I wonder if anyone knows any information on 3 old companies which operated around Cheshire?Derbyshire in the late 60’s/early 70’s.
Buxton Limestone, Allinson Stone and Becks(which I think was based around Stockport) I remember as a mere youngster living near Manchester and there was a new road and school development being built. The lorries which were bringing in limestone and taking away earth from the site was amazing, from these companies. ERF, Atkinson ,Albion , Scammells and Thames Traders.
Hope I can find out if the companies are still going or what happened to them would be great
Here is some info on the 3 old companies you where asking about. “Buxton Limestone” could have been (Derbyshire Stone) They had 3 livery changes over a 10 year span, in the early 60’s they where all black with gold lettering, and the fleet back then was 4x2 BMC’s, 6x4 Albion’s and 8x4 Foden’s. They then changed to blue and grey in the late 60’s, before changing to Tarmac’s olive green, the fleet by then was Albion, Leyland and Volvo 6x4’s and Foden, ERF, Guy and Scammell Routeman 8x4’s. Most of their wagons coming into Manchester operated out of their Topley Pike quarry in Buxton, that quarry is closing and being bought by Manchester Council to be used as a landfill sight the last I heard. But there was another firm from Buxton around that time called (Grinn Quarries) they had 6x4 Albion’s and 8x4 Scammell’s in red and white, that I think had “Buxton Limestone” lettering along the side of ribbed tipper bodies, they also had one twin steer Scammell artic.
“Allinson Stone” where operating from Reddish in the 60’s & 70’s with white and blue, red lettered, Thames Traders and Bedford TK 4x2’s in the early 60’s and later on 6x4 Albion and Ford D series, before moving up to 8x4 Foden’s, AEC’s and then Maggie Deutz’s. They moved out to the Chinley area around 1990 and bought a couple of quarries, but not operating their own lorries now.
“Beck 's” where in Gregg St Stockport, but I can only remember them with yellow and red ERF low loaders, they finished around 1970. But there was a firm called “Peck’s” in Ardwick with maroon tippers, which did earth clearance work with Trader’s, TK’s, Commer’s, Leyand’s, AEC’s, Foden’s and ERF’s. By the late 70’s before moving out to Oldham, they bought 6x4 bonneted Maggie Deutz’s, 8x4 half - cab Foden’s and 5 “left hand drive” 4x2 Bedford TM’s with shallow tipper bodies which looked really odd, they went out of business in the 80’s.
Was the new road and school development area being built, in the West Gorton area of Manchester by any chance? as there are plans for that area to be rebuilt again.
Thanks Tipit for the info, Yes the Buxton Limestone company was definately the last one you described, (Grinn Quarries) as the vehicles were red cabs with silver ribbed bodies, Albion 6x4’s and the 8x4 Scammell’s. I also remember all Black Atkinson 6x4’s. 1968-70
The Allinson’s Lorries were Foden S34’s I think the year was about 1968.
I think the earth moving company was indeed Pecks, as this fits your description more acurately, most of the fleet were maroon, with a Trader with a yellow cab.
The school was being built in Cheadle Hulme between 1967 and 1969, It has now gone and the site is empty again.
Once again many thanks I have been after this information for ages, do you have any pictures?
Sorry I’ve no photos of any of these companies, though I’ve found how to change photos on the computer. To alter cabs, bodies, colours and writing to achieve the next best thing, but it takes ages to get realistic results.
they had about a dozen a mixed bag , they used to park round the garage some of them with drotts and 951s in the back i think they had low loader at one point , j.watkinson demolition was a similar outfit they were on sandy lane stretford
the buxton limestone belonged to harry h coff , a firm from windsor . they had the black atkis as a stop gap until the new motors came , reivers ,scammels & leyland ergo cabbed units with neville dumptrailers plus 1 twin steer scammel artic . they sold out to limmer & trinidad ,all got repainted in their colours just as limmer were absorbed by tarmac . some of the fleet ended up at topley pike .regards rigsby