Hope these are of interest. I drove for Silentnight from approx 1967 at 3 different times… Here is a Guy , Gardner 5 pot engine , David Brown gearbox with Eaton 2 speed rear axle.The Dodge Kew was o0ne of the first batch of 5 artics purchased by the company approx 1973 , this of mine L reg , Perkins 6.354 diesel.Ideal for shop and mail order deliveries with 33 ft single axle trailor…
Early days at Silentnight Fleet of brand new Guy Otters
Silentnight works bus . 2 of these to ferry workers in and out of Silentnight factory at Barnoldswick… One ran from Skipton, the other from Nelson…
My M.A.N. 16.232 tractor unit Reg HUG 66N, attached to new 40 ft trailor.Came originally for warehouse ( 1 drop ) deliveries but advanced to Mail Order Multi drop deliveries !!
My M.A.N. 16.240 tractor unit LCP 848T attached to 40 ft trailor, slightly different logo . Involved on Mail Order Multi drop deliveries
Pete Dodgson " Tiger " another owner driver with a Bedford pantechnicon LJP 541P , bought off Silentnight and painted in Sealy livery , a company from Aspatria in ■■■■■■■ and part of the Silentnight Group of Companies…
Silentnight driver Tony Bailey with a bigger Ford tractor unit RNW 936R. At that time Tony was shuttling trailor loads of headboards between the Barnoldswick factory and the recently aquired Sutton Mill nr Keighley.
Cracking pictures, I am Fred B-C’s lad. I think you worked in the warehouse when I did a couple of months in there.
HI exsilentnight, I used to do a bit of subbying for SN in the late 80s, at the same time I was subbing for Sealy, a guy called Steve Duckworth was in the office with a woman who’s name escapes me, another Steve was also in the office at this time, he was a driver who had lost his licence for a year, I also remember a subbie called Alf Whiting with blue ERFs, I sold him one of mine in about 1988. Do you remember or know any of these guys. I enjoyed my short time there and met a good bunch of lads.
Hi Robroy… I finally left Silentnight in 1983, had to give up driving for 5 years , nearly crippled with back problems,all probably dating from pre S/N days when I used to do silly things, as we did when younger, After many sessions with chairopractioner ■■ eventually got better and returned to long distance, tramping, general haulage etc… Of the names you mention , I only remember Alf Whiting, there was another regular subby in at Barlick depot with smaller vans , Charlie Beresford who I believe became Transport Manager at one time, In the Transport Office when I left I remember Harry Baxter, Ray Maude, Robbie Duxbury and Paul Tranmer. Driver John Atkinson used to shuttle trailors tween Barlick and Sealy, Aspatria every day, I only went into Sealy a couple of times cos I was full time delivering mail order south of the country… Have you any photos from that time of Silentnight or Sealy ■■ Silentnight was a very good company to work for and I enjoyed every minute of my time there. Met some great lads and have wonderful memories of many who are no longer with us !!
Hi Cold up North, I was there as one of the original 12 owner drivers set up in 1977… I remember your Dad , Fred, came in a little later, had some nice vehicles, I think he had the first Volvo F10 pulling S/N trailors .I only worked in the warehouse helping out, always a driver so it may have been before your time, I left with serious back problems in 1983. I remember possibly at the same time as Fred ,other owner drivers ie Bob Gordon, Terry Collinge, Mick Hodgson ( Framwick ) Eric Clapperton, Peter Bethell , John Wrigglesworth, Dennis Thompson, Tony Busfield, . In the warehouse Tommy Edmondson, Ted Murray, Roy Barwick , ,manager was Brian Carlos, Transport Manager was Fred Short. Garage Manager John Graham, mechanics John Haggarty, Jack Alderson, Jack Bailey, Gerry Bell…then Mick ? ( small ex soldier came into garage )Of the original 12 Keith Chunky Gibson , Pete Lacey , Edwin Procter and Willie Henderson died young,Sam Porter went coach driving to Tyrer Tours and died approx age 50.I remember these lads- Tony Lancaster, Jim Black, Gerry Meldrum, Malcolm Brown,David Cutler, Alan Astley,Norman Westwell,John Simmons,Harry Baxter, Wally Fergie, Graham Halstead, Steve Summers,Sam Bone, Geoff Gibson, Mick Fox,Jack Ferguson,Ken Kirby, all gone, no doubt I will have missed a few… Give my regards to Fred…
exsilentnight:
Hi Robroy… I finally left Silentnight in 1983, had to give up driving for 5 years , nearly crippled with back problems,all probably dating from pre S/N days when I used to do silly things, as we did when younger, After many sessions with chairopractioner ■■ eventually got better and returned to long distance, tramping, general haulage etc… Of the names you mention , I only remember Alf Whiting, there was another regular subby in at Barlick depot with smaller vans , Charlie Beresford who I believe became Transport Manager at one time, In the Transport Office when I left I remember Harry Baxter, Ray Maude, Robbie Duxbury and Paul Tranmer. Driver John Atkinson used to shuttle trailors tween Barlick and Sealy, Aspatria every day, I only went into Sealy a couple of times cos I was full time delivering mail order south of the country… Have you any photos from that time of Silentnight or Sealy ■■ Silentnight was a very good company to work for and I enjoyed every minute of my time there. Met some great lads and have wonderful memories of many who are no longer with us !!
I reckon the back problems came from chucking 5ft matts and drawer bases around 
, my back aint too great either to be honest. No photos of SN, but if you trawl through the ■■■■■■■■ Co.s thread you will find some of Sealy. Can’t put a face to some of the names you give, but the Steve guy I mentioned was Steve Summers I think, and the name Brian Carlos rings a bell also.
Steve summers was a grand lad, unfortunately he was killed by an idiot car driver overtaking, by coincidence a S/N truck, one early morning in sheeting down rain.Hit Steve head on. Happened a couple of years ago now, Steve was going to work at S/N on his motorbike, he was aged 55 …
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I reckon the back problems came from chucking 5ft matts and drawer bases around ,
did a fortnight in the warehouse at sealey spyatry through a agency…didn’t know what pain was till i went there , great bunch o lads though . 
exsilentnight:
Steve summers was a grand lad, unfortunately he was killed by an idiot car driver overtaking, by coincidence a S/N truck, one early morning in sheeting down rain.Hit Steve head on. Happened a couple of years ago now, Steve was going to work at S/N on his motorbike, he was aged 55 …
Bloody hell, that’s a shocker, Steve was always ok with me, we were similar ages and got on well, he gave me, and a lad I had working for me, some good work and always managed to save us a load home on a Friday for a Monday delivery. Did he eventually go back driving after the ban then?
It’s a long time since I saw him, but RIP Steve mate, really sorry to hear that!
He went back driving, but had left to emigrate to Canada to drive over there. It didn’t work out family wise and was working for an agency for SN and Buoyant at the time he died. There must have been 60-70 drivers at his funeral. Cracking bloke, sorely missed.
Here ya go chris ya dads volvo in silentnight yard i think.
