mappo:
Smiths Midlands depot when i was there in the early 70,s was in Aldridge…
Just had a word with an “old hand” and he said Smiths had a depot in Hill Top West Bromwich, just over traffic lights at Hill Top on left hand side next to a school and opposite a transport cafe which is now occupied by Hill Top transport,Trev H can you shed any light on this?
Mappo, my mate seems to think that they moved to Aldridge later, this would add up as that Highwayman is late 50’s? Cheer’s Pete
mappo:
Smiths Midlands depot when i was there in the early 70,s was in Aldridge…
That’s because you’re just a youngster Mappo, the original was in leafy Handworth, (with cracking digs just up the road)…before they movied to Aldridge…ironically, they had no fuel pumps, we use to bunker at S.J.Jones, must around the corner…
Evening all,
Was not Tom Nicol the shunter from Handsworth, then he left and set up by himself. Used to work in with Phill Jenkins, running from behind Starr Roadways in Vulcan Road Bilston, who was ex Reg Cooper Wednesbury.
Now Tom really could sheet and rope well!
Cheerio for now.
Pete, I can’t remember them being at Hill top or Handsworth but I did know they had a depot in that area, it always puzzled me because at the time I was on a BRS Unipart contract in Smethwick and we did a night trunk trailer swap with them at Tebay for Glasgow.
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was Maddiston
I wonder if this TK would have been used on SOM’s contract to distribute Spillers pet Food, their factory was at Barrhead I think. I recall that Smiths used to deliver loads of Spillers into the NFT (not Northern Foods) at Oxenholme near Kendal in the 60’s/70’s and NFT(Northern Film Transport) distributed the pet food throughout ■■■■■■■ and N/Lancs. Cheers Bewick.
How it all started freewebs.com/westquarterdave … diston.htm
another bit, picasaweb.google.com/1024122407 … fMaddiston love the payday queue 
Grangemouth to Maddiston was a regular shift/part shift when I was on the buses at Grangemouth, Smith’s depot was just along the road from the terminus.
Oily
Bewick:
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was MaddistonI wonder if this TK would have been used on SOM’s contract to distribute Spillers pet Food, their factory was at Barrhead I think. I recall that Smiths used to deliver loads of Spillers into the NFT (not Northern Foods) at Oxenholme near Kendal in the 60’s/70’s and NFT(Northern Film Transport) distributed the pet food throughout ■■■■■■■ and N/Lancs. Cheers Bewick.
Hello Den, how are you ?, still winding up those poor old BigJ guys about that ratty old straight 8 then !!
The reason I said Maddiston was, the back ground is looking out over fields, which Maddiston did, I visited most of the depots and don’t recall another one being in the countryside like that…But of course you might be right, and the old girl may have worked in Glasgow at some point, it was certainly no distance motor for sure…
Regards to you and yours… 
oiltreader:
How it all started freewebs.com/westquarterdave … diston.htm
another bit, picasaweb.google.com/1024122407 … fMaddiston love the payday queue
Grangemouth to Maddiston was a regular shift/part shift when I was on the buses at Grangemouth, Smith’s depot was just along the road from the terminus.
Oily
Great shots there “oily” of a great firm, at least they kept out of the clutches of BRS/NFC,I have said before I was privileged to have met James Smith on a couple of occasions in the '70’s and I enjoyed the conversations I had with him very much and he showed great interest at what I was doing at Bewick Transport at the time even though he had finished a while ago at SOM after they sold out to United Transport. Great days and precious memories ! Cheers Bewick.
Fergie47:
Bewick:
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was MaddistonI wonder if this TK would have been used on SOM’s contract to distribute Spillers pet Food, their factory was at Barrhead I think. I recall that Smiths used to deliver loads of Spillers into the NFT (not Northern Foods) at Oxenholme near Kendal in the 60’s/70’s and NFT(Northern Film Transport) distributed the pet food throughout ■■■■■■■ and N/Lancs. Cheers Bewick.
Hello Den, how are you ?, still winding up those poor old BigJ guys about that ratty old straight 8 then !!
The reason I said Maddiston was, the back ground is looking out over fields, which Maddiston did, I visited most of the depots and don’t recall another one being in the countryside like that…But of course you might be right, and the old girl may have worked in Glasgow at some point, it was certainly no distance motor for sure…
Regards to you and yours…
Hiya Dave, Wotcha mate !! Aye the old firm keeps popping up and they truly were probably the last of the Great traditional hauliers running flats prior to the Tautliner revolution. I recall one summer morning probably about 6 am in 1969 when I pulled onto Charnock Richard M6 southbound to go for a quick “leak” and I pulled up alongside a Wrecker with an SOM Big J on suspended and it was smashed to ■■■■ ! Not only that but it was “brand spanking new” you could still smell the new paint, what a ■■■■■■■ mess the cab was laid back on the chassis, apparently it had been it’s first night trunk and the driver had been killed, he had run straight into the back of a United Gravel 8 wheeler, must have been fast asleep on impact. Just to prevent further speculation this Big J had the ■■■■■■■ engine and not the 8LXB 
Anyway mate I’m pleased to see you are still active on the TN site and “CF” has offered to come over and mediate with the inhabitants of the Jungle so I think you can earn yourself a “few bob” by organising the return trips for the immigrants back to their home countries once they have had a dose of “CF” lecturing them!!! And don’t forget I gave you the “gen” first so I want my Brie and Rouge air freighted this time as I think I would deserve it eh! Kind Regards to Liz and Your good self, Dennis.
