Alan Firmin had a fair number of AF registrations probably about 15 altogether. 1,2,3, 12 & 26 I think, 57,66,80,105. As said they were Cornwall numbers. IIRC Jack Henley had 3D, 9D and 12D all had been on company lorries.
sandway:
Alan Firmin loading perhaps at Charcon’s Paddock Wood.
those Firmin 6 wheeled AEC was a basic 4 wheeler converted to 6 using a boys axle, they had 3 of them not very good at all, brakes useless and 4 wheeler Mercury engine and transmission no good with extra weight carried
cav551:
That picture of 599VKP, on what is clearly a very hot day, makes the list so far of Mammoth Majors Firmins were still operating around about 1969-72: Flats; MkIII AF57, MkVs AF105, 2PKR, 599VKP. Bulker; 641NKJ and Cut down unit AF80.
AF 57 my dad drove, AF 105 bob willard drove with trailer , 599VKP bulker jonny williams ( tonto ) AF 80 I think frank sands drove this but was hopless as a artic.
Hi Karl, There was a line of retired lorries next to the orchard I recall stretching I think from the road, past the chemical store almost as far as the diesel tank and the workshop with several four wheelers and probably those six wheelers. There was also one Atkinson chinese six which was rumoured to have a broken crankshaft. Was the shed on the left as you drove in a bushel box store?
cav551:
Hi Karl, There was a line of retired lorries next to the orchard I recall stretching I think from the road, past the chemical store almost as far as the diesel tank and the workshop with several four wheelers and probably those six wheelers. There was also one Atkinson chinese six which was rumoured to have a broken crankshaft. Was the shed on the left as you drove in a bushel box store?
somewhere i have a photo of all firmins lorries lined up in the field opposite the yard about 1959 i think and shows all the old lorries he had including the six wheelers and the atkinson i must have another look for it and put on for all to see
karl
Camion Stew:
sandway:
A fine looking photo of a Colin Ashby MAN. One of our local companies.A bit after my time - I had 98 and then 110 briefly. Cant think whose this would be as there was only about ten of us on bulk. Could be Frank’s or Graham’s. Probably taken in late summer, given the dust etc., we’d be busy with harvest then. Colin didn’t like them this dirty!
Hi Camion Stew, Frank Archer’s motor this was. You had 98 and 110 see pics. Nice pis of after life.
sandway:
Kent haulier with branches everywhere.
Randell street Maidstone near Alexandra street
Nice shots of Colin Ashby lorries. One of our local hauliers in the late 60s and early 70’s.
I have posted here in the past anecdotes of the time I drove RKE 110G, an ex Alan Lock and D A Johnson lorry, for Alan Butcher/Invicta Transport out of Hart Street, Maidstone. It was possibly the worst experience of my time on the road and not one I am likely to forget.
Alan had bought the unit cheaply as a stand in to keep a lorry on the Wim Voss job he had at the time. My usual means of transport on the Wim Voss job was a Volvo F89 but he picked up a tour with ACDC around Europe and wanted the 89 for that. So I ended up with RKE 110G for three months running to the Benelux countries in a lorry that in my opinion should never have been on the road. Problem was I needed the experience of running abroad before I approached Promotor for a job.
However, my three months of misery in this pig of a lorry coupled with the other fifteen months spent with Invicta, which weren’t much better, did help get the much sought after job with Pro’s.
The reason I have repeated this article is because I have just found out why RKE 110G had such an odd windscreen arrangement. Please look in the bottom left of the first photo for an explanation. (Click on it to enlarge page).
postman paul:
Camion Stew:
sandway:
A fine looking photo of a Colin Ashby MAN. One of our local companies.A bit after my time - I had 98 and then 110 briefly. Cant think whose this would be as there was only about ten of us on bulk. Could be Frank’s or Graham’s. Probably taken in late summer, given the dust etc., we’d be busy with harvest then. Colin didn’t like them this dirty!
Hi Camion Stew, Frank Archer’s motor this was. You had 98 and 110 see pics. Nice pis of after life.
Fantastic Paul, thank you. Good memories, good lads too and a great place to learn the ropes, literally! Frank was some character!
Paul
Bumped up for ‘driverjoe’
Never stopped for anything at Johnson’s cafe. Passed it hundreds of times when it was closed mainly in the night when on my way to or from the London markets.
Posted by Buzzer on the Foden thread this morning.
Didn’t know A&RJ Wood had that Foden.
Looks like one of Maidstone & District’s AEC reliance coaches on the ramp.
robthedog:
PC
Philip Crouch operated from Appledore in Kent IIRC 
Les
Re the last 3 pictures -
Taylor’s were still around during the 90’s - I think they just had 1 or 2 trucks on local farm work - but they subbed quite a bit of work out. I did bits & pieces of traction work at the time, and it was usual to back load fertiliser out of Immingham for various farms around Kent - all subbed off Taylor’s- I’m pretty sure it was Brenda Taylor at the helm.
I remember B J Myers yard under railway arches- somewhere around Bermondsey in the 70’s , I went there once with my Dad to drop off a pallet off a groupage load from Holland when he subbed for Fransen / I.T. Holland. Myers had fingers in a few pies, I think they had some car dealerships too.
As for Barrio- legends… they subbed much of the Marks & Spencer work to Spain while I worked at BOC during the 90’s - as well as doing lots of fruit around Kent off the docks. If Flocko is still on this site I’m sure he’ll enlighten us on this pic.
Cheers all,
Keith