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Transport Companies in Birmingham.

Hello John I also worked on a Thames trader in the sixties. I drove a tipper for W.J.Law Demolition in Acocks Green.
 
I came to Sydney, Australia in 1965.The photos posted by Alf brought back many memories ,mostly long forgotten, of when I worked as a Driver's Mate at H.B.Evertons, out of Droitwich.
We used to hand load sugar in Kidderminster for delivery to Co-op stores all over Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Sometimes we drew the short straw and loaded salt out of Stoke Works. I remember the salt was in larger bags and hot as hell! I also remember loading sacks of raw chocolate called "crumb", for delivery to Cadburys.
The wagons I remember included ERFs ( Eric Richard Foden?) Albions(of various vintage including Retrievers), Leyland eight wheelers and a very old Guy with crash gearbox.
What great characters I worked alongside! Unfortunately time has totally misted this period of my life other than remembering a good friend called Regent.
Alf many thanks for prompting me to remember back to this most happy time of my life! :)
 
Rubery lad, Great memories eh. I remember I used to load Sacks of flour/sugar, I cant remember now but I think it was flour. They came down a chute and the driver had to stand in the way and stop them with his body. It was like stopping a big hairy a***d rugby player every time.
 
Stitcher, Remember the salt bags 30 - 40lbs down the shute, one every 10 seconds!! Ready or Not!!
I went on to play rugby in Sydney. What a great training regime the salt bags were!:D
 
Bernie, Lucas dropped the own transport on the idea that it would be cheaper to put it out to contract hauliers one of these was Wincanton?, whether it was cheaper i don`t know, of course the idea closed the Formans Rd garage and cost the jobs of the Drivers, Mechanics etc, Lucas Memories website is still looking for photos of ex-Lucas Drivers and their lorries they seem to have disappeared along with their jobs.

Wincanton only suppied the lorries, The lot went to Swifts and my brother lost he's job. He was last out of Foremans Road and BSA !!.
 
I came to Sydney, Australia in 1965.The photos posted by Alf brought back many memories ,mostly long forgotten, of when I worked as a Driver's Mate at H.B.Evertons, out of Droitwich.
We used to hand load sugar in Kidderminster for delivery to Co-op stores all over Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Sometimes we drew the short straw and loaded salt out of Stoke Works. I remember the salt was in larger bags and hot as hell! I also remember loading sacks of raw chocolate called "crumb", for delivery to Cadburys.
The wagons I remember included ERFs ( Eric Richard Foden?) Albions(of various vintage including Retrievers), Leyland eight wheelers and a very old Guy with crash gearbox.
What great characters I worked alongside! Unfortunately time has totally misted this period of my life other than remembering a good friend called Regent.
Alf many thanks for prompting me to remember back to this most happy time of my life! :)
Used to repair ERF's in the early sixties (Edwin Richard Foden) Remember what a right sod the David Brown crash boxes were to drive, had to count to twelve between gearchange and double de-clutching. Also remember when Guy went bust (about 1963?) we had two in for repair but were unable to obtain spare parts, left parked up for months.
 
Hi Alf,
I'm new member, first post today !
I'm researching into Notwen Oils, have you got any info about the company , or can you direct me to the right place to discover more please.
cheers
Roy
 
Remember what a right sod the David Brown crash boxes were to drive, had to count to twelve between gearchange and double de-clutching.

Midland Red's 'home made' buses after the war used David Brown gearboxes (for the "stick-box" ones) but to their own design, based on the German ZF 'Aphon' box they had used pre-war. Once you got used to how slow the changes were, it was a lovely easy box to use.
 
Hi Sticher, the first lorry that I drove was a Thames trader for R F Willis, in the old Birmingham fruit market in the late sixteys, the reg was 807 HOX.

hi john the first lorry i drove was for baragwanath in the late sixties, loading potatoes from moor street (never had a licence in those days)
 
Midland Red's 'home made' buses after the war used David Brown gearboxes (for the "stick-box" ones) but to their own design, based on the German ZF 'Aphon' box they had used pre-war. Once you got used to how slow the changes were, it was a lovely easy box to use.

Drove a Tiger Cub in the sixties, ex Gliderways, when i worked for Stockland coaches, this had a crash box. When i first took it out on road test i was unable to change out of 1st gear so drove all round Stockland Green in 1st. The foreman, when i used to work for Ryland garage, used to start off in 1st, jump out of the Atkinson cab, and get back in at the top of the exit ramp from the workshop just to show how low the David Brown gearbox ratio was. Suppose the worm geared diffs and Gardner 6LW engines also helped.
 
I believe the Gliderways Leylands had Albion gearboxes, which were a VERY slow change. (Out,2,3,4,5,6,7 - in!) Heavy vehicle drivers will understand that!!
 
Your dead right there Lloyd but as clumsy as they were, when you got good at it you could do it without using the clutch most times.
 
Hi Alf,
I wonder if you have any other memories of Notwen Oils. I am researching the company for an article I am writing, and would be very grateful if you had any other memories. Did you know about the big fire they had in the 60's ? or anything about mr Newton himself ?
any help really appreciated.
thanks Roy
 
Would Autocar and Transporters count as a Birmingham firm but if not the tractive unit was Austin!
https://www.redbubble.com/people/artistjeffries/art/4928237-2-austin-carrimore-transporter

Yes they would, A & T had a huge 'parking lot' on part of the site of Wythall RAF station, where they would store huge numbers of Longbridge's output until dealers were ready for them. Some modification and rectification work was carried out in the huge barrage balloon hangers that used to stand there.
That part of the former RAF base is now a huge offices complex (originally Britannic Assurance), whilst the remainder had already become a residential retirement chalet site, a caravan club site and the Wythall Transport Museum
 
Thanks Lloyd, very informative indeed. I tried to get on the transporters, so joined the TGWU and went to see Alan Law at the offices in Canal Street or Water street or something like that off Broad Street. He offered me a job in the union but I turned it down, I do sometimes wonder where I might be today if I'd accepted!
 
Hi Alf,
I wonder if you have any other memories of Notwen Oils. I am researching the company for an article I am writing, and would be very grateful if you had any other memories. Did you know about the big fire they had in the 60's ? or anything about mr Newton himself ?
any help really appreciated.
thanks Roy
Roy somewhere on the forum there,s a thread (about 12 months old) on Notwen Oils (main office in Holt St )later to become Newton Oils.Dek
 
Roy somewhere on the forum there,s a thread (about 12 months old) on Notwen Oils (main office in Holt St )later to become Newton Oils.Dek

Dek this is the only one I can find on the Forum and its the only one I ever wrote to.:)
 
The Company (Newton Oils) have a long history in Holt St, going back to 1892 as
15 Holt St Newton Ernest & Co manufacturing Chemicals


Hi Alf,
I wonder if you have any other memories of Notwen Oils. I am researching the company for an article I am writing, and would be very grateful if you had any other memories. Did you know about the big fire they had in the 60's ? or anything about mr Newton himself ?
any help really appreciated.
thanks Roy
 
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