Ok bewick, I’ll have a think, and put some SoM anecdotes up.
One quickie.
First trip to Maddiston with a Guy Invincible, 180 ■■■■■■■■ and 33’ Bowden trailer, with a load of bagged chemicals for ICI . I was 21, but looked about 15. Stopped at Maddiston for fuel, a guy comes out from the office and ask’s me why I’m filling up the truck, and not the driver. I said I was the driver. All hell let loose. I was asked to go to the office, told that I had to be 25 years old to drive for SoM, I kindly pointed out that I’d been taken on by their manager in Southampton, so what’s the problem. No insurance they said, must be 25. So a 3 hour set of phone calls, between Southampton / Maddiston took place.
So half a day later ! I was told that it had been sorted, no problem, I could continue on my way.
It wasn’t till I got back to Southampton that I heard the full story. The result was, that the manager, Bob Alford, had basically said, “ I took him on, because he can do the job, I don’t give a fig how old he is, or how old you have to be, ( He didn’t know about the 25 year insurance limit ) you can do one of two things, either insure him, or sack both him, and me” What a bluff, it worked though. I had a lot of respect for Bob over that. He put his neck on the line, and I kept my job. I THINK I was the youngest driver, certainly on artic’s, for quite a few years.
Fergie47:
Ok bewick, I’ll have a think, and put some SoM anecdotes up.
One quickie.
First trip to Maddiston with a Guy Invincible 180 ■■■■■■■ and 33’ Bowden trailer with a load of bagged chemicals for ICI . I was 21, but looked about 15. Stopped ot Maddiston for fuel, a guy comes out from the office and ask’s me why I’m filling up the truck and not the driver. I said I was the driver. All hell let loose. I was asked to go to the office, told that I had to be 25 years old to drive for SoM, I kindly pointed out that I’d been taken on by one of their managers in Southampton, so what’s the problem. No insurance they said, must be 25. So a 3 hour set of phone calls between Southampton / ,Maddiston took place.
So half a day later, I was told that it had been sorted, no problem, I could continue on my way.
It wasn’t till I got back to Southampton that I heard the full story. The result was, that the manager Bob Alford, had basically said, “ I took him on, because he can do the job, I don’t give a fig how old he is, or how old you have to be ( He didn’t know about the 25 year insurance limit) you can do two things, insure him, or sack both him and me” What a bluff, it worked though. I had a lot of respect for Bob over that. He put his neck on the line, and I kept my job. I THINK I was the youngest driver for quite a few years.
Spot on Fergie see it isn’t difficult if you put your thinking cap on and I bet there are many more tales like that one !! All the best Bewick.PS Fergie whats that French B******s mean in English ?.
Fergie47:
Ok bewick, I’ll have a think, and put some SoM anecdotes up.
One quickie.
First trip to Maddiston with a Guy Invincible 180 ■■■■■■■ and 33’ Bowden trailer with a load of bagged chemicals for ICI . I was 21, but looked about 15. Stopped ot Maddiston for fuel, a guy comes out from the office and ask’s me why I’m filling up the truck and not the driver. I said I was the driver. All hell let loose. I was asked to go to the office, told that I had to be 25 years old to drive for SoM, I kindly pointed out that I’d been taken on by one of their managers in Southampton, so what’s the problem. No insurance they said, must be 25. So a 3 hour set of phone calls between Southampton / ,Maddiston took place.
So half a day later, I was told that it had been sorted, no problem, I could continue on my way.
It wasn’t till I got back to Southampton that I heard the full story. The result was, that the manager Bob Alford, had basically said, “ I took him on, because he can do the job, I don’t give a fig how old he is, or how old you have to be ( He didn’t know about the 25 year insurance limit) you can do two things, insure him, or sack both him and me” What a bluff, it worked though. I had a lot of respect for Bob over that. He put his neck on the line, and I kept my job. I THINK I was the youngest driver for quite a few years.
Spot on Fergie see it isn’t difficult if you put your thinking cap on and I bet there are many more tales like that one !! All the best Bewick.PS Fergie whats that French B******s mean in English ?.
Bewick, you’re a bloody Celtic heathen !! You should know, it’s your language !! That French, B******s as you so kindly put it, translated means :- " Beware of the time between the dog and the wolf"
You know that time don’t you, when it’s neither night,and not quite the morning, the few hours between the two, when “things happen”
hi lads ,glad this thread has got back on track,i was sick of listening about what type of engines were in the big js ,who gives a toss
anyway i hope to hear lots more stories and info about smiths,i always fancied writing a book about smiths,but havnt got around to it,but hopefully one day.
fergie tell me ,what did the sprl stand for after smith continental cheers ally
Fergie47:
Ok bewick, I’ll have a think, and put some SoM anecdotes up.
