Sue Jay takes a lift with Peter Kearney a lorry driver with Dowty Mining Ashchurch Tewkesbury 1974 This is a link to the schools version of this video • Video
Brings back good memories of going to work with my dad in his Scania 111, I used to go all over Europe with him in the school holidays, it was always an adventure , he went onto Middle East work, Turkey, Syria, Iran Iraq and Saudi Arabia, on these trips he was gone for six weeks at a time, he was a real grafter, RIP Dad 💚
I was always with my dad too all over ! Dad showed me how to do all the jobs around the lorry and how to drive it when i was 10! ERF'S and Atkinsons in the early 70's then Scanias and Volvo's in the late 70's .Dad said there was no future in lorry driving and i know he was right, what with all the traffic and red tape involved now days .
my dad let me in his cab too when I was very young - he drove a truck at cement works i think (cant remember the brand of the truck maybe a seddon atkinson - i dont think health and safety would allow it now! :) @@saddad697
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALL TRUCK DRIVERS DURING COVID-19 YOU ARE AS IMPORTANT AS THE NHS IS MY EYES ( NO DRUGS NO TREATMENT) AND YOU ALL KEPT THE COUNTRY MOVING DESPITE ALL THE EXTRA TROUBLES YOU HAD. THANK YOU !
My late father was an atrtic driver for over 40 years from the early 60’s to 2002. I used to go with him on Saturdays in the late 80’s-early 90’s. It’s mad to see how the trucks advanced in the 10-15 years after this. It’s also a window into the world in which he worked for all those years. Thanks for uploading, RIP Pete and all those old school truckers.
I’m 65 now. I remember going on trips with my dad in the early ‘70’s when he used to do out and back runs from London in his lorry. When I was tired I used to curl up on a rug in the passenger footwell….this has brought lots of memories flooding back. Thanks.
When men were men and sheep were nervous. We used to call the log book the swindle sheet. A different world, fantastic times and great camaraderie. Shit job now.
@Wink Dinkerson Gone are the days of accidentally "folding" your tacho when you put it in, so no driving or stops recorded, Then filling out a blank with "Start duty" and "end duty" scribbled in ballpoint pen :) and some "adjusted" mileage. Same also goes for running a wire I guess. Scanias were the easiest to do, wire crocodile clipped to a false switch on the dash, or in the case of an FL10, black one from the rear of the tacho head to an earth on the steering column. Never did it myself though Guvnor, oh no..honest truth.... :)
As a driver of 73 vintage this brings back loads of memories, and mostly good ones. Drivers were given a wagon worth thousands and a load worth thousands more, and unsupervised were expected to get it delivered in a timely fashion, find a return load, deliver that, and occasionally phone the yard, for any instructions, from a phone box if you could find an unvandalised one! Flatbed work is rarely seen now, drivers just draw the curtains or shut the doors. Rope and sheet or chain were the order of the day on general haulage, and it could be anything hauled. Hay or straw, agri fertiliser, steel, tinplate, copper ingots (don’t stop for anything), rice pudding, tractors, palletised food or soft drinks, fresh fruit or veg, sacks of spuds on the flat, pipes, concrete sections, bricks or blocks, Catchweight sacks (up to 2cwt [100kg] self loaded on the flat, boxes of shoes, iced fresh fish in boxes…… oh my head hurts just thinking of the variety of loads, but we were independent minded, got on with it, and sorted out minor mechanical issues and changed flat or blown out tyres by the roadside on our own - no phoning for tyre services to do it for us. It was a great life, hard but rewarding personally and in the bank account. Stood me in good stead for the rest of my life - independent and focused. Great people lorry drivers every one😊
Glad I found this . As a truck driver I find it interesting to look back at them years and see how different it was . Less traffic and restrictions and better drivers facilities ie transport cafes and digs . Although the trucks are much more comfortable and driver friendly. I really appreciate people like Pete and my grandad who drove back then . Real men
Thanks for this, I spent half of all of my school holidays in my Dad's Scania. Breakfasts were brilliant! He had an ERF before and you couldn't speak to each other, there was no muffling of the central motor so the thing was either freezing or like a sauna. He worked hard and this brings it all back
Very true! I worked for Jack Richards early 90's when 90% of the fleet were dire ERF's. We had one Volvo F7 and three F10's, I had one of them. Superb truck and was my pride and joy. It didn't go down well that I was the youngest driver there..😄
@BS15RED Scania and Volvo had much higher power options than DAF. Scania had the 13litre 6cyl with circa 360hp plus the 14litre V8 with 420hp+. Volvos F12 produced either 360 or 400hp and the F16 470hp. DAFs 11.6 litre although uprated over the years was always a bit weasy. Later Scania & Volvo had much higher power ratings, DAF still lags behind in the hp stakes.
