gunnerheskey:
1st truck i had to call my own with all my own stuff in was an FL6 - F182 MBC 16 tonner drop down bed, no night heater, for Claude Goodburn pet products of melton mowbray.
4 nights out every week doing the north of uk and scotch.
1st artic i had to call my own was about a year later, Leyland roadtrain C66 SBC, 320 14ltr ■■■■■■■ for AML Transport of Leicester, that had no night heater either. That was general haulage.
Com’on “Gunner” this is a dodgy looking photy if ever there was one!!!Was it taken by the FLT driver before he refused the load ----or what? are them your notes in your 'and?? claused “load refused”!!!Cheers bewick.
First wagon was an early D-series with the umbrella handbrake that never worked… A four wheeler with a fold-flat body and a top speed of 50 mph!! VFH 404G…how sad is that? Had her for 2 years then moved onto the artics with a 1977 B-series with a 265 roller in her. Lovely motor with a lovely sound when she was pulling hard… PTC 392S
First new one was a Dodge 6 wheeler with a Perkins V8 turbo in her! C669 CWS… All noise and not a lot of action, although with the fuller 9 speed she was lovely to drive…only used the clutch for starting and stopping! Happy days indeed
first unoffical truck was a 400 bhp daf 85, mainly used for shunting, first truck after passing my test in may was a 89/90 g reg 1114 merc, lovely truck
Dave the Renegade:
What was the first lorry that you drove on a regular basis. I started at 19 on an Austin FG builders lorry a 3 ton tipper with a 4 cylinder deisel,before that I drove vans from 17 onwards as well as general builders jobs.
Cheers Dave.
My first lorry - that I drove from my 17th birthday untill I was 21,-- was a Thames Trader 5 tonner with a 6 cylinder engine, -flat bed with drop sides. I drove the Trader for 4 years hauling pitwood to most of the coal pits, - timber to Bowaters Elesmere Port-and Sudbrook Pulp Mill.
My return loads were cattle food and fertilizers from Avonmouth before and after the Severn Bridge, and Slag from Portalbot and Stoke on Trent.
I was hauling slag and lime lose in bulk when using the drop sides, and shovelling it into the lime spreader. I even drove the lime spreaders. The loades were allways 8 tons – but the timber loads were between 8 and 11 tons - The only trouble I had with the Trader was - fitting 4 new gearboxes. Well that was my life until I was 21 ( 1968 ).
I could write another book from 1968 to 1997. – I had to finish lorry driving at the age of 50, due to having a stroke.
I am enjoying life now on ill health retirement.
regards - Hywel Price.
My first lorry at 17 was the Thames Trader on the right.— I also drove the others on the quiet after the age of 14. – The artic livestock trailer was probably the first in the UK in 1962, on a four-in-line step framed BTC trailer…
The Leyland Super Commet 375 tractor unit was originally a 24 foot flat cut down in our own workshop.
---- Hywel ----
gunnerheskey:
1st truck i had to call my own with all my own stuff in was an FL6 - F182 MBC 16 tonner drop down bed, no night heater, for Claude Goodburn pet products of melton mowbray.
4 nights out every week doing the north of uk and scotch.
1st artic i had to call my own was about a year later, Leyland roadtrain C66 SBC, 320 14ltr ■■■■■■■ for AML Transport of Leicester, that had no night heater either. That was general haulage.
Com’on “Gunner” this is a dodgy looking photy if ever there was one!!!Was it taken by the FLT driver before he refused the load ----or what? are them your notes in your 'and?? claused “load refused”!!!Cheers bewick.
Ha ha ha bewick, dodgy, i agree, its always cagey putting on pictres with yourself in.
yes it was taken by a fork lift driver, but it was their own stuff i’d picked up from Northern pets of knowsley. It was friday afternoon, bin out all week, it was a case of drive in to the wharehouse, tacho out, notes handed in then home…
Foden 4300 8 wheeled tipper F517 RBY (Smith and Sons). 300 Cat and crash box. I drove it off road in Gill Mill quarry moving stock from under conveyor belts for a week before I was put out on the road. She was nearly 12 years old but in really good condition. I had it for about a month before it was demoted to being quarry dumper She didn’t last more than a few weeks as the pit staff liked to leave the diff locks engaged all day and try to drive where the dumptrucks went. When it gave out it was cannibalised for spares.
Price:
My first lorry at 17 was the Thames Trader on the right.— I also drove the others on the quiet after the age of 14. – The artic livestock trailer was probably the first in the UK in 1962, on a four-in-line step framed BTC trailer…
The Leyland Super Commet 375 tractor unit was originally a 24 foot flat cut down in our own workshop.
---- Hywel ----
Hi Hywel,
Missed your pic,was away on holiday when you posted it,nice to se some of your firms vehicles.