One quickie.
First trip to Maddiston with a Guy Invincible 180 ■■■■■■■ and 33’ Bowden trailer with a load of bagged chemicals for ICI . I was 21, but looked about 15. Stopped ot Maddiston for fuel, a guy comes out from the office and ask’s me why I’m filling up the truck and not the driver. I said I was the driver. All hell let loose. I was asked to go to the office, told that I had to be 25 years old to drive for SoM, I kindly pointed out that I’d been taken on by one of their managers in Southampton, so what’s the problem. No insurance they said, must be 25. So a 3 hour set of phone calls between Southampton / ,Maddiston took place.
So half a day later, I was told that it had been sorted, no problem, I could continue on my way.
It wasn’t till I got back to Southampton that I heard the full story. The result was, that the manager Bob Alford, had basically said, “ I took him on, because he can do the job, I don’t give a fig how old he is, or how old you have to be ( He didn’t know about the 25 year insurance limit) you can do two things, insure him, or sack both him and me” What a bluff, it worked though. I had a lot of respect for Bob over that. He put his neck on the line, and I kept my job. I THINK I was the youngest driver for quite a few years.
Spot on Fergie see it isn’t difficult if you put your thinking cap on and I bet there are many more tales like that one !! All the best Bewick.PS Fergie whats that French B******s mean in English ?.
Bewick, you’re a bloody Celtic heathen !! You should know, it’s your language !! That French, B******s as you so kindly put it, translated means :- " Beware of the time between the dog and the wolf"
You know that time don’t you, when it’s neither night,and not quite the morning, the few hours between the two, when “things happen”
I think I ken what you mean Fergie !! Like the early morning I pulled on to Charnock Richard about 69/70 and there was a wrecker hooked up to one of SOMs . It was a brand new Big J that had come to grief southbound earlier and it was smashed to F**k !! I never heard what he had hit but I don’t think the driver survived !! The trailer was loaded with Stillages .Cheers Bewick.
allyboy:
hi lads ,glad this thread has got back on track,i was sick of listening about what type of engines were in the big js ,who gives a toss
anyway i hope to hear lots more stories and info about smiths,i always fancied writing a book about smiths,but havnt got around to it,but hopefully one day.
fergie tell me ,what did the sprl stand for after smith continental cheers ally
Allyboy
SPRL roughly translates to Limited in the UK.
So, SoM Sprl in Belgium, and SoM Ltd in the UK.
Bewick. That’s the time alright. The night trunkers use to hate that time of the shift, when it’s neither night, or day !! Spooky !!
My first trip to Maddiston was on nights,empty box trailer for Boots contract up and full load of rubber back down to Tern Hill, Market Drayton,then back Manchester with an empty trailer,that was a good nights work in those days,even with a 240 GARDNER POWERED BIG J Bewick!!!
My first trip to Maddiston was on nights,empty box trailer for Boots contract up and full load of rubber back down to Tern Hill, Market Drayton,then back Manchester with an empty trailer,that was a good nights work in those days,even with a 240 GARDNER POWERED BIG J Bewick!!!
Hiya 5th Wheel How many miles was that then ? Cheers Bewick.
allyboy:
hi lads ,glad this thread has got back on track,i was sick of listening about what type of engines were in the big js ,who gives a toss
anyway i hope to hear lots more stories and info about smiths,i always fancied writing a book about smiths,but havnt got around to it,but hopefully one day.
fergie tell me ,what did the sprl stand for after smith continental cheers ally
Yea allyboy but will it be kept on track ? These ex/old SOM drivers keep going awol then the thread plummets down the page !! Maybe its because they are put to bed early or they are all given their medication at the same time !!Cheers Bewick.
i hope it does get kept on track bewick,id love to hear a lot more stories about smiths,i used to" plug" the school often with my pals to go up to manuelrigg and watch all the smiths motors come and go,maybe i shouldnt have and stuck in at school more
My first trip to Maddiston was on nights,empty box trailer for Boots contract up and full load of rubber back down to Tern Hill, Market Drayton,then back Manchester with an empty trailer,that was a good nights work in those days,even with a 240 GARDNER POWERED BIG J Bewick!!!
Hiya 5th Wheel How many miles was that then ? Cheers Bewick.
Hi Bewick,
I recall something in the region of 580 for the shift,but most nights you had a load of ICI from either Heywood or Blackley,drummed chemicals,probably the best part of 16/18 tons,or it could be Kodak,ex Wythenshawe,no weight in those though,the best loads were Thermalite blocks,if they were loaded right,doubled up over the spread axle of the 40 footer,boy could they roll once they got going,I ended up after about 3 years on 2 Tebays a night,doing 3 change overs @ Garstang Preston,that was a nightmare if any of the Jocks were running late,especially if the 1st change over,it through the other 2 way out,making for a very late AM finish.I recall a kid sheltering underneath the trailer between the axles one night,but thats another story>. …hey ho!!!
