.

He had a memory of playing in the street where he lived as a kid. it was a steep hill with traffic lights at the top. fooling around with his friends, he fell into the road, right under the rear wheels of an eight wheeler, his pullover got caught and he was staring up at the tyre tread. He said he was lucky the driver was a professional and didn’t roll back slightly when he set off again. But I can’t remember his name!

Another lad had one of the Mercs. Again, can’t remember his name. He kept the Merc shining like new, was always smartly dressed and would f*** anything that moved. He wouldn’t swear though!

I’d forgotten the Ratcliffes, Barry. They also started building 40’ box vans which they leased to Pritchetts. One of them was constructed from 2 single axle 20’ vans, and looked very odd with old signwriting that of course didn’t match. I seem to remember it was christened ‘the Charlie Cairoli’ trailer.

Other local hauliers were NMT (they’re mentioned on a thread here somewhere) and a firm with red and white trucks who were unusual in that they had a fleet of tautliners which were rare at the time. I was friends with one of their drivers. He was quite ‘hippy’ like with very long hair. He was a chum of Roy Woods from the Move.

John

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B Swindells B Wood n North West

[cja1]

Don’t Know what happened Theer LoL

[boatchaser]

Guys cast you minds back to when A & B Datsun was in Newton-Le -Willows , so as you came down the A49 from Warrington Red Bank is on your left over the railway bridge ( Main Line ) and the first A & B garage was on your left behind there was a firm called Sayers small warehouse. Dad some work for them when he was between jobs up to Fleetwood with a trailer for the boat or sometimes all the way to Belfast, Royal Blue with Gold writing on them can,t remember much more about them. I know its not Ashton but near. Just looked a Google map of Deakin Ind Est in Earlstown, Its gone I ran the old Bibby warehouse for Great Bear #14 next door was Jacobs Biscuit,s before I left to come to Canada

[john_west]

Question for you Eddie Heaton, or Barrywaddy or any other local. Hope DEANB doesn’t mind me reproducing Paul Gee’s picture here. (If it’s a problem I’ll remove it).

Were Bennett’s tautliners red? Had a sudden flashback that the long haired hippy type who I was friendly with worked for Bennett’s. Tautliners were very unusual then and I seem to remember that they had a fleet of them. Were they from Chorley and what work did they do?

John.

[eddie_heaton]

Hi John, you’re right about Bennett’s tautliners being red in colour. You’re also correct in stating that tautliners were somewhat rare back in the 70’s as it was mostly flats and dry vans back then wasn’t it?

Bennett’s yard was in Coppull, just a few miles from Chorley, next door to Dave Barron’s caravan and camping place. They’re both gone now of course.

Earlier in this thread I erroneously stated that I thought Bennett’s colours were red and black. This obviously wasn’t the case as witnessed by Paul Gee’s photo. It’s just that I ran up to Carlisle one night with one of their drivers, a lad of a similar age to myself, 25 or thereabouts, a lad with long hair and a beard, it may even have been your mate John, and I still have a mental image of a black and red S40 Foden with Bennet’s markings.

It may have been that it was an experimental livery change, or it could have been a subbies motor, or the most likely explanation may be that my head was up my backside. I can’t even remember where I might have been going to in Carlisle at night, unless it was Carr’s biscuits.

A friend of mine subbied for Bennett’s, back in the late 70’s I think it was. He reckons they kept him busy running in and out of Garston dock with a 20’ skellie, tipping and reloading Sealand containers. According to him, Bennett’s carried quite a lot of stuff for Schweppes, somewhere in Runcorn, as well as empty cans for another company in Runcorn.

He also claims that at one point, Bennett’s acquired and ran a shedload of Ford Transcontinentals. I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about, but strangely, I don’t seem to recall seeing them around.

That’s the best I can manage on the Bennett front unfortunately John, but now that you’ve brought the topic up, maybe someone else can fill in a few of the details.

All the best mate. Eddie.