Your not gonna believe me but that’s my grandad Pete and the girl that wiped of his kiss is my aunt my grandad died 4 or 5 years ago of cancer and the person that’s posting this is my aunt
No reason to disbelieve you. Interesting personal insight into the post. It must be really nice to have a record like this of a relative, sorry to hear the gent has passed.
I was 20 when this was filmed got my HGV class1 a year later & drove for Harris Haulage in grays essex also driving a day cab Scania 110 (it was a K reg) & it had a drop down board in between the seats & for a bed no night heater in them days you young drivers don't know your born what wiv your space cabs microwaves GPS.. All we had was a little camping stove with those blue canisters a colins road atlas but we was happy out there on the open road it was romantic in them days. We use to park up at places like old trafford lorry park the red lion at northampton get on the piss till 2am end up wiv an old brass & pay for a taxi back to some dodgy council estate & still have change out of 5 pounds those were the good old days....Not like the drivers today just sitting in there cabs playing wiv there mobile phones updating there Facebook pages.....though 1 thing has never changed "Truck drivers loved to moan"...
I started off my driving career in the early eighties in a scania 110.i drove for 33 years. it was a good job.why.no gps. no one could see exactly where you were. times where slower. i never miss it. i could not care if i never got in another lorry again.but i loved that job (most of the time) drove some stunning trucks but the docks where shite house,
Remember the Harris Haulage trucks. Seeing them on the roads around Thurrock when used to go to work with my dad who drove a tanker out of Purfleet. Local cafe there was the Noake?
Went with my Dad as a kid , and i have now been Class 1 driver for 23 years myself . Hey mate i do know I'm born thank god the Trucks today are Super Cabs with all mod cons and gadgets , but hell of a lot more regulations today ( including the CPC ) , more traffic everywhere . But the job today is just as bad or good as it`s always been depending on what your load is and where your tipping / loading . One thing for certain , i wouldn't give it up for owt , love Trucking .
Im 39 and drove since 19 years old on artics ,, i can rope and sheet and do a dolly knots ,,, think im the last of those trained to do that ,,, now you cant find drivers that can driver manual gear boxes ,, its nothing against them just the times we live in ,,,, love watching this film reminds me of my late grandad and father god bless them ❤❤
The time that this film was shot seems like a long lost age and not very recent history. The British transport cafe really was such a vital component of the convayance of goods and sevices essential to the country on so may levels. Sadly, they have all been replaced by corporate chains that offer very little value for money. My late former father in law (my first wife's dad) was a lorry driver, a job he loved but had to give up due developing epilepsy. He loved his job and never really got over having to leave that career and vocation behind him. He was never the same after that and seemed to struggle financially and persoanly and became financially enslaved in a factory job that he did not enjoy and was not profcient at. I recently discovered he died about 12 years ago. I think of him now as I watch this and, indeed, all those men. (and women) who provided a vital service to the country. In memoary of Keith Bowskill, Wroot, Lincs. Thanks for eveything, Keith!
Sue Jay looked very nice sitting in the cab of that 1973-4 Scania. Worn the same suede boots as we're worn by Andrea Lowe (DS Annie Cabot, sidekick to Stephen Tompkinson as DCI Alan Banks in the TV series) when she was picked up by driver John Murphy some time ago.
One of the drivers talks about driving restrictions in the 70's. But in 87' they brought out the tachodisc and that really was a restriction. The job has now turned into a big brother ocd, camera in the cab, low pay, maximum regulation, pile of garbage. If these drivers only knew what the future would hold for the profession.
No hi viz spy in the cab. Cameras. Mobiles. Only knights of the road. I salute you, that cameraman sure knew how to get the angles on the dancers. Newport truckstop close to town centre stopped there few times scania 111 sleeper cab.
