lawrence2765:
0Life after Henley Transport.
This ERF unit powered by 265 Gardner engine went to a haulier up in the Leicester area.
CKN 400Y was based at Paddock Wood and used on trunking duties with out Rochdale depot where it would change over with an identical unit each night CKN 410Y.
It always seems strange seeing the ex Henley vehicles without the traditional Henley bull bar that so many others copied.
I always thought of them as ‘nudge bars’ rather than ‘bull bars’: a tradition amongst English hauliers that goes back decades
lawrence2765:
0Life after Henley Transport.
This ERF unit powered by 265 Gardner engine went to a haulier up in the Leicester area.
CKN 400Y was based at Paddock Wood and used on trunking duties with out Rochdale depot where it would change over with an identical unit each night CKN 410Y.
It always seems strange seeing the ex Henley vehicles without the traditional Henley bull bar that so many others copied.
I always thought of them as ‘nudge bars’ rather than ‘bull bars’: a tradition amongst English hauliers that goes back decades
Bull bar nudge bar a figure of speech.
We always referred to them as bull bars on Henleys there were purely cosmetic.
A lot of other companies always referred to us having bull bars as along with our colour scheme it was what people remembered the company for.
lawrence2765:
0Life after Henley Transport.
This ERF unit powered by 265 Gardner engine went to a haulier up in the Leicester area.
CKN 400Y was based at Paddock Wood and used on trunking duties with out Rochdale depot where it would change over with an identical unit each night CKN 410Y.
It always seems strange seeing the ex Henley vehicles without the traditional Henley bull bar that so many others copied.
I always thought of them as ‘nudge bars’ rather than ‘bull bars’: a tradition amongst English hauliers that goes back decades
Bull bar nudge bar a figure of speech.
We always referred to them as bull bars on Henleys there were purely cosmetic.
A lot of other companies always referred to us having bull bars as along with our colour scheme it was what people remembered the company for.
True! And as soon as you took your cosmetic bull-bar on Middle-East work, it magically became a camel-bar! Roo-bars in Oz were of course functional, like nudge-bars
Firstly, thank you for letting me join. I came across this forum by accident. I was out walking in Hawkhurst in Kent a couple of weeks ago and came across a Henley lorry JSU 177 awaiting restoration. My dad Gordon (Sooty) Taylor worked for Henley’s for many years and thought I’d see if there was any information, history and photos of the company. I was pleased to come across this forum. I remember going to Spelmonden with him. I remember the fruit lorries and going out in his lorry with him. I remember the clocking in and out cards. Some of the names mentioned in the posts I had long forgotten but bought back memories as well. I wonder if any of you remember Mervin Genery. He worked for Henley’s I believe for a while. Dad and he became good friends. I was pleased to read some of the comments regarding Dad. Dad’s funeral was a happy occasion and raised a few chuckles especially about stock disappearing. I had quite a good chat with Jack Henley after the funeral. ‘A likeable rogue’ was how he described Dad. He claimed to know about Dad’s dealings and turned a blind eye so long as Dad didn’t go too far. I do have a photo of Dad in front of his lorry. Unfortunately he is standing in front of the number plate. I also have current photos of JSU 177 but unsure as to whether to post them or not.
Welcome to the forum, I really only know of Henley Transport as an operator, there are a lot of good people on here who have a vast knowledge of HT & I am sure they will belong shortly to help.
I remember Sooty very well indeed and although it was a few years ago now recall that he had lost none of his sparkle and humour when I last saw him at Lofty’s funeral. His own only a year or so later, although obviously a sad occasion, had a few hilarious revelations. For a nervous new driver, Sooty and Lofty too, were a great reassurance regarding loading a lorry and making sure what was on it didn’t fall off. And that leads me on to the new word I learnt from Sooty…codgel!
Edit add: The vehicle in your picture is probably MKM 350F. The headboards did change over the years. AFAIK there was only one early Atkinson artic.
