Dennis, another one for you,
Come on Pete but a bit of decent gear on please ! Dennis 
Dennis, How many miles were you happy enough to ride shotgun in RWB’s Beaver ? He would smack your lug talking like that. Nowt wrang with an old Octopus like this one Walter Southworth ran. A Comet even took him on his last trip to the cemetery.
Happy days, Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Dennis, How many miles were you happy enough to ride shotgun in RWB’s Beaver ? He would smack your lug talking like that. Nowt wrang with an old Octopus like this one Walter Southworth ran. A Comet even took him on his last trip to the cemetery.
Happy days, Leyland 600
Well it was like this Gerald, the ADB fleet consisted of two motors, the Beaver which came with the “A” licences from Jake Strong and a new Comet that replaced a Vulcan (IIRC) when RWB left school in the mid '50’s he joined William in the Comet and then twelve months later AHB left school and joined ADB on the Beaver so as an 8/9 year old I had a choice of sitting on the bonnet of either the Beaver or the Comet which I did on numerous occasions ! Then when RWB turned 17 ADB managed to get another “A” licence granted after a Public enquiry I believe but I was too young to understand that bit eh! Then ADB bought a new 5 ton Trader and RWB set sail as a 17 year old driver ! and I at last got onto the passenger seat at about 10 year old 
Then it gets a bit hazy as RWB disappeared off the scene and a new 7ton Trader replaced the 5 tonner and AHB got behind the wheel and I carried on riding shotgun with him whenever I got the chance. By this time ADB had given up driving the Beaver and they had a driver from Wigton called Freddie Miller (IIRC) and of course William was still on the Comet and I did accompany him at times. I believe RWB drove for J & W Watt for a while as I seem to recall a 4D standing in The Square at times, no doubt you will be able to pick up the story from this time. I also used to do the odd run with ADB sometimes when a load of straw came back and he would tip it so I can recall booling the bales out of the container which I’m sure he found a bit easier than having to scrat in himself with his shape 
Cheers Dennis.
Yes Dennis that your account is about right, the comet had a coach built cab not unlike the standard Beaver cab at the time but I remember RWB telling me it was built by the County Garage at Carlisle. I have never heard of them building cabs before so I am not so sure who built it. I recall moving it in the yard once and was struck by the high floor level, I found my knees were hard up against the underside of the steering wheel. I am only of average build. RWB reckoned it was built like that for William but he was not a small man by any means.The mystery remains unfortunately nophotos exist of that Comet.
Cheers Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Yes Dennis that your account is about right, the comet had a coach built cab not unlike the standard Beaver cab at the time but I remember RWB telling me it was built by the County Garage at Carlisle. I have never heard of them building cabs before so I am not so sure who built it. I recall moving it in the yard once and was struck by the high floor level, I found my knees were hard up against the underside of the steering wheel. I am only of average build. RWB reckoned it was built like that for William but he was not a small man by any means.The mystery remains unfortunately nophotos exist of that Comet.
Cheers Leyland 600
Hi Gerald, the Comet was the first motor they painted in British Racing Green and lettered in Gold leaf but then RWB’s Trader was painted in the same shade of green as the Beaver that was acquired from Jake, then the second Trader was painted in BRG but without any lettering, probably ADB didn’t wan’t the firm connected with the antics AHB got up to ! I recall that HTT once related a tale about AHB when they were queuing somewhere to load and AHB showed them all his “party trick” by making the Trader jump into the “air” by shooting forward then “jamming” it into reverse and making the poor little motor leap into the air !! I kid you not, and HTT was a Great Marra of mine as Gordy would confirm ! Happy days ! 
Cheers Dennis.
Dennis I dont doubt that tale in the least regarding AHB God rest his soul, HTT I knew well, his nephew is a big pal of mine.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Dennis I dont doubt that tale in the least regarding AHB God rest his soul, HTT I knew well, his nephew is a big pal of mine.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Aye Gerald old ADB sure had summat to put up wid with those two when they were younger but they turned out OK in the end eh! Cheers Dennis.
Dennis I remember sitting in a dock queue at Liverpool along with AHB one day about 1965 and being tired after a very early start to try and get to be the first in the queue. Both of wagons were about 5th or 6th in the queue so we decided to get our heads down for a short while only to be disturbed by the incessant clanging bell on the shunting loco that ran along the dock road, getting fed up and irritable AHB wound his cab window down shouting at the driver to “shunt off” or words to that effect in order that we could get some shuteye.
