Does anyone remember this firm from Paddock Wood in Kent. They ran a large fleet back in the 70s & 80s mainly doing fruit and veg distribution.They ran a mixed fleet but had mainly ERFs & MANs.
I remember them well in the days of Roy Hook as Transport Manager. I met Jack Henley a couple of times… Old school firm who sold out. I worked for Lowe Paddock Wod Ltd at the time… Just up the road.
Hi Neville. Was this you by any chance?
Henley Transport sold out to WRM Coolchain (Winkworth Regan and Marr)
who went bust. Became Coolchain. Now Fowler Welch I think
Neville,
When did you drive for Lowe ? I was a huge fan of the firm living on the A20 at Bearsted .Sunday was fun as a youngster watching the trucks thundering through on their way to Dover.
Always trying to find pictures of the firm for my collection.Many a Sunday drive to Transfesa Road with my Dad to see the yard and what was parked up.
Went in the yard once and met Mr Lowe - early '90’s when they had the C series ERF C101 - C110 registrations.
I remember when they had an old Atkinson with sleeper at the yard for sale at £900 !! Shame I was too young to drive at the time.
Does the Lowe family still own the depot and lease it out ? Or did they pack up completely after losing the NAFFI contract?
Mark,
Great pictures.Did you take it or is it and others available to purchase from a source ? This was one of 3 F registration Lowe Trucks purchased ( the last ones ever ) prior to them exiting transport.
Regards to you both,
Bryan.
i met jack henley on a 2 day freebie at the NEC when MAN launched the F2000 range - proper old school, very posh but not full of it - as someone said bought out by WRM along with Bewick from ■■■■■■■ and one or two other firms
When I think of Henley Transport,I remember the AEC’s and ERF’s they ran from the depot at Chartham,near Canterbury.
That would have been around the late 60’s early 70’s.
Henleys had quite a few Seddon Atkinsons too, and yes they were bought out by WRM as were Woods ( Coolchain )at Teynham.
i remember seeing henleys and lowes but dont much about them. i remember reading an article in one of the mags a dairy of some sorts, maybe dreva will have a copy somewhere. ive loaded out of transfesa way for longs washing machines if i remember correctly.
This was my motor when i worked for Woods. We had eight identicle lorries to this new in Nov 94, after that they all had the WRM livery. WRM didnt last five minutes,and soon after that we merged with Fowler Welch from Spalding.
I did not actually drive for Lowe. I worked for their accountants (Berry & Co) in Tenterden. I was their on an Audit one time and Ted lowe asked me if I would like to work for him… This was about 1975… I started my job in the accounts… walked through to the traffic office one day and happened to answer the phone on day and stayed in their.
There was Nelly and Ted lowe senior… Alan the son and me… Great company… Excellent work (Naafi) and all invoice paid in seven days… !!
We also had Paddock Wood Cold Stores… which… made them another fortune due to Intervention Beef… Licence to print money…
No commercial risk with telling you that in those days we were paid Paddock Wood to Krefeld £982.00… imagine that today… Then if we did a Krefeld to Naples a further £3100.00 down… and £4000.00 back. No night heaters in those lorries either.
Drivers: Maurice Keeves, Colin Meddlicott, Les Summers, Freddie Plilipps, David Blair, Jim Nelson, Jock Mc Combe, Dave Wood, to name but a few…
I could be on here for hours with tales of this company,. The cold sotre is still owned by the grand children but let to Macks for storage.
I always will remeber the chap from ERF who came in to the office and laeft with na order for 10 new ERC trucks… and left with a cheque in his poccket. !
How many companies could or would do that today.
I can also remeber on a Sunday phoning the Freight Director of P&O at home and getting him to hold a sailing to Zebrugge as one of the trucks was running late… again… not possible today.!!
Henleys fleet of mainly ERFs lined up in the Paddock Wood depot.
Many thanks for your insights into the company Neville, fascinating.I too sould pick your brains for hours.
I once wrote in to the firm as a young boy for literature.I was sent the original Seddon Atkinson magazine with the article on Les Summers, a pic of 2 ERF’s unloading in Germany and some black and white pics of a chinese six ERF moving around the old yard.Wonderful, still have them all in my collection.
Shame the company stopped operating as a haulage company, but by the sounds of it the family made plenty of money to retire !
Regards,
Bryan.
Heres another blast from the past.
Fantastic.Thanks for posting the picture.
Regards,
Bryan
Neville:
I did not actually drive for Lowe. I worked for their accountants (Berry & Co) in Tenterden. I was their on an Audit one time and Ted lowe asked me if I would like to work for him… This was about 1975… I started my job in the accounts… walked through to the traffic office one day and happened to answer the phone on day and stayed in their.
There was Nelly and Ted lowe senior… Alan the son and me… Great company… Excellent work (Naafi) and all invoice paid in seven days… !!
We also had Paddock Wood Cold Stores… which… made them another fortune due to Intervention Beef… Licence to print money…
No commercial risk with telling you that in those days we were paid Paddock Wood to Krefeld £982.00… imagine that today… Then if we did a Krefeld to Naples a further £3100.00 down… and £4000.00 back. No night heaters in those lorries either.
Drivers: Maurice Keeves, Colin Meddlicott, Les Summers, Freddie Plilipps, David Blair, Jim Nelson, Jock Mc Combe, Dave Wood, to name but a few…
I could be on here for hours with tales of this company,. The cold sotre is still owned by the grand children but let to Macks for storage.