Sootysdaughter:
Firstly, thank you for letting me join. I came across this forum by accident. I was out walking in Hawkhurst in Kent a couple of weeks ago and came across a Henley lorry JSU 177 awaiting restoration. My dad Gordon (Sooty) Taylor worked for Henley’s for many years and thought I’d see if there was any information, history and photos of the company. I was pleased to come across this forum. I remember going to Spelmonden with him. I remember the fruit lorries and going out in his lorry with him. I remember the clocking in and out cards. Some of the names mentioned in the posts I had long forgotten but bought back memories as well. I wonder if any of you remember Mervin Genery. He worked for Henley’s I believe for a while. Dad and he became good friends. I was pleased to read some of the comments regarding Dad. Dad’s funeral was a happy occasion and raised a few chuckles especially about stock disappearing. I had quite a good chat with Jack Henley after the funeral. ‘A likeable rogue’ was how he described Dad. He claimed to know about Dad’s dealings and turned a blind eye so long as Dad didn’t go too far. I do have a photo of Dad in front of his lorry. Unfortunately he is standing in front of the number plate. I also have current photos of JSU 177 but unsure as to whether to post them or not.
Hi hope your enjoying the forum.
I also run a Henley Facebook group if you are on FB.
I remember your Dad well.
I first met him when I was about 7 when I went to work with my Dad also a Henley driver round at Transfesa.
Later on I joined Henleys in the office and rose up to traffic manager at Paddock Wood.
By then your Dad was on hire to Norman Colletts then he later went to work for them direct.
Sooty could fire Jack right up and often it would get out of hand and they would fight like cat and dog.
Happy days indeed and he was one of the greatest characters on the firm.
Please feel free to post any photos .
Thanks Chris Lawrence
A recent photo from ebay
MLW 580L the second Atkinson Borderer in the fleet with the 240 Gardner engine in.
Seen here parked outside the Empress State Building in SW London.
The Empress State Building was something to do with the Mod and its geographic location being close to Earls Court.
Looking at the photo MLW 580L looks brand new so im thinking was it on its way to the Motor Show.
The load on the trailer was from Charcons in Tonbridge who produced concrete sections for industrial and farm buildings so im guessing the load obviously wasnt destined for that part of London.
If anyone can shed any light it would be appreciated.
henley transport co ltd,their head office was paddock wood in kent,a depot in goudhurst kent where the workshops were ,another depot at herden near canterbury in kent and finally a northern depot in rochdale lancashire.
sold out in 1994 to wrm (worse luck)anyone got any photos?
Hi Lawrence and welcome, Henleys have been mentioned at length in another thread, try doing a search of the forums - I mentioned that I had met Jack Henley in around 1994 on a 2 day freebie to the NEC when MAN were launching the F2000 range, had to be THE poshest bloke I’ve ever met in transport (well, who wasn’t the Minister for it anyway!) but a nice enough old boy anyway
I had forgot they had a depot at Rochdale, can you recall where it was? Our very own member ‘Bewick’ might add a few tuppence worths regarding firms selling out to WRM
henley transport rochdale depot.
the original depot was based in ensor mills rochdale,but later jack henley had a brand new purpose built depot in the late 80s/early 90s in queensway castleton rochdale ran by a chap called fred riley
jack henley poshest bloke!
as jack would himself say he came from good stock,a lot of people called him a lot of names but looking back over the years with other guvnors he was good,he would not tolerate idiots,he would give you a right telling off then 5 minutes later it would be forgotten about,and if you ever made a bad decision in the office with bad consequences he would be there to back you up.
also i have to say it times he was the last person that you expect to know his vehicles inside out mechanically wise,and whenever he was ordering something new and not say one our normal purchases he asked for other peoples opinions!
True! And as soon as you took your cosmetic bull-bar on Middle-East work, it magically became a camel-bar! Roo-bars in Oz were of course functional, like nudge-bars 
