goggietara:
Chris
It said in the paper Freddie Prest had six children so he had a great life, but what a lovely man to work with always cheery.
With the bad weather coming on quickly it came to my mind that many years ago while with other drivers sitting pints in hand in a warm Working Mens Club in North Finchley a popular watering hole the snow was very bad up north & as we watched the tele it featured the heavy snow on the A9 around Aviemore alone stood a policeman hand in the air stopping a wagon out of the blizzard & guess what it was Tommy Brophy looking rather sick he could not go further as the road was blocked.
Gordon.
Hi Gordon…I had a Van and two lads stuck on the A9 probaly the same year, when the driver was on the phone I asked him what that bloody background noise was, his reply was a Helicopter, so it was bad…Hello little Peter (Normans lad) I was at your Dads funeral and you gave a reading about him, it was really nice, we got lost on the Old Kent Road one night (Drunk) and had to ask a Bobby where the car park was, first time and last I tried Jelly eals.
Eddie
goggietara:
Chris
It said in the paper Freddie Prest had six children so he had a great life, but what a lovely man to work with always cheery.
With the bad weather coming on quickly it came to my mind that many years ago while with other drivers sitting pints in hand in a warm Working Mens Club in North Finchley a popular watering hole the snow was very bad up north & as we watched the tele it featured the heavy snow on the A9 around Aviemore alone stood a policeman hand in the air stopping a wagon out of the blizzard & guess what it was Tommy Brophy looking rather sick he could not go further as the road was blocked.
Gordon.
Hi Gordon,
Somewere I have a tape with Tommy Brophy on the news.
On Tyne Tees news it came on the headlines before te news started and someone recoded it and gave me the tape.
Tommy Brophy was travelling slowly along in a Bedford Marsden integral pantechnicon when at a roundabout he was stopped by a policeman. You could see Tommy puting his door window down and the policeman sayng ‘where to ?’ and Tommy answerng with the Bedford engine ticking over in th background. He was then turned round to try to find a diffrerent route.
When Tommy came back from his trip everyone applauded him as if he was a fim star.
825christineh:
Hi Gordon, I can remember those terrible winters. When the buses were off I used to have to walk to work up York Hill road and then trudge across that field in the snow to get to WHW. I can remember falling into the ditch one morning and getting soaked. Harry kindly arranged a lift home and back for me so I could get changed. It was Ray Juler. Chris
Hi Christine
I don’t remember that particular incident, but I bet you had a good laugh with Ray running you home to get changed.
I do remember that winter though, I think it would be 1976-77 winter, and I was living with my parents at Cotswolds in West Cornforth.
One morning I remember travelling up to Thinford from Metal Bridge, and part of the way up in the feezing cold was a policeman directing the traffic. It was about where the electic pilons were. They had dug a way through the snow and it was just wide enough for one way traffic and as we drove through the snow was higher than a double decker bus at either side of us.
I don’t always agree with the police, and unfortunatly on many occasions they have lost my respect, but seeing this policeman directing te traffic brought home what a ■■■■■■ job they sometimes have. The drift stopped just before we reached the Thinford Inn, and at the other side another policeman was standing frozen.
Carl, when i mentioned about me and Norman losing the van around the old kent road area, I think we had to collect freemans the next day from Charlton, would that be correct sure they where there before the new place at peterborough.
Eddie
Hi Carl, That morning I fell in the ditch on the way to work I was frozen to the core and you’re right me and Ray did have a laugh about it. On the way down he told me not to worry and he would help me to get changed seeing as my hands were numb. It was when I lived down Durham Road so my mam was in. He wasn’t laughing on the way back. Chris
edworth:
Carl, when i mentioned about me and Norman losing the van around the old kent road area, I think we had to collect freemans the next day from Charlton, would that be correct sure they where there before the new place at peterborough.
Eddie
Hi Eddie
I think that was right and their address was Lavender Road, and in the trade, even in the eighties they were known as ‘The Lavender Road Mob’
edworth:
Carl, and anybody who knew Norman (Snowball) think it was his wifes funeral yesterday.
Eddie
Thank you Eddy my mothers funeral is tommorow 30th at Saint Charles Tudhoe
its comforting to know you remeber her
Thank you Peter
Hi Peter,
It is sad to hear of your loss. I can’t recall ever meeting your mother, but spent many hours with your dad. I also know how much he thought of your mother and the difficuties he encounted coping without her when they parted.
From Norman’s prospective, it was ‘I can’t live with you, but I can’t live without you’ and seeing him suffering at work was so sad.
Hello Carl, if you watch a programme on the BBC i-player (BBC4 last night (29th) 'The history of rubbish) at about the 50 minute mark there is a brief clip of a motorway, the lead vehicle is one of your vans. Regards, Mizzo.
mizzo:
Hello Carl, if you watch a programme on the BBC i-player (BBC4 last night (29th) 'The history of rubbish) at about the 50 minute mark there is a brief clip of a motorway, the lead vehicle is one of your vans. Regards, Mizzo.
