Here are some pictures of my life as a lorry driver. Starting in 1955 at Rowley’s Transport in Sale.
Here is me at 15 years of age.
Here is a picture of the wagon I took over at the age of 21.
Left: The wagon I got at the age of 18 XBRS. Right: ERF KV after being repainted
One of Preistner’s Seddon’s. Believe it or not, the driver walked away from this!
Carrington driver Barney Armstrong
Left: Me pre collar and tie era! Right: Another Carrington Driver Jeff Lever
Carrington driver Jack Dempsey unfortunately no longer with us.
Me and my Argon rig just loaded at Carrington
Piloted this rig for quite a long time. Delivering Ashton Foods. Environmental rig. M11 420 ■■■■■■■■ Lovely Machine.
Great photos Alec, thank you for sharing them
To gingerfold, (Graham).you know me , and I know you ,as you may recall, I’ve restored a few AECs over the years the first one was a 1952 Monarch, then the MM mk 111 eight wheel flatbed, which I bought off Alan Cleaver,as a cut down twin steer, the last one I restored was the Shell BP 8 wheel tanker.you may remember Graham, many moons ago I first met you at Ferry bridge Services on a Sunday night, when I was working for Air Products at Carrington, I think you were on your way back from a rally, I think you had your Seddon 4 wheeler, the model with the AEC 470 in it . I think over the years I’ve purchased a lot of your books, ( very informative reading) if I need an answer to a problem,ie engine type ,designation , B h P etc,I always refer to Gingerfold.nice to be in touch, no doubt I will see you at one of the Rallies.PS I have loads more old photos of Air Products wagons,an
Priestners, my own vehicles and Aidleys of Urmston, Jim Aidleys was a good friend of mine, ( sadly no longer with us. All the very best to you Graham. Pps I will get the services of my. Grandson to post some more pictures on here, someone may be interested in them. Yours sincerely Alec McCance
great pics alec hope you are ok got a few here of the good old days cheers bob
Hi Bob, give a week or so and I will get some more posted.cheers mate all the best.Alec.
Hello Alec. I guessed it was you. Hope that you’re OK and I look forward to you posting some more photos.
Hi Alec excellent photographs, what was the make of the lorry in the first photo when you were 15 and was it a tipper , tks dbp
Hello deckboypeggy, The vehicle in question is an OB Bedford LWB I think a 1951 model, this was the first wagon my uncle, Jack Rowley had when he split up with his brothers, this wagon was his settlement it came with the 6cyl petrol engine,but we replaced it with a Perkins P6 it was a conversion kit you could buy from your local Bedford Agent, it was well worth the time & money, for the economy it was excellent compared to the old petrol engine This vehicle was on contract to Blackwell & National Roofing Felt, from Broadheath it
used to do runs to Cornwall & all points South west so did quite high mileage .hope this info is what you wanted.Regards Alec
YES THANK YOU ALEC, for that, plenty of hand signals back then , did you do national service then? if so, I bet you were the only one able to drive…
Very interesting,great pics.
Great photos and information Alec. Thank you, Johnny
Hi deckboypeggy, I missed national service, I left school in 1955, so by the time I reached 18, ( conscription age) national service was winding down, but I would liked to have gone in,but I never got any call up papers.I would have liked the REME.my first time driving a wagon was PrincessParkway in Manchester on the way back from delivering to Smithfield Market it was a little Bedford, I was about 12 years old at the time (Blimey couldn’t get away with that these days) Cheers mate Alec.
Hello Alec. This is the sort of thread we all enjoy. All the best, and please keep it up. Jim.
Yes Alec, I thought you might have gone in to the transport, if you would have to have gone in, my brother missed it .he was born 1940,but was a apprentice .when I was at sea a lot of men left the M.N.late 1950s early 1960s because they went to sea in stead of the ARMY.
Transport served you ok then…it kept me ,never had any money, but always just enough, and a head full of memories …dbp.
Here are some more pictures…(Episode 2)!
Top right: Me in Toronto 1964. First truck I had and international petrol engine. 4 miles per gallon.
Centre: Pre tilt cab era, cab on the vehicle was raised of the chassis by hydraulic rams.
Bottom Right: Leyland Octopus ex Samuel Tandy from Bilston. Driver Ronny Hewit.
Top: On the way back from Detroit. My mate Ted Pustai (Hungarian driver).
Bottom: Driver Roger Polhill with A series Bedford. Perkins P6 4 speed box.
Top: Line up 3 MK1 Atkinson’s. All 150 gardners.
Bottom: Albion Reiver.
Top: Me 1967 with my MK2 Atkinson. 150 gardner. David Brown 8 speed box.
Bottom: PNC 481 big Bedford. Perkins R6.
Top: Our transport manager Dave Pugh with the new Dodge. AEC engined 410 cu in. This lorry would do over 80mph, in fact the regular driver on it got reported by a Midland Red bus driver for overtaking him in the outside lane of the M1. Pre speed limit time.
Bottom: AEC Marshall with a load of asbestos insulation board. From Turners in Trafford Park.
Top: Rowley’s service van
Bottom: 486 hma before it became an 8 wheeler. Gardner 6lw with a six speed ZF gearbox.Top speed = 40mph.
Top: The late Jack Dempsey before he came to Air Products ex BOC.
Bottom: Len Rowley (one of Jack’s sons) just after passing his test. Age 17.
Jack Dempsey loading lin on phase 1 at Carrington using vapour recovery (no longer required)
Great pics, I remember T Rowleys,
I used to deliver to Air Products at Walkden for Brindleys, pulling calor gas trailers !
gingerfold:
Great photos Alec, thank you for sharing them
Hello gingerfold, bearing in mind ime new to TN .the initial response to my thread was pretty good and I’ve added some more photos on the same thread but I’ve not had no interest in it at all should I have opened another thread or shall I just forget it .Help me out here Graham. Regards Alec
Cracking selection of photos Alec like the Seddon mk 5L under 3tons for a young lad keep them coming
Alec as was told to me when I first opened a thread there were more people looking and reading than you think but no so many will comment why I do not know ,surely there were lots of situations that you got into and got your self out of any anything of interest means just that . it may seem irrelevant to you but I have not been on here long but I do know that the members on here will pick a ■■■■■■■■■■■ out straight away, and you are no way that but genuine transport contractor .and lets face it we need to read new writings so any escapade, please.pdb.
Hi pdb, Thanks for The comment, confidence now restored I will keep getting my grandson to put some more pics on the thread, Ime trying to do it in chronological order,there is plenty to go on yet,Regards. Alec