harryvr6:
Hi all, im new on here but im a long time truck fanatic, i was hoping somebody may have some pics or information regarding a small owner driver outfit from droylsden in manchester called HELMARK. the chap in question was called bruce bates and when i was a kid in the 80’s he ran a transcontinental and a merc (not sure which model but it was a sleeper cab) both were in black with a very distinctive gold band horizontally around the cabs with HELMARK in black lettering. The name came from bruce’s childrens names helen and mark, i loved these trucks, they were in action throughout the 80’s and late nineties i think doing container work in the north west, he used to park them up near his house outside lumb mill as they presumably pulled for sharna ware/Tri ang toys who were based in the mill, towards the late 90’s i used to spot them in dukinfield on the shepley industrial estate outside the cabot plastics plant. I still kick myself for not taking any decent pics of them, im actually bu
ilding the merc in 1/24th scale along with a 40ft container. does anyone remember them at all? many thanks for reading this, harryvr6.
Hi harryvr6", just Browsing some old Posts, came accross your post Helmark", i new Bruce On the Con Base at the time Prob about 77 had the old Merc then he had done some M/E work then got himself another Lorry [Merc] Always had the Arabic on the Visor, I was doin a bit fir Austin Caulfield about that time on the OCL job happy Days Cheers Chris.
Wow! Thank you so much for this mate! I haven’t seen a helmark truck for well over ten years or so, and I simply couldn’t find any pics on the net either!
I went to junior and high school with Bruce’s nephew, I loved his trucks and I’m so glad to finally see one on here after so long.
The two trucks that I remember the most were the ng merc which basically was like the LP merc pictured and also his transcontinental which was amazing (my mates dad used to be Bruce’s electrician and worked on this the most!)
I’m currently building a 1.24th scale model of the merc with an ocl 40ft container, it’s slow going but ill get there in the end! Your photo is invaluable as it is the only one! And will help me immensely so many thanks.
So you worked with Bruce then chris? I remember his trucks had “the mancunian” on the front above the grille, I did hear he did the m/e but I don’t know which truck he used?
Incidentally there is a cement mixer knocking around these days with “mark bates” on it which was the name of Bruce’s son, wonder if it is his son?
Can’t thank you enough for your help chris, all the best stew.
harryvr6:
Hi all, im new on here but im a long time truck fanatic, i was hoping somebody may have some pics or information regarding a small owner driver outfit from droylsden in manchester called HELMARK. the chap in question was called bruce bates and when i was a kid in the 80’s he ran a transcontinental and a merc (not sure which model but it was a sleeper cab) both were in black with a very distinctive gold band horizontally around the cabs with HELMARK in black lettering. The name came from bruce’s childrens names helen and mark, i loved these trucks, they were in action throughout the 80’s and late nineties i think doing container work in the north west, he used to park them up near his house outside lumb mill as they presumably pulled for sharna ware/Tri ang toys who were based in the mill, towards the late 90’s i used to spot them in dukinfield on the shepley industrial estate outside the cabot plastics plant. I still kick myself for not taking any decent pics of them, im actually bu
ilding the merc in 1/24th scale along with a 40ft container. does anyone remember them at all? many thanks for reading this, harryvr6.
Hi harryvr6", just Browsing some old Posts, came accross your post Helmark", i new Bruce On the Con Base at the time Prob about 77 had the old Merc then he had done some M/E work then got himself another Lorry [Merc] Always had the Arabic on the Visor, I was doin a bit fir Austin Caulfield about that time on the OCL job happy Days Cheers Chris.
No Worries Stew,I"m Retired now but av some fond mems of the old Days, and some not so fond, LOL!!! Bumped Into Austin Caulfield a While ago I was doin a bit on"t Tanks [Plastics] at Hunts W/Ends mainly this day I"m goin accross the yard and there he was goin into there office, Thought I"d seen a bloody Ghost, wel I follows him in, and it was im, we Didnt get much work done that day LOL Chewin the Fat LOL!! Cheers Chris.
Hi chris, happy days indeed! I’m not connected to the industry but when I was growing up I could tell that the trucks around were the best! I don’t like modern trucks and having been on here for a while now things were obviously better back in the day too!
