countycruiser:
The o/d’s at fourways have been squeezed out,sort of Tarmac colours only,two other sand quarries nearby have been closed.Cobden Farm and Crown Farm,fourways is getting near to the end of it’s life,they have sold the pump boat and are now dry screening,i walk my dog over there most mornings…Strines rings a bell,was that the quarry on the left before gore■■? Allan cc
Sounds familiar…
Haven’t Cobden and Crown Farm been mothballed or are they completely closed? I took an MOT to the bagging plant at Crown Farm last week, looks like theres loads of stuff left in there. Mind you Cobden is only a small place I think?
Tarmac’s policies are bizarre to say the least. Seems that the office jobs are sacrosanct, as are flash computer systems and expensive tracking devices but they lay lads on the ground off at the drop of a hat. “We’ve got no stone/sand etc” will become a familiar cry as the country picks up out of recession because they’ve got nobody on the ground actually screening/crushing etc.
Dave the Renegade:
The Gore has been run for several years by Tarmac,with the area offices at Dolyhir nearby,they have now relocated these to the Bristol area,the head of the region previously was a local bloke,who kept these quarries busy,now he’s not in charge,the materials are being sourced from other quarries,also a lot of the hauliers are being squeezed out by the look of it.I look forward to seeing those Tilcon pics.
Cheers Dave
Hi Alan and Hammer,
We have two mothballed quarries this way, Rhayader and Nash,both have huge reserves of stone,both are still licensed,so I would think one of these days they will be brought back to life,they did open Nash up in th eighties,when Leominster bypass was being built. They had a big portable crusher there with a 360 feeding it and a loading shovel annd a temporary weighbridge.I think if some big jobs came off,such as the proposed Hereford bypass and others,we might see them reopen,but who knows.
Cheers Dave.
Dave,You will have to come down to the monthly sale at shobdon airfield.There are all sorts of vehicles in and out of there,and some tidy low loaders,
Tonyb
Hi boys
Tarmac closing down quarries is not a resent thing. They brought Minera near Wrexham off Adam Lythgow in the late sixties then closed it down in the seventies.
Four or Five years ago we had plant working for Tarmac construction on a new access road to Callow hill quarry near Pontesbury south of Shrewsbury. Any one who new that quarry would remember there was a very tight left turn into the site, that tight infact that when we went in with plant on lowloaders we could not get around and had to reverse in.Anyway Tarmac quarries decided they wanted to expand the site and after fighting public resistance they got Tarmac construction to make a new road in along the old railway line.This involved building a access bridge over the top of it for a local farmer, it cost thousends and took atleast 9 month. The very next week after the road was opened they closed the quarry…
Maybe things will change if they are sold
countycruiser:
The o/d’s at fourways have been squeezed out,sort of Tarmac colours only,two other sand quarries nearby have been closed.Cobden Farm and Crown Farm,fourways is getting near to the end of it’s life,they have sold the pump boat and are now dry screening,i walk my dog over there most mornings…Strines rings a bell,was that the quarry on the left before gore■■? Allan cc
Cron Farm Bagging plant is very busy,the welsh lads are bringing it in from Pant i think,i live on the crossroads as you turn in…who am i looking for??will keep my eye open for you…
Sounds familiar…
Haven’t Cobden and Crown Farm been mothballed or are they completely closed? I took an MOT to the bagging plant at Crown Farm last week, looks like theres loads of stuff left in there. Mind you Cobden is only a small place I think?
Tarmac’s policies are bizarre to say the least. Seems that the office jobs are sacrosanct, as are flash computer systems and expensive tracking devices but they lay lads on the ground off at the drop of a hat. “We’ve got no stone/sand etc” will become a familiar cry as the country picks up out of recession because they’ve got nobody on the ground actually screening/crushing etc.
windrush:
They have virtually closed Ballidon as well now, made a few lads redundant and transfered a lot of the work to Dene and Cauldon Low. Tarmac call it “mothballing” but we know what that REALLY means!
Pete.
PS Are you the Allan that used to come into Ballidon occasionally, lived at Northwich?
