I have managed to copy Gordon’s photos
Carl Williams and Alf Ridley
Carl Wiliams and Colin Watson
Peter Summers
Paul Williams and John Ward
Paul also took two photos that wont load at the moment but I’ll find a way to tomorrow
hiya,
Kev i always behave myself when I’m sober, when I’m drunk I couldn’t care
less whether I behave or not, last night I had to ferry myself in the car so
pop was the order of the day, I was made very welcome although it was on
unknown territory and it was nice to put a face to a person who’s stuff I
read on a daily basis, thank you for your hospitality Carl and Paul just wish
I could have stayed longer and had a proper drink it was a nice evening
thanks again.
thanks harry long retired.
Carl
You forgot to mention John Ward sitting next to Paul.
They turned out OK how did i miss Harry Long retired a quiet man.
Gordon.
Carl Williams:
I have managed to copy Gordon’s photosCarl Williams and Alf Ridley
Carl Wiliams and Colin Watson
Peter Summers
Paul Williams
Paul also took two photos that wont load at the moment but I’ll find a way to tomorrow
Brian Sheldon
Brian sheldon and Colin Watson
sorry gordon and harry , my official photographer (Paul) must have been so engrosed in the conversation he forgot to take any more.
I had hoped for a group photo
hiya,
Good job Paul didn’t attempt to get a snap of me Carl, he would have needed
a reinforced camera, Kev has a cast iron one which he uses at the Geordie “do’s”
and occasionally he pushes his luck and includes me in his pics, it must be a good
strong job he’s got because he has never sent me a bill for camera damage.
thanks harry long retired.
The one thing I regretted was that we hadn’t arranged a get together, while dad was alive, because he would have enjoyed it so much.
When me and Paul arrived back at School Aycliffe my mother had stayed up as she was dyeing to know who came and what was discussed. When Paul said that Colin Watson had said that the one thing his grandfather never did was swear made my mam laugh. I think Colin said it a little tongue in cheek.
Often when he went home on a night and told about his day my mam would say to him ‘Harry! You shouldn’t swear like that’ ‘It’s the only language they understand’ came the reply. One thing was that dad wasn’t sexist as he swore at the female drivers just as much as the men.
When we moved into Green Lane the traffic office and drivers’ rest room was upstairs in what later became the back office, when we built the new rest room and office down stairs. Dad wanted a megaphone so that he could stand on the top of the outside stairs and shout, but the problem was that we couldn’t get one loud enough to be heart in the buildings.
The answer was a ‘tannoy’ system with speakers round the parking areas and inside each building, with a microphone in the reception. This had the added bonus that he had to ring the ■■■■■■■ reception and ask her to put out a message. Otherwise Rothmans Tomado and anyone walking their dogs up the lanes in the area would have heard him swearing on the Tannoy.
Gordon Ball has kindly provided this photo taken in the early 1980s of Alan Brown driving one of the Bedford Marsden integrals. He was driving in France at the time the photo was taken.
On Tuesday night we heard that Alan is in poor health and all our thoughts are for a speedy recovery. Time waits for noone and I understand that Alan has put on a cnsiderable amount of weight (Like most of us) since this photo was taken.
Carl,
Now i think about it i should have taken my own photo ha ha.
No word from Eddie yet Carl?
Gordon
Carl Williams:
Brian SheldonBrian sheldon and Colin Watson
sorry gordon and harry , my official photographer (Paul) must have been so engrosed in the conversation he forgot to take any more.
I had hoped for a group photo
goggietara:
Carl,
Now i think about it i should have taken my own photo ha ha.
No word from Eddie yet Carl?
GordonCarl Williams:
Brian SheldonBrian sheldon and Colin Watson
sorry gordon and harry , my official photographer (Paul) must have been so engrosed in the conversation he forgot to take any more.
I had hoped for a group photo
Hi Gordon,
It was just as well you took the photos you did or we would have had none.
Although I made sure Paul too the camera with him, i think he must have been to interested in what everyone was talking about that he forgot
Carl
Hi Carl, did you see the old horse drawn chip van on tv last night? The programme was called ‘‘Brick by Brick’’ on BBC2 at 9.00pm and shows the chip van being restored. Maybe you can use catch-up tv to see it. Sorry I didn’t get to the F & F on Tuesday evening but I am not up to evenings out anymore, maybe a coffee morning sometime. Photographs brought some memories back, especially Brian Sheldon. Regards Ronnie.