I’m not familiar with Austin, I have chatted with another o/d from the old days from audenshaw tony smith, and recalled a chap called Barry who lived at the one ‘Fairfield arms’ pub in audenshaw, he ran some really nice white Volvo f12s.
I’ve just read the merc LP thread on here: am I correct in saying that Bruce bought the LP posted up by you from Neil moor house?
I always thought Bruce conjured up the black and gold livery but I’m now thinking he bought the truck in these colours and amended them by adding the solid gold band and putting “Helmark” on the header board?
harryvr6:
Hi all, im new on here but im a long time truck fanatic, i was hoping somebody may have some pics or information regarding a small owner driver outfit from droylsden in manchester called HELMARK. the chap in question was called bruce bates and when i was a kid in the 80’s he ran a transcontinental and a merc (not sure which model but it was a sleeper cab) both were in black with a very distinctive gold band horizontally around the cabs with HELMARK in black lettering. The name came from bruce’s childrens names helen and mark, i loved these trucks, they were in action throughout the 80’s and late nineties i think doing container work in the north west, he used to park them up near his house outside lumb mill as they presumably pulled for sharna ware/Tri ang toys who were based in the mill, towards the late 90’s i used to spot them in dukinfield on the shepley industrial estate outside the cabot plastics plant. I still kick myself for not taking any decent pics of them, im actually bu
ilding the merc in 1/24th scale along with a 40ft container. does anyone remember them at all? many thanks for reading this, harryvr6.
Hi harryvr6", just Browsing some old Posts, came accross your post Helmark", i new Bruce On the Con Base at the time Prob about 77 had the old Merc then he had done some M/E work then got himself another Lorry [Merc] Always had the Arabic on the Visor, I was doin a bit fir Austin Caulfield about that time on the OCL job happy Days Cheers Chris.
No Worries Stew,I"m Retired now but av some fond mems of the old Days, and some not so fond, LOL!!! Bumped Into Austin Caulfield a While ago I was doin a bit on"t Tanks [Plastics] at Hunts W/Ends mainly this day I"m goin accross the yard and there he was goin into there office, Thought I"d seen a bloody Ghost, wel I follows him in, and it was im, we Didnt get much work done that day LOL Chewin the Fat LOL!! Cheers Chris.
So these a name to come and haunt you Austin Caulfield wot a s*** , lived in the next village to me Dad did some work for him I think in a old 86. He should come and live here now, Calgary know as the cowboy capital of Canada, FITTING PLACE FOR HIM
harryvr6:
Hi all, im new on here but im a long time truck fanatic, i was hoping somebody may have some pics or information regarding a small owner driver outfit from droylsden in manchester called HELMARK. the chap in question was called bruce bates and when i was a kid in the 80’s he ran a transcontinental and a merc (not sure which model but it was a sleeper cab) both were in black with a very distinctive gold band horizontally around the cabs with HELMARK in black lettering. The name came from bruce’s childrens names helen and mark, i loved these trucks, they were in action throughout the 80’s and late nineties i think doing container work in the north west, he used to park them up near his house outside lumb mill as they presumably pulled for sharna ware/Tri ang toys who were based in the mill, towards the late 90’s i used to spot them in dukinfield on the shepley industrial estate outside the cabot plastics plant. I still kick myself for not taking any decent pics of them, im actually bu
ilding the merc in 1/24th scale along with a 40ft container. does anyone remember them at all? many thanks for reading this, harryvr6.
Hi harryvr6", just Browsing some old Posts, came accross your post Helmark", i new Bruce On the Con Base at the time Prob about 77 had the old Merc then he had done some M/E work then got himself another Lorry [Merc] Always had the Arabic on the Visor, I was doin a bit fir Austin Caulfield about that time on the OCL job happy Days Cheers Chris.
Chris,
Do you remember any of the Smith of Maddiston Big J Guys that were on for OCL,painted in their pale blue colours,I think they had 2 or 3 OCL contract motors running out of the container base Manchester,Albert Horn,Jack Priddie?
