kevmac47:
Spardo, you must have been at Econofreight about the same time as Gordon Wragg. He’s long retired now, but I heard he still helps out at his son’s business. I worked with him at Colorline in the nineties, we often subbied for Donkeyfreight at that time. Regards Kev.
The name seems vaguely familiar but, as I see that you live in Gateshead, perhaps he was from Thornaby depot. I was in Leicester and, apart from calling in for fuel (or in the case of my new Daf, servicing under warranty) there was little contact between us.
There were 2 reasons why that might have been. Tom Llewellyn, when he was speccing all the Atki’s, apparently offered both depots sleeper conversions in return for less NO money. Leicester went for comfort, Thornaby went for the money, I got the impression that they disapproved, but it was before my time, the Atkis were already there when I joined. Strangely enough, my first wagon was a Foden with a Gardner 8LXB sticking out the front. Not a sleeper cab, I got the same NO money as Thornaby but, when I was ‘promoted’ to an Atki, I don’t remember getting a drop in that.
The other reason was also controversial. The '79 strike started in various areas of the country as a wildcat affair. This was because the T&G refused to back it saying that it was up to local regions to decide. Thornaby was one of the first to strike, but Leicester said they would wait till it was official. As Leicester shop steward I was constantly bombarded by the Thornaby steward to join in, but I couldn’t until my members voted that way.
I was in an awkward position, not even at work due to an industrial accident that broke my finger on the one hand, and keeping in touch with my members through several close votes, and on the other, meeting with other Leicester stewards at the local HQ. Leicester generally was very moderate and against the strike, as was I personally, but eventually my blokes voted to strike and I then had to go to the union and, along with the Cawthorn and Sinclair steward (who, like me, was bombarded by his NE colleagues) swung the vote to strike.
There were 2 ironies as a result of all that. I, and my C & S colleague, were branded as communists by local union leadership for our ‘extremist’ stance, and Thornaby, feeling the financial pinch, caved in and went back to work even though we were still on strike till it was officially called off.
Sorry, simple question, but lots of history. 
) before the local boss at Leicester decided it was not a good idea. I was very glad to be rid, I have never had one over, but I know a few who have and the esperience once had me fleeing, pulling the drop lever as I went, after seeing clouds scudding across the sky and thinking it was the body moving, not them. 
