FAO KENNY WARD
HI KENNY , IS THERE ANYCHANCE YOU COULD EMAIL ME A COPY OF THE GRANGEWOOD FIAT PHOTO THAT YOU HAVE ?
ANDY
In the early 80’s I pulled for Grangewood of Greenwich with my Kenworth K100 6x4 tractor. I remember some great times with the lads running all the “Commy Block” Countries. I heard that the Hungarians were nicking them at Komarno for being overweight on the rear axle of their 4 wheel tractors so I gave them a call to see if there was any work. Buzby answered and I asked him if there was any traction work about, to which he replied “sorry mate not at the moment.” He asked me what I had and I said " I’ve got a brand new 6x4 Kenworth K100 with a 435 detroit V8. He spoke to someone in the office and said “your’e going out tomorrow” and that was the start of a great working relationship. Does anyone have any info on the following drivers :- Alan Warner (Pops), Alan Balmer, Dave(Dusty) Miller, Johnny Streak,
Bernie(Zwie Metre Fumf) Buzby, and Ray Smith in the office. Everyone had a nick name and I was known as BJ and the Bank Manager. This was taken from the TV series about B J Mc Kay and his pet Chimp and it was called “BJ and the Bear” and they roamed around in what I think was a Kaydub 140 Cabover Aerodyne. My truck was £38,000 in 1982 which was a remortgage job for me. If anyone can give me any info on the aforementioned I would be very Gratefull, Thanks.
gerryoke:
In the early 80’s I pulled for Grangewood of Greenwich with my Kenworth K100 6x4 tractor. I remember some great times with the lads running all the “Commy Block” Countries. I heard that the Hungarians were nicking them at Komarno for being overweight on the rear axle of their 4 wheel tractors so I gave them a call to see if there was any work. Buzby answered and I asked him if there was any traction work about, to which he replied “sorry mate not at the moment.” He asked me what I had and I said " I’ve got a brand new 6x4 Kenworth K100 with a 435 detroit V8. He spoke to someone in the office and said “your’e going out tomorrow” and that was the start of a great working relationship. Does anyone have any info on the following drivers :- Alan Warner (Pops), Alan Balmer, Dave(Dusty) Miller, Johnny Streak,
Bernie(Zwie Metre Fumf) Buzby, and Ray Smith in the office. Everyone had a nick name and I was known as BJ and the Bank Manager. This was taken from the TV series about B J Mc Kay and his pet Chimp and it was called “BJ and the Bear” and they roamed around in what I think was a Kaydub 140 Cabover Aerodyne. My truck was £38,000 in 1982 which was a remortgage job for me. If anyone can give me any info on the aforementioned I would be very Gratefull, Thanks.
I knew “Pop” Warner very well and there’s someone on this BB I correspond with who says he has seen him more recently than I,but he is in his 70’s now.
The only other driver I knew on Grangewoods was Kenny Searle.
Are you the same Gerry that was featured in an LDD in Truck? Taking a container of relief supplies to Italy after an earthquake??
Anyway,I digress,I remember Grangewood’s,though can’t remember any of the driver’s.
I drove for Fred Archer of Ipswich,and he’d bought a couple of old Merc’s with fridges,to get the fridge work,and Fred being Fred,he’d got the wrong size hooks in the trailer and they wouldn’t slide on the rails.So,I got turned away from Crick (what was the name of that firm there?) and had to go to Grangewoods to get the right hooks.
Useless bit of trivia really 
KW:
Crick (what was the name of that firm there?)
midland meat packers - became baker group i believe, steve off paddy whites was on there last time i saw him many years ago, about 2000 come to think of it 
i had some brief dealings with fred when he went under the name ultrahaul in the early 90s - bet it was interesting working for him 
jj72:
KW:
Crick (what was the name of that firm there?)midland meat packers - became baker group i believe, steve off paddy whites was on there last time i saw him many years ago, about 2000 come to think of it
i had some brief dealings with fred when he went under the name ultrahaul in the early 90s - bet it was interesting working for him
Midland Meat Packers,that was it!!
I remember the canteen looked out into the yard,where all the offal was coming off a conveyor into skips.Kind of put me off my breakfast that did.
It was certainly an experience working for Fred but most enjoyable at the time.
I think he sold out to Russell Davies at some point,running some Iveco’s under the name Archer Continental Services,or maybe he leased them from RD’s,before setting up again under the Ultrahaul name.
