Good photos of Wendell’s Macks Vic, I sat in this one and fired it up and selected gears etc, (with permission) when I was delivering diesel one time on Phillips, I was driving an F86 at the time and couldn’t believe how tiny the Mack cab was inside, no good to a big lad like me! Regards, Mizzo.
Aye Les i went for a job there before i got on to Phillips,didnt take it IRC the money was not the best at the time,pleased i never took it as not long after got on the Phillips contract In this photo the livery looks close to another company we both know
Aye, Grady Hall I remember John McGrady when I used to go to the RHA Meetings He did in fact chair a few meetings at on time, Is he still about ■■?, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Aye, Grady Hall I remember John McGrady when I used to go to the RHA Meetings He did in fact chair a few meetings at on time, Is he still about ■■?, Regards Larry.
Many memories of Grady Hall as they passed our front door from 10pm every Sunday until Saturday lunch every week. ERF B series artics from Wearmouth colliery and an AEC 8 wheeler grinding its way out of Herrington Burn. The ERFs got upgraded to 38 tons with those wierd extra axles that were attached to the 5th wheel, I think they were made by a place on the Coast Road near Newcastle. MANs followed when they started Millbay Man VW. You could almost set your watch by them there were that many tipping coal slurry down the old pit near Houghton.
dm7301:
Davidsons of Coundon. Used to do a lot of coal into Ferrybridge power station. Their old yard is still at Coundon with the milk tankers running out of there.
Good to see a photo, I didnt know they were still running he milk tankers. As for the mention of Ferrybridge this must have been a destination for many local tipping firms as I recall Thomas Bros from Murton and Gurteens running with trailers saying “Coal for Ferrybridge” on the back running in convoys on the A1.
dm7301:
Davidsons of Coundon. Used to do a lot of coal into Ferrybridge power station. Their old yard is still at Coundon with the milk tankers running out of there.
Good to see a photo, I didnt know they were still running he milk tankers. As for the mention of Ferrybridge this must have been a destination for many local tipping firms as I recall Thomas Bros from Murton and Gurteens running with trailers saying “Coal for Ferrybridge” on the back running in convoys on the A1.
Hi
I remember davisons fron the days they ran O model Bedford short wheelbase tippers running round Spennymoor-Bishop Auckland delivering the miners coal. Miners used to get a weekly supply of coal free those days and Davisons tipped it at the side of the road outside the miners houses. As the miners got, much, much more than they ever could use they used to sell it on in many cases. Davisons always ran a good, tidy fleet and went on to run J series Bedfords then TKs, before they went on to ERF, wen that work dried up.I was told they had delivered the miners coal right from horse and cart days.
Mackem:
Many memories of Grady Hall as they passed our front door from 10pm every Sunday until Saturday lunch every week. ERF B series artics from Wearmouth colliery and an AEC 8 wheeler grinding its way out of Herrington Burn. The ERFs got upgraded to 38 tons with those wierd extra axles that were attached to the 5th wheel, I think they were made by a place on the Coast Road near Newcastle. MANs followed when they started Millbay Man VW. You could almost set your watch by them there were that many tipping coal slurry down the old pit near Houghton.
Your right about that axle “Mackem”. The company in question was Monitor Engineering, I remember delivering steel to them in the late sixties/ early seventies when I worked for Miles
Druce Metals from Hebburn. (I was just a boy then) . One of our subbies there (Big John) sorry can’t remember his surname was involved with the development of that axle, he lost a lot of money in that venture. Ps He drove a KM artic for a firm from Pelaw. I bet Larry Dunbar knows him. Regards Kev.
Kev I can remember Moniter Eng, But I cant recall the Big John lad that you mention, Mind you my mems is not like it used to be Im sorry to say It must be this getting old thing Eh, Regards Larry.
Mackem:
Many memories of Grady Hall as they passed our front door from 10pm every Sunday until Saturday lunch every week. ERF B series artics from Wearmouth colliery and an AEC 8 wheeler grinding its way out of Herrington Burn. The ERFs got upgraded to 38 tons with those wierd extra axles that were attached to the 5th wheel, I think they were made by a place on the Coast Road near Newcastle. MANs followed when they started Millbay Man VW. You could almost set your watch by them there were that many tipping coal slurry down the old pit near Houghton.
Your right about that axle “Mackem”. The company in question was Monitor Engineering, I remember delivering steel to them in the late sixties/ early seventies when I worked for Miles
Druce Metals from Hebburn. (I was just a boy then) . One of our subbies there (Big John) sorry can’t remember his surname was involved with the development of that axle, he lost a lot of money in that venture. Ps He drove a KM artic for a firm from Pelaw. I bet Larry Dunbar knows him. Regards Kev.
hi kevmac
the lad in question was john ancrum he came to gradys as a night shift fitter iirc he had his own motor a scammell crusader at one time. got to say the axles were c##p.
dont know what happened to him
Mackem:
Many memories of Grady Hall as they passed our front door from 10pm every Sunday until Saturday lunch every week. ERF B series artics from Wearmouth colliery and an AEC 8 wheeler grinding its way out of Herrington Burn. The ERFs got upgraded to 38 tons with those wierd extra axles that were attached to the 5th wheel, I think they were made by a place on the Coast Road near Newcastle. MANs followed when they started Millbay Man VW. You could almost set your watch by them there were that many tipping coal slurry down the old pit near Houghton.
hi mackem
you are spot on with your times the wagons were double shifted all week they also used to tip out into the sea at dawdon and down old pit shaft at boldon the workshop was also open those times and on a sunday morning as there was usually some out then.
cheers
mick
Mackem:
Many memories of Grady Hall as they passed our front door from 10pm every Sunday until Saturday lunch every week. ERF B series artics from Wearmouth colliery and an AEC 8 wheeler grinding its way out of Herrington Burn. The ERFs got upgraded to 38 tons with those wierd extra axles that were attached to the 5th wheel, I think they were made by a place on the Coast Road near Newcastle. MANs followed when they started Millbay Man VW. You could almost set your watch by them there were that many tipping coal slurry down the old pit near Houghton.
hi mackem
you are spot on with your times the wagons were double shifted all week they also used to tip out into the sea at dawdon and down old pit shaft at boldon the workshop was also open those times and on a sunday morning as there was usually some out then.
cheers
mick
I recall a number of other tanks coming from Dawdon (and maybe Seaham) mostly Leyland Octopus plus the odd Sed Ak and ERF, they used to finish on a Saturday morning then head back to Burnopfield later Birtley. It was more interesting spotting Grady Hall and all the coal hauliers on the Durham road than taking notice of school - you got a good view from my classroom…
the lad in question was john ancrum he came to gradys as a night shift fitter iirc he had his own motor a scammell crusader at one time. got to say the axles were c##p.
dont know what happened to him
John Ancrum spent a lot of time at the small Innovation Centre workshop opposite Van Hee’s Pelaw yard trialing his add on axle. A good idea in theory but by the time it got perfected (if it actually did) most companies had gone for the three axle unit and trailer anyway, the road tax was cheaper. If I remember the unit he had at the time was a 111 Scania, I did have a pic of the add on axle somewhere, I’ll have a look for it. Cheers Franky.
Hi, Any of you north east guys remember Joe Cuscak (spelling could be wrong) had many a pint with him in Glasgow during the mid 70s, he ran an ergo cab AEC or Leyland, seem to think it was red, he used to just sleep on the bonnet but didn’t seem to sleep much, we lost touch after a while, often wonder what happened to him.
Les
