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Guest Trefcon

My first time here guys so go gently with me!

Was Pickfords a Sheffield firm through and through?

Absolutley love all the old and modern photo's of Waggons, Steam Rollers, Buse's etc. When i was a kid my dad drove a lorry for Harry Atkinson & Son of Brightside lane. Allways went with him in the school holidays! It was always Birmingham! But occasionally we went to Chichester and even Fort William in Scotland, sleeping in the cab! Fantastic!

Anyway back to my post, i use to love looking at pictures of heavy lift lorries, i still do. Just wondered if we could get some Pickford stuff on here?

Dean.

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Been Googling, a Manchester firm!

Always thought it was Sheffield!

David Hey in his book Packmen, Carriers and Packhorse Roads says

"...the firm that catches the eye in Baine's directory published that year [1822] is that of T. and M. Pickford & Co., who offered to convey or forward goods to all parts of the kingdom. This famous firm of national carriers was in business in the mid-eighteenth century when an advertisement in the Manchester Mercury of 17 August 1756 described James Pickford as 'the London and Manchester waggoner'. By 1776 Pickfords had introduced 'fly waggons' which did the journey in 4.5 days, averaging 42 miles a day. By 1803 this service was provided 6 days a week and the firm had 400 horses to haul their waggons".

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Guest Trefcon

They must have moved a lot of Sheffields large casting's etc during the past, still like to see some Sheffield heavy haulage in action!!

I had a die cast model of a Pickfords heavy haulage rig about two years ago, since flogged it for £80.00, it had Nicolas 'bogies', two pulling tractors and the load it self which was a 350 ton casting for a power station or something. It was all there in the original box etc, i'm sure i was robbed!!

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They must have moved a lot of Sheffields large casting's etc during the past, still like to see some Sheffield heavy haulage in action!!

I had a die cast model of a Pickfords heavy haulage rig about two years ago, since flogged it for £80.00, it had Nicolas 'bogies', two pulling tractors and the load it self which was a 350 ton casting for a power station or something. It was all there in the original box etc, i'm sure i was robbed!!

Pickfords had a depot in Sheffield, on Brightside between the 2 railway bridges just before Newhall Rd.

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When i got my Driving Licence and then picked my Father up from British Steel Corporation on Brightside Lane i used to see the Pickfords Heavy Haulage Wagons all the time, As they were based on Brightside lane, so as soon as i was old enough i took my HGV test with the sole intention of Driving for them.But unless you were Family and someone died you did not have a hope of being employed by them. So i ended up Driving for Sid Harrison who had similar but OLDER Wagons. For those who can remember the Pickfords Trucks there are Die-cast Models on this site.

http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/582_1_1769464.html

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When i got my Driving Licence and then picked my Father up from British Steel Corporation on Brightside Lane i used to see the Pickfords Heavy Haulage Wagons all the time, As they were based on Brightside lane, so as soon as i was old enough i took my HGV test with the sole intention of Driving for them.But unless you were Family and someone died you did not have a hope of being employed by them. So i ended up Driving for Sid Harrison who had similar but OLDER Wagons. For those who can remember the Pickfords Trucks there are Die-cast Models on this site.

http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/582_1_1769464.html

Syrups link shows a model of a Pickfords Scammell tractor unit, a very impressively powerful piece of kit much favoured by the military for their heavy haulage.

Pickfords were reputedly the first company to use steam traction engines for road haulage in 1840, an impressively early date as the traction engine itself only dates to around this time so it would have been very new, modern technology in its day.

I was convinced that somewhere in my extensive collection of steam rally photographs I had a picture of some Pickfords steam units but I can't find any, only like syrup can I find anywhere links to Lesney /Matchbox / Dinky / Corgi etc models of Pickford liveried vehicles like the one shown here.

I do however have several picture of haulage engines in the livery of Norman E. Box, a company famed for its use of steam to haul enormous loads on the road, usually as deansgirl says, large castings or fittings. One of its most famous engines "Atlas" became even more famous about 10 years ago when restored and rallied for a while by the famous late Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah. I even have pictures of Fred at rallies with the engine.

Norman E. Box were eventually bought out by and incorporated into the Pickfords empire

But alas, no pictures of these engines in Pickfords livery as I believe that even while owned by Pickfords they still kept their Norman E. box liveries.

