George Wimpey (Plant)

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Nick Drew
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George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #1 by Nick Drew » Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:20 pm

I started my working life straight from school with George Wimpey at their Southampton depot in the plant workshop around 1977 they were a great company and I think at the time had one of the largest fleets of earthmoving machinery in the UK.

Sadly the modern day company is just a mere shadow of what it used to be, these days they are only really interested in house building.

I have no photos of Wimpey machines from my time with them, I was just wondering if anyone has any to post here at CMN??


Ross
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #2 by Ross » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:28 pm

Hi Nick. My Dad and Uncle both worked for Wimpey mining here in the North East. (Chapmans Well OCCS)

Scottish Coal bought alot of there equipment.

I have pics i will upload in due time.

Ross
Last edited by Ross on Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #3 by Nick Drew » Sun Jun 24, 2007 2:01 pm

Ross wrote:Hi Nick. My Dad and Uncle both worked for Wimpey mining here in the North East. (Chapmans Well OCCS)

Socttish Coal bought alot of there equipment.

I have pics i will upload in due time.

Ross


Hi Ross,

I look forward to seeing those !!

Just out of interest where abouts do you live? I spent my first six years at Wimpeys with a great Cat fitter called "Geordie Bob" who was originally from Alnwick in Northumberland a great bloke who at 68yrs old is still doin the business today ....all be it a little slower. :lol:

I was his fitters mate until I was old enough to be in the seat fulltime although I was quite often called on in those days to be a relief driver before all this CPCS card nonsense came in!!

He was a proper hard bloke :twisted: but a fair one also and I owe a lot to him, he kind of set me straight if you know what I mean. We have remained great friends to this day.


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #4 by Ross » Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:52 pm

Just out of interest where abouts do you live?

I live a few mile from Durham city mate 8-)

I spent my first six years at Wimpeys with a great Cat fitter called "Geordie Bob" who was originally from Alnwick in Northumberland a great bloke who at 68yrs old is still doin the business today ....all be it a little slower.

I will ask my Uncle Cav if he knows the bloke. :)

He was a proper hard bloke but a fair one also and I owe a lot to him, he kind of set me straight if you know what I mean. We have remained great friends to this day.

Last of the good old boys. Ive meet a few. 8-)

Ross


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #5 by Nick Drew » Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:56 pm

Last of the good old boys. Ive meet a few.
Ross


Ross, my old mate was time served with Derek Crouch but he has lived down in my old home city of Southampton for many many years, keeps saying hes going to move back up though.


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #6 by Rolyd8k » Wed May 07, 2008 7:49 am

Hi Nick,here ya go mate a few pictures of GW. :thumbs_up:
Roly
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #7 by John Gaunt » Wed May 07, 2008 8:44 am

Great pictures, Roly,thanks for posting them.


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #8 by Nick Drew » Wed May 07, 2008 9:55 pm

Thanks Roly :thumbs_up:

Nick :D


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #9 by Mark Williams » Fri Oct 02, 2009 8:07 am

Hello Nicky,
I have quite a few photos of George Wimpey,but sad to say they are all on an auto-focus film.
They were the major open-cast coal contractor down in Wales,my father was a charge-hand fitter for them over the Eucs at Bryn Pica O.C.C.S.I worked on hire to them with K&J Services and with Finning and found them to be very professional,if not the best and that was a common statement.
I can remember 4 of the first Cat 777 trucks in Wales going into their Maesgwyn Cap site,the fitter for Wimpeys that looked after them has carried the name Dai Cat all his working life.
Regards,
Mark :)

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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #10 by XS650 » Fri Oct 02, 2009 12:25 pm

3C pictured in 81, I worked for Wimpeys in late 70s ,In our yard they had them funny little Johnson 2HG front steer dumpers, Thwaites 2 and 3te. 4wd dumpers , Sanderson forklifts , JCB 3C 's , Hymac 580's , and hordes of Ford D series 4 wheel tippers. They also would only buy Ford cars and vans . Note everything was British.
Used to hate hiring our own plant because of the high hire rates AND fitters charges sites got stung with and 6 wheel and 8 wheel tippers much more economic. Boss used to say that hiring own plant meant money not leaving company but it still affected bottom line of my site.
Sad to see the big names of civils go , Wimpey, Taylor Woodrow, Alfred Mcalpine and others. Renamed Taylor-Wimpey now housing only and struggling big style.

jcb 81 s bank asda.JPG
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Last edited by XS650 on Fri Oct 02, 2009 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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