harry_gill:
Ray Brown:
When I was a fifteen year old wagon lad at Crows listening to the old drivers they always used to reminisce about old haulage companies and the one that always stuck in my mind was claim that Charles Alexander was the biggest company in the UK.Hiya,
The largest A licenced haulier in the UK was Scottish CooP
carrying both own products and goods for hire and reward.
. Harry was their depot in Shieldhall Glasgow. 
Lawrence Dunbar:
harry_gill:
Ray Brown:
When I was a fifteen year old wagon lad at Crows listening to the old drivers they always used to reminisce about old haulage companies and the one that always stuck in my mind was claim that Charles Alexander was the biggest company in the UK.Hiya,
The largest A licenced haulier in the UK was Scottish CooP
carrying both own products and goods for hire and reward.. Harry was their depot in Shieldhall Glasgow.
Hiya,
Yes Larry it was the biggest one i believe, they had depot’s all over
Scotland another was Dundee where I got backloads from when
a young driver usually jute products or if further North Aberdeen
paper was normally the load “flat must be kept dry and sheets in
good conditions” nothing palletized in my day.
Ray were you at Crow’s when they got Alfie Ellis’ motors after he sold out late 60’s, we had a Mammoth Minor like the Anderson one above as well as other AEC’s and I recall Ellis had just got a new GUY Big J, any idea if this also went to Crow’s. Cheers Franky.
Geordielad:
Ray were you at Crow’s when they got Alfie Ellis’ motors after he sold out late 60’s, we had a Mammoth Minor like the Anderson one above as well as other AEC’s and I recall Ellis had just got a new GUY Big J, any idea if this also went to Crow’s. Cheers Franky.
Hi Franky, I used to see Alfie Ellis in Crows yard from time to time. I remember Les Newton from Ellis’, he used to drive a AEC Mercury four wheeler on distance work. The AEC was nicknamed ‘the sledge’ the drivers thought it was useless. I can’t remember the GUY Big J but I can remember that Crows first GUY was a GUY Warrior ( reg BCN 107C) The driver who drove that from new was John Armstrong, nice bloke. The second GUY was an Invinsible and old Jack Fraser was the driver. After that all the new Big J’s and a Leyland Badger arrived driven by Davy Reay ( Badger Ray) There was always a scramble and friendly rivalry for the new motors. I drove them all in the yard but of course was too young (15) to take them on the road. When I used to work on Sundays I would put all the delivery notes in the cabs and John Crow used to make me check several times that they were correct. Happy days for me!! My wife’s astonished that I can remember such details from 60 years ago but can’t remember what I did 60 mins ago!! 
Cheers Ray.
Ray Brown:
Geordielad:
Ray were you at Crow’s when they got Alfie Ellis’ motors after he sold out late 60’s, we had a Mammoth Minor like the Anderson one above as well as other AEC’s and I recall Ellis had just got a new GUY Big J, any idea if this also went to Crow’s. Cheers Franky.Hi Franky, I used to see Alfie Ellis in Crows yard from time to time. I remember Les Newton from Ellis’, he used to drive a AEC Mercury four wheeler on distance work. The AEC was nicknamed ‘the sledge’ the drivers thought it was useless. I can’t remember the GUY Big J but I can remember that Crows first GUY was a GUY Warrior ( reg BCN 107C) The driver who drove that from new was John Armstrong, nice bloke. The second GUY was an Invinsible and old Jack Fraser was the driver. After that all the new Big J’s and a Leyland Badger arrived driven by Davy Reay ( Badger Ray) There was always a scramble and friendly rivalry for the new motors. I drove them all in the yard but of course was too young (15) to take them on the road. When I used to work on Sundays I would put all the delivery notes in the cabs and John Crow used to make me check several times that they were correct. Happy days for me!! My wife’s astonished that I can remember such details from 60 years ago but can’t remember what I did 60 mins ago!!
Ray, it’s inevitable when you mention Les Newton you have to use his nickname (bacon neck)
and the explanation behind it. Apparently he pulled out from under a trailer without disconnecting the airlines, when they finally snapped they smashed through the back window
and hit him on the back of the neck!! When he was checked out by the ambulance crew they said it was the roll of fat on the back of neck that saved him from serious injury!! Hence the nickname. I worked with Les in later years at Waughs, he was a character !! His sheeting was something to behold, when tipping a part load he never tidied it, he often had a piece of wood with a couple of nails in which he would hammer into the trailer floor. 
