.
harry_gill:
bazztrucker:
Yes will miss chating to noel at the shows , always a font of knowledge on anything Gilders related.Hiya,
I read a fictional book about a lorry driver and his trailer boy can’t remember the
title off-hand but the author was called Laurie Driver no doubt a fictional name
would this have been Noel by any chance, i did enjoy the book mate so if you was
the writer thank you and RIP.
thanks harry, long retired.
I think the author ‘Laurie Driver’ is, or was, Dennis Burnier-Smith. I seem to remember reading a few of his a while ago - I think he was on the railway in Manchester with a Scammell Scarab at one time.
John.
Hi lyndon, you mention Wonderloaf bakery in Cardiff, on New years Day 1963 I set off from ■■■■■■■ with 8 tons of waxed bread wrapping paper reels along with a number of other small drops of paper bags to various bakeries in the valleys, the 8 ton drop was to Wonderloaf in Cardiff, I ran down as far as Kempsey Cafe that day and down to Cardiff next morning,this was the bad winter of 1962/3 and I had a rough trip down skidding sideways into a kerb somewhere along the route, the resulting jolt threw a good number of reels stacked vertically on end into the sheet consequently when I stripped the sheet back in the yard at Cardiff a lot of reels fell off but fortunately landed in a large pile of snow that had been cleared from part of the yard so we extricated them undamaged and eventually got away up the valleys delivering to the smaller bakeries. Due to the vast amount of snow it was not possible to always get near to the premises so the goods had to be handballed or barrowed to the door, however I will never forget the kindness of those valley’s folks with their offers of cups of tea, pies buns and cakes to a young 21 year old very cold driver with only a few months experience. Would this be the same Wonderloaf bakery ?
Cheers, Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Hi lyndon, you mention Wonderloaf bakery in Cardiff, on New years Day 1963 I set off from ■■■■■■■ with 8 tons of waxed bread wrapping paper reels along with a number of other small drops of paper bags to various bakeries in the valleys, the 8 ton drop was to Wonderloaf in Cardiff, I ran down as far as Kempsey Cafe that day and down to Cardiff next morning,this was the bad winter of 1962/3 and I had a rough trip down skidding sideways into a kerb somewhere along the route, the resulting jolt threw a good number of reels stacked vertically on end into the sheet consequently when I stripped the sheet back in the yard at Cardiff a lot of reels fell off but fortunately landed in a large pile of snow that had been cleared from part of the yard so we extricated them undamaged and eventually got away up the valleys delivering to the smaller bakeries. Due to the vast amount of snow it was not possible to always get near to the premises so the goods had to be handballed or barrowed to the door, however I will never forget the kindness of those valley’s folks with their offers of cups of tea, pies buns and cakes to a young 21 year old very cold driver with only a few months experience. Would this be the same Wonderloaf bakery ?
Cheers, Leyland 600
I forgot all about Smith Bros Gerald ! and I asked if it was BRS you subbed a bit of traffic off ! 
Cheers Dennis.
John West:
harry_gill:
bazztrucker:
Yes will miss chating to noel at the shows , always a font of knowledge on anything Gilders related.Hiya,
I read a fictional book about a lorry driver and his trailer boy can’t remember the
title off-hand but the author was called Laurie Driver no doubt a fictional name
would this have been Noel by any chance, i did enjoy the book mate so if you was
the writer thank you and RIP.
thanks harry, long retired.I think the author ‘Laurie Driver’ is, or was, Dennis Burnier-Smith. I seem to remember reading a few of his a while ago - I think he was on the railway in Manchester with a Scammell Scarab at one time.
John.
The writer from Manchester was D.B-Smith who went by the name of Laurie DrIver. Our pal who departed this mortal coil last week was Noel Minchew,known on here as Laurie DrYver. I have to confess, I was more than a little confused when I first saw both their names.
Nice line up for sale on eBay 
Hi Dennis, No in this case I was driving a Commer TS3 two stroke for you mate Harry Fearon, it was a right (zb) job I did not stay long and got a start on a Leyland Comet for W.P Bell Bros in Wigton running to Hull, Selby, Newcastle/Gateshead, and Manchester Glasgow mainly bringing animal feeding stuffs back to the Wigton area usualy hauling Quaker Oats or Marchon goods outbound both through BRS at Howgate. I inherited Ray Rudd,s Commer when Harry got him a Commer TS3 artic, note Normal Dowell’s BMC Pantechnicon alongside, Market Hill circa 1960
Cheers, Leyland 600
Bells Comet on Stainmoor 1963.tif (875 KB)
Nice shots there Gerald, and interesting comments ! I always thought the Smiths job was a gruelling one as per how my old pal HTT had to work, everything always seemed to be wanting delivered “yesterday” it was the same with the loads of paper we delivered from Beetham to W/haven it was always “blind panic” i.e. Smiths machines are stopped so get it there as quick as you can ! When I got to know Norman in 68/69 he was also running out of Smiths and he put some funny hours in as well if IIRC, I ran some “funny” hours by the way but I did it voluntary I only got the odd request from the Mill to do a “flyer” if there had been a breakdown at the Mill on odd occasions. The Lads from W.■■■■■■■ always had a couple of hours or so more driving than me on the way South ! Happy days, Cheers Dennis.
Hi Dennis , no one in their right mind would work for Smith’s loading perhaps 22 drops or more was usual at four different sites Hensingham, North shore, 2 and Salterbeck then return for more at one or another site then back to North Shore for all the delivery notes taking all day to load then expecting you to be in London for 8 am next morning. God knows how many times you sheeted up and parially unsheete on a loading day mostly out in open. I could not get away from the job fast enough all for £11 per week. Norman would certainly have a much easier life when he packed in and started driving for Sidac at Wigton.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Hi Gerald, I think us two Marras had better call it a day on this thread and transfer back to the ■■■■■■■■ thread eh! Cheers Dennis. 
pete 359:
hi all,
this very very old scammell has appeared recently in T.D.Williams’ bridgend yard……
Andrew / My old man ( curly bill ) drove one and the same for Palmer and Palmer bridgend later to be taken over by BRS .
had her new in 1947 I think the photo appeared earlier on in this thread .
Ianto full pelt:
pete 359:
hi all,
this very very old scammell has appeared recently in T.D.Williams’ bridgend yard……Andrew / My old man ( curly bill ) drove one and the same for Palmer and Palmer bridgend later to be taken over by BRS .
had her new in 1947 I think the photo appeared earlier on in this thread .
hi ianto,
thanks for your comment.i recall your brother telling me about that scammell.they were real drivers back then imo.here are three courtesy of my mate gareth morse,from eglwys wrw in west wales.Fishguard transport,as was……
.
Great to see Fishguard Transport pictures. Spent many good times in the F10,FL10 and FL7 with my dad and also driving them myself. Also did a couple of trips away with Gareth in the FL10, to Evesham with a load of Mushrooms from Ireland, Good days. Nice to see Gareth making a good go of it himself too.
I also noticed in the background of the FL7, the little merc 7.5T curtainsider. cant remember the model, but is was a strange one to drive. i remember going out on Pier 4 milford docks early one windy Sunday morning to drop off stores to a ship. not a long trip but one of the more memorable ones.
pete 359:
I think this vehicle had a 350 ■■■■■■■ and a Spicer 10-speed 'box IIRC. Here are a couple more pics of it. Robert
