windrush:
I have been at vintage shows for the past two weekends with a lad who worked for Ridings and he was telling me how they fitted the ‘dog kennel’ sleeper pods over a weekend to the Atky’s for other hauliers besides Ridings themselves.Pete.
Yes indeed they did - I believe that this was the last one they built:
I collected it from Longridge on a Sunday afternoon late in 1981 - they’d had it for a week to do the job.
240 Gardner:
windrush:
I have been at vintage shows for the past two weekends with a lad who worked for Ridings and he was telling me how they fitted the ‘dog kennel’ sleeper pods over a weekend to the Atky’s for other hauliers besides Ridings themselves.Pete.
Yes indeed they did - I believe that this was the last one they built:
I collected it from Longridge on a Sunday afternoon late in 1981 - they’d had it for a week to do the job.
Any idea of what a “Riding” conversion cost Chris ? I had a couple converted at Jennings in late '75 but I’m not just sure now how much they were. Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Any idea of what a “Riding” conversion cost Chris ? I had a couple converted at Jennings in late '75 but I’m not just sure now how much they were. Cheers Dennis.
I’ve no idea, I’m afraid, Dennis
240 Gardner:
Bewick:
Any idea of what a “Riding” conversion cost Chris ? I had a couple converted at Jennings in late '75 but I’m not just sure now how much they were. Cheers Dennis.I’ve no idea, I’m afraid, Dennis
Well that makes two of us Chris ! 
IIRC though with the price of the Jennings conversion added to the Chassis price it was still reasonable and at the time I was still “wrestling” with the possibility of introducing the dreaded Scandinavians into the fleet although I did persevere by continuing to buy the newly introduced Sed Atks in day cab form as well as ERF “A” Series day cabs. When I bought out K. Fell & Co. in June '76 they had a ■■■■■■■ engine “A” Series with a Jennings conversion. I suppose looking back with 20/20 vision these conversions were an insult to be called a sleeper cab but then they were a vast improvement on the basic day cab ! I also recall that on some of the Sed/Atk day cabs and some Scania 81’s and 111’s we kitted them out with a full width let down bunks which was why they were a better proposition than the Jennings but there was basically no room left in the cab other than to lie on the bunk ! I always used digs when I was up and down the road so sleeping in the cab was alien to me and I never fancied it! Cheers Dennis.
Paul just watched the excellent video you put on the Riding website.Fantastic to see there operations !
Found this pic at Gaydon,you no doubt have it. 
DEANB:
Paul just watched the excellent video you put on the Riding website.Fantastic to see there operations !
Found this pic at Gaydon,you no doubt have it.
Pleased you liked the film it’s well worth a look and yes Dean we have this picture in the Atkinson Borderer section on the web site 
Atkinson Borderer 4x2 tractor unit Reg No KTE 350K Fleet No 16 ‘Unbowed’ was powered by a Gardner 180 engine.
Driven from new by David Hodgson it is pictured here while coupled to a tandem axle flat trailer loaded with steel colliery arches from the North East.
moomooland:
DEANB:
Paul just watched the excellent video you put on the Riding website.Fantastic to see there operations !
Found this pic at Gaydon,you no doubt have it.Pleased you liked the film it’s well worth a look and yes Dean we have this picture in the Atkinson Borderer section on the web site
0 Atkinson Borderer 4x2 tractor unit Reg No KTE 350K Fleet No 16 ‘Unbowed’ was powered by a Gardner 180 engine.
Driven from new by David Hodgson it is pictured here while coupled to a tandem axle flat trailer loaded with steel colliery arches from the North East.
I will find a new one eventually chap !
DEANB:
I will find a new one eventually chap !
It’s like looking for the Holy Grail Dean
I may have related this story in a much earlier post but here go’s !
