remember tommy doyle well ask him if he remembers robin (hughies boy )in the yard at st albans
Hi all. I only discovered this forum last week and my registration has just been verified. My name is Frank Love and after leaving school in 1970 I went to work in the traffic office for SoM at Alloa. I worked for them for 7 years and also had stints at Maddiston, Falkirk, Grangemouth, London Road, BA Burntisland and Reeds Liverpool. Reading through these posts brought back some names from the past, one especially being Harold Gilmore - what a character. We used to run a nightly trunk from Alloa-Manchester and a lot of our traffic at the time was chipboard from Cowie. One of the regular deliveries was to a place in Manchester (may have been Worsley?) who made coffins and the delivery had to be on a 33ft trailer as the place was a tight drop. I think the owner of the business used to give Harold a hard time and when I’d phone up of an afternoon to tell him what his trunk loads were that night he’d go ape if it was the place in Worsley. Honestly, the language coming down the phone line would be choice. 
I’ll post a bit more when I have the time. There are some photos of mine on Brian Edgar’s website of SoM lorries from the 70s and I’ll try and stick some on here before the weekend is out.
Cheers.
Jalfrezi:
Hi all. I only discovered this forum last week and my registration has just been verified. My name is Frank Love and after leaving school in 1970 I went to work in the traffic office for SoM at Alloa. I worked for them for 7 years and also had stints at Maddiston, Falkirk, Grangemouth, London Road, BA Burntisland and Reeds Liverpool. Reading through these posts brought back some names from the past, one especially being Harold Gilmore - what a character. We used to run a nightly trunk from Alloa-Manchester and a lot of our traffic at the time was chipboard from Cowie. One of the regular deliveries was to a place in Manchester (may have been Worsley?) who made coffins and the delivery had to be on a 33ft trailer as the place was a tight drop. I think the owner of the business used to give Harold a hard time and when I’d phone up of an afternoon to tell him what his trunk loads were that night he’d go ape if it was the place in Worsley. Honestly, the language coming down the phone line would be choice.I’ll post a bit more when I have the time. There are some photos of mine on Brian Edgar’s website of SoM lorries from the 70s and I’ll try and stick some on here before the weekend is out.
Cheers.
Right “Jalfrezi” you just might have landed yourself right in the middle of a Hornets nest!!! Have you any photo’s of an SOM Big J fitted with the 8LXB Gardner? There are a lot of ex (not old!) SOM drivers lying in wait like “Lions on the Serangeti” for definitive proof and when they have it I will have about as much chance as a lone "Wilderbeast"my life won’t be worth a light on the SOM thread!!!
Hi Bewick. I was afraid that subject might raise its head as I’ve been following the heated debate in previous posts. In all honesty I have about as much knowledge of Guy engines as a hen has teeth I’m afraid. I’m aware of Gardner 180s, 240s, ■■■■■■■ etc. but wouldn’t recognise any of them if they fell on my big toe. So not much help there then! The debate rages on! 
Just one question for you -completely off topic - is there any connection with yourself to the “Bewick” who used to sponsor an F2 stock car driven by one Darren Bingley? I think you are probably from the same neck of the woods.
Jalfrezi:
My name is Frank Love and after leaving school in 1970 I went to work in the traffic office for SoM at Alloa. I worked for them for 7 years and also had stints at Maddiston, Falkirk, Grangemouth, London Road, BA Burntisland and Reeds Liverpool.
Cheers.
Probably met you at some point. Working out of Southampton depot, I’ve loaded out of all the above, (except Reeds) at one time or other in the period '68 to mid 70’s.
Bottles from Alloa, (how I hated those bottle sheets) aluminum out of BA for various places in the South, Doggy meat from London Rd, and ICI bins of plastic granules from Grangemouth. Great days, great company and for the most part, great men to work with.
What was the name of the young (-ish) transport manager at Maddiston, tall blond lad if I remember in the early ‘70’s ? He may have gone on to become the general manager ?
Hi Fergie47. Our paths may well have crossed at some point. I’m struggling to recall the lad at Maddiston you mention. I worked there for a couple of short spells in 1975 when Alex Bennett was off sick and the other regular traffic clerk was Peter Duncan and the traffic manager at the time I was there was Colin Miles.
Jalfrezi:
Hi Bewick. I was afraid that subject might raise its head as I’ve been following the heated debate in previous posts. In all honesty I have about as much knowledge of Guy engines as a hen has teeth I’m afraid. I’m aware of Gardner 180s, 240s, ■■■■■■■ etc. but wouldn’t recognise any of them if they fell on my big toe. So not much help there then! The debate rages on!Just one question for you -completely off topic - is there any connection with yourself to the “Bewick” who used to sponsor an F2 stock car driven by one Darren Bingley? I think you are probably from the same neck of the woods.
