I started work in 1960 at Ryland Garage Ryland st as a trainee mechanic and stayed there for 4 years starting in the stores then car section followed by automatic lubrication dept and then the commercial vehicle repair dept. Rylands were main agents for Atkinson, Seddon, Perkins and Gardner engines and eventually sub agents for Vauxhall Bedford (Prestiges were the main agents) We used to recondition Gardner engines for Wolverhampton corporation Transport, mainly 6LW’s but occasionaly 6Lx’s with the single block. We also layed fibre glass floors in the Bass (ratcliffe and gretton) new box trailers with the grano antislip floors. The Directors in 1960 were Frank F Griffin (later Alderman and then Knighted) and William whale who’s son William eventually took over from his father (big bill and little bill) Peter Whale, little Bills son eventually took over. The Whale family owned Fleet Hire who supplied tankers to Petrofina and were later (as far as I can remember) started Whale tankers effluent vehicle suppliers.
If I can give any more info regards Rylands in the early sixties I would be more than happy. I remained in the Motor trade for most of my working life working in the coaching/HGV industry and finishing with Shell in the late nineties, I still have my C&E and D&E licences but doubt if they will be required again. Brian Wallwork started at Rylands as a salesman, how the mighty have risen
My dad drove for anglo petroleum they used a seddon atkinson 400 from fleet hire/ryland tankers ,the reg number was TOC 197S,any pictures would be greatfull
I worked at Rylands, Ryland Street in the Bedford service department between 1979 and 1985. I started as an apprentice HGV mechanic and ended up as service reception engineer. I left when Rylands lost the Bedford franchise in early 1985.
We operated out of two workshops, the “original” large workshop which was accessed down “The Slope” from the entrance in Morville Street, and the smaller top workshop which was on the corner of Morville Street and Sherborne Street and accessible from both streets.
Fleet Hire’s offices were always located in Morville House on Morville Street. A chap called Joe was the boss as I recall.
Around 81-82 (I think) Fleet Hire moved from Coleshill into the top workshop on Morville/Sherborne Street. They took roughly a third of the workshop up. There were two employees, Mick Sheppard/Shepperd and another chap who’s name I can’t remember. Whilst there was enough work for one mechanic, there really wasn’t wasn’t enough for two, and Mick was eventually forced to accept redundancy and start working in the Bedford service department. Unsurprisingly, he disliked his new role and more specifically the commute.
Fleet Hire had a Ford D Series wrecker (or was it a Dodge 500 series ?) fitted with a Perkins V8, a smoky, noisy and very tired contraption, which saw little or no use in the time Fleet hire were located in ladywood… Rylands Bedford ran an Albion 6x4 Reiver, which whilst slow, would pull pretty much anything !! In 1982-3 this was replaced by a purpose built LHD ex Bedford demo Bedford TM wrecker fitted with a V8 Detroit Diesel.
The six years I spent in the service department at Rylands, Ryland Street were among the happiest of my 56 year life !! I’m in the process of writing a book documenting my time there …
I have an old Atkinson borderer unit that I am restoring I would like to find out who run the vehicle from new I have opttained details from the DVLA of pass owners, the first being Fleet Hire Contracts Ltd Morville Street Birmingham B16 8BX I believe they are not at this address or even in business now as a google seach brings up private houses.
They must of had it out on contract hire to a tanker company for 2 years as it left the factory with petrol reg set up, can anyone help with the hire company or better still some history of the vehicle the reg is NVP 635M it was sold to Sephen J Wooley haulage Telford in 1975 the two year before this I can’t trace
thanks if you can help…
I think I’m right in saying that Fleet Hire had a depot at Coleshill in the 70s.I had an ERF “A” series with pet regs off them for a week when my Mandator was off the road.
And that’s about all I know about them,except the ERF was in a blue and white livery.
I am wondering whether Fleet Contracts became Ryland Vehicle Group, a spurious link between Morville Street and Ryland Street, plus a bloke on Linkedin who worked for both companies which then morphed into the Sytner Group.
There was a company called Ryland Tankers in the West Midlands
Wheel Nut:
I am wondering whether Fleet Contracts became Ryland Vehicle Group, a spurious link between Morville Street and Ryland Street, plus a bloke on Linkedin who worked for both companies which then morphed into the Sytner Group.
There was a company called Ryland Tankers in the West Midlands
I think that Fleet Hire was a Ryland subsidiary. I understand that Ryland Garage (in Ryland Street) was the first distributor ever appointed by Atkinson
Chris Webb:
I think I’m right in saying that Fleet Hire had a depot at Coleshill in the 70s
I had an ERF “A” series with pet regs off them for a week when my Mandator was off the road.