5thwheel:
I think Bruce named the Merc “The Mancunian” IIRC!
David
Hi 5thwheel,[David], Yeh av a distant Memory of those day"s Mate, was prob around 76/77 wen I worked with Austin Caulfield on OCL Con Base, the names u mention ring a bell but they are Fading mate, Yeh" and ur rite about Bruce"s Motor it did av Mancunian on it and the Arabic on"t Visor? still Good with Faces these Days But not so good with names LOL! who wer u on for David? Ers a Picci of one of Caulfield"s Later Fodens, bin trying to locate some old Caulfield Piccs but only got this one sent to me by Bob-Lad, ex Bowies? cos Austin sold out to Bowies, Cheers Chris.
my oldman did a good few years for Austin in the 70s,
Austin only ever bought other peoples cr#p,
my oldman finished up with a ex jays of Atherton foden sleeper pulling for ferrymasters .
I can remember helmark running out of container base in Manchester ,
there also used to be a bloke who had a couple of red scania 141s running out of the base ,
he sold up and went to america .
5thwheel:
I think Bruce named the Merc “The Mancunian” IIRC!
David
Hi 5thwheel,[David], Yeh av a distant Memory of those day"s Mate, was prob around 76/77 wen I worked with Austin Caulfield on OCL Con Base, the names u mention ring a bell but they are Fading mate, Yeh" and ur rite about Bruce"s Motor it did av Mancunian on it and the Arabic on"t Visor? still Good with Faces these Days But not so good with names LOL! who wer u on for David? Ers a Picci of one of Caulfield"s Later Fodens, bin trying to locate some old Caulfield Piccs but only got this one sent to me by Bob-Lad, ex Bowies? cos Austin sold out to Bowies, Cheers Chris.
Hi Chris,
I was on for Smith of Maddiston Cheetham Hill,I had to drive one of those aweful OCL 150 Guys back up to Maddiston for MOT,what an aweful drive,and bloody cold as well!!
5thwheel:
I think Bruce named the Merc “The Mancunian” IIRC!
David
Hi 5thwheel,[David], Yeh av a distant Memory of those day"s Mate, was prob around 76/77 wen I worked with Austin Caulfield on OCL Con Base, the names u mention ring a bell but they are Fading mate, Yeh" and ur rite about Bruce"s Motor it did av Mancunian on it and the Arabic on"t Visor? still Good with Faces these Days But not so good with names LOL! who wer u on for David? Ers a Picci of one of Caulfield"s Later Fodens, bin trying to locate some old Caulfield Piccs but only got this one sent to me by Bob-Lad, ex Bowies? cos Austin sold out to Bowies, Cheers Chris.
Hi Chris,
I was on for Smith of Maddiston Cheetham Hill,I had to drive one of those aweful OCL 150 Guys back up to Maddiston for MOT,what an aweful drive,and bloody cold as well!!
Take it easy,
David
Hi David[5thwheel], Yeh those Guy"s Had a Couple on for Harry Lawsons Broughty Ferry Based at Leigh, Once did a Sat run down to Frauhaufs Derham Airfield,[to pick up new Vans] on the way back bloody windscreen fell out, all the way back Middle winter [Freezeing] Happy Days LOL!! don"t think? Cheers Chris.
gazza1970:
my oldman did a good few years for Austin in the 70s,
Austin only ever bought other peoples cr#p,
my oldman finished up with a ex jays of Atherton foden sleeper pulling for ferrymasters .
I can remember helmark running out of container base in Manchester ,
there also used to be a bloke who had a couple of red scania 141s running out of the base ,
he sold up and went to america .
Hi Gazza1970, would that av been [Jimmy Brandret?] he was a bit if a character? Cheers Chris.
can’t remember the blokes name with the scania’s I was only young , i went with one of his drivers a couple of times to fuel up on the garage that was by the base ,
i remember Austin spent lots of time at his house in croft,
you might know my oldman Bernard Selby.
gazza1970:
can’t remember the blokes name with the scania’s I was only young , i went with one of his drivers a couple of times to fuel up on the garage that was by the base ,
i remember Austin spent lots of time at his house in croft,
you might know my oldman Bernard Selby.