In actual fact,a guy I worked with at Goodways,Joe Richards,went to work for Ultrahaul and went all over the M/E for Fred,and up till then Joe had never driven abroad.
But he was always being visited by the ministry,he just had that reputation,and had agreed to pay some hefty fines for some driver’s who’d been caught running dodgy,until he was overheard talking to his accountant in the office one day.
The accountant was saying to Fred that the fines were going to cost him a lot of money,but Fred said,“Let them all stand up in court and plead guilty,then I won’t lose the O licence,and then they can pay their own fines”!
When it went to court,the driver’s all stood up and told them that Fred had told them to do it.
He was none too pleased.
KW:
Joe Richards,went to work for Ultrahaul and went all over the M/E for Fred,and up till then Joe had never driven abroad
at the “risk” of hijacking this thread - was he from ipswich? think he was on murfitts for a short while mid 90s if so
jj72:
KW:
Joe Richards,went to work for Ultrahaul and went all over the M/E for Fred,and up till then Joe had never driven abroadat the “risk” of hijacking this thread - was he from ipswich? think he was on murfitts for a short while mid 90s if so
Felixstowe,but he and his missus split up,so perhaps he moved to Ipswich.
KW:
Are you the same Gerry that was featured in an LDD in Truck? Taking a container of relief supplies to Italy after an earthquake??Anyway,I digress,I remember Grangewood’s,though can’t remember any of the driver’s.
I drove for Fred Archer of Ipswich,and he’d bought a couple of old Merc’s with fridges,to get the fridge work,and Fred being Fred,he’d got the wrong size hooks in the trailer and they wouldn’t slide on the rails.So,I got turned away from Crick (what was the name of that firm there?) and had to go to Grangewoods to get the right hooks.
Useless bit of trivia really
Yes that was me in Truck mag on LDD. I have actually lost the only copy I had so if anyone knows of a spare one I would be most gratefull. I remember MMP in Crick, one day I did 2 drops in Slough, 2 drops in Crick and one more in Slough again on the same day.
Talk about a right song and dance, that really was a case of SLOUGH, SLOUGH, CRICK CRICK SLOUGH!!!
gerryoke:
KW:
Are you the same Gerry that was featured in an LDD in Truck? Taking a container of relief supplies to Italy after an earthquake??Anyway,I digress,I remember Grangewood’s,though can’t remember any of the driver’s.
I drove for Fred Archer of Ipswich,and he’d bought a couple of old Merc’s with fridges,to get the fridge work,and Fred being Fred,he’d got the wrong size hooks in the trailer and they wouldn’t slide on the rails.So,I got turned away from Crick (what was the name of that firm there?) and had to go to Grangewoods to get the right hooks.
Useless bit of trivia reallyYes that was me in Truck mag on LDD. I have actually lost the only copy I had so if anyone knows of a spare one I would be most gratefull. I remember MMP in Crick, one day I did 2 drops in Slough, 2 drops in Crick and one more in Slough again on the same day.
Talk about a right song and dance, that really was a case of SLOUGH, SLOUGH, CRICK CRICK SLOUGH!!!
I think I have a copy somewhere,if I can find it I’ll scan it and post it on here.
Or maybe dreva has it in his collection.
KW:
gerryoke:
KW:
Are you the same Gerry that was featured in an LDD in Truck? Taking a container of relief supplies to Italy after an earthquake??Anyway,I digress,I remember Grangewood’s,though can’t remember any of the driver’s.
I drove for Fred Archer of Ipswich,and he’d bought a couple of old Merc’s with fridges,to get the fridge work,and Fred being Fred,he’d got the wrong size hooks in the trailer and they wouldn’t slide on the rails.So,I got turned away from Crick (what was the name of that firm there?) and had to go to Grangewoods to get the right hooks.
Useless bit of trivia reallyYes that was me in Truck mag on LDD. I have actually lost the only copy I had so if anyone knows of a spare one I would be most gratefull. I remember MMP in Crick, one day I did 2 drops in Slough, 2 drops in Crick and one more in Slough again on the same day.
Talk about a right song and dance, that really was a case of SLOUGH, SLOUGH, CRICK CRICK SLOUGH!!!I think I have a copy somewhere,if I can find it I’ll scan it and post it on here.
Or maybe dreva has it in his collection.