And that’s about all I know about them,except the ERF was in a blue and white livery.
Theer was a pic in one of the comics a few months ago, Chris, of a blue-and-white Fleet Hire A Series, abandoned somewhere in the Middle East. I think it was said to have been hired by someone who failed to clarify his intended purpose for it, and who never returned it!
Hello Woodstock, et al. Fleet Hire Station Road Colleshill, operations base, Morville Street Registered office, Brian Wallwork Managing Director, Bill Whale Ryland Group Managing Director, and I think Gordon Cox Director of Ryland Group also sat on the Fleet Hire Board, not certain if Gordon Tinkler was made up to Director, or utilised Fleet Hire as part of his portfolio as Group Fleet Sales Manager. Part of Ryland Group, Ryland Street Birmingham, Franchisees for Atkinson, Seddon, Vauxhall and Bedford. (Ryland were major players in the sale of Furniture Removal vans on Bedford chassis, Derek ■■? Fleet Hire was a major player in the contract hire market, before everyone and his dog joined in! Major client base with petroleum companies and Breweries. Neither my memory or old records are 100% but I am almost certain that NVP635M was a Petrofina contract vehicle, but at the time of its registration I was long gone from these shores. The fleet was well specified, and very well maintained, and contained a good spread of equipment. Later on Fleet Hire became importer for White Trucks into the UK. (Two examples are on the Stoke on Trent thread). Bass Brewing was another major client of Fleet Hire, and when their buy backs came back, made very desirable used tractors. Hope the info helps, good luck with the restoration, Borderers are a beautiful vehicle, I still miss my Atkinsons! Salut.
Saviem:
Hello Woodstock, et al. Fleet Hire Station Road Colleshill, operations base, Morville Street Registered office, Brian Wallwork Managing Director, Bill Whale Ryland Group Managing Director, and I think Gordon Cox Director of Ryland Group also sat on the Fleet Hire Board, not certain if Gordon Tinkler was made up to Director, or utilised Fleet Hire as part of his portfolio as Group Fleet Sales Manager. Part of Ryland Group, Ryland Street Birmingham, Franchisees for Atkinson, Seddon, Vauxhall and Bedford. (Ryland were major players in the sale of Furniture Removal vans on Bedford chassis, Derek ■■? Fleet Hire was a major player in the contract hire market, before everyone and his dog joined in! Major client base with petroleum companies and Breweries. Neither my memory or old records are 100% but I am almost certain that NVP635M was a Petrofina contract vehicle, but at the time of its registration I was long gone from these shores. The fleet was well specified, and very well maintained, and contained a good spread of equipment. Later on Fleet Hire became importer for White Trucks into the UK. (Two examples are on the Stoke on Trent thread). Bass Brewing was another major client of Fleet Hire, and when their buy backs came back, made very desirable used tractors. Hope the info helps, good luck with the restoration, Borderers are a beautiful vehicle, I still miss my Atkinsons! Salut.
During my initial research into Fleet Contracts Ltd. I came across Bill Whale and wondered if he bought into the Solihull welding company, Fusion (Bickenhill) Ltd which later became Whale Tankers
Cheers for the info . keep it coming, Has anyone got any photos of Petrofina livery I have a feeling they were white cabs gray chassis or was that Esso ? not entirely sure. The Bass connection could be interesting I worked for Bass in the 90s
woodstock:
Cheers for the info . keep it coming, Has anyone got any photos of Petrofina livery I have a feeling they were white cabs gray chassis or was that Esso ? not entirely sure. The Bass connection could be interesting I worked for Bass in the 90s
I think the White cabs and Grey chassis was Esso Livery
I am sure Sniffy wont mind be copying a few of his pictures to this thread, it may bring so some more information.
Chris Webb:
I think I’m right in saying that Fleet Hire had a depot at Coleshill in the 70s.I had an ERF “A” series with pet regs off them for a week when my Mandator was off the road.
And that’s about all I know about them,except the ERF was in a blue and white livery.
u had a series erf chris youve kept tha quiet about that 250 ■■■■■■■ or wot
Chris Webb:
I think I’m right in saying that Fleet Hire had a depot at Coleshill in the 70s.I had an ERF “A” series with pet regs off them for a week when my Mandator was off the road.
And that’s about all I know about them,except the ERF was in a blue and white livery.
u had a series erf chris youve kept tha quiet about that 250 ■■■■■■■ or wot
220 I think Alan.I know I didn’t want to part with it,it blinded the Mandator,wish I’d got a photo of it.
. keep it coming, Has anyone got any photos of Petrofina livery I have a feeling they were white cabs gray chassis or was that Esso ? not entirely sure. The Bass connection could be interesting I worked for Bass in the 90s 
.