Hi Gazza1970", Aye Bumped into Austin a few yrs ago, I was doin Some work on Polymers[Plastics] Tanks odd day"s W/Ends, for Hunt Bros, it was at the time hunts were moving to there new depot at Earlestown, I was in the yard at Glaziers Lane when I sees this Guy walk across the yard and into the Office, I thought Bloody hell was that Austin? so I goes in and there he was sat behind one of the desks, Large as Life well we just Laughed and it took us right back 30 odd yrs, we didn"t get much wrk done that day, well he did a couple of yrs there runnin traffic? then he retired, got a new Mitsibishi 4x4 went off touring Spain? still got his No" layin around, is he still in"t same house at Croft?bernard selby u say, did ur dad go to work for Ferrymasters when they opened at risley/Wton? if it was him I remember him Starting with Austin? it was about the time Austin got that Land opposite Irlam Station got grader in made a bit of room rest was history as they say? cos b4 that we had wagons at home, LOL happy Days remember Young Danny From think it was Northwich, e got the s80 wen it came, then went off to work for a firm in Macclesfield? Cheers Chris.
that is my old man Chris
he did go and work for ferrymasters at risley, I’m not sure if Austin still lives in warrington , if I speak to my old man who should I say I’ve been chatting with?
your right about having the trucks at home ,
I can remember it like it was yesterday, having to get up in the winter mornings to help start those old motors me on the starter while he was holding a burning rag in the air intake ,once the warm air got into the engine she was away.
the young bloke was danny kimber,
I remember going to his old mans , the dining room was set up as a model railway, you had to crawl on your hand and knees to get into the room .
5thwheel:
I think Bruce named the Merc “The Mancunian” IIRC!
David
Hi 5thwheel,[David], Yeh av a distant Memory of those day"s Mate, was prob around 76/77 wen I worked with Austin Caulfield on OCL Con Base, the names u mention ring a bell but they are Fading mate, Yeh" and ur rite about Bruce"s Motor it did av Mancunian on it and the Arabic on"t Visor? still Good with Faces these Days But not so good with names LOL! who wer u on for David? Ers a Picci of one of Caulfield"s Later Fodens, bin trying to locate some old Caulfield Piccs but only got this one sent to me by Bob-Lad, ex Bowies? cos Austin sold out to Bowies, Cheers Chris.
Hi Chris,
I was on for Smith of Maddiston Cheetham Hill,I had to drive one of those aweful OCL 150 Guys back up to Maddiston for MOT,what an aweful drive,and bloody cold as well!!
Take it easy,
David
Hi David[5thwheel], Yeh those Guy"s Had a Couple on for Harry Lawsons Broughty Ferry Based at Leigh, Once did a Sat run down to Frauhaufs Derham Airfield,[to pick up new Vans] on the way back bloody windscreen fell out, all the way back Middle winter [Freezeing] Happy Days LOL!! don"t think? Cheers Chris.
Perhaps setting a trend here,one of my night changeovers was at Crooklands,off the M6,very rough car cafe car park,pulled in 1 night with the bromine tanks,hit a deep pot hole in the car park and the windscreen popped out,picked it up,put on the trailer come down from Maddiston and drove back to Manchester,as you say,depth of winter,bloody freezing!Perhaps Guys were known for their chassis or cab flexing,dont know,but sound feasable!
gazza1970:
that is my old man Chris
he did go and work for ferrymasters at risley, I’m not sure if Austin still lives in warrington , if I speak to my old man who should I say I’ve been chatting with?
your right about having the trucks at home ,
I can remember it like it was yesterday, having to get up in the winter mornings to help start those old motors me on the starter while he was holding a burning rag in the air intake ,once the warm air got into the engine she was away.
the young bloke was danny kimber,
I remember going to his old mans , the dining room was set up as a model railway, you had to crawl on your hand and knees to get into the room .