I used to go to scotland with my dad and uncle when i was about 11/12 if i remember my dad drove a foden my uncle drove a guy engine cover used to in the cab I'd fall asleep on it specially in the winter rope and sheeting in them days 58 yeats ago sheets used to be rock solid trying to roll them up on top of load taught me how to do double dollies great times and seeing this clip brought back so many memories 10 bob for a full english on the east lancs going over the shap great experience for kid really enjoyed watching thanks
Think that goes for life in general, my dad often said in the 80s when i was growing up, "robots will be doing everything when you're older", he wasn't far off the mark, you get the feeling it will only get worse over the next 20 years
LOL Being a lorry driver is a piece of piss now. They earn what, at least 50k? To sit on their arse, in an air conditioned cab, pussboi power steering, most are automatics but even the manuals are easy, satnav so no skill required there either, tv/internet/smartphone for entertainment. These balding obese snowflake lorry drivers have never had it so good.
@4:12. Back in the days when bread was cut properly, right across the middle. None of this triangular corner to corner shite we have these days. Which makes it impossible to make a decent sandwich.
Used to drive delivering Aluminium to coach building firms all over the country in the 80's Stopping at Super Ladies (June) was her name and Alan her husbands mobile cafe on the A1 near Tuxford, and sometimes at Whitwood truck stop near castleford on the M62,used to meet fellow truck drivers and have a good laugh, Happy days, retiring soon, times have changed so much now, glad i'm not truck driving anymore.
I gave up driving when in cab computers were installed to manage loads and directly bill customers. (fuel) so stressful as always needing rebooting or the wrong work list downloaded, etc, etc,bollocks to it now. It's fucked. No joy left.
Thanks for sharing this history. Bout gonna lie, that food seems..... Well I'll reserve my comments at that. Three eggs floating in oil just got to me though🤯
i travelled with my uncle in his ERF gardner 240 artic tipper joe turner haulier macclesfield , when i was in my teens , loved it the smell of the diesel fumes shouting in the cab to each other because it was so noisy , double de clutching the gears , wrentching on the steering wheel , only luxury was a mono radio , these drivers now have it cushy , its like driving a luxury car oh this was 1973
I can remember 1971 a three course lunchtime special at a really nice Chinese restaurant was 38p and a half of larger was 9p. A bus ride into town was 4.5p. U could do a good shop for £5 and rent a two bed furnished flat for £6 per week. All relative to your earnings back in the day. I've some happy memories of the 70's. 👍
Back in the day ...all those rule and regulations she says 😂 the log book AKA cheat sheet ...2 tacho disks😌 .... jobs changed massively And not for the better
I have seen the road trains in Australia, they are long, 3-4-5 trailers Their cabs are better than some homes, tv, microwave, comfy bed, curtains, A/C Home from home 😊
This comes from a time when Great Britain used to export to China ... Oh how its all changed now its the other way round ... how things have changed since this documentary was made ... the trucks are now so much more comfortable and safer ... its not an easy life at all but I get there views on the life style ... good documentary.
The first truck stop looks like the old M5 Rashwood (Droitwich). Long gone - just like the Dowty works at Ashchurch. The second truck stop looks similar to the M50 junction 1 (A38) but it's not that far from the first. The filming looks out of sequence - going down the old 2 lane stretch of the M5 (Worcester) and then back up to the elevated sections around Birmingham.
Dowty is still operating In Tewkesbury (ashchurch) for a long time those roof supports were made in Worcester at joy mining machinery, formerly dowty mecco. The factory has just closed (2023) they were still shipping the roof supports all over the world until around 2021 but since then only making spare parts. The production was predictably moved to China but it took a lot longer than expected. I came to read the comments because I felt the timing and sequence wasn’t right. They said he started on the M5 but it surely wouldn’t have taken that long to get from West Bromwich to Newport? Maybe he drove from ashchurch to Wigan (another dowty factory) then back to Newport? And what about the M50 or wasn’t that built then? Did he go to Bristol cross the Severn bridge?
Well done you keep it up you are doing a great job and having fun making some brilliant videos superstar Ali Walsall west midlands england junction 10 m6 Walsall churckery
@ Rick Smith: That 110 Scania, if it was a splitter gearbox, was not a double declutch gearbox. Double declutching on a splitter gearbox results in a box full of neutral! That means draining all the air tanks and starting again from zero air pressure! The splitter gearbox is a straight clutching gearbox, single punch of the clutch. When driving, you had to listen for the two hisses of air before you let the clutch back out. That way, you knew that you had the splitter engage. *Edit of the word clutch in place of gearbox.