Bewick:
Fergie47:
Bewick:
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was MaddistonI wonder if this TK would have been used on SOM’s contract to distribute Spillers pet Food, their factory was at Barrhead I think. I recall that Smiths used to deliver loads of Spillers into the NFT (not Northern Foods) at Oxenholme near Kendal in the 60’s/70’s and NFT(Northern Film Transport) distributed the pet food throughout ■■■■■■■ and N/Lancs. Cheers Bewick.
Hello Den, how are you ?, still winding up those poor old BigJ guys about that ratty old straight 8 then !!
The reason I said Maddiston was, the back ground is looking out over fields, which Maddiston did, I visited most of the depots and don’t recall another one being in the countryside like that…But of course you might be right, and the old girl may have worked in Glasgow at some point, it was certainly no distance motor for sure…
Regards to you and yours…
Hiya Dave, Wotcha mate !! Aye the old firm keeps popping up and they truly were probably the last of the Great traditional hauliers running flats prior to the Tautliner revolution. I recall one summer morning probably about 6 am in 1969 when I pulled onto Charnock Richard M6 southbound to go for a quick “leak” and I pulled up alongside a Wrecker with an SOM Big J on suspended and it was smashed to [zb] ! Not only that but it was “brand spanking new” you could still smell the new paint, what a [zb] mess the cab was laid back on the chassis, apparently it had been it’s first night trunk and the driver had been killed, he had run straight into the back of a United Gravel 8 wheeler, must have been fast asleep on impact. Just to prevent further speculation this Big J had the ■■■■■■■ engine and not the 8LXB
…cheers mate, catch you later…
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was Maddiston
Fergie,
If you recall,AD signified the vehicle ran from Alloa depot,the fleet number of the Bedford starts with an A,perhaps Alloa based?..just a thought!!!
David
thx oiltreader for posting the photos link.
nice to see the old photos of Jimmy and Alex with others such as andra frater, bob lawson ,jack donnelly,john barbour ,jock macaully with auld neebur and others,and yes the TK does have an alloa fleet number.
James Smith suitably remembered here, a housing estate where the yard used to be. google.co.uk/maps/@55.97170 … 988,18.09z
Cheers
Oily
5thwheel:
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was MaddistonFergie,
If you recall,AD signified the vehicle ran from Alloa depot,the fleet number of the Bedford starts with an A,perhaps Alloa based?..just a thought!!!
David
Old age mate, and half blind…so use to the fleet numbers being on the doors, and that’s where I looked, I never saw it below that window, staring me in the face…think I’m getting like ROF !!!
My children asked me if I’d like to go to Switzerland…i thought, thats a nice gesture…
for a sking holiday ? nope, …for euthanasia…ummmm… 
If I stop posting, someone check the clinics … 
erfguy:
Regarding the ERF’s with 120 gardners I might be wrong but I think Niven of Palnackie ran some LVs with either the 120 or the 5cyl 100s they ran them with single axle trailers on the Stelrad contract,back then high horsepower was just coming on stream and also both ERF & FODEN built what you wanted. I drove for Campbell of Irvine and had a 66D reg GUY Warrior with the 5cyl Gardner and allthough running south was usually a combine at about 6tons we loaded back either out of London or South Wales with 15tons it had a 6speed box and 2speed axle and coped no bad.Eddie.
Fergie47:
5thwheel:
Fergie47:
TK Bedford…cant make the depot out, but by the look of the background I’d guess it was MaddistonFergie,
If you recall,AD signified the vehicle ran from Alloa depot,the fleet number of the Bedford starts with an A,perhaps Alloa based?..just a thought!!!
DavidOld age mate, and half blind…so use to the fleet numbers being on the doors, and that’s where I looked, I never saw it below that window, staring me in the face…think I’m getting like ROF !!!
My children asked me if I’d like to go to Switzerland…i thought, thats a nice gesture…
for a sking holiday ? nope, …for euthanasia…ummmm…If I stop posting, someone check the clinics …
Is there no decent Vets around where you live Dave 
I would be most grateful if you chaps wouldn’t put ideas in my offspring’s head. It’s hard enough keeping alive as it is!
Dave
You didn’t mention yesterday when you phoned your eyesight was going?
I’ll help you out, Mon Ami!
The Bedford ran out of Alloa, don’t know what it did there but I know a man I can ask, I’m sure your right that it’s Maddiston.
Since all the engine rebuilds were done there, maybe that’s why it was there.
The rigid’s mostly (I can’t say for sure they all did.) had the first letter of the depot code and a Z, what the Z signified I don’t know, again, I’ll ask.
London Road depot, Glasgow, distributed the Spillers contract, they also had vans based at Boots, Airdrie and did Aberdeen, Inverness and all points north of there.
‘There’s only one thing that’ll pass a Smiths Motor and that’s another one’.
Must be true 'cause after I wrote that, at least two other transport authors plagiarised my words!
Still looking through Rose Tinted Glasses! (Before Dennis jumps in, let me assure you it’s the one’s over my eye’s, not the ones with the Cratur (Or in my case, Irn-Bru!)
Sla’inte!
Alex
