Carl Williams:
I passed my car driving test in October or November 1964,during half term holiday and although this enabled me to drive myself to and from school (Not allowed in school rules) it was during the winter term time so I didn’t get my chance to drive a van.
When the opportunity arrived during the Christmas school holidays I almost wished it hadn’t. The driver of DPT100B a Morris FG 2 tonner was ill and I had to fill in for him.
We did furniture deliveries for Woodhouses a national company with a furniture store in Bishop Auckland. The problem with Woodhouse’s deliveries were that many customers lived in the Dales, at places like Ireshopburn and St John’s Chapel and it was almost guaranteed that the customers were out at work till late, sometimes as late as 7.00PM
Arriving at the shop at 9.00AM it was necessary to arrange your deliveries not only according to route but also to accommodate delivery times. On my first day when myself and Alan Robertson (One of our porters that eventually trained as a small van driver after passing his car test) arrived at the store we had a full load. Infect it was credit to Alan’s skill in packing that we got everything on the van. Allan was known for an Al Johnson act he did calling himself Al king.
Our first delivery was a three piece suite that had the settee standing vertically on one arm with the two chairs nestled with the bottom one suspended on an arm with the next chair arm to arm nestled into the settee. It is at that point I found the other problem with Woodhouse’s deliveries. They took part exchange. In this case an old pre war bed settee and two chairs. Anyone who has any experience with old bed settees could ever appreciate the weight they were making a piano feel like a bar of chocolate. To ensure I had a happy day the bed settee had to be upended and walked round the door of the living room and likewise in the porch that led to the outdoors.
As I had said the van was full and now we had taken off one three piece suit and had to put back onto the vehicle three pieces that were much larger and occupied more space. The rear of the van was repacked but even by leaving open the rear roller shutter, the tailboard simply would not close either. DPT had a large under slung tailboard like we had fitted on all our Marsdens and we could not use the option of a tail board load, as it wouldn’t have been safe and would have been pulled over by any police seeing us. The tailboard was closed as far as it would go and with everything being tied across the back of the van the tailboard chains which supported it when open for us to walk on to gain entry to the back of the van were shortened to hold the tailboard up.
At every drop we made after that until we had space to place the bed settee on one side of the van we had to lift it on and off on every occasion to be able to get into the furniture behind.
We had about thirty deliveries that day (3 piece suites, bedroom suites, beds, washing machines and dining and kitchen sets and by the time we reached our last delivery at St john’s Chapel we were both exhausted and arriving back at Spennymoor at 9-00PM we had suffered a long day.
Two things I remember about Woodhouses was 1 I had a date with one of the girls in the office 2.whilst loading one day at the rear of the store a HM Customs and Excise van pulled in behind me and tested the fuel to ensure it was not duty free. They asked me in whilst they did their test that was so accurate they could identify we were running on Phillip’s fuel, maybe even delivered by Vic.
Carl, the Al Jolson Impersonator was in fact Alan Robinson, not robertson.
hi Misterron
Alan Robinson of course, thanks for keeping me right. Alan passed away several years ago.
Another porter at the same time was Peter Moore who impersonated Tom Jones
Peter lived over the Lane and looked quite like Tom Jones in the early sixties and sounded quite like him, but I suspect time will not have been so kind to Peter, annd he wouldn’t get away with it today.
Hi Carl
i worked for you in the 80s about 85 i think . i was only there a short time . i worked in the workshop . the foremans name i think was henderson , we called him monkey behind his back as he was from hartlepool , it was a long time ago . i got a lift to work with a guy from willington called kenny thompson . up until a few years ago kenny was forman fitter for a milk collection company up at blaydon . there was another fitter who went on to the fire brigad carnt remember his name read alot of the stuff you put on here awesome .
i still into haulage having a small fleet running from coundon
Hello Carl Hope you don’t mind but I thought you would like some of the Peacock history.
When my Father was called up in 1939 at the age of 19 he was working for my Grandfather who had a few wagons for livestock and flat work and numerous horse and carts which did local coal deliveries and a lot of work out of local quarries. He also had two Packard cars which were subcontracted to the local undertaker for funerals etc.
When my Father returned from the war the wagons had been requistioned by the War Dept never to be seen again and the Coop had ‘pinched’ most of the funeral work. Grandfather seemed happy enough with the horses and so my Father ended up sweeping the Birtley By Pass with brush and shovel and a horse and cart.