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Click Here for a short clip of Pickfords Heavey Haulage

clip 2 (With Shirley Bassey soundtrack)

clip 3

Nice Find here,

Clip 1, quite a historic piece seems to date back to the 1950's when building nuclear power stations was all the rage and transporting big heavy radiation - proof items had to be done to achieve it.

Clip 2, a collage of still images. That first one even has some Sentinel Steam Waggons in it. All the rest is internal combustion. With all due to respects to Ms. Bassey, "My Way" is really not her song, it was written by Paul Anka especially for Frank Sinatra, and of course his version is unsurpassed.

Clip 3 appears to be filmed at a steam rally or vintage gathering judging by the background (caravans and tents, vehicles in fields etc) but don't ask me which one.

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Guest Trefcon

Well, i couldn't resist! Found the same model on e-bay and purchased it! After having four girls and now having my first son, i thought it might be an investment for him! And his mother agrees!

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I used to work for a bloke in Ecclesfield, a few year back who built his own model of one of these heavy haulage monsters.

Never saw the real thing untill a few weeks back, when coming home from Scunthorpe I saw the same thing parked on the M18.

It had the same name written on the side, in black I think but for the life of me I can't remember what it was....did look the part though!

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Guest sammyopisite

Hi I worked for pickfords in the 1960s and 70s

and I have found a few photo's which I will try and put up

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Hi I worked for pickfords in the 1960s and 70s

and I have found a few photo's which I will try and put up

Hi, sammyopisite. When I worked for Bentley Bros in the 60s we had a Diamond T ex tank transporter converted to a wrecker. Did Pickfords run any of these while you were there ?. W/E

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Guest sammyopisite

Hi, sammyopisite. When I worked for Bentley Bros in the 60s we had a Diamond T ex tank transporter converted to a wrecker. Did Pickfords run any of these while you were there ?. W/E

Hi Waterside Echo the Diamond "Ts" had all gone out of service with Pickfords when I started but there was still a solid tyred trailer in every day use and Wynns of Newport were still using Diamond "Ts" and Pacific's. The first Scammell Contractor had just come into service on an "E" plate and the rest of the fleet was Scammell and three bedfords and a thames trader.

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Guest sammyopisite

Hi I have found a few more photo's these are all of sheffield based vehclies from the 50s to the 80s

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Guest Falls

The Diamond "Ts" had all gone out of service with Pickfords when I started but there was still a solid tyred trailer in every day use and Wynns of Newport were still using Diamond "Ts" and Pacific's.

I remember Pickfords were still running at least one Scammel tractor with solid rubber tyres and chain drive on the back wheels ,well into the 1950's. Has anybody got any photos of these ? A good part of the engine was well forward of the front wheels.

Pickford's and Wynne's were frequent visitors to Davy United (D-U) in the 1950's and 1960's moving loads to steelworks or the docks for export.

Its always been a tough job moving those kinds of things. Back in the 50's and early 60's - before the motorways and the "Bridge Guard" program began to show results - there were very few bridges in all of the country that were capable of taking those kinds of loads. I remember Wynne's had to deliver a set of roll housings from D-U at Darnall to Scunthorpe but to get there, the load had to go almost to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire to find bridges that would take the load. That was before they could begin to go towards Scunthorpe.

(Revision added)

It can also be dangerous. In 1945 (I don't have an exact date or a photo), a heavy haulage company was transporting an 80 ton roll housing from Sheffield (?) to the British Aluminium works at Falkirk. As it crossed the River Ure on the old A1 at Boroughbridge, N. Yorks, the bridge collapsed and housing and transport ended up in the river.

Regards

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I remember Pickfords were still running at least one Scammel tractor with solid rubber tyres and chain drive on the back wheels ,well into the 1950's. Has anybody got any photos of these ? A good part of the engine was well forward of the front wheels.

Pickford's and Wynne's were frequent visitors to Davy United (D-U) in the 1950 and 1960 when I worked there. Either hauling roll housings castings up from the ESCs foundry at Grimesthorpe or delivering the finished-machined housings to various steel works or the docks for export.

Its always been a tough job moving those kinds of things. Back in the 50's and early 60's - before the motorways and the "Bridge Guard" program began to show results - there were very few bridges in all of the country that were capable of taking those kinds of loads. I remember Wynne's had to deliver a set of roll housings from D-U at Darnall to Scunthorpe but to get there, the load had to go almost to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire to find bridges that would take the load. That was before they could begin to go towards Scunthorpe.

