Bedfordia Plant Group, remember them?

Discuss large and small companies here.

Topic author
roadcommander2
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:19 am
Real name: Mark

Bedfordia Plant Group, remember them?

Post #1 by roadcommander2 » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:37 am

I mentioned the Bedfordia Group in the Radwell Gravels post.

They still have their farming interests but does anybody remember or have any pics of their plant?

I remember that they had a crane hire division as well and I think that they sold out to Isis Plant, probably, early to mid 80's.

Cheers
Mark


Martyn Henley
Moderator
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:54 am
Real name: martyn henley
Has thanked: 38 times
Been thanked: 50 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: Bedfordia Plant Group, remember them?

Post #2 by Martyn Henley » Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:26 am

Hi Mark, yes i worked for Bedfordia plant way back in the mid 70's, they opened up two depots down in Kent, one at Greenhithe and the other at Hawkinge nr Folkstone, they were hoping to get in on the channel tunnel that started about that time, but due to political things it was cancelled .. i can remember tracking new JCB's 3Cmk2's from Greenhithe to Folkstone, but i think they just sat in the yard after that, i did have a few days on hire to Mears working on the Bridge bypass (A2) but that was it ... they did have a few Hymac 580C's but they mainly ran Massey 450's ... they closed the Hawkinge depot and retreated back to Greenhithe but it was not long before they closed that depot as well ... they also ran Massey 200's 300's and 400's ..alas i have not got any pics ..

PS.. when i worked for shanks McEwan at Stewartby land fill back in 2000, next door at London brick, rusting round the back was the remains of a massey 300, and you could just make out the Bedfordia name on the loading arms.


Topic author
roadcommander2
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:19 am
Real name: Mark

Re: Bedfordia Plant Group, remember them?

Post #3 by roadcommander2 » Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:58 pm

Hi Martyn,

Thanks for your very interesting information. I was not aware that they had depots down that way.

Thanks
Mark


brian crowther
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:42 pm

Re: Bedfordia Plant Group, remember them?

Post #4 by brian crowther » Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:46 pm

I remember in the 1970's Bedfordia Plant having a depot in Hoo Kent. at that time I worked for T W Ward operating a 30tonne Smith's tele. I had to report to their depot as they were running an identical crane and were having a lot of gearbox trouble I went on a road test with the operator to try to establish the problems, he used to be a bus driver thats what ruined the gearbox's it was a semi automatic box and he didn't bother taking his foot off the accelerator.


Wee Heavy
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: South East
Been thanked: 1 time
Flag: Great Britain
Contact:

Re: Bedfordia Plant Group, remember them?

Post #5 by Wee Heavy » Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:13 pm

brian crowther wrote:I remember in the 1970's Bedfordia Plant having a depot in Hoo Kent. at that time I worked for T W Ward operating a 30tonne Smith's tele. I had to report to their depot as they were running an identical crane and were having a lot of gearbox trouble I went on a road test with the operator to try to establish the problems, he used to be a bus driver thats what ruined the gearbox's it was a semi automatic box and he didn't bother taking his foot off the accelerator.


Bedfordia had the depot on the Ratcliffe Highway on the way out to the "Grain" and that changed to Isis Plant.

Isis Plant got taken over by Hewden Stuart but I think the depot closed and was then used by Grain Plant which was a new company that was set up


Return to “Companies”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests