Pollystag,I left in 1970 from Warley,taking redundancy,but I remember Tommy Bosher.The other names are all new to me.I’m glad there’s still interest in the old firm - hope more old drivers get on the website. Regards,900X20. 
Truckspark,good to hear from you.Re the photos of UCC Scanias,have you had a peep at page one of this thread,as there are a couple of photos of Scanias there.That’s all I know of at the present.If I remember rightly,I used to take AMP 657H on the Germany run,delivering hanging beef from Ireland to the U.S army camps there.Halcyon days. Regards,900X20.
hi 900x20 yeh have seen the pics 2nd pick is AMP 657H ,THESE WERE CRACKIN WAGONS WE JUST PAINTED THEM OUR COLOURS AND RUN THEM DIDNT HAVE ANY MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBS AT ALL ODD CLUTCH JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE THE DRIVERS DIDN,T DOUBLE CLUTCH OTHER WISE MASTER CYLINDER USED TO GO WE USED TO OPERATE ONE TRUCK ONE DRIVER AND I THINK THAT PAID DIVIDENDS WE USED TO RUN INTO GEO DAVIES RUGBY DEPOT AND TILBURY MOST OF THE UCC SCANIA,S ENDED UP IN RUGBY THEY ALSO HAD ONE CONVERTED INTO A 6X4 WRECKER ALWAYS WANTED MY DAD TO BUY IT BUT WE NEVER GOT IT. I HAVE SEEN ANOTHER PICK ON A SITE IT WAS COMING OF THE FERRY WILL TRY AND FIND IT ,I THINK SOME ONE HAS ALREADY MENTIONED THOSE TRAILERS OF UCC WERE HEAVY EVEN WHEN THEY WERE EMPTY NICE TO HER FROM YOU SURPRISED THERE ARN,T MORE PICS ABOUT OF UCC AND GEO DAVIES CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF THE COMPANY
Thanks for your answer as I often wondered what happened to the fleet.Sadly,photographs are thin on the ground-I wish there were more.The Scanias were a treat to go up the road with,especially after pulling continental trailers with a “Big J” Guy with a Gardner 180.I used to overtake,fully loaded, in a 110 going up the Colmar on the way to Basle.heady days.Regards,900X20. 
Ont thing that surprises me (and did at the time) is that company’s like UCC who ran on the Continent (& further!!) still bought day cabbed units when sleepers were becoming the norm by this time?
Ross.
bigr250. Can’t explain that:although we had a sort of bed behind the seats which folded down.Hard as nails,but it did the job.It might have been something to do with the length restrictions at that time,but I cannot say for sure.Could be that a job lot was required and they were handy.Don’t know.Regards,900X20. 
seem to remember at that time MAT trans were going over with day cabs as well.
newmercman:
pollystag:
newmercman:
Did Keith Forrester have a stutter?hi,yyyes
Was he a ssssshit ssssstirring bbbbbbackstabbing bbbbbastard on there too, I worked on a couple of firms with him in the 80s/90s & he was then
he was ok till they took all all the big double sleepers away then he cried his eyes out in his brand new day cab.i got on alright with him tho’,not your best buddy then??
steve.
I used to get on quite well with him, we worked on a few firms together & he was a good bloke, then he changed & managed to completely bollox up a really good job, I tolerated him for a time but then we fell out in Ramsgate Dock, his motor was kicking out black smoke like you wouldn’t believe, I said it’s a turbo & you better phone in, he wouldn’t have it & off he went, he got as far as Whitstable before the broken turbo ended up in the engine & he mangled it, instead of just a turbo going it now had a rod sticking out the side & a broken crank! I pulled up, but couldn’t do anything as I never had a spare engine with me so I carried on, he got the right hump because I left him stranded & never spoke to me again, even though I left him a packet of ■■■■ & a few cans of Coke/Mars bars & a copy of the Sun & went up the road & phoned the firm telling them he was broken down, strange bloke 
newmercman:
I used to get on quite well with him, we worked on a few firms together & he was a good bloke, then he changed & managed to completely bollox up a really good job, I tolerated him for a time but then we fell out in Ramsgate Dock, his motor was kicking out black smoke like you wouldn’t believe, I said it’s a turbo & you better phone in, he wouldn’t have it & off he went, he got as far as Whitstable before the broken turbo ended up in the engine & he mangled it, instead of just a turbo going it now had a rod sticking out the side & a broken crank! I pulled up, but couldn’t do anything as I never had a spare engine with me so I carried on, he got the right hump because I left him stranded & never spoke to me again, even though I left him a packet of ■■■■ & a few cans of Coke/Mars bars & a copy of the Sun & went up the road & phoned the firm telling them he was broken down, strange bloke
yeh he was like that,last time i saw him was about ten years ago he was on for Europa freight in Erith.
steve.