Hi Carl & Everyone…Looks like you had a good night at the F & F, sorry i was not there but we can have another at a later date hopefully…Carl your dad would have been over the moon, should have had a one years ago and we could have all heard him swear, but to be honest he only swore when something went wrong or someone upset him, he had a brilliant saying which I cannot print but will tell you when I see you, I say it all the time when I get upset, you will have heard it and probaly Peter and Colin, I am still in ■■■■■■■ awaiting my aapointment for the scan and am in real pain now, we are coming back on monday and Liz is going to phone James Cook to see what the hell is happening, cannot do so much on laptop as signal is poor over here so will get in touch when back.
all the best to everyone.
Eddie
Mysterron:
Hi Carl, did you see the old horse drawn chip van on tv last night? The programme was called ‘‘Brick by Brick’’ on BBC2 at 9.00pm and shows the chip van being restored. Maybe you can use catch-up tv to see it. Sorry I didn’t get to the F & F on Tuesday evening but I am not up to evenings out anymore, maybe a coffee morning sometime. Photographs brought some memories back, especially Brian Sheldon. Regards Ronnie.
Hi Ronnie
Yes the chip van is Berrymans and I remember going to it next to the Acadia many times.
colin Watson is going to organise another night sometime later in the year. On a Saturday night because some are stil working.
It would be nice if yu could come and I’m sue you would enjoy talking about old times. I’m sure, if it was difficut for you we could get a lift for you and take you back when you were tired even it was just about half an hour
Carl
edworth:
Hi Carl & Everyone…Looks like you had a good night at the F & F, sorry i was not there but we can have another at a later date hopefully…Carl your dad would have been over the moon, should have had a one years ago and we could have all heard him swear, but to be honest he only swore when something went wrong or someone upset him, he had a brilliant saying which I cannot print but will tell you when I see you, I say it all the time when I get upset, you will have heard it and probaly Peter and Colin, I am still in ■■■■■■■ awaiting my aapointment for the scan and am in real pain now, we are coming back on monday and Liz is going to phone James Cook to see what the hell is happening, cannot do so much on laptop as signal is poor over here so will get in touch when back.
all the best to everyone.
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
Hope you get sorted shortly, waiting is terrible.
I am sure you enjoyed your time in ■■■■■■■ better than over here in Durham, but you were missed at the get together, and everyone gave their wishes that you were soon better.
Carl
Peter
Those photos of your Truck you built is fantastic a credit to you with lovely livery,why not put a photo on the site for the admirers of old trucks.
Great to see you again - Gordon
Carl Williams:
I have managed to copy Gordon’s photosCarl Williams and Alf Ridley
Carl Wiliams and Colin Watson
Peter Summers
Paul Williams and John Ward
Paul also took two photos that wont load at the moment but I’ll find a way to tomorrow
Mysterron:
Hi Carl, did you see the old horse drawn chip van on tv last night? The programme was called ‘‘Brick by Brick’’ on BBC2 at 9.00pm and shows the chip van being restored. Maybe you can use catch-up tv to see it. Sorry I didn’t get to the F & F on Tuesday evening but I am not up to evenings out anymore, maybe a coffee morning sometime. Photographs brought some memories back, especially Brian Sheldon. Regards Ronnie.
Hi Ronnie,
Gordon Ball comes on here under the name goggietara and has been asking who you were and did you know each other. You are Ronnie Briggs aren’t you and do you remember Gordon?
I think at the time you would be at ours Gordon would be drivng BUP32F and went on to marry Christine Ede in the office which ended in divorse after having two girls.
best wishes
Carl
Carl Williams:
Mysterron:
Hi Carl, did you see the old horse drawn chip van on tv last night? The programme was called ‘‘Brick by Brick’’ on BBC2 at 9.00pm and shows the chip van being restored. Maybe you can use catch-up tv to see it. Sorry I didn’t get to the F & F on Tuesday evening but I am not up to evenings out anymore, maybe a coffee morning sometime. Photographs brought some memories back, especially Brian Sheldon. Regards Ronnie.Hi Ronnie,
Gordon Ball comes on here under the name goggietara and has been asking who you were and did you know each other. You are Ronnie Briggs aren’t you and do you remember Gordon?
