Just taking this opportunity to wish Trevor Ayers a happy retirement after 38 years on for Smiths.
One of the steadiest and easiest drivers you could work with…
Thats a long time to be with one employer, I was only 8 when he started and that seams such a long time ago.
M G B:
Just taking this opportunity to wish Trevor Ayers a happy retirement after 38 years on for Smiths.
One of the steadiest and easiest drivers you could work with…Thats a long time to be with one employer, I was only 8 when he started and that seams such a long time ago.
I think Phil Knight’s been there slightly longer; The knavvy driver at Stanton, the late Vic Griffin I think had done 44 when he retired and when shipper Dave Beachamp retired at Christmas, I think he’d done 40+
I’m slightly behind with 13 years 6 months and a bit 
Smiths’ first franchisee He’s only 16 months old so we can forgive him for having the cab in “Smiths Concrete Green” instead of “Smiths Bletchington Two Tone Green”.
That truck must be a Foden; It’s a plastic half cab 
Muckaway:
Smiths’ first franchisee
That truck must be a Foden; It’s a plastic half cab
I see he has his own rail line as well 
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I can just about remember Smiths running a Priestman Mustang 120 like this, and a larger 160.
Muckaway:
0
I can just about remember Smiths running a Priestman Mustang 120 like this, and a larger 160.
when i started on smiths nathan they were both at fish hill the 120 had a breaker on it which was far to big for it and if i remember rightly that was what killed it in the end.
That’s right, Fish Hill always had the old kit from Ardley and off Construction. When I started I think the Mustang 160 was still down there along with that Akerman H7 Smiths got when they took over Hazells at Slape Hill.
Do you remember the Foden halfcab dumper that was at Stanton, moved to Gill Mill for a short time? Nicknamed “The Iron Lady” you didn’t need the “beware of dumpers crossing” sign, you could hear it (and see the smoke)
I mentioned “blender belts” on the Quarries and Construction photo thread, and as Gill Mill plant doesn’t have them, muggins has to make up stocks of shingle and ballast.
Here’s a list of what I have to mix at Gill Mill with how it’s made up;
4-20mm shingle (used to be called 20-5)
4x buckets of 10-20mm + 1x bucket of 4-10
2-10mm shingle (used to be called 10-5mm)
1x bucket of 4-10mm + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
0-20mm (20mm washed ballast)
2x buckets of sharp sand + 1 bucket of 10-20mm + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
0-10mm (10mm washed ballast)
2x buckets of sharp sand + 1x bucket of 2-10mm + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
0-10mm stone ballast
2x buckets of sharp sand + 1x bucket of 4-10mm limestone + 1x bucket of 2-6mm shingle
0-6mm (6mm washed ballast)
1x bucket of sharp sand + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
Screed Sand
1x bucket of sharp sand + 1x bucket of fine sand
Type 3 Limestone
4x buckets of type 1 + 1x bucket of 10-63mm stone
Aswell as loading wagons, there’s also the bagging plant and the precast concrete plant (although the other shovels tend to do these) to fill up.
And potholes to fill.
And surplus stock to move from under the conveyors.
And checking the “imported” stock levels.
Muckaway:
I mentioned “blender belts” on the Quarries and Construction photo thread, and as Gill Mill plant doesn’t have them, muggins has to make up stocks of shingle and ballast.
Here’s a list of what I have to mix at Gill Mill with how it’s made up;
4-20mm shingle (used to be called 20-5)
4x buckets of 10-20mm + 1x bucket of 4-10
2-10mm shingle (used to be called 10-5mm)
1x bucket of 4-10mm + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
0-20mm (20mm washed ballast)
2x buckets of sharp sand + 1 bucket of 10-20mm + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
0-10mm (10mm washed ballast)
2x buckets of sharp sand + 1x bucket of 2-10mm + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
0-10mm stone ballast
2x buckets of sharp sand + 1x bucket of 4-10mm limestone + 1x bucket of 2-6mm shingle
0-6mm (6mm washed ballast)
1x bucket of sharp sand + 1x bucket of 2-6mm
Screed Sand
1x bucket of sharp sand + 1x bucket of fine sand
Type 3 Limestone
4x buckets of type 1 + 1x bucket of 10-63mm stoneAswell as loading wagons, there’s also the bagging plant and the precast concrete plant (although the other shovels tend to do these) to fill up.
