Come on people, I think most of the Forest of Dean drivers must have worked for either George, Richard or Harold Read at one stage or another. Most of the people I talk to always have a story or two to tell of the well known employers of lorry drivers. The family of hauliers seem to have always been around, as long as I can remember. Here’s a couple of pictures to get the ball rolling…( These are not my pictures)
Cracking pics Paul.I look forward to seeing and hearing more about the Read family on this thread.
Cheers Dave.
Haven’t got any of George Read’s,but have got some of Richard and Harold Read’s.
At last. A couple of old girls I have driven!
The 4-wheeler Dodge (with, I think a 354 Perkins) was used to haul sand out of a pit at Ashchurch, outside Tewkesbury, just past the old Army transport depot. I drove the lorry for about a month while the regular driver was on the sick. After proving to Young George that I could do seven loads a day to Gloucester, I asked for some “bonus” to which he readily agreed. Come next pay day and the bonus turned out to be a whole ten shillings!
The ERF artic in the pics had two sister vehicles, all mostly employed hauling coal from South Wales Eastwards returning with scrap metal or animal feeds. Drivers at various times were, Mick Russell, Den Criddle, Chris Edwards and Trevor Probert.
Mick Russell also had the Atki with the luxury sleeper when it was new if memory serves. I drove it on the Llanwern convoys for a couple of months when it’s regular driver, John Major was laid up sick.
The other motors pictured are too new for me to have known with the exception of the 4-wheeler Leyland which, along with some other items, “disappeared” when Young George left BRS to go it alone.
A bit more in similar vein on the RIP Glyn Morris thread.
I would like to see some more of George’s fleets (both “Young” and “Old” if anyone’s got any. I know there were quite a few of Old Georges wagons photographed in the late 50s/early 60s but I haven’t a clue if any are still in existence.
Nice. You can almost smell that new paint.
Don’t suppose you’ve got any of the AEC Mk5s?
Retired Old ■■■■:
Nice. You can almost smell that new paint.
Don’t suppose you’ve got any of the AEC Mk5s?
Many thanks, Matey.
The two Atkis were aquisitions, one of which, HJS30, came at the time of the BRS buy-out from James Smith’s. Can’t remember where the other appeared from. The photo of the line-up was taken just after BRS bought the place lock, stock & barrel, as evidenced by the BRS branch identification on the front quarters of the cabs.
Most of the fleet at that time consisted of Leyands and AECs, all being liveried in ICIs Imperial Crimson with black chassis & wings. Signwriting was in gold.
Check out the thread called “Looking for old photos of Forest of Dean firms”
TIDDERSON:
Check out the thread called “Looking for old photos of Forest of Dean firms”
Also one called “READ a family in transport” what I put on in 2009
Forgive me again 
What can I say about this man. He gave me my first chance on the spanners when I was about 19 years old.Last time we met he was on the shale to Gloucester Ring Road job.I was at Merrin End when the BRS takeover came.Did not stay long as everything changed,not for the better.I remember going outside to help another fitter with a gearbox change when one of the new BRS fitters went to the foreman to complain about me leaving him on his own 
When BRS got rid of Jim Richards the local auto electrician at a moments notice George was very angry.Jim talked me into a move to Longhope.I remember George working on a Leyland Octopus head gasket change one night and when he came in next morning the lorry was still in the yard.He went mad untill the driver told him; George the sump is full of water! Cracked block NOT head gasket.Another memory.Going down to storage at the quarry stacking Lister engine castings.All day job very risky 
Brought there by A M Bell lorries.
Retired Old ■■■■:
Many thanks, Matey.
The two Atkis were aquisitions, one of which, HJS30, came at the time of the BRS buy-out from James Smith’s. Can’t remember where the other appeared from. The photo of the line-up was taken just after BRS bought the place lock, stock & barrel, as evidenced by the BRS branch identification on the front quarters of the cabs.
Most of the fleet at that time consisted of Leyands and AECs, all being liveried in ICIs Imperial Crimson with black chassis & wings. Signwriting was in gold.
And after all this time I’ve remembered where the other Atki came from- they were both ex-James Smith and both ran in JS colours while with BRS, one driven by Tommy Bevan, the other by Dennis “Happy” Merry.
Just returned from a weekend at Llandudno Transport Extravaganza- Do these remind you of anything, Leylandlover?
They sure do ROF George had one and John James and I still don’t like them.Those two drivers names rings a bell.
George also let me drive my first big lorry.A MK3 AEC 8wheeler.Dont see any photos of them in George, s colours.
leylandlover:
Forgive me again
Oh deep joy ! I’m just imagining the delights of a Leyland 600 head gasket job in a fixed cab, after the lorry has come back in for the day, with some what-not telling you how to do the job and to hurry up. Oh those manifolds! And weren’t the heads heavy, give me a Gardner or an AEC every time.
Cav,I STILL got my 3/8 drive socket set bought for those 600 and 680,s Want to buy them
Thanks for the kind offer Leylandlover however mine are still in regular use as is all the Whitworth stuff. I had the heads off a 600 the summer before last. Fortunately it was in a bus so I was able to take the wing off. I also did the same to an 8.6, that one did need an engine crane to lift the head and the manifolds were even worse to get on and off.
Shame 
I have finished paying for them now! 10 shillings a week took out of my pay packet.George even sold me a tool kit out of one of the lorries,Snail Brand open enders and I still have one or two of them.
That is definitely George! He SOLD you the tools that he got for free! Like it! 