I joined UCC from school based at their Smithfield Market office.At that time Mr John Cooper was the MD.The continental work was in its early days and after a number of months I was finally positioned into the continental traffic office.Poplar depot was run by Charlie King and Roy Walker.Warley was being constructed.It wasnt long before I took over the traffic office and eventually was transfered to Warley.Upon arrival the traffic office was amalgamated with people from Poplar and on the management side was Charlie King,Joe Palmer,Alex Morris,Ken Austin and myself.On the drivers there was still a division between continental drivers and domestic drivers.Frank Evans was shop steward with his very able companions of Sam Mcauley (the Yank) and Bill Sparrow.I recall a number of their drivers but a number now have passed away - Charlie Wise (1st driver to go to Kuwait for UCC),Charlie Kent always wanted the Scotch runs - particularly Banchory - to load the beef for Cadiz - Mickey Pickard,Kenny Liddiard I know have passed away.Other names I recall Reg Revell,George and Eddie Curtis,John Sadler,Les Beal,Charlie Hall,Chris Wilson,Terry Keating,Ginger Rodway,Joe Lingwood,Wally Box,Bill Staples,Bill Rutland,Ron Billings,
Midge Galbraith,Dougie Hannant and Ronnie Blakeway.On the domestic side George Barnes,Reg Luker,Charlie Westgate,Brian Smith and who can fail to forget the yard man Mike Usher.
I know after Warley closed Sam Mcauley worked for London Transport buses at Seven Kings and I met him a couple of years ago in Torevieja,Spain where after retiring he moved to.I still hear from Terry Keating who now lives in Peterborough/Holbeach area and still does drive for 1 or 2 different agencies in that area.
As for myself - I left UCC after 4 years - worked for 1 year with Christian Salvesen at Borehamwood - having taken over from Mike Swallow - then I had a number of years at Grangewood Transport based initially at Jewry Street (HQ) and then to Greenwich.During my time here I passed my HGV class 1.This was a great firm to work for.I will write more about them later.Now in my late 50’s I have given up on the office work and am driving reasonably full time for 2 or 3 different firms in the U K and EEC.Ray Smith.
I worked briefly out of Warley/Brentwood(but controlled from London HQ) as a student with an HGV 1.I drove a Scania 110 with twin stick shift(one for high/Low and one to change gears!).return loads were often bananas.Mainly on weekend relief for short hops to B,NL and F.The job gave me a taste of the transport industry,where I have been employed ever since! Great firm,first class kit,and good drivers.I do remember the division between the UK guys and the Continentals.Many of the firms one met on the boat are no more.There was one from Norfolk who ran AEC 8 wheeler+drag combinations as 'fridges,as I recall(from Snetterton?).In those days Scanias were the bees knees for UK based hauliers.
Oostende dosser:
I joined UCC from school based at their Smithfield Market office.At that time Mr John Cooper was the MD.The continental work was in its early days and after a number of months I was finally positioned into the continental traffic office.Poplar depot was run by Charlie King and Roy Walker.Warley was being constructed.It wasnt long before I took over the traffic office and eventually was transfered to Warley.Upon arrival the traffic office was amalgamated with people from Poplar and on the management side was Charlie King,Joe Palmer,Alex Morris,Ken Austin and myself.On the drivers there was still a division between continental drivers and domestic drivers.Frank Evans was shop steward with his very able companions of Sam Mcauley (the Yank) and Bill Sparrow.I recall a number of their drivers but a number now have passed away - Charlie Wise (1st driver to go to Kuwait for UCC),Charlie Kent always wanted the Scotch runs - particularly Banchory - to load the beef for Cadiz - Mickey Pickard,Kenny Liddiard I know have passed away.Other names I recall Reg Revell,George and Eddie Curtis,John Sadler,Les Beal,Charlie Hall,Chris Wilson,Terry Keating,Ginger Rodway,Joe Lingwood,Wally Box,Bill Staples,Bill Rutland,Ron Billings,
Midge Galbraith,Dougie Hannant and Ronnie Blakeway.On the domestic side George Barnes,Reg Luker,Charlie Westgate,Brian Smith and who can fail to forget the yard man Mike Usher.I know after Warley closed Sam Mcauley worked for London Transport buses at Seven Kings and I met him a couple of years ago in Torevieja,Spain where after retiring he moved to.I still hear from Terry Keating who now lives in Peterborough/Holbeach area and still does drive for 1 or 2 different agencies in that area.
