Always found the small industrial tug tractors intresting. There were a fair few manufacturers building these over the years.
Heres a Brush brochure.
Click on twice to read.
Some odds and sods.
Click on twice to read.
“Finbarot” You mentioned the range change on the dash,heres an advert with a pic that may bring back some
memories for you and “coomsey”, “windrush” . Intrestingly the advert shows one of Upton Oils Fodens that are
a company that were based on the outskirts of Poole and here’s one of there Fodens. Finished about 5 years
or so ago.
Gardner engines 1952.
I wonder when Henley tyres finished or were maybe bought out. Advert from 1952 and i like the bit
about “watch those kerbs” . I use to try and go up a drop kerb if i had to go on a pavement and then down
another if possible.
Top selling 32 tonner in 1972.
East Coast Haulage Seddon Atkinson from Boston.
Some Leyland Marathons.
BOC Seddon Atkinson.
Dont think we have had a Norco motor on before,anyone know anything about them ■■
Holden ERF with spread axle trailer.
Think it says Dawson on the headboard of the F88 ■■
Anyone know where Bridon were based ■■ Not sure what he’s loaded with,initially thought steel coil but it looks
like there are 4 possibly 5 (not clear) so they would be too heavy. Maybe paper rolls ■■
Cant make the name out on the drivers door but think it says Essex ■■
Blue Circle Cement Routeman seen here heading in the direction of Poole so assume its heading back to Poole
depot that was next to the railway station.
Smart looking DAF of K.W.Jones Transport from Newport.
Its amazing what you forget. I dont remember E.F.phillips running Constructor 8 wheelers. Always remember there
AEC Mammoth Majors and Leyland Octopus trucks. Looks like the Elliotts (MAN) driver has gone hime for a cuppa.
Anchor Foods Bedford TM seen here heading into Poole.Not sure where Anchor’s nearest depot to Poole was but think
they had a place at Gloucester.
DEANB:
Always found the small industrial tug tractors intresting. There were a fair few manufacturers building these over the years.Heres a Brush brochure.
Click on twice to read.
5
The only places where I remember having seen such tractors are railway stations. Why didn’t they have proper mirrors, instead of obliging the driver to twist his neck when reversing?
Morning Dean.
Bridon stood for British Ropes Doncaster,it will be a load of wire on drums.
Dean clutches would generally last a few years on tippers, in ten years my Foden only had two but the first one went under warranty when the springs fell out which was a common Lipe twin plate problem. The replacements had solid centres but after a few years use they wore the splines on the Fuller gearbox primary shaft unevenly so the clutch then wouldn’t release properly, we removed the box and ground the splines smooth again instead of fitting new shafts.
Foden’s own gearboxes suffered from the gearbox rear mainshaft nut coming loose and letting the epicyclic gear assembly float about, a new shaft would be needed and they modified them several times to try and stop the problem. Also the mainshaft front bolt could shear off and also the two small bolts securing the layshaft clutch brake used to shear off letting the layshaft drop so gearbox removal was a fairly common occourance and with having fifty trucks we usually had one built up ready to slip in.
Pete.
Thats so weird .I had a similar condition which really stumped my GP. Same right turns after alcohol, but my right hand would then start a fluttery almost rudder like effect which acted opposite lock in an attempt to straighten me out. GP put it down to having the range change on a stalk instead of the gearstick. Fodens eh!! 
I used to jump into my Mini to go home n after I’d got into 4th I’d put the left indicator on n dip the clutch 
coomsey:
Thats so weird .I had a similar condition which really stumped my GP. Same right turns after alcohol, but my right hand would then start a fluttery almost rudder like effect which acted opposite lock in an attempt to straighten me out. GP put it down to having the range change on a stalk instead of the gearstick. Fodens eh!!
I used to jump into my Mini to go home n after I’d got into 4th I’d put the left indicator on n dip the clutch
Brilliant
nothing more satisfying than the rasp of the range change as you come out of third low into first direct. Yep , I am one sad man Im on tablets for it, but they don’t seem to work!!
The Dawson’s F88 is Middlesbrough registered so I think it will be A. V. Dawson’s who are still going strong in the 'Boro, still my favourite thread this, keep up the good work Dean.
Anchor were at Swindon when I was driving Dean, I used to go in there quite often with butter from Belgium.
Cheers, Keith
Froggy55:
“DEANB”
Always found the small industrial tug tractors intresting. There were a fair few manufacturers building these over the years.Heres a Brush brochure.
The only places where I remember having seen such tractors are railway stations. Why didn’t they have proper mirrors, instead of obliging the driver to twist his neck when reversing?
Good point,must have been alot of drivers with stiff necks. 
Most of the manufacturers never bothered back then with
mirrors although some did on the larger versions. Like you say alot were used in places like railways stations and large factories
operated them.
A few more.
Chris Webb:
Morning Dean.
Bridon stood for British Ropes Doncaster,it will be a load of wire on drums.
Nice one Chris ! Heres a bit about British Ropes. 
Click on pages twice to read.
Article from 1956.
windrush:
Dean clutches would generally last a few years on tippers, in ten years my Foden only had two but the first one went under warranty when the springs fell out which was a common Lipe twin plate problem. The replacements had solid centres but after a few years use they wore the splines on the Fuller gearbox primary shaft unevenly so the clutch then wouldn’t release properly, we removed the box and ground the splines smooth again instead of fitting new shafts.Foden’s own gearboxes suffered from the gearbox rear mainshaft nut coming loose and letting the epicyclic gear assembly float about, a new shaft would be needed and they modified them several times to try and stop the problem. Also the mainshaft front bolt could shear off and also the two small bolts securing the layshaft clutch brake used to shear off letting the layshaft drop so gearbox removal was a fairly common occourance and with having fifty trucks we usually had one built up ready to slip in.