I always will remeber the chap from ERF who came in to the office and laeft with na order for 10 new ERC trucks… and left with a cheque in his poccket. !
How many companies could or would do that today.I can also remeber on a Sunday phoning the Freight Director of P&O at home and getting him to hold a sailing to Zebrugge as one of the trucks was running late… again… not possible today.!!
Neville, I always find your comments interesting 
Your experience via accountancy, through to the traffic office, must have made you indespensible, Old Ted obviously spotted the potential 
It doesnt surprise me that your doing pretty well for your self nowadays, thats where I went wrong, NO accountancy brains, I can run trucks, I can handle drivers [and customers], but, I was not quick enough to spot a problem with a costing 
Don`t get me wrong, I made a tidy packet whilst I was in business, and I also made a VERY tidy packet when I sold up [3 years ago, what timing 
].
But, looking back, I can see where I went wrong [every now and then], I am now trying to pass this experience on, but, too many seem to think they don`t need advice, pretty frightening in this day and age 
Keep up the good comments Neville 
Stanley Mitchell:
But, looking back, I can see where I went wrong [every now and then], I am now trying to pass this experience on, but, too many seem to think they don`t need advice, pretty frightening in this day and age
thats a true word. people dont think they need advice until its to late. 
Thanks for the kind words… I would add that I also feel that more than a fair amount of being honest with people… and a larger portion of being street savvy is needed… I truly feel I would love in my after (work) life to work as a freelance consultant and go into places to trouble shoot their problems.
I see so many companies who seem to have all the correct ingredients to have a good business… and yet do not make the best of what they have. !!
I do remember Ted Lowe telling me of their first meeting at the NAAFI in Kennington, London when they were asked if they could carry two loads of pies from Ginsters in the West Country out to Krefeld. Ted told them his rate and that yes he could do the job… all agreed. Only problem was he never had a fridge trailer to do the job… Duly spoke to the Crane Fruhauf rep and ordered two new trailers on the understanding they would lend him two until the new ones came home… this they did and the first two loads got carried.
They then NEVER purchased anything other than Crane Fruhauf … They always bought ERF… They always used Michelin tyres … They always used P&O … All because these people helped them in their early days by giving them credit Etc… all business was done on a handshake… ALWAYS.
Great days which will never return.
Neville:
Thanks for the kind words… I would add that I also feel that more than a fair amount of being honest with people… and a larger portion of being street savvy is needed… I truly feel I would love in my after (work) life to work as a freelance consultant and go into places to trouble shoot their problems.
I see so many companies who seem to have all the correct ingredients to have a good business… and yet do not make the best of what they have. !!
I do remember Ted Lowe telling me of their first meeting at the NAAFI in Kennington, London when they were asked if they could carry two loads of pies from Ginsters in the West Country out to Krefeld. Ted told them his rate and that yes he could do the job… all agreed. Only problem was he never had a fridge trailer to do the job… Duly spoke to the Crane Fruhauf rep and ordered two new trailers on the understanding they would lend him two until the new ones came home… this they did and the first two loads got carried.They then NEVER purchased anything other than Crane Fruhauf … They always bought ERF… They always used Michelin tyres … They always used P&O … All because these people helped them in their early days by giving them credit Etc… all business was done on a handshake… ALWAYS.
Great days which will never return.
So true, the Gentlemen element left transport long ago, and the term “gaffers trucks” were not coined because the boss hated his drivers but would make his company money, therefore able to pay the drivers. Chrome and Lights dont put food on the table.
Neville:
Thanks for the kind words… I would add that I also feel that more than a fair amount of being honest with people… and a larger portion of being street savvy is needed… I truly feel I would love in my after (work) life to work as a freelance consultant and go into places to trouble shoot their problems.
I see so many companies who seem to have all the correct ingredients to have a good business… and yet do not make the best of what they have. !!
I do remember Ted Lowe telling me of their first meeting at the NAAFI in Kennington, London when they were asked if they could carry two loads of pies from Ginsters in the West Country out to Krefeld. Ted told them his rate and that yes he could do the job… all agreed. Only problem was he never had a fridge trailer to do the job… Duly spoke to the Crane Fruhauf rep and ordered two new trailers on the understanding they would lend him two until the new ones came home… this they did and the first two loads got carried.They then NEVER purchased anything other than Crane Fruhauf … They always bought ERF… They always used Michelin tyres … They always used P&O … All because these people helped them in their early days by giving them credit Etc… all business was done on a handshake… ALWAYS.
Great days which will never return.
Pretty spot on with my history too, I ran 100% M.A.N for many years, because the local dealer [who was also a haulier], was the only one who would take me seriously, the same with fuel cards, sign writers, insurance brokers, tyre companies / michelin, all because they supported me from an early age [in transport anyway]. There are loads who did`nt want to know, they all came calling later on, when the fleet grew
They all got the big F.O.
On the subject of being a consultant, its a growing side of my life, but only because I will not bull ■■■■, I have always said what I think, and the experience of running a transport business really does give you the edge in business, ANY business…
Ive just got back from seeing a guy who is in deep do do, TBF, I did warn him 4 years ago, but he didnt listen, Ive now got to come up with a plan to save his neck, it aint going to be easy.