Regards

Hi Falls. My great-uncle had something to do with organising the transport of heavy loads at D-U in the 50s, his name was Hiram [Robin] Greenwood. Did you know of him at all? W/A.

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Guest Falls

Hi Falls. My great-uncle had something to do with organising the transport of heavy loads at D-U in the 50s, his name was Hiram [Robin] Greenwood. Did you know of him at all? W/A.

The name doesn't ring a bell but I must have known him by sight. As you know, D-U had a complete/ transport/shipping office. This was at Park Iron works when i first started and I knew everybody there. That would be up to, say, 1957. Then I went int the Eng. office and lost touch with many people.

Regards

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The name doesn't ring a bell but I must have known him by sight. As you know, D-U had a complete/ transport/shipping office. This was at Park Iron works when i first started and I knew everybody there. That would be up to, say, 1957. Then I went int the Eng. office and lost touch with many people.

Regards

I seem to forget that we are talking over half a century ago. As children, and when all the family got together uncle would always have an interesting story to tell. Sometimes he would back these up with photos of heavy loads that had got stuck, and I remember one of a bridge that had given way, leaving the rear tractor unit suspended in mid air. He drove an old austin seven and retired from D-U IN 1962. W/A.

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Guest Falls

I seem to forget that we are talking over half a century ago. As children, and when all the family got together uncle would always have an interesting story to tell. Sometimes he would back these up with photos of heavy loads that had got stuck, and I remember one of a bridge that had given way, leaving the rear tractor unit suspended in mid air. He drove an old austin seven and retired from D-U IN 1962. W/A.

Hi,

The bridge that gave way might have been the one at Boroughbridge in 1945. (See the foot note I added to my Post#18)

I remember a photo of the front tractor, trailer and load all lying in the bottom of the gorge but now you mention it, there didn't seem to be a rear tractor. I spent a couple of hours last night trying to find a photo of this particular accident but no luck.

Regards

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Guest mandator

My first time here guys so go gently with me!

Was Pickfords a Sheffield firm through and through?

Absolutley love all the old and modern photo's of Waggons, Steam Rollers, Buse's etc. When i was a kid my dad drove a lorry for Harry Atkinson & Son of Brightside lane. Allways went with him in the school holidays! It was always Birmingham! But occasionally we went to Chichester and even Fort William in Scotland, sleeping in the cab! Fantastic!

Anyway back to my post, i use to love looking at pictures of heavy lift lorries, i still do. Just wondered if we could get some Pickford stuff on here?

Dean.

Hi deansgirl,I had to smile when I saw your post about your dad driving for Harry Atkinson and nearly always getting "Birminghams".I worked for C.H.Preston on Woodburn Road in 68/69 and it was the same there,nearly every shift was Birmingham/Black Country.In those days a lot used the old A61 to Derby through Chesterfield/Alfreton/Ripley and I got to know every bump in the road. lol

When the trailer pool was started at Steel Peech and Tozer some drivers were getting two Brums a day,which would have been hard work then.I knew one or two of Harry Atkinson's drivers but can't recall their names.

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Guest Trefcon

Hi Mandator,

yes it was the old roads we took, if i remember right we use to stop occasionally in a layby over the river Dove? Now Ripley brings back memories! The 'Ripley Pig', have you heard that expression before?

Dean.

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Guest mandator

Hi Mandator,

yes it was the old roads we took, if i remember right we use to stop occasionally in a layby over the river Dove? Now Ripley brings back memories! The 'Ripley Pig', have you heard that expression before?

Dean.

lollollol

Hi Dean.

Aye,ask any oldish Sheffield driver about Ripley/Lil/Pig or Transistor Lil as she was later known and they'll tell you a tale or two.She used to frequent a pub called The Prince Of Wales on Butterley Hill going up into Ripley and drank bottles of Guinness.You could end up having an empty bottle through yer windscreen if you gave her any slaver he he .She knew how many wagons had gone to Brum each day,who they were and how many tons they'd carried,she wasn't too keen on Sheffield BRS drivers for some reason.

I know the lay-by you mean over the river,between Derby and Burton and I can still remember all the cafes - Atkins at Findern,the Airport :angry: (scruffy hole),the Y-pass,the Oakamoor at Barton and the Tree at Alrewas,all frequented by dee-dahs.The Oakamoor is still open apparantly.Before the Derby ring road was completed there was a cafe called the Olympia on the old A61 running into Derby and it was open day and night,once again full of steel hauliers.

Good days they were. lol

Chris.

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