Pete.
Thanks for the info Pete,tippers have a harder life than most trucks so its undertandable that clutches will not last.
Did Foden listen to mechanics like yourself about trying to rectify problems do you think ? I often think that manufacturers
could learn alot from speakig to mechanics about issues especially if they have large fleets of a certain make as they will
have already worked out a way of fixing the problem.
I have put this on before but it may be of intrest to anyone who missed it.
Click on pages twice to read.
An old Fullers advert from 1958.
finbarot:
“coomsey” Thats so weird .I had a similar condition which really stumped my GP. Same right turns after alcohol, but my right hand would then start a fluttery almost rudder like effect which acted opposite lock in an attempt to straighten me out. GP put it down to having the range change on a stalk instead of the gearstick. Fodens eh!!
I used to jump into my Mini to go home n after I’d got into 4th I’d put the left indicator on n dip the clutch
+1 
finbarot:
nothing more satisfying than the rasp of the range change as you come out of third low into first direct. Yep , I am one sad man
mizzo:
The Dawson’s F88 is Middlesbrough registered so I think it will be A. V. Dawson’s who are still going strong in the 'Boro, still my favourite thread this, keep up the good work Dean.
Thanks for the comments “mizzo”. I thought we had a few other pics of Dawson’s but cant find any of A.V.Dawson
just other companies called Dawson.
kmills:
Anchor were at Swindon when I was driving Dean, I used to go in there quite often with butter from Belgium.Cheers, Keith
Thanks for the info Keith,i got confused and realised after that i was thinking of Walls Ice Cream at Gloucester…
It looks like Anchor had a few of those TM’s as here’s a rigid.
Carpet Express Scania.
Anyone recognise the Mercedes ■■
Brook Crompton Parkinson Motors DAF heading into Poole. Not had one on before,anyone know where they were based ■■
MFI DAF. I reckon we have all had some MFI furniture at some point ! Not sure when they finished.
North Western BRS Mercedes.
Gregory Mercedes. Anyone know how many motors they run these days as they are becoming a large company
and have bought up a fair few smaller companies like Framptons etc.
“steam” Possibly Eatons MAN ■■
Dorset County Council’s Foden Haulmaster seen here not far from the landfill quarry between Wimborne & Poole.
Shippams Mercedes overtaking an ARC Routeman seen here on the dual carrigeway between Dorchester and Bridport.
Any of you remember the transport cafe called Askers that burnt down ■■ Must have been the 80s.
I miss seeing Corralls on the road. Heres one of there Roadtrains from the Poole depot on the docks seen here between
Poole and Bournemouth.
DEANB:
I miss seeing Corralls on the road. Heres one of there Roadtrains from the Poole depot on the docks seen here between
Poole and Bournemouth.0
Have some great memories of Corralls who my Father drove for from 1964 until they become P.D.Wharfeage & Transport based in Portslade near Hove actually.
We simply used the Foden nine speed gearbox ecactly the same as the twelve speed ones, there was no overdrive lockout fitted to any of the ones we operated.
I always wanted a small truck like a Lister, Martin or a Bonser to exhibit at rallies but it never happened, there is still a very active club relating to them though. When I worked for a BMC dealership in Reading we used to do MOT tests on three wheel Lister trucks owned by British Rail as they travelled across a public highway between the goods yard and station so had to be taxed and tested. They had no electrics so Ever Ready cycle lamps were hung on the front and rear, brake testing (they only had one brake) was difficult using a Tapley meter but we managed to get some sort of a reading that satisfied the ‘powers that be’ and everyone was happy!
Pete.
I’d been doing 20 + loads to sidings a day for Tarmac, after a surprisingly short time I’d had my fill, asked Jeff Ireland, transport manager, for a swap. No problems have you drove a Foden ? Yes no problems. Jumped into the S39 pictured, whoa they’ve moved the lever onto the gearstick. Away I went, about 6 MTH later I was put on a S83 n while waiting to load I noticed the shift pattern on the gear knob,it turned out that I’d been driving mine as a 12sp when there was no such thing. The shift pattern had worn off mine, kept using the same shifts though. The 9sp must have been designed for ninnies 
Hi Dean.
I think Brook Motors were from Huddersfield and Crompton Parkinson had a site at Doncaster on the Wheatley Hall estate.I used to take steel strip in there from Aldridge.
Chris Webb:
Hi Dean.
I think Brook Motors were from Huddersfield and Crompton Parkinson had a site at Doncaster on the Wheatley Hall estate.I used to take steel strip in there from Aldridge.
They were indeed in Huddersfield, I used to pick up electric motors in there for Allen’s.
Hi Dean, don’t know when MFI packed up but I can tell you where they were based, originally on elms farm industrial estate in Bedford but they then needed bigger premises and moved to brackmills ind estate in Northampton. The Bedford distribution centre was then taken over by Debenhams until they moved to a bigger premises in Peterborough. Forget who’s got it now.
I would guess that colour scheme on the MFI unit in your photo was a later colour when they had moved to Northampton, it also looks like an old Hoarne paper trailer who I believe were based in Northampton. The photo below is the colour scheme they had when based in Bedford.nmp