A wee Smith’s story!
This story was published in the magazine of the Commercial Vehicle Road Transport Club (C.V.R.T…C.), July, 2008.
Photo of Guy Big J by Frenchie (Dave)
Brochure photo by David Leask, Maddiston.
Enjoy! (I hope!)
Alex
I never went to Glasgow depot,however,I was based at Manchester for about 8 years and the Manager there,Harold Gilmore must have been from the same school as Wullie,he would give you a right dressing down if thought necessary,however,no grudges were kept,it was business as usual,although I do recall he was very specific on tyre pressures on the trailers,he would have phases where he would stand at the depot gates,and kick all the trailer tyres to see if the pressures were correct,he had a very special pair of shoes!..good days!
allyboy:
i hope it does get kept on track bewick,id love to hear a lot more stories about smiths,i used to" plug" the school often with my pals to go up to manuelrigg and watch all the smiths motors come and go,maybe i shouldnt have and stuck in at school more
There you are Allyboy !! see what a little bit of cajoling brings out !! Nothing from Fergie though ! maybe his misdimeanors are too serious to put on the thread !! He does live in a foreign country after all !! Cheers Bewick.
My first trip to Maddiston was on nights,empty box trailer for Boots contract up and full load of rubber back down to Tern Hill, Market Drayton,then back Manchester with an empty trailer,that was a good nights work in those days,even with a 240 GARDNER POWERED BIG J Bewick!!!
Hiya 5th Wheel How many miles was that then ? Cheers Bewick.
Hi Bewick,
I recall something in the region of 580 for the shift,but most nights you had a load of ICI from either Heywood or Blackley,drummed chemicals,probably the best part of 16/18 tons,or it could be Kodak,ex Wythenshawe,no weight in those though,the best loads were Thermalite blocks,if they were loaded right,doubled up over the spread axle of the 40 footer,boy could they roll once they got going,I ended up after about 3 years on 2 Tebays a night,doing 3 change overs @ Garstang Preston,that was a nightmare if any of the Jocks were running late,especially if the 1st change over,it through the other 2 way out,making for a very late AM finish.I recall a kid sheltering underneath the trailer between the axles one night,but thats another story>. …hey ho!!!
Hiya 5th wheel Thats some shift eh! 580 !! Are you sure you wern’t asleep in the lay-by for 180 of them ? No contradiction or confirmation from the old SOM boy’s they must all be in bed now giving it big ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzssss ! Bewick.
hi re smiths the 2 90 big js were 6wheel units maddiston nigth trunk to monmouth 1968 9 two day men from bullwark contrats no body passed them at all in the time thy drove them re 5mpg thay were more like 2mpg
big jeff:
hi re smiths the 2 90 big js were 6wheel units maddiston nigth trunk to monmouth 1968 9 two day men from bullwark contrats no body passed them at all in the time thy drove them re 5mpg thay were more like 2mpg
Carryfasts DDs can beat that !! 2 gallons to 1 mile !! Cheers Bewick.
big jeff:
hi re smiths the 2 90 big js were 6wheel units maddiston nigth trunk to monmouth 1968 9 two day men from bullwark contrats no body passed them at all in the time thy drove them re 5mpg thay were more like 2mpg
Carryfasts DDs can beat that !! 2 gallons to 1 mile !! Cheers Bewick.
Looks like the thread is going to go down the tubes lads if some of you don’t start shaping and posting a few stories ( Fairey or otherwise !! ) Where’s Fergie crept off to when his knowledge and fertile memory is required ? On the ■■■■ in Paris I guess !! Dismally Bewick.
big jeff:
hi re smiths the 2 90 big js were 6wheel units maddiston nigth trunk to monmouth 1968 9 two day men from bullwark contrats no body passed them at all in the time thy drove them re 5mpg thay were more like 2mpg
Carryfasts DDs can beat that !! 2 gallons to 1 mile !! Cheers Bewick.
Looks like the thread is going to go down the tubes lads if some of you don’t start shaping and posting a few stories ( Fairey or otherwise !! ) Where’s Fergie crept off to when his knowledge and fertile memory is required ? On the ■■■■ in Paris I guess !! Dismally Bewick.
Yea I think the thread is down the plug hole !! I know for a fact that Fergie is creeping about out there and he will get a severe bollicking when he rings in empty !! wev’e got a trailer stood here in the depot for Glasgow that should have been well up the road by now !!The Manager .
…hey ho!!!
90 big js were 6wheel units maddiston nigth trunk to monmouth 1968 9 two day men from bullwark contrats no body passed them at all in the time thy drove them re 5mpg thay were more like 2mpg