The yard of Van Hee Transport in Pelaw, Felling on Tyne. A good mix of AEC, Seddon rigids, Volvo and Ford Transcon artics and a Volvo 89 wagon and drag with the Fords on the right primed for the Middle East. The yard shows a typical condition of most haulage yards but was later mettaled and a small Industrial unit site sprang up around it, a larger area to the right on the other side of the site roadway was kept free and became the trailer park for mostly empties. Today the site is used by a scrap company with all the usual organised chaos these sites have, the workshops remained to the left of this pic and a new yard and warehousing was located a short distance away on the Felling by Pass. Franky.
Simpson Bros.(stocksfield) Northumberland.the garage/workshops held four vehicles,which i was told,the wagons were garaged loaded or empty,
The photo of the four wheeler was taken at barnard castle truckshow,i think that was the type of vehicle ran then,but i’m sure larry and others will put me right on that.
When i started they had aquired Ray Cooks? yard which was next door,so there was a lot more room,this photo was taken about 90/91 before they moved to throckley(west end of Newcastle)and changed to Simpson Bros(tyneside).
Here is one of Simpsons and Cooks yard at Stocksfield.
Simpsons Stocksfield,
Simpsons Throckley,
Simpsons had Leylands when they first started years ago, they also had Seddons & Commers I can also remember them having a milk tanker a Guy I think, they are very long established Haulage firm, I new old George Simpson he used to go to the RHA Meetings now & again, an old work pal of mine from Smilers Maurice Taylor used to drive one of the Seddons for them. ; Also Ken McColm worked there some years ago, those good old days Eh, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Simpsons had Leylands when they first started years ago, they also had Seddons & Commers I can also remember them having a milk tanker a Guy I think, they are very long established Haulage firm, I new old George Simpson he used to go to the RHA Meetings now & again, an old work pal of mine from Smilers Maurice Taylor used to drive one of the Seddons for them. ; Also Ken McColm worked there some years ago, those good old days Eh, Regards Larry.
i used to have a pint with Maurice in the club at Prudhoe,but this was after he had lost his licence because of a heart attack,and before i started there.The only other old timer there when i started was Ronnie Lynn,been there years.
George Simpson was a smashing gaffer although Peter had taken over by then,Ronnie used to always say, when Ralph Simpson was alive if Peter came anywhere near the yard he’d kick him up the arse,and chase him away,may be true or not,i will say this though it was a bloody good firm to work for,but as we all know things were a lot better then,when you worked for a small firm you were treat a lot better and like everyone else yearn for those times again.
glenny54:
Simpson Bros.(stocksfield) Northumberland.the garage/workshops held four vehicles,which i was told,the wagons were garaged loaded or empty,
The photo of the four wheeler was taken at barnard castle truckshow,i think that was the type of vehicle ran then,but i’m sure larry and others will put me right on that.
When i started they had aquired Ray Cooks? yard which was next door,so there was a lot more room,this photo was taken about 90/91 before they moved to throckley(west end of Newcastle)and changed to Simpson Bros(tyneside).
f7sidd:
Here is one of Simpsons and Cooks yard at Stocksfield.
When I had the mixer I delivered the concrete for the retaining wall built alongside the stream. This was when they were building the houses that are now on the site. Nice to see you posting again Brian, you’ve been a bit quiet lately. regards Kev.
Hi, here are a few pics of the yards of Towmaster Transport. They had yards in Broxburn Scotland, Doncaster, Irlam and Sheerness. The pics with the Mercedes are the ones of their Broxburn yard ( think). Not sure where the ERF is, but suspect it may be their bottle storage at Yorkshire Bottle in Bawtry, Doncaster? I know its not stricly a shot of a yard, but it is an atmospheric shot of a wharehouse interior that gives you a nostalgic feel.
I am also constructing a replica yard (their Doncaster one where my dad worked in the 70s & 80s) in 1:50 scale. The bottom pics are of my home made models awaiting their yard, and in the meantime set on a base.
Broxburn?
Broxburn?
Yorkshire Bottle, Doncaster?
My 1:50 scale code 3s
Cheers.
Hilltop4 I had a good mate who worked for Towmaster he then worked at Magnet Southern Syd Woods and Truswells but we lost touch in the 90s and he will most likely have retired now.
cheers Johnnie
Nice one!! its always nice to hear from someone who knows/rembers or has a connection with one of your fave firms!!!..do you have any pics of their wagons?
hilltop4:
Nice one!! its always nice to hear from someone who knows/rembers or has a connection with one of your fave firms!!!..do you have any pics of their wagons?
Hi Hilltop4 I don’t have any pics just know what Bob told me about it he was heartbroken when it finished 
said it was a good number
cheers Johnnie
alan roper as a boy in his dads leyland comet–later worked at Ernest senior -towmaster at denaby then abs now at castle cement
This is all good stuff…I will mention the name Alan Roper to dad (Stuart McDermott). I bet he remembers him.
Dad has just retired, finishing driving with GIST delivering for M&S.
Cheer smate.
Hi lads,
This restored Leyland Comet was originall from the works fleet of Leyland Motors and differes from standard models by having a long narrow window in the centre of the cab back as opposed to the normal two small ones behind each seat. The wagon was restored by John Douglas from Alston, I started my driving career on such a Comet in 1962.
Cheers. Leyland 600