And potholes to fill.
And surplus stock to move from under the conveyors.
And checking the “imported” stock levels.
What do you do in all the spare time you must have.
Much easier in a stone quarry Nathan, it comes out of the plant all nicely graded!
Pete.
windrush:
Much easier in a stone quarry Nathan, it comes out of the plant all nicely graded!Pete.
Not in our stone pits; Mind you things like 40-5 you throw a bucket of chippings onto the 40-20, quick turn of the bucket and load it.
I cant recall material like that Nathan, we used to have chatter (standard sub base) on stock along with scalpings and crusher run. Type 1 was either on stock or some customers wanted it dry so it came through the plant, Type 2 was rarely ordered apart from British Rail so that was a plant job as well. Dust, 6mm, 10mm, 14mm, 20mm, 40mm, 50mm etc usually came through the plant unless the tar plant was using a lot and then it came from stock and the ‘selected stone’ which was only carried by clean bodied trucks that hadn’t had tar in them was a plant job as that went to jobs in London (Jubilee Line) and concrete works that made decorative masonry products etc. May all be different now of course, haven’t loaded a truck for nearly ten years!!
Pete.
Type 2 ballast was always 75mm down (unwashed) used in road bases and footings. I can remember going with Dadwhen Stanton Harcourt was open, there’d be two Priestman Lion knavvies; One dug ballast for the wash plant (loaded a half cab Foden via a screener) and the other Lion (an older model) dug ballsst which went through a screener with a deck for type 2. Lorries would load under this and top up on the weighbridge from a Bray shovel. Note all the plant then was British owned and built…
We used to make type 2 at Gill Mill, by using as dug (normally ballast too dirty to wash) mixed with sharp sand and 40mm. Now it’s just screened ballast (75mm down) that comes off the stockpile used to feed the plant.
Now we know who the Shovel driver is on this Quarrie Sales site,but who is in the Weighbridge office???Anon 1.
Bewick:
Now we know who the Shovel driver is on this Quarrie Sales site,but who is in the Weighbridge office???Anon 1.
Hopefully someone who can spell QUARRY! 
Pete.
windrush:
Bewick:
Now we know who the Shovel driver is on this Quarrie Sales site,but who is in the Weighbridge office???Anon 1.Hopefully someone who can spell QUARRY!
Pete.
I go in the weighbridge when the kettle boils 
I must confess that I’ve bought bling for the shovel, a Thunderpole Orbiter cb antenna, 6’ magmount, magnetic cb mic clip and a cigarette lighter plug…
…Now need to ask a fitter nicely with a soldering iron if they can fit it on my cb rig.
Will be on Ch 36 for anyone in the area (eventually).
YFC 233V seen in later life.
windrush:
Bewick:
Now we know who the Shovel driver is on this Quarrie Sales site,but who is in the Weighbridge office???Anon 1.Hopefully someone who can spell QUARRY!
Pete.
altitude:
windrush:
Bewick:
Now we know who the Shovel driver is on this Quarrie Sales site,but who is in the Weighbridge office???Anon 1.Hopefully someone who can spell QUARRY!
Pete.
PMSL
windrush:
Bewick:
Now we know who the Shovel driver is on this Quarrie Sales site,but who is in the Weighbridge office???Anon 1.Hopefully someone who can spell QUARRY!
Pete.
Well we didn’t all go to Grammar school !! I actually bought my first new motor,a D1000,off a salesman at Skippers of Kendal called Richard (■■■■) Quarrie and thats exactly how his name was spelled or spelt !!! Before long we are going to have to take a literacy test to post on this site-----it will then become a very lonely site with only “H”,Lawrence and me posting!!! Cheers Dennis. 