oiltreader:
This is for you Chris(adr), the year is 1969, familiar, I bet .
Eddie
Nice 1 Eddie , that is a memory jogger, fantastic! That was the view I had for years growing up when we moved up Green Road from Wood Farm, as you know just about every wagon coming through or to Oxford went round that roundabout, with a never ending stream night/day of wagons going past our front to British Leyland, Cowley ( where I spent 5 happy years doing my apprenticeship on their own Transport fleet !) Spent many a happy hour sat out on the balcony on a couple of stools with Dad & gallons of tea, while Dad had something to say about every wagon/load that went past, all part of my education (who needed School ! Regards Chris
altitude:
First thing to go on bad ground will be the bottom step, What’s it doing there ? not needed on a little lorry like that.
It’s surprisingly high up John, even against my 8wheeler. Boss said he struggled to get used to not having a lutch, and found the roll back annoying. Not so annoying when I told him about the hill hold button.
windrush:
I had a Wilcox body on my last new Foden in 1996, I hope things have improved since then. Looks a decent truck, 21 Tonne payload I guess?
Pete.
I could get 21 on that Pete, it might not be legal though.
You don’t see many steel Wilcox bodies about, I can only think of Graham Churchill running some around this way. I reckon 19.2, I’d say more but they’ve gone back to putting bloody big bodies on them again. Maybe gone to Wilcox because of the long build times?
The chimney at Earthline (the old Blue Circle cement works) Shipton Quarry is scheduled for demolition on Bank Holiday Monday around 3pm. I don’t know if it will be officially publicised, but the railway has to be closed while it’s being done. Contractors are already preparing it, drilling out what looked like old ash and clinker. It’ll be done by explosives which is a shame. Doing it Fred Dibnah style would be more appealing.
m.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/13635484 … idlington/
Shipton Quarry chimney aka “Smokey Joe” was demolished today. Not well publicised which must’ve annoyed a few people, especially as “blow down” was meant to be tomorrow afternoon (listening to Earthline blokes). I know a Bunkers Hill resident who didn’t know anything official and from the wife looking on Facebook, neither did Shipton on Cherwell residents. Christ even the Oxford Mail aren’t allowing comments on the issue, too controversial? There was a rumour a few years back when the eco town failed and the ill fated Hadley Waste venture there went ■■■■ up that someone was trying to get a preservation order on the chimney.
Surely a bit of a PR disaster for the Red Arrows?
Seen outside the old Police Station in Witney. New to the Eynsham Hall Estate where it powered the saw mill, sold to John Allen for it’s contract threshing department. Then sold at auction when Allens’ ceased contracting to Wilcox and Frost of Station Lane, Witney (contracting subsidiary to haulier and coal merchants Bernard T. Frost). Finally sold to Jack Wharton and still owned by the Wharton family.
As mentioned before my Grandfather worked as a lorry driver for BTF, hauling coal and straw. He probably worked alongside this engine hauling away the straw during the threshing season.
Maybe even Big G saw her at work next to Witney station in his early years on the railway?
Me aged 18, just passed my Class 3. This pic took down Gypsy Lane, Headington outside my Mum & Dads house, I had just been driving it in ‘The Lord Mayors Parade’, we always provided quite a few wagons as floats for this day. As it always finished in South Park at the bottom of Headington Hill it was only couple of minutes drive round to home so I could get a cup of tea & put the curtains back etc. Chris
The old Witney fire station, behind the Corn Exchange. The building is now a shop in Langdale Gate, the old Leyland Cub appliance is at Hanborough Bus Museum.
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! Regards Chris
