Innholdsfortegnelse for Volume 10 i Vintage Roadscene Archive

Edited by Mike Forbes, using the archives Jack Raine and the photographic collection of Peter Seaword. Design and Layout; Rob Terry. Published by Kelsey Publishing Group, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL. Telephone 01959 541444. Fax 01959 541400. www.kelsey.co.uk Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, NP12 2YA. © 2020 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with prior permission in writing from the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher. ISBN 977-2632479004-09 This issue of Vintage Roadscene Archive has come about as a result of Jack Raine of Chester’s interest in the history of Harold Wood & Sons Ltd. Jack…

The increase in maximum permissible weights for artics, with the changes in Construction & Use Regulations in the early 1960s, would seal the fate of the eight-wheeler as the choice for heavy vehicles, although considerations of access to some premises would keep the type in the fleet for a few more years. The AEC Mandator Mk V would join the Harold Wood fleet alongside its eight-wheeled sisters during the early 1960s, until its replacement in the AEC range by the Ergomatic-cabbed types, and a change to dual-sourcing for this operator. In October 1965, the C & U changes transformed the transport industry, allowing a new gross weight of 32 tons, with a third trailer axle and new axle spacing and length criteria. The previous 24 tons limit had applied to…

During the 1960s, Bedford and then Seddon four-wheelers joined the fleet, with three Scammells for a particular job. By the 1970s, there were a few more Leylands than the single Beaver artic unit from 1960, plus a number of Scanias and MANs. By the time the Continental invasion was under way in earnest, Harold Wood was part of Tankfreight and beyond the scope of this publication. So let’s have a look at a few of the ‘odd-men-out’ in the fleet over the years.…

Tilbury was a vital port for mainland Europe for Harold Wood, because the freight-only ferries ran from there – most of the chemical cargo could not be carried on passenger vessels and most ferries carried both freight and passengers. The company used other ports as well and although North Sea Ferries Hull to Rotterdam daily overnight service was for passengers and freight overnight service when it started, extensive use was made of this for non hazardous cargoes. There was also a lot of traffic to and from Ireland. Part of Peter Seaword’s job on the continental desk and part of the service was selling marine insurance, on behalf of insurance broker Arthur R Jones of Leeds. He issued certificates for this, otherwise the client would have to provide his own…

Harold Wood & Sons was considered to be the largest tanker operator in Europe and the third largest in the world, according to the Managing Director, Barry Wild, in the late 1960s. By then, the company had around 600 vehicles in its fleet, although this was not obvious to the casual observer, as many were operated on contract in customers’ liveries. Harold Wood started with an apprenticeship with machine tools, had a munitions badge rather than serving in the forces in World War I, then worked as a fitter. He was reported, in the AEC Gazette in 1964, to have said in 1920: “Go into road haulage? Not me. When I started, I had nowt, and it was much against my will that I went into the road haulage business.”…

The company looked at a number of different vehicles and Peter Seaword remembers everyone was impressed when B & W Commercials from the Midlands offered a new Scania Vabis LB76 – it was LGK 4D in factory primer – it was so different to anything seen before; a comfortable, adjustable drivers seat, a centre section where notes and log sheets could be completed and kept and even a cup holder! However, Barry Wild gave strict instructions that they could all look at it, but it was not to be used or driven, as Harold Wood would not be buying any foreign lorries! How things changed……

In the early days, this might have been in part a way of identifying the various hazardous loads being carried. Some of the cargoes mentioned would not be allowed to be transported by road these days, especially in bulk, certainly without all sorts of special safety precautions. Later, there would be an element of marketing, notably with the petrol and fuel oil suppliers wanting garages and customers supplied by tankers in their own liveries. ICI was perhaps the biggest customer although, surprisingly, only a few Harold Wood tankers ran in its colours, not to be confused with ICI’s own vehicles. Some of the other chemical and fuel companies for which Harold Wood worked also had their own fleets or used other contractors as well, making it even more difficult to…

The 1960s saw additional vehicles added to the Harold Wood fleet. During the first half of the decade, these included many eight-wheelers, while there was no advantage in maximum weight for artics. The company added a large number of AEC Mammoth Major Mk V eight-wheelers to work at 24 tons gross, fitted with a range of different tanks for the work they would do. Most of these were fitted with coachbuilt cabs by Spen Coachbuilders. These resembled the usual Park Royal offering, but there were detail differences, like the wider central windscreen pillar. Harold Wood vehicles were often used in AEC’s advertising, as we shall see.…

Of the first ten ERFs delivered between December 1965 and September 1966, all Cumminspowered, LV-cabbed 4x2 tractor units, nine were in Harold Wood’s light blue livery, with the tenth in Total Oils contract colours. During 1967, another 25 similar units were delivered, now in the later Harold Wood brown and ochre livery, apart from one in Clayton Aniline colours. ERF promised to supply the units, along with back-up plus impressed stock, and the vehicle just seemed much more robust than the AECs. They were marginally heavier, despite the SMC cab, and the Cummins engines were a concern as they were new to Harold Wood. Initially, they were also not brilliant on fuel, but the cost of diesel was not then as big an issue as it is today. Peter Seaword…

Surprisingly, the company also ran a couple of rather special skip loaders on contract to a metal company. We’ve also separated the vehicles which were photographed in the garage for maintenance and accident victims. It seems when vehicles were disused, they often remained for a time at the Heckmondwike depot, often after their tanks had been removed for transfer to another chassis. The company tried to ensure that its vehicles were sold without the tanks, so they could not be used by competitors, although a few slipped through the net. We’ve gathered pictures of these assorted vehicles here, along with a couple of lorries with cabs by Spen Coachbuilders produced for other operators.…