Cheers Leyland 600
Morning Dennis,
Found you a good one at last, even the motor’s top notch! Cheer’s Pete
pete smith:
Morning Dennis,
Found you a good one at last, even the motor’s top notch! Cheer’s Pete
Spot on Pete now your “doing” and one thing the Scotsmen could do was sheet and rope ! I wonder if there is any old shots of Plants as they were always tidily sheeted. Cheers Dennis.
Leyland600:
Dennis I remember sitting in a dock queue at Liverpool along with AHB one day about 1965 and being tired after a very early start to try and get to be the first in the queue. Both of wagons were about 5th or 6th in the queue so we decided to get our heads down for a short while only to be disturbed by the incessant clanging bell on the shunting loco that ran along the dock road, getting fed up and irritable AHB wound his cab window down shouting at the driver to “shunt off” or words to that effect in order that we could get some shuteye.
Cheers Leyland 600
Was AHB still running the same Trader or had it been replaced with a newer one ? RWB would have got the Reiver by this time ? Cheers Dennis.
Hi Dennis not sure which Trader it would be. ARM 7B new 29/04/64 sold 29/04/67. FRM 786C new 2/12/65 sold 14/12/66. JAO 678D New 05/08/66 sold ■■? I think probably ARM 7B. I seem to remember encountering AHB with this wagon more than others. Reiver 649 KRM was new on 25/03/64 and sold into showland Rayner Fletcher, Silloth 26/01/69.
Cheers Leyland 600.
Leyland600:
Hi Dennis not sure which Trader it would be. ARM 7B new 29/04/64 sold 29/04/67. FRM 786C new 2/12/65 sold 14/12/66. JAO 678D New 05/08/66 sold ■■? I think probably ARM 7B. I seem to remember encountering AHB with this wagon more than others. Reiver 649 KRM was new on 25/03/64 and sold into showland Rayner Fletcher, Silloth 26/01/69.
Cheers Leyland 600.
Very interesting Gerald, especially your memory of the reg nos. so how many Traders did ADB run at one time ? surely AHB didn’t drive them all and RWB was a “Big Wheel” man on the Reiver so a Trader would be below his pay grade then eh!. I wonder if William had a Trader or two after the Comet ?. I recall him calling to see us at Milnthorpe in the early 70’s when he was down at Houghtons Coachworks but he had a D750 at that time IIRC. I also had the pleasure of being in his company for the last time at ADB’s funeral when we got together for the wake in the WI hall in Ireby ( which my Grandparents had owned originally) and we had a great craic eh! William wanted to know which motor I thought was the best ! I got the impression he couldn’t believe that I was that Lal’ Lad that sat on the bonnet of the Comet all those years ago and here I was having the craic about all the motors I was running by then, what a nice fella he was, he sure was ! Cheers Dennis.
lczjs:
Here is a very good example of a lost skill.0
These Sutton outfits bring back memories ! I always thought those Dyson twin wheeled drawbars were the “dogs” can’t recall how long they were, 18/20 ft maybe but they would have to be within the C & U regs of overall combination length. When I was on Brady’s Octopus we used to get among them on the A5 and down the M1 then it was whoosh ! bye bye ! Cheers Bewick.
Leyland600:
Hi Dennis not sure which Trader it would be. ARM 7B new 29/04/64 sold 29/04/67. FRM 786C new 2/12/65 sold 14/12/66. JAO 678D New 05/08/66 sold ■■? I think probably ARM 7B. I seem to remember encountering AHB with this wagon more than others. Reiver 649 KRM was new on 25/03/64 and sold into showland Rayner Fletcher, Silloth 26/01/69.
Cheers Leyland 600.
The first Trader (RWB’s) was VAO ■■? and the second (AHB’s) would be circa 1959 and was IIRC YRM ■■?,so were all these others you mention all Traders Gerald ? And the Reiver would have been replaced with the D1000 artic and 33ft tandem trailer, not just sure of the reg even though I saw RWB flying about with it eh! Cheers Dennis.
This BRS 8 wheeler is well loaded roped and sheeted
But taking up a lot of road on the turn probably due
to it having Quarter Lock Steering.
lczjs:
This BRS 8 wheeler is well loaded roped and sheeted
But taking up a lot of road on the turn probably due
to it having Quarter Lock Steering.0
With my old Sed Ak 400 I would have needed a shunt to get round there at that angle, it had the turning circle of a supertanker!
Pete.
Hi Dennis, I have no record of a Trader registered VAO ■■■ but AHBs 1st would be URM 577 new 09/01/58 until 13/08/59 then YRM 387 was acquired 13/08/59 until 29/04/64. RWs Reiver was 649 KRM new 25/03/64. YRM 720 J was William’s D 750 cattle wagon.
Cheers,
Leyland 600