Any good memories of certain transport managers ?
Neil Askham who was manager at Swifts when I started there will always stick in my mind, drivers thought he was heartless git but when you got to know him you discovered he had a soft spot and a great sense of humour.
Malcom Mortimer of Swifts was a very annoying little git who could keep his cool no matter what was given to him, I saw him pulled through the window to the traffic office by a driver who said he coud kill him if he thought he could get away with it, Malc just brushed himself down and said “Are you going to do it or not ?” I had a severe hatred of him untill he was no longer in my life 
Then there was Pete Wilson who was the night manager at Swifts and really got on the drivers nerves, I think it was his aim in life to make my life hell when I worked there … I got ny own back years later as I was in the traffic office at Fed Ex / Matchbox and we used Butts for some contract work and he had to creep to me for loads 
Then I had the extreme pleasure to tell him to either send clean vehicles in to our yard or go without loads, he lost the work
On Fed Ex /Spectra contract we had a young lady transport manager called ‘Julie’ … her way of thinking sometimes bought tears to my eyes. One run I was on involving a week doing multi drops up the north east, into Scotland as far as Inverness and then down to Glasgow and the north west half way through my seberal deliveries I found a pallet for Skegness 
I ofcourse phoned her to ask why I had this drop ?
“Well it has a ‘Ness’ on the end so I thought it was near Loch Ness or that area”
Never had a problem with them, my first one didn’t speak to you anyway and the second one said even less! Then I worked for a private haulier and they cant afford such luxuries as a ‘Transport Manager’, you all muck in together and get the job done.
Pete.
The only firm I drove for that had a transport manager ( pre cpc ) who had complete control over 28 lorries and three tracked machines was a total disaster.He was a heavy drinker who had an easy job as the firm Brisbanes of Knighton had their work on a plate.Main haulier for Nash Rocks and about eight lorries on permanent hire to Radnorshire County Council.He had four mechanics for thir own fleet,but as he got paid a percentage of the profit they made, he skimped on maintenance didn’t get new lorries ready for the advent of the plating law.He got suspended and got reinstated,but he still didn’t learn resulting in Brisbanes selling the tipper fleet to Roberts of Knighton and sacking him.
What a wally
Alan Reed at sheffield Pickfords was good at his job went to Henor(HHT)
Granvill Hickman x chamber and inligworth to J G Osborne had to be ther yesterday 
Eric at phillips
Arthur was the transport manager at the foundry division at Hepworth and Grandage Bradford, even though he couldnt drive!! I told him one day I would be a lot longer delivering because of some roadworks, looking at his map he pointed and asked why I didnt go this way? Because Arthur I told him that is the canal !! One Thursday afternoon he told me I had only two drops on Friday- Winsford and Weymouth !! RIP Arthur.
Malc Richardson at Carryfast,North Kilworth was a top man,used to go for a drink with him after work as well.Phil West at Wesmore Haulage another good bloke,liked to get his moneys-worth out of his tyres though! one or two others i shan’t mention.by the way,when i started driving in the '80’s,i’m sure a maximum day was a 12 and a half hour spread-over.when did this become 15 hours?
Pat Hasler:
Any good memories of certain transport managers ? Malcom Mortimer of Swifts was a very annoying little git who could keep his cool no matter what was given to him, I saw him pulled through the window to the traffic office by a driver who said he coud kill him if he thought he could get away with it, Malc just brushed himself down and said “Are you going to do it or not ?” I had a severe hatred of him untill he was no longer in my life
Sounds remarkably like the very same Malcom who takes pictures of Lorries on Tamworth services … 
turps:
Alan Reed at sheffield Pickfords was good at his job went to Henor(HHT)
Granvill Hickman x chamber and inligworth to J G Osborne had to be ther yesterday
Eric at phillips
Granvill" in Irvin" your on Hinze tonight 8am tip in morning half hand ball other half fork lift ,sheffield /barnsley
lemonmouth:
Pat Hasler:
Any good memories of certain transport managers ? Malcom Mortimer of Swifts was a very annoying little git who could keep his cool no matter what was given to him, I saw him pulled through the window to the traffic office by a driver who said he coud kill him if he thought he could get away with it, Malc just brushed himself down and said “Are you going to do it or not ?” I had a severe hatred of him untill he was no longer in my lifeSounds remarkably like the very same Malcom who takes pictures of Lorries on Tamworth services …
Does, doesn’t it?..
