harry_gill:
Trev_H:
The Trees cafe was at Alrewas on the A38, it’s now a British Legion club. The woman who ran it at one time was related (sister?) to the woman that ran the Hollies on the A5.
Hiya,
Trev, I asked a little further back if anyone remembers what looked like an
ex-wd surplus store on the side of the southbound lane in the area of the
“Trees” café there was always a couple of those DUKWs parked near the
entrance always fancied a look round but never had time my gaffers always
made sure of that.
thanks harry, long retired.
Harry,that would be Leavesley International,on the A38 left hand side south-west bound between Burton and Lichfield.they have been going for as long as I can remember which is 1967.
windrush:
Wouldn’t be a trailing axle, though there were a few Fodens about with them but not on Tilcon! British Salt and Rugby Cement had plenty, usually with reduction hubs. The Eaton or Rockwell diffs and Fuller box were pretty bombproof really, not like the old worm and wheel jobbies ha ha! Never had mine that fast, gaffer wouldn’t be too impressed when he saw the tacho chart. 
Pete.
Speaking of trailing axles, Walkers Tipper Transport from Thurmaston had 8 wheel Fodens with a hub reduction axle along with the trailing axle, It kept the tare weight down, That was in the 80s as I recall, I went to their depot to look ay an 8 wheeler Mickey Mouse that was for sale belonging to an owner driver that worked for them, I think he was called Geof Whittle has brother also ran a Foden tipper, He was Mick Whittle, Regards Larry.
Chris Webb:
harry_gill:
Trev_H:
The Trees cafe was at Alrewas on the A38, it’s now a British Legion club. The woman who ran it at one time was related (sister?) to the woman that ran the Hollies on the A5.
Hiya,
Trev, I asked a little further back if anyone remembers what looked like an
ex-wd surplus store on the side of the southbound lane in the area of the
“Trees” café there was always a couple of those DUKWs parked near the
entrance always fancied a look round but never had time my gaffers always
made sure of that.
thanks harry, long retired.
Harry,that would be Leavesley International,on the A38 left hand side south-west bound between Burton and Lichfield.they have been going for as long as I can remember which is 1967.
Hi Harry, Chris is right it’s Leavesley’s though just lately they seem to have very little ex. military stuff, looks like they are dealing more with scrap metal.
Chris, what happened in 1967 as you’re memory doesn’t go any further back ? did you go on Jim’ll fix it 
Lawrence Dunbar:
Speaking of trailing axles, Walkers Tipper Transport from Thurmaston had 8 wheel Fodens with a hub reduction axle along with the trailing axle, It kept the tare weight down, That was in the 80s as I recall, I went to their depot to look ay an 8 wheeler Mickey Mouse that was for sale belonging to an owner driver that worked for them, I think he was called Geof Whittle has brother also ran a Foden tipper, He was Mick Whittle, Regards Larry.
Mick used to own a S21 ‘stroker’ with a Gardner genny on the back Larry, it used to reside in a lockup garage at a house directly opposite our Doctors Surgery in Matlock. Sounded lovely when it was fired up inside the building, I guess it has gone now but there is still a Foden grille badge on the front gate! 
Pete.
windrush:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Speaking of trailing axles, Walkers Tipper Transport from Thurmaston had 8 wheel Fodens with a hub reduction axle along with the trailing axle, It kept the tare weight down, That was in the 80s as I recall, I went to their depot to look ay an 8 wheeler Mickey Mouse that was for sale belonging to an owner driver that worked for them, I think he was called Geof Whittle has brother also ran a Foden tipper, He was Mick Whittle, Regards Larry.
Mick used to own a S21 ‘stroker’ with a Gardner genny on the back Larry, it used to reside in a lockup garage at a house directly opposite our Doctors Surgery in Matlock. Sounded lovely when it was fired up inside the building, I guess it has gone now but there is still a Foden grille badge on the front gate!
Pete.