As for myself - I left UCC after 4 years - worked for 1 year with Christian Salvesen at Borehamwood - having taken over from Mike Swallow - then I had a number of years at Grangewood Transport based initially at Jewry Street (HQ) and then to Greenwich.During my time here I passed my HGV class 1.This was a great firm to work for.I will write more about them later.Now in my late 50’s I have given up on the office work and am driving reasonably full time for 2 or 3 different firms in the U K and EEC.Ray Smith.
hi,
when i was at Geo.Davies at Warley the head man was Fred Smith(he had 3 wigs long,short and medium) a scouser who was uk manager or something.After we moved in we started storing containers and an old mate of mine Micky Liddle got the yard mans job,he didn’t even have a driving licience at the time but within a week or so he was stacking up containers like an old hand no training or heath&safety then!!
During the drivers strike 1979 they took on a new transport manager Dave Jolley he was a good en knew the job inside out.About 1982 a new contract started for another Vesty group company Johnson Scanstar that was run by Joe Palmer i was was on here with Mick Lake and Russle Bland,it was a great job with the best money and good mates bit of a social club as well plenty of nights away!(“say no more”)The other drivers i remember are Jonny Edwards, Bob Summers,Tony Bones,Terry Bardon,Kieth Jones,Henry Bradish,Kenny Hipgrave ,Joey Vaughn,Mick Smith,Terry Myers,Jonny Dove, Kenny Vaughn,where are they now?
It all came to an end in 1989 after an unsuccesful name change to Dual Carriage, sad days.
cheers Steve.
It brougt back some memories seeing some of the names,my name is Terry Keating,I started at yabsley st millwall in 1964,what a schock I was the youngest driver at the time 21,my dad who worked the other shift did not warn me,I soon learned to drink as your orders were tanoid into the pub next door,I remember going to liverpool on one sunday night with some other drivers,we stopped in a pub st albans,a ucc lorry stopped outside the driver came in I said to the driver are you on nights,he said no,Iam on days,there is 50 pubs between the yard and here and I have been in them all,his name was guinness.I did kuwait,saudi,qatar,all of europe,and scandinavior,good times and good money,I have some photos of Chris Wilson and me in kuwait and of course the old 110 scania,we got involved in a film out there,called wolves dont eat meat,the camera men were stapped to the rear of the trailers going through the desert.When it all finished,I went to simons international doing iran,afganistan,pakistan.I am still working part time,tonight I am going to felixstowe docks and back to spalding for freshlink long old trip,I am still in touch with Bill sparrow and Ray smith,will be nice to here from anyone who is left.
Hi Lads, I am bill sparrow, known as sparrow(2) at Bow Common Lane where I was employed from 1956. My father drove tractor 564 later scammell 591. My tractor was 553 then scammell 593 and later Scania 805, which turned over on the FE5 out of Dover with 19 ton of hanging pork.Later I had 811 and then 817. I saw Ray mention double stick scanias, but our were all single stick with a splitter button. At this point I would like to say that I knew john Sullivan who was a great mate of my fathers.Someone asked abouit a Dan, This was probably Danny Scanlon who joined us at BCL with another of his mates called I think Roberts, who had a misshaped jaw, it stuck out one side. Danny always referred to him as SUNCRUSH, and the name stuck.Whilst on the subject of BCL we were transferring a load of lamb one day and one got thrown over the back wall of our yard into what we thought was Arthur Shorthouse’s garden. Imagine our dismay when nobody owned up to having dinner on us. Also dont forget Sid Jarman and his son in law John Pethwick. My old man had many dodgie nights out with John as his mate, and old Sid never said a word.
Whilst on a trip to Stockholm a good customer shipping Russian horsemeat to p Petfoods complained to us that on asking for a load price from UCC he received one from Fransens. On our return we put this to Mike Norris that our main salesman was giving our work away but he didnt want to know. It became obvious then that after the incident that John Cooper was sacked for, he had been put in to shut the firm down by the Vesteys.Who also remembers a manager named Keogh who they took on and turned out to be a conman. More later. Regards to all. Bill Sparrow,
900X20:
I agree with Michelin man; are there any of us old UCC men left out there? If so it would be great if they got in touch with this site as there are a multitude of stories to be told about those days. Nostalgia wise,I had a look at the old depot the other day- sadly it’s gone. I couldn’t see the “Mucky Duck” or the “Brunswick Tavern” which were watering holes in our day. Where we used to park up in the East India dock i.e. Jarl Wharf, all gone.That is not to say that all the drivers have gone too.I hope some see this site and get in touch as a book could be written about the job. More later, 900X20.