Yep one and the same although I wasn’t a fan of stock car racing! Harness Racing was my hobby when I had time!!! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
Jalfrezi:
Hi Bewick. I was afraid that subject might raise its head as I’ve been following the heated debate in previous posts. In all honesty I have about as much knowledge of Guy engines as a hen has teeth I’m afraid. I’m aware of Gardner 180s, 240s, ■■■■■■■ etc. but wouldn’t recognise any of them if they fell on my big toe. So not much help there then! The debate rages on!Just one question for you -completely off topic - is there any connection with yourself to the “Bewick” who used to sponsor an F2 stock car driven by one Darren Bingley? I think you are probably from the same neck of the woods.
Yep one and the same although I wasn’t a fan of stock car racing! Harness Racing was my hobby when I had time!!! Cheers Bewick.
The name had stuck in my mind as I used to be a photographer at Cowdenbeath Racewall - pic below taken from about 1993. 
Jalfrezi:
Hi Bewick. I was afraid that subject might raise its head as I’ve been following the heated debate in previous posts. In all honesty I have about as much knowledge of Guy engines as a hen has teeth I’m afraid. I’m aware of Gardner 180s, 240s, ■■■■■■■ etc. but wouldn’t recognise any of them if they fell on my big toe. So not much help there then! The debate rages on!Just one question for you -completely off topic - is there any connection with yourself to the “Bewick” who used to sponsor an F2 stock car driven by one Darren Bingley? I think you are probably from the same neck of the woods.
Hiya Frank its great to have someone on the thread that is from the Traffic office side of the “Job” (no disrespect to lads behind the wheel’s!) and fairplay to you for holding your hand up immediatley to “no kenning the fron’t frae the back of a motor”!!! You could have had these former SOM lads bouncing if you’d come up with an ND fleet number and had sworn blind it was an 8LXB!!! Fergie would have landed in Southhampton and raised an Army on his march North to victory!!! Me? I would have crawled under a stone and stayed put until the dust settled!!! Lets hear more about the “great old firm” please! Regards Dennis.
Now then do you think the former SOM lads could “sheet and rope” as good as this■■?(well youv’e got to throw a bone into the cage occaisionally) The jury is no doubt out but Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickock would have got a start at Maddiston no danger!!!Anon! (Rayluv)!!!
I can remember the corner posts of the Vauxhall spares stillages poking holes through many a flysheet. 
A few pics I took at the Alloa Depot, probably in 1974 or 75. Can’t recall exact details of the boats but I think we picked them up from a builder in the Montrose/Arbroath area and they were destined for somewhere down the English east coast (Hull/Grimsby possibly?)
Jalfrezi:
I can remember the corner posts of the Vauxhall spares stillages poking holes through many a flysheet.
The site you have described would bring tears to my eyes!!! Bewick.
Jalfrezi:
A few pics I took at the Alloa Depot, probably in 1974 or 75. Can’t recall exact details of the boats but I think we picked them up from a builder in the Montrose/Arbroath area and they were destined for somewhere down the English east coast (Hull/Grimsby possibly?)
Great shots Frank!! who stacked the breeze blocks up in three’s in the foreground? did they keep the Big Js off then!!! Bewick.
Hi Dennis,
Have you put your glasses on yet to see if it has a 8LXB engine fitted!!!.
Cheers Malc.
malc step:
Hi Dennis,
Have you put your glasses on yet to see if it has a 8LXB engine fitted!!!.
Cheers Malc.
Now now Malc when you were in an SOM depot you were in ■■■■■■■ territory!!! Gardners were like “Rockinghorse S***” or you had more chance of spotting a Yeti!!! While I’m on was that ERF sleeper the only one that ■■■■ and David ran? Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Great shots Frank!! who stacked the breeze blocks up in three’s in the foreground? did they keep the Big Js off then!!! Bewick.
We had the contract with a company called Presenic Stone who were based just 100 yards along the road so getting the blocks was no problem. Our depot manager, Jimmy Aitken, wanted to tart the place up a bit so got our yard foreman/fork lift driver/general gopher Jimmy Rennie to build something artistic. During the summer he even got him to plant marigolds and pansies in the cavities in the blocks!
Jalfrezi:
Bewick:
Great shots Frank!! who stacked the breeze blocks up in three’s in the foreground? did they keep the Big Js off then!!! Bewick.
Now I’ve heard it all Frank!!!Its a wonder Fergie didn’t apply for the gardners job!!!
Bewick:
Jalfrezi:
Bewick:
Great shots Frank!! who stacked the breeze blocks up in three’s in the foreground? did they keep the Big Js off then!!! Bewick.
Now I’ve heard it all Frank!!!Its a wonder Fergie didn’t apply for the gardners job!!!
Would that be the "240 Gardners "job Dennis?
Rgds,
David 
Bewick:
Now then do you think the former SOM lads could “sheet and rope” as good as this■■?(well youv’e got to throw a bone into the cage occaisionally) The jury is no doubt out but Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickock would have got a start at Maddiston no danger!!!Anon! (Rayluv)!!!
Rolls of paper were always an easy load to rope and sheet,but that should not detract from Bewicks professional R & Sheeting,usually very high standards to maintain.
Rgds,
David