captmarvel:
yes they did i drove them when i first started in 1975
here is one of the bedford tms
i used to drive the sister to this one LER 233P,hadnt long past my test ,used to go like a rocket when you got it rolling ,loved the sound of the detroit diesel,had it revving of the clock ,i remember we also had a seddon atkinson with a straight six detroit diesel in it ,loved to have driven the TM3800 welch’s had ,had some great times at welch’s stapleford depot ,some real characters there,some now sadly departed 
,thanks to capt marvel for sharing your photos ! 
, as i sadly dont have any
Bloody Welch’s Transport at Henlow. I had my first job as a lorry driver with them in 1963. No driving test, never asked to see my licence, just front up asap. When I had given my boss a weeks notice, I fronted up, was given a loaded 4 wheel TK for Leigh on Sea and then told to go to a grocery warehouse in Chelmsford and back load for a supermarket in Scunthorpe. Got back to Henlow at about 18.00 and was told to leave the yard at 04.00. When I had unloaded at Scunthorpe, I rang Henlow and was told to go to an RAF camp at Holme on Spalding Moor and load crates of jet engines for the DeHaviland factory at Hatfield. If you can get to Hatfield by 18.00, you can get another load of engines for Manchester Airport, he said. Somehow, I made it to Hatfield and got my backload. I pulled into the Henlow depot at 20.00 and fuelled up. The boss, known to the drivers as the Sergeant Major as he was always shouting and screaming at us told me to make another 04.00 start and get to Manchester. This was after a 16 hour day.When I mentioned logsheets, the boss said to start a new one every three hours or so, but always tear up the old one and throw it away. I had a slow trip to Manchester in the fog, got unloaded and was told to go to the Exide factory in Trafford Park and load batteries for west London. I didn’t get loaded untill after dark so I set off and had a couple of hours kip in a layby. It went on like this every day, every week, some nights not even getting any sleep or even a wash for a day or two. The only good thing about Welch’s was that they paid us for every hour we booked, and at the correct rate, too. After about 6 months I was stuffed so I snatched it, but at least I could now put on a job application that I had experience as a long distance lorry driver.
BRS FH66:
Bloody Welch’s Transport at Henlow. I had my first job as a lorry driver with them in 1963. No driving test, never asked to see my licence, just front up asap. When I had given my boss a weeks notice, I fronted up, was given a loaded 4 wheel TK for Leigh on Sea and then told to go to a grocery warehouse in Chelmsford and back load for a supermarket in Scunthorpe. Got back to Henlow at about 18.00 and was told to leave the yard at 04.00. When I had unloaded at Scunthorpe, I rang Henlow and was told to go to an RAF camp at Holme on Spalding Moor and load crates of jet engines for the DeHaviland factory at Hatfield. If you can get to Hatfield by 18.00, you can get another load of engines for Manchester Airport, he said. Somehow, I made it to Hatfield and got my backload. I pulled into the Henlow depot at 20.00 and fuelled up. The boss, known to the drivers as the Sergeant Major as he was always shouting and screaming at us told me to make another 04.00 start and get to Manchester. This was after a 16 hour day.When I mentioned logsheets, the boss said to start a new one every three hours or so, but always tear up the old one and throw it away. I had a slow trip to Manchester in the fog, got unloaded and was told to go to the Exide factory in Trafford Park and load batteries for west London. I didn’t get loaded untill after dark so I set off and had a couple of hours kip in a layby. It went on like this every day, every week, some nights not even getting any sleep or even a wash for a day or two. The only good thing about Welch’s was that they paid us for every hour we booked, and at the correct rate, too. After about 6 months I was stuffed so I snatched it, but at least I could now put on a job application that I had experience as a long distance lorry driver.
Hiya…sounds like they had some good contacts and a good transport manager. you didn’t run to far empty and kept away from the docks…plus the man persuaded you to do the work and you stayed for 6 months…well done to you, you got some experience.
i’am sure their was many firms running like that years ago…now why did the ministary insist on taco’s
John
my dad worked for welchs at henlow for a while,he got a brand new bedford tk artic unit ( C reg he reckons,so 1965).
had it for two weeks and it got smashed to buggery in an accident that wasnt his fault.when he phoned to tell them what had happened,the first words from the transport managers mouth were" you better not have ■■■■■■ that lorry up"!!!
Hi captmarvel,
Did Welch’s have the depot in Plough Lane,Hereford.
Cheers Dave.
yes they did also barnsley barking they stilll have witham henlow and cambridge.
captmarvel:
yes they did also barnsley barking they stilll have witham henlow and cambridge.
Thanks for that.Just proved my memory is still just functioning 
.
Cheers Dave.
Dave the Renegade:
captmarvel:
yes they did also barnsley barking they stilll have witham henlow and cambridge.
Thanks for that.Just proved my memory is still just functioning .
Cheers Dave.
Where was the Barnsley depot captmarvel,I seem to remember Welches up theer,tha knows. 
Did they have some bonneted Merc’s in the 70s?
yes they did i drove them when i first started in 1975
here is one of the bedford tms
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acrow steel tubes from safron walden
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a guy big j with a box van
used to drive for merlins on the corus automotive contract in wednesfield steelpark.welchs used to come in there to collect blanks back for cambridge area,sorry no pics !!
Some great pics there captain, the one of the Fiat loading kerbstones at kirby muxloe, would be loading at Alexandra stone…
yes thats right here is a photo of one of the loaders