Cheers Dave.
Here is my 1st motor, a Scania 113-360, at 21 i was king of the road, then 6 months later after my Probabtion i got a Brand new 02 plate FH12 which i was over the moon with at 22 yrs old!!!
First lorry after passing my test was a 1615 leyland freighter skip motor, nick named “the sun dial” owing to the speed the skip arms operated at. F167 EYS, she was a good lorry, and i enjoyed my time in her.
A K reg Daf 95 360 was my first crack at an artic, im remember shatting myself as the Ford Cargo 2015 and single axle trailer that i had passed my test in hadnt preppared me for the task. A few convincing words from my brother and the offer of him ridding shotgun was enough to convince me how ever, and the day went by drama free.
BDC174B when I was 21,might have only been a TK but she pulled a 40ft single axle trailer,delivering steel,she would do 70 with a following wind,good old days!
I took my HGV lessons in a Leyland Boxer artic, and then a tiny Ford D series artic.
When I passed my test I got a job with my old mate Len Valsler, and this was what I drove.
It looked the business. It was a head turner, and I used to get comments on how tidy it was.
It was ex Showrax, and the unusual body (it had a tailboard and a flat panel where the back lights were) as it was a cut down pantechnicon used for shop fittings.
Bender:
I took my HGV lessons in a Leyland Boxer artic, and then a tiny Ford D series artic.
When I passed my test I got a job with my old mate Len Valsler, and this was what I drove.
It looked the business. It was a head turner, and I used to get comments on how tidy it was. I also had an elderly lady try to flag it down at a bus stop!
It was ex Showrax, and the unusual body (it had a tailboard and a flat panel where the back lights were) as it was a cut down pantechnicon used for shop fittings.
Inside the cab was a different story though. No centre to the steering wheel, seats all split and saggy, radio knobs missing (I had a pair of pliers to turn it up and down) but there wasn’t much point as it was medium wave/long wave and the speaker was knackered.
The gear lever gaiter was split, which let the smoke from the leaking rocker box gasket up into the cab,but I wouldn’t have choked as there were no door seals…
It’s a tidy looking lorry,looking at the picture,couldn’t you get them to tidy it up inside,or are you winding us up Bender .
Cneers Dave.
gunnerheskey:
1st truck i had to call my own with all my own stuff in was an FL6 - F182 MBC 16 tonner drop down bed, no night heater, for Claude Goodburn pet products of melton mowbray.
4 nights out every week doing the north of uk and scotch.
1st artic i had to call my own was about a year later, Leyland roadtrain C66 SBC, 320 14ltr ■■■■■■■ for AML Transport of Leicester, that had no night heater either. That was general haulage.
And here they both are…
And this was me on police, camera, action. But i wasn’t involved, Honest !
Bender:
I took my HGV lessons in a Leyland Boxer artic, and then a tiny Ford D series artic.
When I passed my test I got a job with my old mate Len Valsler, and this was what I drove.
It looked the business. It was a head turner, and I used to get comments on how tidy it was.
It was ex Showrax, and the unusual body (it had a tailboard and a flat panel where the back lights were) as it was a cut down pantechnicon used for shop fittings.
It’s a tidy looking lorry,looking at the picture,couldn’t you get them to tidy it up inside,or are you winding us up Bender .
Cneers Dave.
Bender:
I took my HGV lessons in a Leyland Boxer artic, and then a tiny Ford D series artic.
When I passed my test I got a job with my old mate Len Valsler, and this was what I drove.
It looked the business. It was a head turner, and I used to get comments on how tidy it was. I also had an elderly lady try to flag it down at a bus stop!
It was ex Showrax, and the unusual body (it had a tailboard and a flat panel where the back lights were) as it was a cut down pantechnicon used for shop fittings.
Inside the cab was a different story though. No centre to the steering wheel, seats all split and saggy, radio knobs missing (I had a pair of pliers to turn it up and down) but there wasn’t much point as it was medium wave/long wave and the speaker was knackered.
The gear lever gaiter was split, which let the smoke from the leaking rocker box gasket up into the cab,but I wouldn’t have choked as there were no door seals…
It’s a tidy looking lorry,looking at the picture,couldn’t you get them to tidy it up inside,or are you winding us up Bender .
Cneers Dave.
Nope, it was exactly as I described it. If it had been as nice inside I might have stayed there a bit longer. I know that a rookie doesn’t deserve a decent motor, but there are limits…
When I left LV I signed up to an agency and the next week I was driving new Daf and Merc artics. I didn’t break them either.
They always say “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” that appears to be the case with that Ford.
Cheers Dave.
A four wheeler with a fold-flat body and a top speed of 50 mph!! VFH 404G…how sad is that? 