His son George carried on in the industry, (he was always with his dad in school holidays)
George is very proud of his crazy dad, and calls himself son of bacon neck when we have a get together. Ps I don’t think he uses a hammer and nails at work. Regards Kev.
Thanks for the info Ray, yeah the Mammoth Minor was fine loaded but solo it even had trouble getting into the workshop up the slight ramp, you had to take a run at it. Les was one of the many characters Ellis had back then, the unit he had when he got knocked sparkers was a D1000, one of the Fitters told me it slowly ran forward until it came up against the old Farm House which was the Offices and the rear wheels kept on turning slowly churning ruts into the ground before the engine was turned off. He certainly was a tough old lad Les he had served in the 1st Tyneside Scottish during the war but he always had a smile on his face. I also knew George from Fergusons too, again a lovely lad. I mentioned the GUY Big J as I recall when it turned up from the paint shop one of the younger fitters Bill Luntley (later Fergusons Foreman) couldn’t wait to get in and try it, he pulled away went to change up and there was a slight crunch then the GUY shot backwards, he’d managed to put it straight into reverse. Needless to say all the lads enjoyed that! As you say great days. Franky.
Well I was speaking to George in Plants Plus Cafe a couple of days ago, He said he is too busy baby sitting his grand children to come to the drivers reunion does,Hes still driving for a firm that delivers to shops with foodstuf ? His loss in my book, I new his old man he was a real character in his day, Larry.
Getting back to putting the delivery notes in the cabs. I remember one of Crows drivers picked a trailer (van) up at the yard, he drove to either Manchester or Liverpool. He opened the van and it was empty, he’d picked the wrong trailer up. Also Harry Nicol told me years ago that one of his drivers had to deliver 10 ton of sand to Boldon Colliery, hours later the customer phoned asking where the sand was. Harry told them that the driver had left at 7:30 that morning and should be there by now. The driver later phoned the depot saying he couldn’t find the delivery address. When Harry asked where he was it transpires that he was at Bolton Lancashire. Harry told him to find some waste ground, tip the sand and come back empty to save fuel and wear and tear. Needless to say when he got back he was sacked. I suppose these things happen quite often before today’s Sat Nav and technology.
Hi Tyneside, Great old photos, Thanks for posting them, The Kew Dodge, Reads JOHN PARKER. Regards Larry.
I wonder if this is the firm from South Shields that extracted sand from the beach , Any one know ?, Larry.
tyneside:
Tyneside
The reg number on the MK2 Cortina must be an private plate,it comes up as a Skoda now
Lawrence Dunbar:
I wonder if this is the firm from South Shields that extracted sand from the beach , Any one know ?, Larry.
Larry there was a Dennis Parker had a few tippers in the 70’s / 80’s. His yard was on Stoneygate Lane, Felling but I think he came from South Shields originally. Could be a relation ■■
Tyneside
tyneside:
Lawrence Dunbar:
I wonder if this is the firm from South Shields that extracted sand from the beach , Any one know ?, Larry.Larry there was a Dennis Parker had a few tippers in the 70’s / 80’s. His yard was on Stoneygate Lane, Felling but I think he came from South Shields originally. Could be a relation ■■
Tyneside
. Yes Tyneside I can remember them Blue wagons I think ?; their yard was like a tip IIRC, The Parker from Shields motors were red, In the 80s they used to get their sand from Cresswell Beach, Of course thats all stopped now, Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
tyneside:
Lawrence Dunbar:
I wonder if this is the firm from South Shields that extracted sand from the beach , Any one know ?, Larry.Larry there was a Dennis Parker had a few tippers in the 70’s / 80’s. His yard was on Stoneygate Lane, Felling but I think he came from South Shields originally. Could be a relation ■■
Tyneside. Yes Tyneside I can remember them Blue wagons I think ?; their yard was like a tip IIRC, The Parker from Shields motors were red, In the 80s they used to get their sand from Cresswell Beach, Of course thats all stopped now, Larry.
That’s right Larry, was never in their yard but when I finally packed in altogether in 1992 Dennis bought some bits and pieces from me, tipper nets and some oil and a couple of spare wheels iirc. Tyneside
NMP.