Hi, i guess you could say that i live near Northwich,if i can find out how to put photo’s on i would put a pic of one of my motors and then you would remember me…Allan cc
tonyb70:
Dave,You will have to come down to the monthly sale at shobdon airfield.There are all sorts of vehicles in and out of there,and some tidy low loaders,
Tonyb
Hi Tony,
Forgot about those sales,have had a look in there a few years ago.Good idea,haven’t got many pics left now,got some old one’s promised. Will have a look in the local paper for the date of the next sale.
Cheers Dave.
tonyb70:
Dave,You will have to come down to the monthly sale at shobdon airfield.There are all sorts of vehicles in and out of there,and some tidy low loaders,
Tonyb
Hi Tony,
Forgot about those sales,have had a look in there a few years ago.Good idea,haven’t got many pics left now,got some old one’s promised. Will have a look in the local paper for the date of the next sale.
Cheers Dave.
Dave.
I think they are every 4 weeks.There were some sort of people there this week.I’ve never seen it so busy.
Tonyb
tonyb70:
Dave,You will have to come down to the monthly sale at shobdon airfield.There are all sorts of vehicles in and out of there,and some tidy low loaders,
Tonyb
Hi Tony,
Forgot about those sales,have had a look in there a few years ago.Good idea,haven’t got many pics left now,got some old one’s promised. Will have a look in the local paper for the date of the next sale.
Cheers Dave.
Dave.
I think they are every 4 weeks.There were some sort of people there this week.I’ve never seen it so busy.
Tonyb
Hi Tony,
Thanks for that,the next one should be on December 11th ,my mate Les Good usually goes. I think some of the tipper operators have been entering vehicles there recently,as a last resort,because of the lack of work and the need to get rid.
Cheers Dave.
dessert driver:
Hi boys
Tarmac closing down quarries is not a resent thing. They brought Minera near Wrexham off Adam Lythgow in the late sixties then closed it down in the seventies.
Four or Five years ago we had plant working for Tarmac construction on a new access road to Callow hill quarry near Pontesbury south of Shrewsbury. Any one who new that quarry would remember there was a very tight left turn into the site, that tight infact that when we went in with plant on lowloaders we could not get around and had to reverse in.Anyway Tarmac quarries decided they wanted to expand the site and after fighting public resistance they got Tarmac construction to make a new road in along the old railway line.This involved building a access bridge over the top of it for a local farmer, it cost thousends and took atleast 9 month. The very next week after the road was opened they closed the quarry…
Maybe things will change if they are sold
Regards Keith.
Hi Keith,
I wonder if someone will buy them in the current climate. They were for sale then,there were rumours of a German company, also an Irish firm and a middle east outfit,but nothing happened,and they were taken off the market. If someone comes in,it will probably be to pick the bones of whatevers left.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
Back to the wagon and drag Dave i’ts a bit too shiny for me and it would’nt be hard enough work so i would’nt be able to sleep not having done a fair days work,if you can come up with a proper wagon and drag i’ll be on the first bus to pick it up.
thanks harry long retired.
Hi Harry,
Thought it might not be your type of moter. I will see whats about,something with a bit more substance and character to it.I will keep my eye’s open for a Foden or an ERF,a bit of british background.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
See if you can find me a Foden one of the few motors i’ve never driven, or can’t say i’ve been a passenger in, even when fiddling homewards must have stuck the log book up to them but i must’nt have been presentable enough to warrant being given a lift in one, happy hunting Dave.
thanks harry long retired.
Hi Harry,
There are still a few Fodens running this way,quite a few as you know are tippers,still a couple of artics,and Burgoynes of Lyonshall have got one or possibly two on pallet collection. I think in three or four years down the line, I think they will all be gone.Its a shame,but it started with the demise of the British moterbike’s,then the cars, and now the lorries.Daf or whoever it is who owned Foden to finish should have kept making the,because with the cat or ■■■■■■■ engines and the drivelines they had they were ■■■■ good lorries.
Cheers Dave.
