I had a night out at Bulwarks yard in Chippenham,and that was before I was even old enough to drive!
I was visiting my brother in Felixstowe,he was a fitter at Ancliff’s in Felixstowe,and he asked me if I fancied a trip out with one of the driver’s in one of two new Seddon-Atki 400 sleeper cabs that had just come home (the first two sleeper cabs that Ancliff had).
Well of course I jumped at the chance didn’t I,and promptly chucked a sleeping bag into Ken Cleavers gleaming new motor.
I can’t remember exactly where we unloaded,somewhere near Frome I think,but we stopped for the night at Bulwarks yard,along with Peter ‘Pedro’ Collins who drove a Scania 111 for P&O Tankmasters in Felixstowe.
Pedro offered me a ride in the Scania,what a difference!
Many years later I worked alongside Ken Cleaver,he drove for Orient Shipping Services which was a wholly owned subsidiary of OOCL,and I drove for Goodways on the OOCL contract.Ken was a nice old guy who originated from Dewsbury,but he did like a drink.
In fact one morning in Baldock,after a night out with Ken,he produced a bottle of whisky from under his bunk and took a few swigs,for breakfast!
Have to say I’ve got a soft spot for the old Coachbuilt Seddon’s, my Dad drove the first 32 ton tractor his company Ouseburn Transport of the Quayside Newcastle bought in1965. I spent many happy hours and days in this motor and although I haven’t got a proper pic of the real wagon I doctored a photo I had with help from the PC to show how it looked, (apoligies to original owner) despite having only 150 horses, no power steering and 40mph flat out at least wagons from this era looked the business and worked like trojans. Franky.
dieseldog6:
6 on artics only up till 68, then with the lenght increse, it started to move up, although you could get 9 on a wagon and drag. Great pic of the Lathams Big J, Martin Latham the son , was my boss at Cartransport BRS in the late 80’s early 90’s
Lathams were the leaders in big engined car transporters they were running 180 Gardners when most others were using the low powered Leylands, BMCs, Bedfords & Fords. The trailer in this photo is a Hoynor Mk2 modified to carry general cargo as well as cars.
PS
You dont get loading ramps like them now, they had to be carried from the middle of the trailer to the rear.
I don’t think Lathams ever carried genral freight on them as it was frowned upon in the midlands, although I can remember Glendennings doing it.
dieseldog6:
6 on artics only up till 68, then with the lenght increse, it started to move up, although you could get 9 on a wagon and drag. Great pic of the Lathams Big J, Martin Latham the son , was my boss at Cartransport BRS in the late 80’s early 90’s
Lathams were the leaders in big engined car transporters they were running 180 Gardners when most others were using the low powered Leylands, BMCs, Bedfords & Fords. The trailer in this photo is a Hoynor Mk2 modified to carry general cargo as well as cars.
PS
You dont get loading ramps like them now, they had to be carried from the middle of the trailer to the rear.
I don’t think Lathams ever carried genral freight on them as it was frowned upon in the midlands, although I can remember Glendennings doing it.
The give away is the box section in the midle of the top deck, the slide down the front pillar & the box holding the back legs up if you remember standard Mk2 Hoynors used to have a big pivot at the front end. I have some photos of one of these loaded with general. Silcock & Collin bought a number of these but I dont think that they were allowed to use them.
consettbell:
How do you carry general haulage on a car transporter then?
Ive seen a picture somwhere of a Glendinnings A series ERF hooked up to a transporter ( a hoyner i think), and it has to top deck lowered on to the bottom deck, and is loaded with shipping crates or timber. Think it was one of those designs of the early 70’s that never really caught on, like the flat trailers which had a tank underneath so they could carry general or liquid cargo. Dont know wether Glendinnings ran many of those dual-purpose trailers??, would’ve been ideal for them being in the car transport and general haulage game i would have thought.
hiya,
glenny did and i drove the horrible things a couple of times, most likely the motor shown that was about my era i would most definitely have driven it didn’t do cars much hated the job nice pics though brings back memories, went back to the BRS from there proper job.
thanks harry long retired.
Thanks for the Mack pics, I remember having a ride through my local village in MCB 158R, when it was with RH Baines. What a motor, it was certainly different to the ERFs,Fodens etc I’d known up till then. Mind you, I was only about 10 at the time.
Now can you find me a few of that other great 70s American import, the White RoadCommander2?
Looking at those Glendinning transporters shows that we could build versatile trucks, it seems as though the Dutch have since cornered the market, I am thinking of De Rooy with his curtainsided transporters and cab stillages.
Nice tale about Ancliffs too, they were a good set of lads in Felixstowe, nothing too much trouble in the washbay. I do remember a couple of the P&O Tankmasters lads who still had the 111
Hello again,thanks to all who came back with the car transporter thing and a big thanks to Ian for posting the Chapman n Ball Mack…in all the years I’ve had that cutting I never realised it was theirs .
Righto RC2 wanted Whites and he shall have some…They live in the same box as the Macks and they were coming next anyway…dont tell him!!
Allways liked this make of truck and they looked nice with a british livery.
bubbleman:
Hi,is this the pic you’re thinking of Straight 8
Cheers Bubbs.
The CVC shown on the photo was the first one built, it was a special chassis for the job it was a lot heavier than the standard Mk6 Carrimore, the tyres were 1200x20s. This model would carry just over 16tons.
The vehicles fitted with 825x15s would carry 18tons. they were also fitted with twist locks for a 20’container.
A company in Teeside bought some of these as well as some 50’ versions sent to South Africa.
They were great to work with only one hydraulic control lever not like the latest ones with 16 or 17, easy to load with cars and very stable on the road.
bubbleman:
Hi,is this the pic you’re thinking of Straight 8
Cheers Bubbs.
The CVC shown on the photo was the first one built, it was a special chassis for the job it was a lot heavier than the standard Mk6 Carrimore, the tyres were 1200x20s. This model would carry just over 16tons.
The vehicles fitted with 825x15s would carry 18tons. they were also fitted with twist locks for a 20’container.
A company in Teeside bought some of these as well as some 50’ versions sent to South Africa.
They were great to work with only one hydraulic control lever not like the latest ones with 16 or 17, easy to load with cars and very stable on the road.
The unions did not stop these running it was the fact that Datsun opened up in Teesport and there was no need for the dual purpose vehicles, they ended up running cars 100%
.
