shugg:
What a sad end to what must rate as one of this country’s finest hauliers and run by someone ( Tom Riding ) who himself must rate as one of the finest ambassadors connected to the haulage industry .
Well said, that man
The Atkinson fleet some had normal BIG A and some had white or yellow discs behind them
was it just the driver making them look smart or did it signal which depot they operated or worked
out of 
-
Gana man the one with the red big A was aka ■■■■■■■■■■ John s 
8LXBV8BRIAN:
The Atkinson fleet some had normal BIG A and some had white or yellow discs behind them
was it just the driver making them look smart or did it signal which depot they operated or worked
out of
Nothing so mysterious unfortnately. They were the bottom of buckets, cut out and mounted behind the A.
One of those vehicles in the line up above was this Leyland Buffalo TQ 1 Reg No TF 9918 which was registered new in September 1932
It was in the fleet for sixteen years right up to nationalisation which took place in 1948.
Powered by an 8.6 litre diesel engine it was one of the very first oil engined vehicles to come out of Leyland motors, the fifth one in fact.
Is that you in the flat cap moomooland? 
Scammell Rigid 8 - Reg No FJH 102 ‘Locomotion’ technically isn’t a W& J Riding motor - it being Tom Riding’s personal possession.
Pictured above In 1982 W & J Riding’s Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4x2 tractor unit Reg No GAT 247T ‘Earl Marischal’ was used for the job when Tom Riding and Stuart Ainsworth went down to Stoke on Trent to collect the derelict Scammell which Tom had bought for restoration.
The complete history of Scammell Rigid 8 - Reg No FJH 102 ‘Locomotion’ can be found by clicking HERE
Below are a few stills from a 30 minute film giving a brief history of the company and an insight as to how the general haulage company of W & J Riding operated in 1995.
You can view the film here on the W & J Riding website
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.
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