When I was a mate on the Brady Octopus in the mid/later 60’s we often met some of Ridings then large Leyland fleet usually on the A6 and A74 and there was one of their Drivers who drove a very smart LAD cabbed Beaver. Now this lad wore a white “T” shirt and bib and brace overalls ( couldn’t quite see the clogs) ! Now this Lad could see us coming towards him long before we saw him but we soon knew who it was as there was mass flashing of headlights and then as we got near he was out of the window up to his waist waving at us ! My mate eric used to say " That silly ■■■■ will end up on his arse on the road if he leans out any further" !! We did come across him in the Astra Café south of Carlisle IIRC and we found out his name was John Gornal again IIRC. He thought our outfit was “the dogs” , I can’t just recall if his Beaver had the 680 Power Plus the same as the Octopus though ! Happy Days Bewick. PS there was only one other Driver that could lean out of his cab as far as the Riding lad and that was “Big Harold” Troughton who drove a Dodge four wheeler for GW Taylor of Kendal !
Bewick:
I may have related this story in a much earlier post but here go’s !
When I was a mate on the Brady Octopus in the mid/later 60’s we often met some of Ridings then large Leyland fleet usually on the A6 and A74 and there was one of their Drivers who drove a very smart LAD cabbed Beaver. Now this lad wore a white “T” shirt and bib and brace overalls ( couldn’t quite see the clogs) ! Now this Lad could see us coming towards him long before we saw him but we soon knew who it was as there was mass flashing of headlights and then as we got near he was out of the window up to his waist waving at us ! My mate eric used to say " That silly [zb] will end up on his arse on the road if he leans out any further" !! We did come across him in the Astra Café south of Carlisle IIRC and we found out his name was John Gornal again IIRC. He thought our outfit was “the dogs” , I can’t just recall if his Beaver had the 680 Power Plus the same as the Octopus though ! Happy Days Bewick. PS there was only one other Driver that could lean out of his cab as far as the Riding lad and that was “Big Harold” Troughton who drove a Dodge four wheeler for GW Taylor of Kendal !
The same John Gornall who set up on his own in Longridge with three or four motors, red with a black band? If I remember rightly, he was related to Tom Riding by marriage.
There was also Keith Gornall, who I believe drove for Riding before setting up on his own - his own fleet wore colours very similar to Riding
240 Gardner:
Bewick:
I may have related this story in a much earlier post but here go’s !
When I was a mate on the Brady Octopus in the mid/later 60’s we often met some of Ridings then large Leyland fleet usually on the A6 and A74 and there was one of their Drivers who drove a very smart LAD cabbed Beaver. Now this lad wore a white “T” shirt and bib and brace overalls ( couldn’t quite see the clogs) ! Now this Lad could see us coming towards him long before we saw him but we soon knew who it was as there was mass flashing of headlights and then as we got near he was out of the window up to his waist waving at us ! My mate eric used to say " That silly [zb] will end up on his arse on the road if he leans out any further" !! We did come across him in the Astra Café south of Carlisle IIRC and we found out his name was John Gornal again IIRC. He thought our outfit was “the dogs” , I can’t just recall if his Beaver had the 680 Power Plus the same as the Octopus though ! Happy Days Bewick. PS there was only one other Driver that could lean out of his cab as far as the Riding lad and that was “Big Harold” Troughton who drove a Dodge four wheeler for GW Taylor of Kendal !The same John Gornall who set up on his own in Longridge with three or four motors, red with a black band? If I remember rightly, he was related to Tom Riding by marriage.
There was also Keith Gornall, who I believe drove for Riding before setting up on his own - his own fleet wore colours very similar to Riding
It may have been Keith Gornall as I believe the one am talking about used to run up to Scotland with the Riding Beaver and shunt in Ravenscraig Works during the week and I believe it was the firm that used the Riding colour scheme and also ran out of the Scottish steel works. Such a long time ago though ! Cheers Dennis.