Hi Mizzo
Thank you.
Here it is. I thought there was a good chance if anyone photoed te A1 in those days there would be a good chance to catch one as everytime I traveled I didn’t go far before I passed one.
This is an unusual one RPT602M Ford Passenger chassis with Turbo charged diesel engine with Pennine pantechnicon van body fitted
This van spent its life doing mostly long distance removals, as GVW was a little light for general work.
mizzo:
Hello Carl, if you watch a programme on the BBC i-player (BBC4 last night (29th) 'The history of rubbish) at about the 50 minute mark there is a brief clip of a motorway, the lead vehicle is one of your vans. Regards, Mizzo.
Hi Mizzo
Thank you.
Here it is. I thought there was a good chance if anyone photoed te A1 in those days there would be a good chance to catch one as everytime I traveled I didn’t go far before I passed one.
This is an unusual one RPT602M Ford Passenger chassis with Turbo charged diesel engine with Pennine pantechnicon van body fitted
This van spent its life doing mostly long distance removals, as GVW was a little light for general work.
I’ve managed to get a better shot
Does anyone remember who was pulled up and fined for doing 95 mph in that van?
edworth:
Carl, and anybody who knew Norman (Snowball) think it was his wifes funeral yesterday.
Eddie
Thank you Eddy my mothers funeral is tommorow 30th at Saint Charles Tudhoe
its comforting to know you remeber her
Thank you Peter
Hi Peter,
It is sad to hear of your loss. I can’t recall ever meeting your mother, but spent many hours with your dad. I also know how much he thought of your mother and the difficuties he encounted coping without her when they parted.
From Norman’s prospective, it was ‘I can’t live with you, but I can’t live without you’ and seeing him suffering at work was so sad.
Best wishes to you and all your family, today.
Carl
Thank you Carl i will pass on those sentiments to the family
goggietara:
Carl
Did Bilko drive that van he rings a bell or Stirling Moss?
Gordon.
Hi Gordon,
Unless I’m mistaken it was Tommy Bowen.
If I’m right he drove YWT802G Bedford TK Luton with Marsden Fibreglass body which was a little smaller and used on removals mostly, and then went onto that Ford
Hello Carl, I know a Tommy Bowen from up your way, I first met him in the mid nineties when I went to work for Sadler Tankers, I know he lived sort of Ferryhill way but don’t know if it’s the same lad. I thought 825christines comments on ‘reps’ was highly amusing, the last driving job I had before going ‘HGV’ was for a very large multi-national company and in my particular depot we had about 10 ‘reps’ they all thought they were male models and spent as much time as possible in the office ‘chatting’ to the girls, I think some of them were a bit miffed that the none to smart 22 year old van driver with ‘popeye’ muscles got more attention (me)!!! (I would’nt now)!!! Regards, Mizzo.
mizzo:
Hello Carl, I know a Tommy Bowen from up your way, I first met him in the mid nineties when I went to work for Sadler Tankers, I know he lived sort of Ferryhill way but don’t know if it’s the same lad. I thought 825christines comments on ‘reps’ was highly amusing, the last driving job I had before going ‘HGV’ was for a very large multi-national company and in my particular depot we had about 10 ‘reps’ they all thought they were male models and spent as much time as possible in the office ‘chatting’ to the girls, I think some of them were a bit miffed that the none to smart 22 year old van driver with ‘popeye’ muscles got more attention (me)!!! (I would’nt now)!!! Regards, Mizzo.
Your right again Les,last time i seen Tommy he left Stillers and was at P&O on the phillips contract,i think i put this photo of him on earlier,Regards Vic.
mizzo:
Hiya Vic, thats him, I know he was on Suttons last year at Thornaby. Regards, Mizzo.
Now Les,i knew he had gone to another company but i could’nt remember their name,bloody hell ,how long was i on tanks■■? ive got it now Les,Suttons took Phillips contract from P&O and all the drivers transferred over to Suttons.I think he is still there.Vic.
mizzo:
Hiya Vic, thats him, I know he was on Suttons last year at Thornaby. Regards, Mizzo.
Now Les,i knew he had gone to another company but i could’nt remember their name,bloody hell ,how long was i on tanks■■? ive got it now Les,Suttons took Phillips contract from P&O and all the drivers transferred over to Suttons.I think he is still there.Vic.
Hi Mizzo and Victor,
Unfortunatly, one of my problems is I have difficulty recognising people, and cannot in the case of Tommy Bowen, however I recon that will be him.
If Colin Watson looks on the site, which he does from time to time, I am sure he will remember the 95mph episode and will cnfirm. Also Geoff Pye will most probably remember. Barbara, if you read this please ask your dad.
