Hi all, has anybody got any pics or info on James & Son grain merchants or Cranfeilds Flour , from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s■■? Particularly intrested in photos of the Various ERF’s run by both firms and also those used by P J Thory, any info or pics would be greatlfully received, Cheers, Chris 
Used to see Cranfields motors very often, when they came into Ainscoughs at Burscough - the only motors on the Allied Mills fleet at that time which were specced as sleepers, rather than (in Seaforth’s case) getting one because ERF couldn’t supply a day cab with the correct drivetrain to fulfil the order!
The lasting memory I have of Cranfields was one coming down Mill Lane like a lunatic into Ainscoughs one afternoon. I had to do a double take as I was sure I saw more detail of the cab interior than usual when it flew past me. When I looked again, I was right - the wagon had no windscreen!! Apparently it had popped out on the M6 and he’d kept going until he got to Burscough where a replacement was fitted.
Brown & a strange mustard yellow were the colours if memory serves.
Great story Marcy, your rite with the colours aswell mate. They kept their motors til they dropped i think, remember them still running A-series ERF’s in the late 80’s out of Ipswich dock
I really need to get my scanner sorted out ! I was looking at a load of my uncles photo’s of his and my dad’s Cranfields / Allied Mills days, last week. 
My Dad worked at Allied Mills from 1973 - 1995. He started at Ainscoughs on an AEC Mandator, inherited from Healing’s of Tewkesbury and moved to Seaforth when the mill opened where he drove a string of ERFs from A-Series all the way to an E-Series which was his last motor. He was injured in a RTC on the way to work (the dreaded Switch Island traffic lights) and never fully recovered so finished work at 52.
The driver on the opposite shift, John Parr (who shared motors with my Dad for 22 years) took a few pictures of their wagons - in particular a C-Series ERF. John had worked for AM (starting at Ainscough’s) since the fifties and had been the last driver of a 30’s Leyland Hippo (the one the Pyatts restored). Back in the day, the drivers used to varnish the paint on the wagons at Ainscoughs, even down to the propshaft!!
I’ll post a few of John’s pictures when I get chance.
The C series must’ve been a great improvement over them earlier war-horses!! My father used to often go into Allied Mills when he worked for Farming Supplies (maldon) Ltd, animal feed makers, to pick up wheat, grain ect to be delivered back to their mill in Essex. Allieds used have a mill in Rochford, Essex, ( think it used to be one of rankins) but sadly it shut down a couple of years ago, and recently was hit buy arsonists!!! Used to be in and out of their mill at Tilbury alot aswell. Farming Supplies no longer exist, being swallowed up by Bibbys Feeds in 96, and by 2000 the mill was shut and is now only just stared to be demolished!!. Its a great shame, as my dad and several of his ex-colleges said it was the best job they ever had 
Would be nice to see them pics if you get time Marky, cheers, Chris
Here are a few Allied Mills pictures which were taken by one of the drivers, John Parr - or Pancho Gonzales as he was affectionately known back then (see if you can guess why…)
John’s Leyland Beaver from Ainscoughs (with his son leaning on the wheelarch):
John/Pancho with a just washed C-Series, one Saturday morning at Seaforth in 1984:
A view from the wheat gantry of a freshly-cleaned lineup (as above - 1984):
Blowing flour into the silos at Cooksons bakery in Lytham - 5:30am on a summers morning in 1985:
This is a photograph of a photograph. The original was retrieved from a skip when the reception area at Seaforth Mill was redecorated in the late eighties. It’s over 6 feet x 3 feet in size and depicts the newly open mill in the early seventies. Lots of LVs and A-Series as well as some nostalgia lined up in the car park…
Excelent pictures Marky, yeah, i can clearly see why he got that tag!, all he needs is a couple of crossed Ammo belts!!! thanks for postin them mate, spot on
Goaty:
I really need to get my scanner sorted out ! I was looking at a load of my uncles photo’s of his and my dad’s Cranfields / Allied Mills days, last week.
I did. Here we go.
My Dad worked for Cranfield Bros. in Ipswich for acouple of years before my Uncle John started there in mid '79.
John finally left in '97 and went onto BOC, where he still “works” 
.
Below are the photo’s he’s managed to dig out for me to post on TNUK.
Hope you enjoy !
And breathe…
Chapter 2. 
My Uncle John “Big Ben” Leggett with B series, early 80’s
John again, with my Grandad at Lorry Driver of the year finals !
Nearly there…
And finally…
Prototype livery.
Well, thats it, for now.
Fantastic pic’s there Goaty, well worth the wait nice one.