900x20 when you mention the “mucky duck” is that the bub on the corner of butchers row and east india road if it is its now the white swan
Hi Bill Sparrow again. 900x20 if you were a driver at Yabsley street, do you recall when Hughie Rumsey was on a trip taking boxed frozen turkeys from the midlands to colchester. He decided to have a dodgie night out at his brothers house in March Cambs, He parked his load on his brothers drive. When he came out in the morning hi lorry had sunk and wouldnt pull out.So being a smart sort of chap ,he uncoupled the unit, unfortunately the trailer legs dug in deeper.He called out a private breakdown firm with a crane but the load was too heavy,so he hired a lorry (not fridged) to take half of his load to Colchester.The trailer was then pulled out and Hugh continued on his way.Unfortunate for him the load turned out 20 turkeys short. On return to Poplar he was summoned to appear before an angry John Cooper, who sacked him on the spot. But things took a turn for the worse when after the cost of crane and delivery truck had been paid, Hughie asked if the cost of repair to his brothers drive could be met by the firm. Needless to say poor old John Cooper wasn’t a well man for weeks. When all the continental drivers came back from the pub on our last day, Midge Galbraith and I were in a meeting with Mr Norris, He looked out of his window and said " what a great bunch of drivers, no other firm would ever be lucky enough to have drivers like them* I thought youre right, they couldnt afford them. Regards to all. Bill Sparrow.
Hi Lads, At the ripe old age of 16 I was a trailer mate with MACKS Hauliers of Bradfield road Silvertown and they had a depot in Southampton. We used to carry a large amount of sugar in those days. Imagine me at that age built like a streak of P carrying 2cwt sacks of sugar the length of the lorry and stacking them properly, the drivers only did their half. At 18 itwas National Service in Egypt for which I got a general service medal in 2003, after the kate it was back to silvertown now BRS A1 group the head depot being East Ham Haulage.After being moved to Southwark deot , then Tuffnell Park, !got married to my old Macks drivers daughter in 56 and found employment at Ucc shortly after. When UCC continental packed up in 73 I was employed as a Night Foreman in Blackwall Tunnel Covering all underpasses an tunnels in London. Then Maggie Thatcher abolished the GLC so off I went to agencies until I got a job with an outfit called SJF again as night foreman of a group of shunters in Fords Dagenham, (LENNIES PIRATES) we were called. Then more agency work Until I got a driving job with a firm called VIBROPLANT at Canning Town until retirement. I’d like to see todays 16 year olds with a sack of sugar on their backs, instead of needing somrwhere to play. Bill Sparrow
Hello,Bill Sparrow and Terry Keating,
Saw yopur posts and thought I’d let you know that Ted (myself) and Dave Townsend are still about,retired and living in Sussex.I’ve put quite a few posts in about UCC but either the old drivers haven’t got a computer or sadly they have gone for “The Long Book Off”. George Curtis is still with us but we haven’t heard from Jim Bellman for the last two years as he always sent us the first Christmas Card of the year.It’s good to know that there are still some of us left.I hope that some more of us old drivers see this site.It was very sad to read about the way the firm folded up,in my view,although hard work,it was one of the best jobs I’ve had and the social life was great,the Immingham docks job especially.
It was a pleasant surprise to hear from you both,keep in touch,Regards to all,900X20.
Hi ted,what a surprise,I am still in touch with bill and ray smith,filthy lucker died some years ago now I went to his funeral, there was only his wife and me there,she told me he never got over ucc closing,he used to come down to my garage in hackney,she said he came home sat in the chair and died,no cause.I spoke to the yank about 18 months ago,he lives in spain.When I left ucc I went to work for simmons international,doing middle east,afganistan,pakistan.fuuuuug long way,then opened a crash repaire gararge in hackney,as I was trained as a panel beater before driving.I now live in holbeach lincs,still doing part time driving from spalding to felixstowe docks,that old git bill sits at home scratting his arse,he must have plenty of dosh,ha ha.I am 67 now still like a drink learned that on ucc,micky pickard died a couple of years ago.Will speak again Terry