In 1949 Father bought his uncle’s coal business for I think £100. This consisted of a wagon,coal scales and 40 sacks plus a months credit with the Coal Board. Gradually over the years he also moved into tippers. The bodies all had to be dropsided so they could be used for coal deliveries when neccessary. At it’s peak 3 wagons and 15 men were employed purely on the coal deliveries and there was about 20 tippers of various sizes.
On behalf of Grandfather he also expanded the livestock business to 5 wagons and he ran both businesses side by side from the same yard at Eighton Banks. They ran under the Chris Peacock name and were owned by Grandfather while everything else was owned by Father and ran as RC Peacock.
I have a good story to tell about the dealings we had with the Min of Ag in the sixties. I will put it on shortly
v7victor:
Carl just a bit early for me,you could of been running on springs that had been repaired and delivered back to you by me as at this time i was driving for Woodhead Spring Repairs at Aycliffe,Vic.
Hi Victor
We used Woodhead’s Springs for spring repairs and Serk for radiator repairs
woolyback:
Hi Carl
i worked for you in the 80s about 85 i think . i was only there a short time . i worked in the workshop . the foremans name i think was henderson , we called him monkey behind his back as he was from hartlepool , it was a long time ago . i got a lift to work with a guy from willington called kenny thompson . up until a few years ago kenny was forman fitter for a milk collection company up at blaydon . there was another fitter who went on to the fire brigad carnt remember his name read alot of the stuff you put on here awesome .
i still into haulage having a small fleet running from coundon
Hi wollyback
so nice to hear from you
Alan henderson was from Hartlepool and he was called let it develop by the drivers because when they told him therev was an noise in the engine he said ‘Let it develope,’ and in most cases it did when the engine blew up.
Kenny Thompson; Was he the chap who’s family ran coaches and were based on the right hand side abiout a field back on the road from Crook to Willington? I presume he also worked in the workshops?
Can you remember the chaps name who was storeman in the stores between the two workshops? His wife ran a cafe in wolsingham.
and finally what is your nameb so I can add it to the employees list.
I am not sure of the date licensing in the form of A, B and C licences were introduced, but my grandfather was given licences, A licences for 6 vehicles, and the number of vehicles he was operating at the time of introduction.
They were granted according to the unladen weight of the vehicles and it was necessary to apply to either increase the number of vehicles or the unladen weight of the vehicles. As far as I can remember the going rate to sell (which was legal) an A licence was £250 per ton.
The reason for licensing was to control the number of vehicles on the road and by controlling the number of A licence vehicles it was thought it was a way of making sure that vehicles were used at maximum capacity and efficiently.
I don’t know what happened in the fifties as the old 2 tonner Bedfords were replaced with much larger vehicles. The first that dad told me was in about 1950 when they required a licence for the artic. An artic needed two licences, one for the tractor and one for the trailer, so it was an increase in vehicle number.
Grandad told my dad to go to see Wally Vine at Low Friar Street Newcastle.
Wally Vine was the Senior Clerk to the Licensing Authority at the Northern Traffic area. According to dad’s account he went in and asked for Mr.Vine. ’Hello he said you must be Harry, your dad said you would be calling, come into my office and have a cup of coffee’ Dad went into the office and sat down and Wally took the details of the vehicle and trailer saying to one of his assistants, ‘Write out A licences for Mr Williams please.’
Presumably this went on until Wally Vine retired. How my grandfather had met him or got this favouritism dad didn’t know but as I have said earlier I can be certain my grandfather did not bribe.as he was too greedy.
As we started to expand the size of the fleet in the mid fifties/early sixties we had little difficulty getting licences. We were helped by the fact that our work was specialised and it was relatively easy to prove there was no alternate source .However they had to be put before the ‘Road-Rail Committee’ a committee set up by Ministry of Transport to deal with the simpler cases saving the need to submit to Mr Hanlon the transport commissioner. The Road-Rail Committee could grant the application or refer it for hearing to Hanlon.
