Milnthorpe

What happened to WRM Paperlink?

:smiling_imp:
Did Stobarts put them out of business?
:laughing:

Are they the ones what took over Bewicks? if so Dennis should be able to answer that one for us if he will.
transportphotos.com/road/photo/JLC00113-3
Scania WRM.jpg
I think this one was originally one of Dennisā€™s motors.
transportphotos.com/road/photo/JLC00221-08
Renault Magnum WRM.jpg

OK,my involvment with WRM ended in mid '96 although it took me nearly another 12 months to be released from my ā€œservice contractā€ with the main WRM group.I only managed this when the whole group was starting to struggle and IIRC the W.R. & M had been fired and the financiers had brought in their own man,Ian Lyneham,to run the whole group.He called to see me at home a couple of times and complimented me on what a fine operation Bewick Transport had once been! He reckond he could have worked well with me under other circumstances,but the damage had been done as far as I was concerned.He was only there to salvage the Group and sell off what he could,which he did,until 2002 when they finally pulled the plug on what was left.But Iā€™m sorry, I donā€™t know what really went on between my leaving in '96 and the final demise in Dec 2002.Hope this helps to shed some light on a very sorry outcome to WRM.Cheers Dennis.

i have to admire your composure dennis , if some (zb) had buggered up my lifes work i think violence would have followed . you probably learnt restraint dealing with bad tempered drivers all the time . regards , dave

rigsby:
i have to admire your composure dennis , if some (zb) had buggered up my lifes work i think violence would have followed . you probably learnt restraint dealing with bad tempered drivers all the time . regards , dave

I donā€™t THINK so I know it would have :smiling_imp: ANON.

rigsby:
i have to admire your composure dennis , if some (zb) had buggered up my lifes work i think violence would have followed . you probably learnt restraint dealing with bad tempered drivers all the time . regards , dave

No point in getting exited Dave,my health was already failing although WRM didnā€™t know,they tried to keep me involved and wanted me to move my office to Dorking and become Group development director.But Iā€™d had enough of those 3 (zb) and their antics,all I wanted was my P45!!!,which I eventually got! They managed to (zb) up every firm they aquired,Bewick Transport wasnā€™t alone by any means,if you only knew what they set off with (Equity capital and bank finance ect.) it would make your eyes water.When I first got involved with them it was explained that if we wanted ,say,30 new Scanias and 50 or 60 trailers for a new bit of workā€”no probsā€”youā€™ll get them! Iā€™d never seen anything like it in my life.I used to meet their backers on a regular basis at first in the City and they were decent lads and I hit it off with them,but I wasnā€™t W R or M.These financiers got a right ā€œturning overā€ by these 3 wassocks apparently.I know no one has a lot of time for the ā€œgentlemenā€ in the City but I can honestly say the blokes I met were genuine and they got ā€œstuffedā€ big time! Cheers Dennis.

I took this shot shortly after we joined WRM(when I was still confident of the future prospects) and Iā€™d just had the Bewick Transport sign replaced with a WRM one.I pulled up one of the first new Scanias Iā€™d bought as part of WRM and the 3 Stooges at Dorking thought it was a great shot!!!Pass the bucket!

Last one to-night,I rest my case!

I knew he was the man to answer your question Wheelnut.-Thanks for the info Dennis,it has me thinking what would have been if you hadnā€™t gone in with them do you think we would still be seeing the red & white livery of the Bewick fleet on our highways & byways :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Stanfield:
I knew he was the man to answer your question Wheelnut.-Thanks for the info Dennis,it has me thinking what would have been if you hadnā€™t gone in with them do you think we would still be seeing the red & white livery of the Bewick fleet on our highways & byways :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Someone should start a Bewick Transport thread John and not let this brilliant history die a sad death. I am sure Dennis Smith could contribute lots of true stories. :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

Come on Dennis, pick up your teddies

Wheel Nut:

Stanfield:
I knew he was the man to answer your question Wheelnut.-Thanks for the info Dennis,it has me thinking what would have been if you hadnā€™t gone in with them do you think we would still be seeing the red & white livery of the Bewick fleet on our highways & byways :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Someone should start a Bewick Transport thread John and not let this brilliant history die a sad death. I am sure Dennis Smith could contribute lots of true stories. :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

Come on Dennis, pick up your teddies

Are you seriously expecting me to ā€œspill the beansā€ on my, almost, 30 mispent years in Road transport? Iā€™d put you to sleep in 10 minutes of reading the rubbish I could impart,Iā€™m certain!!! Cheers Dennis.

