Far be it for me to remark on such a subject but the Tarmac in Bewick’s last shots was paid for by someone else. He had “Tarmac-on-a-Roll” which he laid out in his own yard just before he took his photos.
It looks like I stirred a few memories about my thought’s on today’s transport, so thanks for the support agreeing with me regarding rules and reg’s, there’s nothing wrong with today’s drivers because it’s what they were brought up with, having nice cozy motors easier to drive than many cars, bed’s which were none existent until the mid to late 1970’s unless you made your own like most of us did, the f86 had a shelf behind the driver which was used as a bed, then the f88’s came with a proper bed which were sheer luxury at the time, but regarding roping and sheeting it was easy when you got used to it, and as most of you will know the more you did it the easier it became, and so with putting the sheets on it was a knack, but the higher you went the harder it became and a good driver always managed to get a fork-truck to lift the rolled up sheets on top, then it was easier to just un-roll it out and drop it down, the picture of the Henry Long’s was a typical load in Bradford, eventually I worked for A1 when my firm Chapmans Haulage was bought out as was Henry Long’s, so in all every driver was used to roping and sheeting, it was just part of the job, looking at the trailor’s lined up ready sheeted for Bewicks was a normal site to see in almost every yard, but as I said they were good days that made men out of boy’s because if you didn’t work you were out on your arse, but regarding the book of rules today you can stuff them because they have taken the good driver’s away from transport, and instead your supposed to be a brainwashed zombie program’d to drive like robot’s instead of real men, and god help you if you make one small mistake and you can say good-by to a couple of grand and being treated worse than a convict in front of the judge, so Nah! you can keep the job today it’s not worth the worry.
You’re right Jack, the rules today are beyond belief…
But, they were in our day too. I’ve said on another thread that a haulier from the forties through to the end of the sixties, Blamires of Preston, gave up because they couldn’t take the new rules of the time.
Haulage is an easy ‘Scuse me drive, you’ve got a headlight out, gonna have to book you for that!’
Sorry, why haven’t you booked the guy who slit the sheets and stole part of my load?
Basically because he didn’t drive past while I sat in the car!
John
John West:
You’re right Jack, the rules today are beyond belief…But, they were in our day too. I’ve said on another thread that a haulier from the forties through to the end of the sixties, Blamires of Preston, gave up because they couldn’t take the new rules of the time.
Haulage is an easy ‘Scuse me drive, you’ve got a headlight out, gonna have to book you for that!’
Sorry, why haven’t you booked the guy who slit the sheets and stole part of my load?
Basically because he didn’t drive past while I sat in the car!
John
Hiya,
John, did Blamires just give up ■■ I remember getting a start there when on for
Robbie Killingbeck I never went because I got talking to a guy who’s brother
had worked there and I got my eyes opened as to what was expected for a days
work, did they work at being legal at all, wasn’t they put off the road rather
than “resigned”, I did get parked alongside one of theirs I think it was at the
Jungle some sort of eight wheeler pulling a dolly which was coupled to a bog
standard semi trailer of about 28/30 foot in length well over legal length and
certainly overweight judging by the heat coming off the tyres and the
closeness to the bodywork they were sitting rather him than me.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hi Harry,
We all look at things from our own perspective don’t we! Mr Blamire wanted the old times back.
I think Blamire’s were a bit like Brady’s from my home town. Whatever they could get away with they would!
The difference may be that Jack Brady and young Bob realised that things needed to change - When I first took my Mastiff in for test, the ‘Ministry Man’ who had come from ‘away’ said he’d been warned about Brady’s, but found their lorries were well maintained. (Whether their log sheets were as well maintained Mr Bewick will know better than me)
Mr Blamire was in his sixties - Jack was probably in his forties? Young Bob, like me was about 21.
I suspect that Blamire’s were an anachronism and retirement of the fleet and the directors was probably a good idea!
John
How many of you have pulled the sheets off a fairly high load and when there was a bit of a breeze blowing …when it was grounded and your ropes rolled up and thrown in the cab …if some other driver happened to be tipping too you might get a hand to roll them up but unfortunately you usually ended up rolling them up on your own … probably did it better on your own anyway !!!.. never got a hand much them were the days !!!
Reading your memories of firm’s running bent, to be honest almost all firm’s ran bent but not all ran until the driver’s had to give up before they fell asleep, if you had a chance of getting home with-in a few minuet’s it was acceptable to get home, after all it was only a few minuets and not hours, and I never worked for a firm who didn’t expect you to do so, even the ministry accepted a few minuets in those days, but today they have no tolerance at all, they work to the last second, even if your cab moves an inch they have you for it and it cost’s the driver a lot of money if caught, I don’t know any industry where an employee who goes to work work on edge wondering if he may be fined today for working too hard, it’s nothing to do with safety it’s all about the EU and there rules getting as much from transport drivers as they can, I’ve heard Germany is a place to avoid these days, I spent 25 years going through Germany, paid a few speeding fines but it was my fault, but today you cant sneeze without being finned even if you take a wrong turn and drive on the wrong road, and this is what’s wrong with transport in every country in the EU, let alone the rules and reg’s and don’t get me going on the CPC for drivers because I have not yet spoke to a driver transport manager or fleet owner who think’s otherwise, because it’s a complete nonsense and serves no good to the industry at all, it’s just another excuse to extract money from the transport industry, I still say the old day’s were better because we didn’t have this hassle from people who sit behind a desk thinking how can we make more from transport and screw the drivers out of more money, we just got on with the job and got our wages on Friday, instead of wondering if we’ll be in court next week for just going to work.
