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My mate Bill Redhead taken approximately 35 years ago, hauling swinging beef, notice the sleeper cab extention on the Mandator. I met Bill about 40 years ago when I gave him a lift when he was trade plating , we have remained friends to this day.  Bill is still trucking as this picture taken recently shows, and still hauling swinging beef, only the Lorries have changed. Three of the children in the picture are mine, Andrew the little blond lad on the right is 43 this year, on the left of him is Joanne now 38 and beside her is Gareth my youngest son who was 41 last March. (Tempis Fugis) The other young fellow is Jamie Lindley

Bill's Mate George in his Volvo F88

I don't know if this was one of Norman's lorries but the picture was given to me along with other documents of  Norman's Business.

A very special guest and good friend of mine Brian Gale, these are a couple of Brian's Trucks. Brian has been very ill during the past three or four years and I admire his will and fortitude in overcoming them. When I visit him there is no mention of the pain and suffering he has been through only a steadfast courage that is a great credit to him.

 Sadly Brian Gale passed away on Sunday 10th of November 2002 and I lost a great friend. Brian lived and died a low loader man one of the best I have known, he would move anything anywhere, no fuss no arguements just where and when do you want it moving, look out wide load coming through.

Brian Gale

Brian sat in his left hooker Mack Low Loader. Brian drove for many years for Ruttle Plant and one of their low loaders preceded Brian's Funeral cortege driven by long time friend Mick Brady.

Sent in by Kenneth Wright picture of Sed Atki      My old mate Bill  Weatherstone sent me this photo of the Leyland Hippo he drove

Ltd Edition Silver Knight No 2 of 11  this one's     for BOC (Canada) many years ago. Bill managed to track it down, next step Bill is

Fleet name was Silver Fox(My Wife's nickname)  to buy it and restore it, keep you out of mischief for a while. Follow the link to Bill's

It has a 410 Cummins engine with Eaton Twin      web site on my home page, it is one of the best around.

splitter gearbox

Did'nt know where to put this one, I spotted it whilst travelling on the M6 Northbound by junction 10. It is obviously

used as an off road office / laboratory  The tracks must come  down on hydraulics for off road and retract for blacktop work.

This one is a picture of my mate Steve driving Mike Wilkinson's Scania 580 with Nooteboom stepframe trailer moving

the Life Boat Station near fleetwood. Look on the Thornycroft lorries page to see a trip I made with Steve to collect

a 1903 Thornycroft Steam lorry from Holland  (picture sent in by Libby Mayor)

David Hecker is an Australian truck Driver with 18 years experience under his belt, thanks for the picture David.

Place your cursor over the picture to go to David's great website

My love all of British Commercial vehicles dates back to the late forties and early fifties when my father had a

Garage, Dad's main customers were farmers and most of the repairs in the garage were to agricultural tractors,

but he would also repair the farmers lorries. In those days most farmers had an old lorry to carry produce to

the markets. I well remember a sign on the rear of an old lorry in Dad's garage with the legend DANGER THIS

LORRY IS FITTED WITH A 4 WHEEL BRAKING SYSTEM (much the same as modern lorries with DANGER AIR

BRAKES) On the subject of air brakes I remember pulling off the slip road at Bamber Bridge when driving an

old Atkinson for John Ditchfield of Preston. I stopped at the top of the ramp rather sharply to let vehicles on the

roundabout with right of  way through, I felt a slight jolt on the trailer and thought the jaws on the 5th wheel was

loose, setting off looking through the mirror I saw the front bumber fall off a brand new series 7 all singing and

dancing BMW. I went half round the round about and pulled up on the bridge over the M6, stopped and got out

as the BMW looking very sorry at the front end pulled up behind me. The driver got out and said you pulled up

too quick for me, "Yes I replied it's these air brakes, they are rather keen but if the vehicle behind keeps within

it's stopping distance every thing is ok"  After exchanging details, although the rear under run bumper of the

trailer had hardly a scratch, it transpired the driver was delivering the brand new BMW to a client in Bamber Bridge

and was meeting him in the car park of the Novotel approximately 100 yards from where he pranged it, I often

wonder what transpired when he pulled up in the Hotel car park with the very poorly looking BMW.

As  a young chap from the age of 10 I rode all over the country delivering Hay and Straw with the guy who taught

me everything about lorries, loading, roping and sheeting. It was a wonderful and exciting time and Tom Brears

was a great Knight of the Road, Tom died last year but the business he founded is carried on by his sons and

now his grandson. You can see there distinctive Red Scania wagon and drags loaded with staw crossing the

M62 west bound most days, I took this picture of one of their lorries loaded in their yard a few weeks ago.

This picture was also taken in Tom's yard, it is of an old 4 wheel Leyland Marathon that was once used in the business carting hay

and straw. I called by last week and spoke to Tom's son John, he told me it is one of the very few 4 wheel Leyland Marathon lorries

manufactured in that configuration. I have urged him to get on with restoring it to it's former glory

Carol Wilson  sent me these pictures of her brother-in-law's lorry, a Mack F700 registration number PUS 364P

Before restoration                                                                           And after restoration

Trailer mate and best mate my Grandson Connor Joseph Sleight

This picture is of two vehicles belonging to B & D Clitheroe of Iron Bridge Farm, Out Rawcliffe, Lancashire.

Brian Clitheroe and his two sons  Duncan and Des have been a great help to me in keeping my vehicles on the road

and I would like to take this chance to thank them and their staff for all the help they have given me.

David Partington's fine restoration of an AEC Marshall, he is currently working on an Atkinson Borderer, more pictures later