Kids today dont know what we did, because we did it for our job ,
Alan Reid at Pickfords was very good he came from BRS and started as a traffic clerk but he was taught by Ted Fitzpatrick who knew the job inside out and he could have sacked me for getting the routing clerk jammed in the little window by the shoulders as I tried to help out by the throat 
Geoff Ellis at Sykes was a very good TM as well other good ones were David Stone at Magnet Southern and Trevor Mitchell at Exel Rotherham other people I worked for were mostly small hauliers who owned the firm such as Bill Brennan and Syd Wood both good gaffers to work for. Trevor had a reputation for being a hard man to work for but if you did your job and if you had a problem and you were in the right he would back you but if you cocked up he would bollock you and you could have a right old row and when it was done it was forgotten. I did work for a couple of guys who I did not rate or get on with and jacked in due to I will put it a personality clash.
cheers Johnnie
P S why did all transport offices have a small window which the guy behind it would not fit through 
When I first started driving wagons in the 50s, for Baxters on Newcastle Quayside, the T/M Was a young bloke called George Hood, he was a good lad at his job and everyone liked him, his assistant fresh from school was a lad called Alan Sutton, he took to the job straight away & when Geo left he took over, he was there for a long time, as time went on he moved about in the haulage industry, working for Waugh Transport . Cazally,s, Fergusons then back to Waughs, He was top notch at being a Traffic Manager, he had return traffic from all over the place, & good paying stuff too, He is retired now & I dont doubt his services to the Companys he worked will allways be remembered. Regards Larry.
marky:
lemonmouth:
Pat Hasler:
Any good memories of certain transport managers ? Malcom Mortimer of Swifts was a very annoying little git who could keep his cool no matter what was given to him, I saw him pulled through the window to the traffic office by a driver who said he coud kill him if he thought he could get away with it, Malc just brushed himself down and said “Are you going to do it or not ?” I had a severe hatred of him untill he was no longer in my lifeSounds remarkably like the very same Malcom who takes pictures of Lorries on Tamworth services …
Does, doesn’t it?..
Trevor,Mark, It is the same Malcolm, I think he’s well known. (also a very good friend )
A proper gentleman of the old school was Basil Lowe (deceased) of WG Eales Transport Wellingborough, think he was TM until the early 80’s when Eales’ was dissolved, he went on to security in W’boro town centre where i saw him regularly, sadly died a few years later before his time as the good uns often do.
The best mind i ever encountered was Dave Carpenter during my time at JSM transporters which became Eurofleet and changed names umpteen times since.
Dave used to run day to day operations of the fleet almost single handedly at one time, i’ve seen him with about 3 phone calls going all at once and he’d still know where every single truck was and its status, fantastic mind though he’d stitch you up like a kipper and you rarely pulled the wool over his eyes.
He’s out of it now, more’s the pity, a capable man of integrity.
Greetings,All.
Sid Pugh, at the Southampton depot of Union Cartage. Sadly,dead now. A man who knew his job, and was not averse to a swift pint with us at “The Sun” opposite the Red Funnel Line.Work with him and he worked with you. Regards,900X20.
I think the best TM I knew, who knew the job inside out was a bloke called Jimmy Brewis (spelling) who ran the Cawthorn & Sinclair depot in Waltham Cross, top man, a phone in each hand and a spanner between his teeth he could sort any load out while fixing the motor to move it, a real geordie gentleman.
Ossie
classicman:
marky:
lemonmouth:
Pat Hasler:
Any good memories of certain transport managers ? Malcom Mortimer of Swifts was a very annoying little git who could keep his cool no matter what was given to him, I saw him pulled through the window to the traffic office by a driver who said he coud kill him if he thought he could get away with it, Malc just brushed himself down and said “Are you going to do it or not ?” I had a severe hatred of him untill he was no longer in my lifeSounds remarkably like the very same Malcom who takes pictures of Lorries on Tamworth services …
Does, doesn’t it?..
Trevor,Mark, It is the same Malcolm, I think he’s well known. (also a very good friend )
I wasn’t making any disparaging comments - just remarking that it sounded like the same Malcolm. I miss his slideshows.
I worked for F.SHort & Sons St. Peters Newcaslte then they moved to Green Lane Felling, Bill Williamson was one of the traffic managers, he was a good bloke at his job, The other one was an older fellow Geo ■■■■■■■■ also good, but in those days Shorts had lots of work most of it to do with the docks, & had a depot in Hull, & for a while an office in Stockton, cant remember the managers name, of course its now owned by Sam Anderson from Newhouse. Happy Days. Larry.
My first transport manager when I worked for JWQ in Reading was a chap called Jim Rignall. THe best way I could describe him would be Brian Clough but more aggressive. Much more-if you were in the wrong - woe betide you, you’d certainly hear about it, but to be fair if you were in the right he’d back to the hilt, including to customers-he’d have a go at and for you-if you’re reading this all the best Jim.
My first transport manager when I worked for JWQ in Reading was a chap called Jim Rignall. THe best way I could describe him would be Brian Clough but more aggressive- Much more aggressive-if you were in the wrong - woe betide you, you’d certainly hear about it, but to be fair if you were in the right he’d back you to the hilt, including to customers-he’d have a go at you and for you-if you’re reading this all the best Jim.