Hi BEWICK that is new one to me TARMAC FETISH magic ,i love it… you are human, what was good about the yard someone had some thought ,the drivers and shunters were not puddling about in 1 foot of muck.timber laying all-around dropping the legs on.3/2.like a lot of yards used to…
Aye thoos reet Dennis, Durham Gaol would have been full of ■■■■■■■■ and other surrounding counties hauliers and drivers in those days if The Ministry had taken the the attitude they have today. As Jack say who else goes to work each day wondering if they are going to get fined for some minor misdeameanour. Now the trade associations are complaining that they cannot find enough drivers to service the Christmas rush, is it any wonder that many semi-retired drivers have decided to call it a day having to undergo pointless CPC training etc especially when they have to repeat the training after five years. And yet a young lad with a car licence can drive a 300 hp John Deere tractor pulling a 30foot by 8ft 2 1/2 in wide cattle trailer with no documentation whatever, furthermore there is talk of uprating these outfits to 31 tons gross and 50mph max speed.
We should all be farmers.
Cheers Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Aye thoos reet Dennis, Durham Gaol would have been full of ■■■■■■■■ and other surrounding counties hauliers and drivers in those days if The Ministry had taken the the attitude they have today. As Jack say who else goes to work each day wondering if they are going to get fined for some minor misdeameanour. Now the trade associations are complaining that they cannot find enough drivers to service the Christmas rush, is it any wonder that many semi-retired drivers have decided to call it a day having to undergo pointless CPC training etc especially when they have to repeat the training after five years. And yet a young lad with a car licence can drive a 300 hp John Deere tractor pulling a 30foot by 8ft 2 1/2 in wide cattle trailer with no documentation whatever, furthermore there is talk of uprating these outfits to 31 tons gross and 50mph max speed.
We should all be farmers.
Cheers Leyland 600
Your dead reet there Marra,I heard that about tractors and trailers on Radio ■■■■■■■ the other day it’s absolute madness alright although the NFU gadgy reckoned it wouldn’t have much effect in ■■■■■■■ but they would see the benefit on the east side where all the big arable farms are but some I have followed about here are clocking up to 40mph now and they are all big’uns as well.Cheers Bewick.
deckboypeggy:
Hi BEWICK that is new one to me TARMAC FETISH magic ,i love it… you are human, what was good about the yard someone had some thought ,the drivers and shunters were not puddling about in 1 foot of muck.timber laying all-around dropping the legs on.3/2.like a lot of yards used to…
Hiya “dbp”,I never tolerated a ■■■■■■ yard used to have a tractor with a forend bucket and a permanent stockpile of road planings to go at and keep the yard surface in good order. Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
deckboypeggy:
Hi BEWICK that is new one to me TARMAC FETISH magic ,i love it… you are human, what was good about the yard someone had some thought ,the drivers and shunters were not puddling about in 1 foot of muck.timber laying all-around dropping the legs on.3/2.like a lot of yards used to…Hiya “dbp”,I never tolerated a [zb] yard used to have a tractor with a forend bucket and a permanent stockpile of road planings to go at and keep the yard surface in good order. Cheers Bewick.
Here is a shot of the 3 acre yard we had in Milnthorpe “dbp” and it wasn’t that ■■■■■■ was it ■■ 
Bewick.
Hi Dennis!
Do got some more pics of that streamline? Always like the look of them and it look great in you livery!
Danne
Oy putcha a hairf inch of da bleck stuff down sir.Dattle be 10 grand in pound notes dat you owe me sir
Regards John.
From roping and sheeting to tarmacing Dennis’s yard whats next on the agenda painting the office block.
Thats go to be “yard of the north”…yes what about the size of the office block!!? joking of course…were all the drivers recruited within a local area to work from Milnthorpe.
deckboypeggy:
Thats go to be “yard of the north”…yes what about the size of the office block!!? joking of course…were all the drivers recruited within a local area to work from Milnthorpe.
Main office “block” at Milnthorpe,the main traffic office is out of shot to the left and was a 50ft long Portacabin similar to those in shot.As for driver recruitment only about 25% came from the immediate area with remainder from Lancashire,Greater Manchester,the West Midlands,Devon and Bedfordshire.We also had a sprinkling of other “one offs” in other places on the beaten track.Cheers Dennis.
Dirty Dan:
Hi Dennis!
Do got some more pics of that streamline? Always like the look of them and it look great in you livery!Danne
What do you reckon of this shot Danne,sorry about the quality though.Cheers Dennis.
old 67:
0
Oy putcha a hairf inch of da bleck stuff down sir.Dattle be 10 grand in pound notes dat you owe me sir
Regards John.
How long before the dandelions push through John!! I never tolerated any of the “tribe” in my yard,“Just turn right around pal and ■■■■ off out of the gate now,and don’t bother trying to get out of the cab otherwise the guard dog will have you” !! They didn’t like dogs and as sure as hell the dogs we had over the years were good judges of characters and did not like the travelling fraternity either ! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
old 67:
Oy putcha a hairf inch of da bleck stuff down sir.Dattle be 10 grand in pound notes dat you owe me sir
Regards John.How long before the dandelions push through John!! I never tolerated any of the “tribe” in my yard,“Just turn right around pal and [zb] off out of the gate now,and don’t bother trying to get out of the cab otherwise the guard dog will have you” !! They didn’t like dogs and as sure as hell the dogs we had over the years were good judges of characters and did not like the travelling fraternity either ! Cheers Bewick.
In answer to your question Dennis, about 2 hours by the looks of this !!
Anyway,to get the thread back on the rails,this is a tidy outfit.
Regards. John.