Hi Paul,
Both took by Roger near Junction 12 M6, Pete
pete smith:
Hi Paul,
Both took by Roger near Junction 12 M6, Pete
Great stuff Pete many thanks always good to see some never seen before on the road shots of Ridings motors. 
The top picture shows Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4x2 tractor unit Reg No D100 XHG Fleet No 69 ‘Hotspur II’.
Powered by a Gardner 6LXDT 290 engine it registered new on the 1st of March 1987.
Loaded with steel plate from the British Steel Corporation plant at Motherwell it looks like the driver is rejoining the M6 South at Junction 12 after probably having his break at either the Sunset Cafe in Penkridge on the A449 or the Hollies on the A5.
The second picture is Iveco 4x2 tractor unit Reg No B723 CTU which was registered new in June 1985.
This was in fact a sub contract vehicle painted in full W & J Riding livery and owned by Tony Lee.
Loaded with steel plate from the British Steel Corporation plant at Motherwell it was driven by Mick Maudsley, who was married to the sister of Tony Lee at the time.
TONY LEA
HI, LANCE , CAN YOU SHED SOME LIGHT ,MANY YEARS AGO WE BOUGHT A ERF DAY CAB UNIT 240 GARDNER DAY CAB IN RIDINGS COULORS WITH A CROME BUMPER REG NO IIRC FFW /// K AS I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ERFS ON THERE PICTURES , WE BOUGHT IT FROM BILL RATCLIFF , CHEERS BARRY
barrywaddy:
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ERFS ON THERE PICTUREs CHEERS BARRY
The ERF you are referring to Barry was not a Riding motor.
Apart from one solitary eight wheeler, back in 1954, the first ERF’s did not arrive in numbers until 1988.
There is an ERF section with plenty of pictures taken after 1988 on the Riding web site just click HERE
moomooland:
barrywaddy:
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ERFS ON THERE PICTUREs CHEERS BARRYThe ERF you are referring to Barry was not a Riding motor.
Apart from one solitary eight wheeler, back in 1954, the first ERF’s did not arrive in numbers until 1998.There is an ERF section with plenty of pictures taken after 1988 on the Riding web site just click HERE
Possibly from Norman Parker? His ERFs wore colours similar to Riding’s older dark blue. This was one of his newer ones:
A575LRE by chris.farnah, on Flickr
The ERF was Norman Parkers owner driver from Longridge he bought it of Keith Gornall do not know who had it from new I take it your taking about the A series if its the B series Norman had 3 from new 
pete smith:
Morning Paul,
Found another Ridings for you, Cheer’s Pete
Plenty going on in the background, great stuff Pete much appreciated thanks.
Seen heading South a mile past Junction 15 on the M6 near Stoke on Trent.
Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4x2 tractor unit Reg No D880 SHG Fleet No 90 ‘■■■■ o’The North’ was registered new on the 1st of September 1986 at a cost of £30,023 plus vat.
Tom Riding continues below…
“I seem to remember this was the first Gardner 6LXDT we operated and it covered a massive amount of mileage with no problems.
This engine had been built at Patricroft before they decided to have them built by London Transport workshops an act of folly which caused many problems with subsequent engines until production reverted back to Patricroft.
This particular tractor unit spent years on the Bainbridge contract running to Enfield and back on nights and Birmingham and back on days.
Paul Spearriett drove it from new on nights and Neil Jackson was it’s day man.
Another very interesting fact is that the Bridgestone M711 pattern tyres fitted when new on the drive axle did a massive 262.000 miles with just a regroove.”
Hi Paul,
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.
Dave…
dave docwra:
Hi Paul,Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.
Dave…
From personal recollections of conversations I had with Tom on the very same subject - some 14 years ago now - I can confirm it was from memory. that’s some memory, I think you’ll agree…
dave docwra:
Hi Paul,
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.Dave…
Spoke to Tom earlier he does look in on Trucknet on a regular basis but does not comment here is what he has to say about all the information about his old company…
“When I retired in 1995 from the company a lot of things immediately started to change, not least the fact that new vehicles were no longer bought but were leased.
The old systems that had worked well for me were no longer needed so it was around 1998 the old vehicle record cards were due to be fed into the shredder.