I think at the time you would be at ours Gordon would be drivng BUP32F and went on to marry Christine Ede in the office which ended in divorse after having two girls.
best wishes
Carl
Hi Carl, I think I can remember Gordon when we were working out of Thorns. I drove a ‘D’ series Ford artic but I don’t remember the reg. If my memory serves me well Gordon was quite tall and could well have been an ex guardsman (Military not Railway). I was at W.H. Williams in 75 and moved to Teesside when I married a girl from Ormesby, Middlesbrough. Ray Juler was my best man and He and I spent many an hour in the Voltigeur. Eddie moved me into my present address at Marske by the Sea in 77. Regards Ronnie.
Ronnie
I still cannot put a face to your name but if i saw you i would know you, we all paid a visit to the Volti Brian Sheldon & Rays local it was my early years @ W H Williams starting in 1973 & enjoyed every year of it until WHW closed in i think 1985. Hope you can make the next meetup i think it will be one to remember.
Thanks for your help - Gordon.
Mysterron:
Carl Williams:
Mysterron:
Hi Carl, did you see the old horse drawn chip van on tv last night? The programme was called ‘‘Brick by Brick’’ on BBC2 at 9.00pm and shows the chip van being restored. Maybe you can use catch-up tv to see it. Sorry I didn’t get to the F & F on Tuesday evening but I am not up to evenings out anymore, maybe a coffee morning sometime. Photographs brought some memories back, especially Brian Sheldon. Regards Ronnie.Hi Ronnie,
Gordon Ball comes on here under the name goggietara and has been asking who you were and did you know each other. You are Ronnie Briggs aren’t you and do you remember Gordon?
I think at the time you would be at ours Gordon would be drivng BUP32F and went on to marry Christine Ede in the office which ended in divorse after having two girls.
best wishes
Carl
Hi Carl, I think I can remember Gordon when we were working out of Thorns. I drove a ‘D’ series Ford artic but I don’t remember the reg. If my memory serves me well Gordon was quite tall and could well have been an ex guardsman (Military not Railway). I was at W.H. Williams in 75 and moved to Teesside when I married a girl from Ormesby, Middlesbrough. Ray Juler was my best man and He and I spent many an hour in the Voltigeur. Eddie moved me into my present address at Marske by the Sea in 77. Regards Ronnie.
parcelman:
Just like to know if anybody has pictures of williams vehicles,contacted carl williams through this site and has been very helpfull by having a few pictures added but admits he doesnt have many.Any drivers who may have worked there or knows somebody that worked there may have the odd picture laying about would be great,incidentally my father jim ferguson would also appreciate getting to see any pictures of williams or getting to hear of any drivers that are still kicking around he would love to hear from you,hope some of you can help?
Hi Parcelman,
We had a get together last week and everyone remembered your dad, Jim.
Get him to join this site, if you can as many want to talk to him about old times
Carl
hi everyone…Still no appointment so wife phoned james cook herself, was on phone about 40 mins could not find anything on me said they will phone back today now 7.00pm guess what 
…Berrymans chip van can be found on Youtube, remember standing at it in the winter nice coke fires to keep warm and the best chips in spenny…I like that photo of Peter, he is getting better looking as he gets older 
…Colin try and sort something out for the next reunion my season stops october,cheers.
All the best everyone
Eddie
A few posts ago I was telling the tale of the three Guy Otter luton vans we were operating in the seventies.
As I explained the were very slow with the four cylinder Gardner engines, but very reliable and extremely economical.
■■■■ Porter, one of our mechanics persuaded dad to recondition an engine in one of them. We expected it to be expensive, but were spellbound when we bought a factory reconditioned short motor from Painters Newcastle, which remarkably they had, off the shelf, and were astonished that the cost was much less than the Bedford equivalent. ■■■■ also did extensive welding to the cab structure which was suffering severe rot.
Following the success of this effort we continued to recondition the other two. They lasted another two years or so but the cabs were the let-down. The bodies which were built in the Coop’s own body shop were very well built and well matched to the robust Guy chassis, and were surprised that these would fit under Bedford TK chassis cabs perfectly, so we bought three Bedford TK chassis cabs from our neighbours on Green Lane Ind Est., Watson’s Carriers, and the bodies survived anther 5 years of life.
One important thing the Guy’s taught us was the reliability and economy of the wonderful Gardner engines, which led to us eventually starting to replace our tractor units with ERF’s with Gardner, and although we were using 32 ton gross tractors at about 22 ton gross in the majority of cases, the 180bhp engines gave good speed carrying the reduced loads and excellent reliability, with about 50per cent extra fuel consumption to Bedford Ford Leyland etc.