By Eck" small world as they say, ask thee dad if e remembers the Guy with the long hair full face Beard that gave im a run down"t rd as Austin wud say to if e can manage g/box on them Fodens" LOLwell that was me, and ask if e remembers that Foden that I had that Austin had a sleeper put on with the fins on LOL, wish I"d ad a camera them days, does e remember Old Joe that used to do some p/time turned one over Nr Newbury, o"nt way back from S/hmpton, load of Chip board Moved flipped im ,Cheers Chris.
gazza1970:
can’t remember the blokes name with the scania’s I was only young , i went with one of his drivers a couple of times to fuel up on the garage that was by the base ,
i remember Austin spent lots of time at his house in croft,
you might know my oldman Bernard Selby.
Hi Gazza1970", Aye Bumped into Austin a few yrs ago, I was doin Some work on Polymers[Plastics] Tanks odd day"s W/Ends, for Hunt Bros, it was at the time hunts were moving to there new depot at Earlestown, I was in the yard at Glaziers Lane when I sees this Guy walk across the yard and into the Office, I thought Bloody hell was that Austin? so I goes in and there he was sat behind one of the desks, Large as Life well we just Laughed and it took us right back 30 odd yrs, we didn"t get much wrk done that day, well he did a couple of yrs there runnin traffic? then he retired, got a new Mitsibishi 4x4 went off touring Spain? still got his No" layin around, is he still in"t same house at Croft?bernard selby u say, did ur dad go to work for Ferrymasters when they opened at risley/Wton? if it was him I remember him Starting with Austin? it was about the time Austin got that Land opposite Irlam Station got grader in made a bit of room rest was history as they say? cos b4 that we had wagons at home, LOL happy Days remember Young Danny From think it was Northwich, e got the s80 wen it came, then went off to work for a firm in Macclesfield? Cheers Chris.
I,m so sure Hunts old yard was in Culcheth on Church lane, there was nothing on Glaziers lane other than Ikins farm and Worthington farm, I lived in Culcheth when hunts only had 6-8 wheeker,s that was from 1963 till i left in 2007. I then early days there was a haulage firm behind the Shell garage in Croft, the garage was owned by Mr Birchall, Can anyone remember who had the haulage firm . I give you a clue “white tippers”
gazza1970:
can’t remember the blokes name with the scania’s I was only young , i went with one of his drivers a couple of times to fuel up on the garage that was by the base ,
i remember Austin spent lots of time at his house in croft,
you might know my oldman Bernard Selby.
Hi Gazza1970", Aye Bumped into Austin a few yrs ago, I was doin Some work on Polymers[Plastics] Tanks odd day"s W/Ends, for Hunt Bros, it was at the time hunts were moving to there new depot at Earlestown, I was in the yard at Glaziers Lane when I sees this Guy walk across the yard and into the Office, I thought Bloody hell was that Austin? so I goes in and there he was sat behind one of the desks, Large as Life well we just Laughed and it took us right back 30 odd yrs, we didn"t get much wrk done that day, well he did a couple of yrs there runnin traffic? then he retired, got a new Mitsibishi 4x4 went off touring Spain? still got his No" layin around, is he still in"t same house at Croft?bernard selby u say, did ur dad go to work for Ferrymasters when they opened at risley/Wton? if it was him I remember him Starting with Austin? it was about the time Austin got that Land opposite Irlam Station got grader in made a bit of room rest was history as they say? cos b4 that we had wagons at home, LOL happy Days remember Young Danny From think it was Northwich, e got the s80 wen it came, then went off to work for a firm in Macclesfield? Cheers Chris.
I,m so sure Hunts old yard was in Culcheth on Church lane, there was nothing on Glaziers lane other than Ikins farm and Worthington farm, I lived in Culcheth when hunts only had 6-8 wheeker,s that was from 1963 till i left in 2007. I then early days there was a haulage firm behind the Shell garage in Croft, the garage was owned by Mr Birchall, Can anyone remember who had the haulage firm . I give you a clue “white tippers”
hi Boatchaser, yeh I know were u mean mate but at that particular time he also had some trl parking on glaziers lane, near the fishing Lakes, and a bit of storage, and a small office I moved a load of trls from there around that time, he also parked trls on the taylor Estate, had to have aspecial fob in the cab to get his trls out of theer Church lane was main address Cheers Chris