[240_gardner]

Eddie Heaton:
Hi John, you’re right about Bennett’s tautliners being red in colour. You’re also correct in stating that tautliners were somewhat rare back in the 70’s as it was mostly flats and dry vans back then wasn’t it?

Bennett’s yard was in Coppull, just a few miles from Chorley, next door to Dave Barron’s caravan and camping place. They’re both gone now of course.

Earlier in this thread I erroneously stated that I thought Bennett’s colours were red and black. This obviously wasn’t the case as witnessed by Paul Gee’s photo. It’s just that I ran up to Carlisle one night with one of their drivers, a lad of a similar age to myself, 25 or thereabouts, a lad with long hair and a beard, it may even have been your mate John, and I still have a mental image of a black and red S40 Foden with Bennet’s markings.

It may have been that it was an experimental livery change, or it could have been a subbies motor, or the most likely explanation may be that my head was up my backside. I can’t even remember where I might have been going to in Carlisle at night, unless it was Carr’s biscuits.

A friend of mine subbied for Bennett’s, back in the late 70’s I think it was. He reckons they kept him busy running in and out of Garston dock with a 20’ skellie, tipping and reloading Sealand containers. According to him, Bennett’s carried quite a lot of stuff for Schweppes, somewhere in Runcorn, as well as empty cans for another company in Runcorn.

He also claims that at one point, Bennett’s acquired and ran a shedload of Ford Transcontinentals. I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about, but strangely, I don’t seem to recall seeing them around.

That’s the best I can manage on the Bennett front unfortunately John, but now that you’ve brought the topic up, maybe someone else can fill in a few of the details.

All the best mate. Eddie.

There was a feature on one of the comics about Bennetts’ Transcons, and I remember the bit about how they couldn’t get paint to stick to the grille! Maybe they were based in Thame, and not seen much in Coppull?

[big_ben]

Eddie Heaton:
Hi John, you’re right about Bennett’s tautliners being red in colour. You’re also correct in stating that tautliners were somewhat rare back in the 70’s as it was mostly flats and dry vans back then wasn’t it?

Bennett’s yard was in Coppull, just a few miles from Chorley, next door to Dave Barron’s caravan and camping place. They’re both gone now of course.

Earlier in this thread I erroneously stated that I thought Bennett’s colours were red and black. This obviously wasn’t the case as witnessed by Paul Gee’s photo. It’s just that I ran up to Carlisle one night with one of their drivers, a lad of a similar age to myself, 25 or thereabouts, a lad with long hair and a beard, it may even have been your mate John, and I still have a mental image of a black and red S40 Foden with Bennet’s markings.

It may have been that it was an experimental livery change, or it could have been a subbies motor, or the most likely explanation may be that my head was up my backside. I can’t even remember where I might have been going to in Carlisle at night, unless it was Carr’s biscuits.

A friend of mine subbied for Bennett’s, back in the late 70’s I think it was. He reckons they kept him busy running in and out of Garston dock with a 20’ skellie, tipping and reloading Sealand containers. According to him, Bennett’s carried quite a lot of stuff for Schweppes, somewhere in Runcorn, as well as empty cans for another company in Runcorn.

He also claims that at one point, Bennett’s acquired and ran a shedload of Ford Transcontinentals. I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about, but strangely, I don’t seem to recall seeing them around.

That’s the best I can manage on the Bennett front unfortunately John, but now that you’ve brought the topic up, maybe someone else can fill in a few of the details.

All the best mate. Eddie.

Hi Eddie. How are you. Ive just read your bit on Bennetts. There head office and yard was in Thame Oxfordshire. They ran Fodens, ERF, Volvo, Leyland Marathon and Tanscon, I subbed of them for a few years. They also owned Interoute which mainly done Portugal, They eventually sold out to a large tanker firm doing chemicals but that didn’t last long. They had a lot of blue chip contracts. The empty cans that we loaded from the Runcorn area were for Carlsberg at Northampton.

There contracts manager Mike Verran left there when they sold out and started on his own, he nw owns Verran Freight and runs out of The Chinnor area with a large mixed fleet.

Best Regards

Ben