Bewick:

Wheel Nut:

Stanfield:
I knew he was the man to answer your question Wheelnut.-Thanks for the info Dennis,it has me thinking what would have been if you hadnā€™t gone in with them do you think we would still be seeing the red & white livery of the Bewick fleet on our highways & byways :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Someone should start a Bewick Transport thread John and not let this brilliant history die a sad death. I am sure Dennis Smith could contribute lots of true stories. :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

Come on Dennis, pick up your teddies

Are you seriously expecting me to ā€œspill the beansā€ on my, almost, 30 mispent years in Road transport? Iā€™d put you to sleep in 10 minutes of reading the rubbish I could impart,Iā€™m certain!!! Cheers Dennis.

Of course we are :laughing:

It was a diversionary tactic to get you back to the ā€œproper threadā€ :wink:

Wheel Nut:

Bewick:

Wheel Nut:

Stanfield:
I knew he was the man to answer your question Wheelnut.-Thanks for the info Dennis,it has me thinking what would have been if you hadnā€™t gone in with them do you think we would still be seeing the red & white livery of the Bewick fleet on our highways & byways :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Someone should start a Bewick Transport thread John and not let this brilliant history die a sad death. I am sure Dennis Smith could contribute lots of true stories. :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

Come on Dennis, pick up your teddies

Are you seriously expecting me to ā€œspill the beansā€ on my, almost, 30 mispent years in Road transport? Iā€™d put you to sleep in 10 minutes of reading the rubbish I could impart,Iā€™m certain!!! Cheers Dennis.

Of course we are :laughing:

It was a diversionary tactic to get you back to the ā€œproper threadā€ :wink:

Well settle down then and Iā€™ll begin,now let me see umm! It all started in 1968 when I was 21 and had got my first ā€œAā€ licence and kicked off as a little owner driver-----------and ended 27 years later in 1995 when the 100 vehicle fleet of Bewick Transport and some of the finest drivers and staff in the haulage industry joined the WRM group! Its a a bit of a blur between the two dates as Iā€™m ā€œgetting on a bitā€ our kid!! But I can assure you that it was an ā€œinterestingā€ time from start to finish,honestly you couldā€™nt make it up,some of the experiences I endured/had!!Thats enough for to-night lads,too much of a good thing isnā€™t good for you!! Although ā€œHā€ might challenge this last statement I believe!! Cheers Dennis.

Hi Dennis,
Ben must have looked after this one still
working on M6 2 weeks ago.

Cheers Malc.

malc step:
Hi Dennis,
Ben must have looked after this one still
working on M6 2 weeks ago.
0

Cheers Malc.

Hiya Malc,hows tricks? IIRC this was one of a batch of 8 Scanias I bought in 1991,they were 6 month old and they came from Haydock Commercials,set me back Ā£188,000 but were a cracking deal,my accountant didnā€™t believe me at the time and suggested Iā€™d only bought 6 at most and I should go back and check! I was on the M6 coming home at the time,I knew what Iā€™d bought (stole) and there was no-way I was going back,except the following day to collect them!! That tractor in the shot was driven by Keith Boston who had origionally worked for us at Dunstable but moved to Lancaster where his wife came from.I understand that Keith, sadly, died in his bunk at Gordano services,working for WRM,after my time!

what was the deal with wrm and bradys anyone

kev pugh:
what was the deal with wrm and bradys anyone

Probably both trying to cling to the same wreckage!!!

i know wrm use some of the MAN trucks when bradys give up

Bewick:

kev pugh:
what was the deal with wrm and bradys anyone

Probably both trying to cling to the same wreckage!!!

dennis, did wrm have a depot in hitchin,herts?

andrew.s:
dennis, did wrm have a depot in hitchin,herts?

Hiya Andrew,yes it was the first firm they bought out when they ā€œkicked offā€.It was a firm called TDP Contracts owned by a bloke called Terry Priestly( never met him) But I got on well with the manager who was also a Director,a grand chap called Brian Collier,we actually resigned at the same time!!! TDP was another good firm WRM ā– ā– ā– ā– ā– ā–  up,excuse my french!! Cheers Dennis.