Once again the hand of my grandfather seemed to help the situation. Somehow Dad was appointed to the Road-Rail Committee and sat with them to consider applications. Usually the tribunal for our area yook place at the Station Hotel Darlington. When we had an application of course he had to step down when our applications were made, having a cup of coffee, but as you can imagine although the committee were impartial it would have been inconceivable if when he came back to take his sear if they had said ‘we had to turn you down’ and so increasing our vehicles on ‘A’ licence was no problem.
I’m not sure when A Licences were introduced but my grandfather was given licences for six vehicles.
Licences were issued for the unladen weight of the vehicles, and at the last count had a value of £250. Per ton (Legally and quite a bit money then.
The reason for the licence issue being restricted was that it was felt if you controlled the number of vehicles on the road, Rail would be protected and the vehicles used would be used efficiently governing the amount of vehicles running.
To obtain a new licence was very difficult as all existing licence holders and British Railway could object and it was also necessary to apply even to increase the size of the vehicles operated.
How my grandfather went on replacing the old 2 tonners with larger vehicles I am not sure but by what I was told by dad gives a clue.
When dad bought the artic in about 1950 he needed an extra licence, because it needed a licence for the tractor unit and a licence for the trailer. Grandad told dad to go to low Friar Street and ask for Wally Vine. Low Friar Street was the office of Ministry of Transport and Wally Vine was the Senior Clerk, in effect office manager.
Dad went in and asked for Mr Vine, who came through saying ‘Oh you must be Harry, your dad said you were coming. Come through into my office and I’ll get two cups of coffee’. On entering the office he took details of the tractor and trailer off dad and asked a member of staff to write out two A Licences for Mr Williams.
How my Grandfather had met Wally Vine and got such favours dad didn’t know but I am sure that he did not bribe him as my grandfather was too greedy.
When Wally Vine retired we had to apply for extra vehicles but as our work was specialised and there were not too many removal vans about it wasn’t as difficult as if we had just been doing general haulage. The Road-Rail committee had been set up to consider applications to reduce the workload of Mr Hanlon the Commissionaire for the Northern Traffic area. Meetings for our area were usually at the Railway Hotel Darlington. The Road-Rail committee had the power to grant licences if it agreed they were necessary or refer to Hanlon the ones it didn’t agree with. All hauliers and British Railways had the right to object and it was up to the applicant to prove that their licence was needed. That is why licences sold on the open market as it was probably the only way any new operator could hope to start.
It is at this point that my grandfather’s hand appeared to simplify things for us. Mysteriously dad was appointed to the Road-Rail Committee. Although he had tom leave the room on the occasions our extra licences were discussed and not take an active interest. Going out into another room in the hotel for a cup of coffee, and returning to find our licences were always granted.
woolyback:
Hi Carl
i worked for you in the 80s about 85 i think . i was only there a short time . i worked in the workshop . the foremans name i think was henderson , we called him monkey behind his back as he was from hartlepool , it was a long time ago . i got a lift to work with a guy from willington called kenny thompson . up until a few years ago kenny was forman fitter for a milk collection company up at blaydon . there was another fitter who went on to the fire brigad carnt remember his name read alot of the stuff you put on here awesome .
i still into haulage having a small fleet running from coundon
Hi wollyback
so nice to hear from you
Alan henderson was from Hartlepool and he was called let it develop by the drivers because when they told him therev was an noise in the engine he said ‘Let it develope,’ and in most cases it did when the engine blew up.
Kenny Thompson; Was he the chap who’s family ran coaches and were based on the right hand side abiout a field back on the road from Crook to Willington? I presume he also worked in the workshops?
Can you remember the chaps name who was storeman in the stores between the two workshops? His wife ran a cafe in wolsingham.
and finally what is your nameb so I can add it to the employees list.
Please if you remember nything else please add it
best wishes
carl
will have a think about the othere fitter . just read about lady caroline . very interesting can remember her i think didnt she wear clogs?
my name is brian wragg ,. you might remember my grandad john
I sais about vic double clicking and then went on to write the same story twice, be it by different words.