@@johnmayberry7669: Check your facts BEFORE you try to call someone out. The 110 Scanias are 1976 and before. Some of the 110 Scanias had the splitter gearbox, others had the low / high range gearbox. I know about this as I owned a LB80H Scania with a splitter gearbox. The exhaust on this truck come out in front of the front axle, under the lowest step, due to being an old fuel tanker. If you only passed your test in 1993, there is a good chance that you have not driven a truck with this type of gearbox.
Nice to see sue Jay again ? Was it 1980s? By gum she was young there. Have you seen bob warman, these days?? Wow time dont hang around does it . Great stuff.
It was 1974 according to the reg number of the lorry. The series, Jaywalking, was first produced by ATV in 1973, was edited by the late John Swallow who along with a young Chris Tarrant were well remembered by Midlands audiences for their quirky & comical items on ATV Today in the 1970s.
most truckers hated it when they were forced to have the spy in the cab fitted. It told them when to stop for a break when to stop for the day and told the inspectors if u went over the speed limit. It was called a tachograph. just a piece of card disk that was put into the dash to record everything while u were driving. they probably use computors to record everything now. My brother was a trucker. he had to stop for a 15 min break after 2 hrs driving. then 1 hr after 4 hrs driving then another 15 mins after 6 hrs then an 8 hr break after 8 hrs driving. if he didnt he got fined. no more than 48 hrs driving over a 7 day period. I was his navigator on some trips cause he couldnt read a map. no sat navs back then so u had to read a map or u got lost lol. I had the same prob when i was a taxi driver. the meter kept track of how fast u r going and during the anual inspection they saw if u went too fast. another prob with driving for a living is the police like to extort money out of u. Had that happen once to me. 1st it was i was parked too far from the kerb by 1 inch £50. cause i demanded their names and a receipt they added another £50 for not wearing a seat belt. i told them sorry officer taxi drivers r except from wearing seat belts plus im not in the car so cant wear 1. for that they added on another £50 and said if i dont pay up they will call a tow truck and tow my car away and get it crushed. they refused to give me their names or a receipt and drove off. ended up paying them £150 to get rid off them so i could get back to work.
Silent checks . As well you had to keep your log book for 6 months , before being kept destroyed. As they could come and check on you . But if you only drove within 25 mile radious you'd not have to fill in log book.
Omg, if only you could see the future! When you compare a drivers lot in the 70`s with the absolute bollocks that goes on now it borders on the criminal whats been done to the job. I ended my HGV career way too early due to discrimination by the authorities against decent hard working, & resourceful truckers to go about their work in the manner they had been accustomed to, singled out with arcane rules & regulations which made the work for me & many of my colleages unbearable. We won`t even go into the lack of investment into the industry regarding infrastructure, i.e. roads, safe parking, & keeping diesel prices & road tax at levels where our companies could actually compete fairly with other European countries.
My dad was a wagon driver all his life, he retired 8 years ago. I drive for a living but not wagons. I learned respect for an early age for drivers, he says it used to be proper work (roping sheeting) Nowadays there’s boy racers entrusted with 44 tonne 🤦🏼♂️
I’m the same, son of a trucker but been van driving for nearly 20 years. I guess I inherited his love of being out and about, not being stuck in the same place everyday. I keep promising myself I’ll save up and get my HGV, but something always gets I the way.
@@BS15RED Pleased to meet you haha 👍🏼 My brother is class 1 and he says stick with the vans. You’ll see it yourself being on the road, most lunatics in cars have no patience for bigger vehicles anymore.
@@Dan23_7 Hi Dan, yep, I’m not surprised, driving for a living isn’t much fun anymore is it? Speen cameras everywhere, never ending roadworks and some absolute morons with no road sense whatsoever. Going to work at 6.30 in the morning doesn’t save you from them! I respect people like your brother with 44 tonnes, it’s hard enough with a long wheel base van these days! I do wonder what my Dad would make of it these days.
@@BS15RED There are some folk out there who shouldn’t have a driving license at all, but like you, I’d sooner be out and about than stuck inside somewhere. From leaving school in ‘95 I’ve never done an “inside” job. My dad retired about 10 years ago and says he’d hate to do it nowadays. I’ve just left a job at a place where I was doing long distance and nights away (travel lodge paid for by company). Now I’m somewhere with let’s say “ half long distance” and no nights away. I loved the distance but the further south you go the standards get worse, unless it’s southwest haha. Im in Lancashire.