How fortunate was it that one of the traffic staff, Mr Alan Dixon ( this is the same man who has driven and cared for my persevered Scammell R8 from 1985 to the present time) realised the importance of these documents, saved them, and delivered them safely to my keeping”.
Like wise one of the ladies in the office Mrs Pauline Fletcher( who did 40 years with the company) similarly saved the personnel record cards and gave them to me for safe keeping.
As I have said before, you must have good people in any organisation.
Having said all of this my memory fortunately is still sharp and is still full of the companies history".
marky:
dave docwra:
Hi Paul,Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.
Dave…
From personal recollections of conversations I had with Tom on the very same subject - some 14 years ago now - I can confirm it was from memory. that’s some memory, I think you’ll agree…
I’ve just had to withdraw Mr. Tom’s entry from MASTERMIND ! " What is your chosen subject Mr Riding" Er! " The prices paid to the penny of every new motor bought by W & J R, including VAT where appropriate, since I were a Lad" 
Now I’m told that Tom had been handed all the relevant documentation prior to it been “shredded”. 
I also had him lined up for BGT ! Go down a bomb in front of Her Maj " I say Mr Riding how much did one pay for that new Leyland Beaver in 1953 when one was Crowned "? “Hang on Ma’mam while I consult my Tablet” !! Orf to the Tower with him !!!.
However I have got say that the W & J Riding thread is the finest on TNUK and it is all down to one fine Gentleman who has diligently kept an accurate record of the fleet and it appears that only as a result of the timely reaction of loyal employees was this very valuable archive saved for posterity. Regards Dennis.
I doubt anyone could retain the sort of detail that has eventually accompanied the pictures which have found their way onto Paul’s website. I suspect it would be nigh-on impossible. All I know is that of the hundreds & hundreds of pictures I went through with Tom all that time back, all the recollections he had were from memory because there was no paperwork there to refer to - just the pictures. To say I was blown-away by not just the vast archive, but also by how much Tom could tell me ‘off the cuff’ would be a massive understatement. Additionally, I’d just like to say I’ve never seen such an appreciative audience at a slideshow as I witnessed one Saturday night at Fence, when Tom did a presentation of the history of Ridings. It was also the biggest audience I ever saw there and something which will live long in my memory.
moomooland:
dave docwra:
Hi Paul,
Can I ask, how doe’s Mr Tom Riding remember all the information posted regarding drivers & vehicles, did he keep notes or is this all from memory, either way I am really impressed.Dave…Spoke to Tom earlier he does look in on Trucknet on a regular basis but does not comment here is what he has to say about all the information about his old company…
“When I retired in 1995 from the company a lot of things immediately started to change, not least the fact that new vehicles were no longer bought but were leased.
The old systems that had worked well for me were no longer needed so it was around 1998 the old vehicle record cards were due to be fed into the shredder.
How fortunate was it that one of the traffic staff, Mr Alan Dixon ( this is the same man who has driven and cared for my persevered Scammell R8 from 1985 to the present time) realised the importance of these documents, saved them, and delivered them safely to my keeping”.
Like wise one of the ladies in the office Mrs Pauline Fletcher( who did 40 years with the company) similarly saved the personnel record cards and gave them to me for safe keeping.
As I have said before, you must have good people in any organisation.
Having said all of this my memory fortunately is still sharp and is still full of the companies history".
Please thank Mr Riding for taking the time to answer my post.
Thanks Dave…
dave docwra:
Please thank Mr Riding for taking the time to answer my post.
Thanks Dave…
I have done Dave and Tom said he was pleased he could be of assistance.
Pictured here in the depot at Longridge is Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 6x2 tractor unit Reg No KPF 421W Fleet No 50
‘Alfred the Great’ which was powered by ■■■■■■■ E290 engine.
Registered new on the 1st of August 1980 it was purchased second hand when three years old from Yardley of Kidderminster
for £9,400 plus vat on the 7th of August 1983.
KPF 421W was unique in being the one and only three axled tractor unit that W & J Riding operated while Tom Riding was
managing director of the company and was also used on a regular basis pulling a tandem axle tipping trailer plated at 38 tons GVW.
One for Paul, obviously N.M.P
Dont know if this one has been on before.
DEANB:
Dont know if this one has been on before.0
Looks like Battersea Park, the start of the HCVS London to Brighton Run - 1988?