I usually write it on word and then copy and paste onto this site.
i had copied and then I thought I had not pasted when my son came and interupted me.shutting down the computer I forgot to save on word. When I reopened to recopy and paste I found I had lost my orriginal writing and so had to re wright and copy and paste. When i was finnished and re read this thread i found I ha told the same tale twice.
that isn’t insanity carl , nowadays it’s called having a senior moment . i have quite a few of those myself , like getting in the car and having to go back in the house for the ignition key . don’t worry you are no worse than the rest of us , cheers , dave
woolyback:
Hi Carl
i worked for you in the 80s about 85 i think . i was only there a short time . i worked in the workshop . the foremans name i think was henderson , we called him monkey behind his back as he was from hartlepool , it was a long time ago . i got a lift to work with a guy from willington called kenny thompson . up until a few years ago kenny was forman fitter for a milk collection company up at blaydon . there was another fitter who went on to the fire brigad carnt remember his name read alot of the stuff you put on here awesome .
i still into haulage having a small fleet running from coundon
Hi wollyback
so nice to hear from you
Alan henderson was from Hartlepool and he was called let it develop by the drivers because when they told him therev was an noise in the engine he said ‘Let it develope,’ and in most cases it did when the engine blew up.
Kenny Thompson; Was he the chap who’s family ran coaches and were based on the right hand side abiout a field back on the road from Crook to Willington? I presume he also worked in the workshops?
Can you remember the chaps name who was storeman in the stores between the two workshops? His wife ran a cafe in wolsingham.
and finally what is your nameb so I can add it to the employees list.
Please if you remember nything else please add it
best wishes
carl
will have a think about the othere fitter . just read about lady caroline . very interesting can remember her i think didnt she wear clogs?
my name is brian wragg ,. you might remember my grandad john
hi Brian
thanks for replying. yes I remember yiour grandfather , john. I bought a couple of vans he had from ATM when they were running their own transport before we took over.I remember the farm at Hunwick.
We painted them both in Courtaulds livery and used them on courtaulds contract. when i think about it they are not listed on the fleet list I listed earlier on this thread
If you can remember any names you worked with or any vehicles you worked on please tell me as it helps fill bits in in my lost memory
rigsby:
that isn’t insanity carl , nowadays it’s called having a senior moment . i have quite a few of those myself , like getting in the car and having to go back in the house for the ignition key . don’t worry you are no worse than the rest of us , cheers , dave
rigsby:
that isn’t insanity carl , nowadays it’s called having a senior moment . i have quite a few of those myself , like getting in the car and having to go back in the house for the ignition key . don’t worry you are no worse than the rest of us , cheers , dave
Hi Rigsby
Thanks for the reassurance
best wishes
Carl
hiya,
Carl at my age 75 life consists of having one continuous senior moment with added aches and pains thrown in at no extra cost.
thanks harry long retired.
come off it harry , you are as sharp as a pin . you just put the dumb act on to confuse your better half . i must admit since i started reading your posts i’ve tried it on the wife and it works a treat so long as i don’t overdo it . lesson learnt from the master !!! cheers , dave
revman: hi carl did u ever visit this- spennymoor chip van-it was outside the picture house fish &chips never tasted better regards -alan
Hi Revman
That was Berrymans chip van that stood near the Arcadia cinema for many years during my lifetime. I have stood in a quew waiting for chips many times and they were excellent.
In spennymoor there were several chip vans but ours was first in 1908 which was confirmed by the Northern Echo.
Also if you look at the photo of ours you will see that it is a specially constructed van which had been built to a very high standard by Herbert Raine, whereas berryman’s appears to have been a home made job built on a standard cart…Still it is good that it has been preserved as it represents a part of life that will not return.
As I explained when Darky our horse got cancer and was taken away to be destroyed the work it did was replced by another Ford T model and we had no horse to take the chip van out or bring it back and until the final outing Berrymans did that for us
v7victor:
Carl,i can see the sign (bar) behind your chip van where did the van stand?Vic.
Hi Victor
it was outside of the commercial Hotel as the attached photo taken in 1927 shows.
it is a good illustration of spennymoor in the 1920’s. If you increase the size the pawn brokers is clearly shown . I cannot quite make out the board hung onto the chipwan but it advertises W.H.Williams Haulage contractor and states by horse or motor
By 1927 it had stood there regularly for 19 years so it would be a familiar sight.
I was told that on least one occasion, possibly two in 1009-10 it did make the journey to the Town Moor Newcastle for the annual fair. I surpose that, with a horse with that heavy van would have been long distance.
hi carl did u ever visit this- spennymoor chip van-it was outside the picture house fish &chips never tasted better regards -alan
now preserved at beamish-worth going for fish& chips at that price–alan