Did he do a bit of Stock Car racing in his day ■■, Regards Larry.
Yes he did Larry, I don’t know the guy but I know of him. I think that it was a friend of his that had it in Matlock, he (the friend) had worked for Reg Knowles when they were based at Tansley and told me all about Reg’s own version of the Foden gearbox that was very interesting but Fodens (of course!) didn’t take the idea on! 
Pete.
windrush:
Yes he did Larry, I don’t know the guy but I know of him. I think that it was a friend of his that had it in Matlock, he (the friend) had worked for Reg Knowles when they were based at Tansley and told me all about Reg’s own version of the Foden gearbox that was very interesting but Fodens (of course!) didn’t take the idea on!
Pete.
That’s the same owner driver, I looked at one of his Fodens at Nuneaton that was for sale also, A very tidy bit of gear but the alloy body needed a new floor so I decided not to buy it, Regards Larry.
Hi Spardo ,I don’t know if I was mad /sad or both but I loved the 2strokes I drove a Commer and a Foden 2stroke some drivers would not drive them but I was only 22,liked nothing better going through a town in a lower gear than was needed and watch the heads turn in shock of the noise sad I know but I was truck mad and the 2stroke was my scene I even turned down a new motor to keep my Foden
Hiya,
I bet Guesty44 will remember this one along Parkhurst Rd past the “ladies” prison
into Camden Rd turn left at York Way and park up you could in the 60s and 70s
across the road was a café (there’s a few now) I can still hear the Italian lassie
shouting your order through the serving hatch " pork a da choppa da masha and
all a da veggies" and with homemade apple pie and custard to follow round to
Alf’s for our digs and a few pints later in the Drapers Arms “perfick” and if you
ever called in for breakfast there was a chance of a bit of “cab traffic” a newly
released “lady” prisoner, any chance of a lift up North driver, I never took up the
offer I hasten to add, Bowkers depot was quite near the ladies nick in those days.
thanks harry, long retired.
Sounds like my kind of cafe
I had a great breakfast in Motormans this morning, Its still run by a member of the original family who opened it in 1930. Its spotless clean & the service is good, So if any of you old drivers want a good feed at sensible prices give it a try Im sure you wont be disappointed, I will certainly be going again on my travels, Regards Larry.
Thanks for the picture Larry it just confirms the cafe I went to was the Stanedge service station like the car I have a S-type 3litre 2001 79,000 on the clock my pride and joy in burgundy mint condition thanks for the cafe photo excellent
dexterboy:
Thanks for the picture Larry it just confirms the cafe I went to was the Stanedge service station like the car I have a S-type 3litre 2001 79,000 on the clock my pride and joy in burgundy mint condition thanks for the cafe photo excellent
The Standedge Services is now a pub called the Carriage House, Its often shown in some of the shots of Last Of The Summer Wine on telly, The Floating Light pub is now a house, Great stuff IMO, Regards Larry.
Coming up the A 1 M today I noticed the old Pondarosa is up for sale, I can remember when it first openened, It was a canny pull in & you could kip there also, Little Chef took it over but it did belong to another called Happy Eater with large elephant blow up toys for the kids, Of course the changes to our roads has knackered a lot of the good old watering holes, But Im sure we will all survive at the end of the day, Regards Larry.
Good interior footage of Chris"s cafe on the A40,near the end of this short film
britishpathe.com/video/truck-drivers.
Suedehead:
Good interior footage of Chris"s cafe on the A40,near the end of this short film
britishpathe.com/video/truck-drivers.
I cant believe it,the last time I was in about 2001 it had hardly changed.always was a good café,still going I believe.Only problem was they could have done with a bigger parking area.
regards dave.
Loved the film brings back happy days girl hitch hikers another long gone thing picked up quite a few in my time (I am smirking)
Suedehead:
Good interior footage of Chris"s cafe on the A40,near the end of this short film
britishpathe.com/video/truck-drivers.
Good advert for long gone BMC lorries and cars.
