Geordielad:
Just moved this over from Buzzers post from today. Good pic of an Alfie Ellis AEC OBB 461F. I started my Apprenticeship at Ellis’ 1968 so this motor would have maybe been about a year old. We also had several Ford D1000 with OBB …F registrations although these never got painted in the fleet colours of Green/Black. This photo is a first as far as I’m aware of one of AW Ellis’ motors and very nice to see, I even remember the big puddles in the yard too! Happy days Franky.
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Hi Franky. Can you remind about a couple of things, where was Ellis’s yard and when diD they go out of business?
I was at Gateshead Tech 1970 - 72 and Alfie’s son was there at the same time, sure he used to drive a Reliant Robin!!
Tyneside
Lawrence Dunbar:
Advert for Paynter Stadium which I cut out of Newcastle Journal newspaper in 1975 ; B series with 240 Gardner; I was still on a Bedford TK at the time as not 21 yet at Redpath’s.
Hi Franky. Can you remind about a couple of things, where was Ellis’s yard and when did they go out of business?
I was at Gateshead Tech 1970 - 72 and Alfie’s son was there at the same time, sure he used to drive a Reliant Robin!!
Tyneside
Hiya Tyneside, the yard was in the premises of old Little Benton Farm, the Farmhouse being the offices, Little Benton Farm was along a narrow lane off Coach Lane which led off Front St just along from the Four Lane Ends crossroads Longbenton. Its all part of Coach Lane Students Campus now. I left and went to AEC Dealers Hodgson around early 1970 and Ellis got bought out by Crow’s Transport not long after. The workshop was an old style large Nissen hut with two similar to the right and one to the left, there was also a smaller one opposite and a small building housing the big generator for lighting and power, these were all positioned to the right of the house, in front was the area where trailers were parked. Rutherford Brothers had one of the other sheds and Turk Plant Hire another. When Ellis folded my Apprentice mates each went to Turk’s and Rutherford’s. One of those, Phil Webster who went to Turk Plant later started his own plant moving company and is still around today with his yard next to Murray Hogg on Sandy Lane. Ellis did start up again and a little later I was told his vehicles were bought and began Elddis Transport. The history of our transport companies would make for an interesting story if it was all put together! Cheers Franky.
Geordielad:
Hi Franky. Can you remind about a couple of things, where was Ellis’s yard and when did they go out of business?
I was at Gateshead Tech 1970 - 72 and Alfie’s son was there at the same time, sure he used to drive a Reliant Robin!!
Tyneside
Hiya Tyneside, the yard was in the premises of old Little Benton Farm, the Farmhouse being the offices, Little Benton Farm was along a narrow lane off Coach Lane which led off Front St just along from the Four Lane Ends crossroads Longbenton. Its all part of Coach Lane Students Campus now. I left and went to AEC Dealers Hodgson around early 1970 and Ellis got bought out by Crow’s Transport not long after. The workshop was an old style large Nissen hut with two similar to the right and one to the left, there was also a smaller one opposite and a small building housing the big generator for lighting and power, these were all positioned to the right of the house, in front was the area where trailers were parked. Rutherford Brothers had one of the other sheds and Turk Plant Hire another. When Ellis folded my Apprentice mates each went to Turk’s and Rutherford’s. One of those, Phil Webster who went to Turk Plant later started his own plant moving company and is still around today with his yard next to Murray Hogg on Sandy Lane. Ellis did start up again and a little later I was told his vehicles were bought and began Elddis Transport. The history of our transport companies would make for an interesting story if it was all put together! Cheers Franky.
Thanks for the info Franky, I can remember Turk Plant and was aware of the connection with Webster’s Plant Transport.
Used to see them quite often as I could walk along the footpaths adjacent to the motorway and near to the Washington Services, but I have recently moved house 25 miles down the A19 and I am trying to familiarise myself with the local haulage / plant hire outfits down this way.
Tyneside
They look as if they get their monies worth out of them weightwise.
A96 at Inverness 2015.
Oily
Good job that lamp post was there!!!
Yes, you couldn’t always get away with the ‘Sky’s the limit’ attitude, certainly got a job on his hands there! Franky.
Ray Brown:
Good job that lamp post was there!!!
Driver looks far to young to me 
Hiya,
Next puta load of glider engines on her back they never move.
