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Co-operative Transport Department

Chris B

Chris B

master brummie
I have heard that the Co-Op transport department is due to close at the end of July 2010. In Great Brook alongside the present Funeral Home stands some of the original garages which house the funeral depts hearses and limousines. Etched in stone over the entrances the legend "BIRMINGHAM CO-OPERATIVE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT" still stands as a reminder of its former glorious days. Further down the road in Windsor Street stands the newer building where the fitting shop and body shop and the admin offices were housed, I can remember the days when there were 30 + men employed in the fitting shop both sides of the building was a hive of activity, there were men working in the pits on the one side and on hydraulic lifts on the other, it was the days when the Co-op had its own fleet of management cars, a fleet of dairy delivery vehicles, a further fleet of bakery vehicles, a fleet of wines and spirits and laundry vehicles plus the vans delivering food to the local shops, the vans delivering large items purchased by customers at its various non food outlets, and coaches for holidays etc. All this was kept rolling by the lads employed at what later became known as the "TRANSPORT DEPT". Since those days progressively the company owned vehicles dwindled and most of them became lease lend, plus with the decline in the number of stores, and the selling off of the milk business and closure of the bakery and laundry and wines and spirits it appears that the "Transport Dept" is no longer required.
 
Chris B said:
I have heard that the Co-Op transport department is due to close at the end of July 2010. In Great Brook alongside the present Funeral Home stands some of the original garages which house the funeral depts hearses and limousines. Etched in stone over the entrances the legend "BIRMINGHAM CO-OPERATIVE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT" still stands as a reminder of its former glorious days. Further down the road in Windsor Street stands the newer building where the fitting shop and body shop and the admin offices were housed, I can remember the days when there were 30 + men employed in the fitting shop both sides of the building was a hive of activity, there were men working in the pits on the one side and on hydraulic lifts on the other, it was the days when the Co-op had its own fleet of management cars, a fleet of dairy delivery vehicles, a further fleet of bakery vehicles, a fleet of wines and spirits and laundry vehicles plus the vans delivering food to the local shops, the vans delivering large items purchased by customers at its various non food outlets. All this was kept rolling by the lads employed at what later became known as the "TRANSPORT DEPT". Since these days progressively the company vehicles dwindled and most of them became lease lend, plus with the decline in the number of stores, and the selling off of the milk business and closure of the bakery and laundry and wines and spirits it appears that the "Transport Dept" is no longer required.
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Oh thats such a shame. I can remember going on a Co-op coach from their transport dept. in Vauxhall to Westward Ho! Holiday camp when young. The Co-op owned the holiday camp. they also owned hotels in those days. I dont suppose they do now.
WendyP
 
One or two photos of the Co-Operative Workshops Great Brook Street taken over the years.

Phil

NechellsGreatBrookStCoopWorkshops.jpg
NechellsGreatBrookStCoopWorkshops1928.jpg


NechellsGreatBrookStCoopWorkshop.jpg
NechellsGreatBrookStCoopWorkshop2.jpg


NechellsAshtedRowCo-opWorkshop1956.jpg
 
My Uncle Joe worked there and I believe that he painted the vehicles. Would anyone have known him?
regards
Amanda
 
Chris B, Did you ever work at the Co-op Transport Dept? I started work there back in 1959 after leaving school at the age of 15. I started work in the Gt Brook Street workshop in the Electricians Shop. There was a second garage in Forster Street which housed a large number of all sorts of vehicles. I went to a reunion last year attended by a lot of former colleagues. I think the building has probably now closed. I left there in 1976 after completing 17 years. Did you know anyone who worked there? When I started there Len Weston was the Foreman, Joe Green was Chargehand and the Manager's name was Horace Wooley (not sure of the correct spelling).
 
Hi Mayne -knott,
sorry I did not actually work at the Transport Dept, but because of my job at The Central premises, and latterly at Halesowen Warehouse, I had a lot to do with the lads in the Transport Dept, Len Weston became Transport Manager when Horace Wooley retired, I used to know Barry Lake, Colin Olerenshaw, Brian Makepiece, George Wheeler, Graham Garbutt, very well, and a fair few others but the names escape me now it was some years ago as I was made redundant 9 years ago and I broke my service from 1979 to 1992 and then I went back to the Co-Op from 1992 until 2002, I worked at Central Premises from 1967 till 1979.
All the best Chris Bryan
 
That butchery van looks as if it might be a mobile shop, as the sides can open up at the top and/or bottom
 
It has some strange flaps at the bottom too.

Anyone any ideas of livery colours ? Not sure I know what Co-op colours would have been. Viv.
 
I had the idea that the lower flaps might have had glass behind them to display the meat
 
I don't think it is a mobile shop Mike. I think that this is a meat delivery vehicle. Usually meat is delivered to shop in large pieces and the smaller cuts are much larger than the average customer would buy.
1699640780594.png
 
I was not suggesting the shop would sell whole carcasses. Some years ago a mobile butcher came to the market in Reading on a saturday with a van that opened at the side like this.
 
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