It was big Keith hanging out of the cab John Gornall never drove for RIDINGs but is still driving today for his sister
Lance Biscomb:
It was big Keith hanging out of the cab John Gornall never drove for RIDINGs but is still driving today for his sister
John is still driving?? He subbed for Pandoro in the late 70s, which is when I knew him
Lance Biscomb:
It was big Keith hanging out of the cab John Gornall never drove for RIDINGs but is still driving today for his sister
Thanks for the info Lance Cheers Dennis.
Just a quick question since I updated Tapatalk (Trucknet) on my IPhone I can’t blow up pictures where as before I just double clicked on the picture or post to read or view any ideas why ?
Ps I don’t own a computer or a laptop
Cheers Gary
windrush:
I have been at vintage shows for the past two weekends with a lad who worked for Ridings and he was telling me how they fitted the sleeper pods over a weekend to the Atky’s for other hauliers besides Ridings themselves.Pete.
Just come off the phone with Tom Riding and he tells me that customers vehicles that came in for a sleeper cab conversion arrived at 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon with the conversion completed by 2 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon after which time the customer collected the finished vehicle.
The reason for this was that the two men who actually did the job only did it at weekends for Tom Riding because one worked full time Monday to Friday at Atkinson’s building cabs and the other man worked Monday to Friday as a full time tinsmith at the Post Office maintenance unit at Bamber Bridge.
The materials that were used for the conversions were assembled in a kit form at Longridge and were always on site ready to be fitted.
The kit included the base metal frame work, a complete one piece roof, four new windows, bed and curtains.
moomooland:
windrush:
I have been at vintage shows for the past two weekends with a lad who worked for Ridings and he was telling me how they fitted the ‘dog kennel’ sleeper pods over a weekend to the Atky’s for other hauliers besides Ridings themselves.Pete.
Just come off the phone with Tom Riding and he tells me that customers vehicles that came in for a sleepier cab conversion arrived at 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon with the conversion completed by 2 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon after which time the customer collected the finished vehicle.
The reason for this was that the two men who actually did the job only did it at weekends for Tom Riding’ because one worked full time Monday to Friday at Atkinson’s building cabs and the other man worked Monday to Friday as a full time tinsmith at the Post Office maintenance unit at Bamber Bridge.
The materials that were used for the conversions were assembled in a kit form at Longridge and were always on site ready to fit this included a base metal frame work complete one piece roof, four new windows, bed and curtains.
I definitely remember collecting the Pandoro Venturer on a Sunday afternoon in 1981, but I’d mistakenly remembered it as having been there for 9/10 days. They had a little more work to do on that one, repositioning the vertical exhaust. I didn’t know that they were built by moonlighters!
240 Gardner:
moomooland:
windrush:
I have been at vintage shows for the past two weekends with a lad who worked for Ridings and he was telling me how they fitted the ‘dog kennel’ sleeper pods over a weekend to the Atky’s for other hauliers besides Ridings themselves.Pete.
Just come off the phone with Tom Riding and he tells me that customers vehicles that came in for a sleepier cab conversion arrived at 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon with the conversion completed by 2 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon after which time the customer collected the finished vehicle.
The reason for this was that the two men who actually did the job only did it at weekends for Tom Riding’ because one worked full time Monday to Friday at Atkinson’s building cabs and the other man worked Monday to Friday as a full time tinsmith at the Post Office maintenance unit at Bamber Bridge.
The materials that were used for the conversions were assembled in a kit form at Longridge and were always on site ready to fit this included a base metal frame work complete one piece roof, four new windows, bed and curtains.
I definitely remember collecting the Pandoro Venturer on a Sunday afternoon in 1981, but I’d mistakenly remembered it as having been there for 9/10 days. They had a little more work to do on that one, repositioning the vertical exhaust. I didn’t know that they were built by moonlighters!
I often wondered why Tom walked with a slight limp Chris ! It was all the “readies” in his righthand arse pocket !!! Cheers Dennis.
That is exactly what the chap (John Wightman) told me Moomooland, he was involved in the dismantling and reassembling of items before and after the ‘cab men’ started and finished.
Pete.