I already have a scanned copy but it would be nice to actually have the original, thanks for the offer mate.
gerryoke I remember your kenworth well,i see you on the olau line sheerness to vlissingen ferry,your truck was red and white,it was one of the first lorries i saw with polished wheels,a really lovely truck.Their was a female driver on grangewoods called paula, i think she got laid off cause she couldnt change a wheel if she got a punture so i was told at the time.After she finished up she worked for a bloke called Brian Shaw pulling fransen fridge,s,Brian was from hemel and had 2 daf,s 2800 and a 3300 they were dark blue.
Boyzee…you aint called TED by any chance are ya ?..if you are .i can mention some laughs we had a few yrs ago…
gerryoke:
In the early 80’s I pulled for Grangewood of Greenwich with my Kenworth K100 6x4 tractor. I remember some great times with the lads running all the “Commy Block” Countries. I heard that the Hungarians were nicking them at Komarno for being overweight on the rear axle of their 4 wheel tractors so I gave them a call to see if there was any work. Buzby answered and I asked him if there was any traction work about, to which he replied “sorry mate not at the moment.” He asked me what I had and I said " I’ve got a brand new 6x4 Kenworth K100 with a 435 detroit V8. He spoke to someone in the office and said “your’e going out tomorrow” and that was the start of a great working relationship. Does anyone have any info on the following drivers :- Alan Warner (Pops), Alan Balmer, Dave(Dusty) Miller, Johnny Streak,
Bernie(Zwie Metre Fumf) Buzby, and Ray Smith in the office. Everyone had a nick name and I was known as BJ and the Bank Manager. This was taken from the TV series about B J Mc Kay and his pet Chimp and it was called “BJ and the Bear” and they roamed around in what I think was a Kaydub 140 Cabover Aerodyne. My truck was £38,000 in 1982 which was a remortgage job for me. If anyone can give me any info on the aforementioned I would be very Gratefull, Thanks.
A very guilty man here - guilty of encouraging more people to drive trucks than anyone else. 
Last I read you were importing furniture, are you still doing that or did you get lured back behind the wheel of something a little more mundane ?
Yes I did import cane furniture from Italy and supplied it to Garden Centres etc. I will have to come out of the closet and admit that I was running a Ford Cargo tractor with a 40ft stepframe. Not very glamorous but the right tool for the job. This was featured in Truck and Driver once again written by the late Phil Llewelin. If anyone has a copy with this article in it that they can zap to me or give me any info I would be very grateful.
Good afternoon Gerry,
I am dragging the mists of my memory but back in 1979/80 I was at MIRA doing some vehicle testing when a “new” K100 6X4 truck was brought in on French “transit temporaire” W plates. I am wondering if that was your truck as I seem to remember it was red and white. I will try to find the pics I took of it and if I can get my head round it, put them on here
Hi gerryoke,
I remember reading the article about yourself and importing the garden furniture but I don’t think I can help you in finding the article from T&D. If it was published after 1997 then I might have a copy of T&D but anything previous was taken by the bailiffs when my home was repossessed because I was unable carry on work because of health problems and couldn’t pay the mortgage and my critical illness insurance wouldn’t cover the payments. I did have a massive collection of mags, including all the first years issues of TRUCK, TRUCK & DRIVER & TRUCKING INTERNATIONAL and actually made a few pounds selling some of the collection and other bits of memorabilia through the free adds in TI.
Sorry I went off on one then but I just hope the auctioneer got a good price for my collection because I know I didn’t !!
Regards
Dave Penn;
Ed, I got the Kaydub from Dandos in Chipping Sodbury when it was brand new so I don’t know if this was the truck you saw but maybe the photos can tell the story if you find them. Dave, I am sorry to hear about your bad luck with the baliffs but lets face it those B*****ds would take the blood from your veins if they thought they would get a few quid for it. Ref the T&D mag, this was published in 1985 but I can’t remember the date it was issued but if you find out anything please let me know, Kind regards.
gerryoke:
Does anyone have any info on the following drivers :- Alan Warner (Pops), Alan Balmer, Dave(Dusty) Miller, Johnny Streak,
Bernie(Zwie Metre Fumf) Buzby, and Ray Smith in the office.
Not sure if its the same one 
but I worked with Alan Balmer at Wincantons in Bletchley about 5/6 years ago, he was a rather big chap and lived in Milton Keynes area, Maybe someone else from the MK area will know more.
The aforementioned Kenworth and a few others for good measure 
. Not the owner washing it
Now for the better trucks
“Shunt down the yard please driver so we can shut ya rear doors”
My personal favourites .
When I was running to Greece in the early nineties there was a Greek haulier with about 4 ex Grangewood Scania’s still in there colours. Got chatting to him in Patras one day but never had my camera