French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:31 am
Anyone got any memories or pictures relating to French? They had so much work going on in the 60's and 70's that I am surprised that they have not been mentioned.
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French
http://www.classicmachinery.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=5348
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Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 4:36 pm
I remember their Black and white striped cranes.Ithink they had a yard in Wisbech.
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:04 pm
Their main yard was at Harlow, Essex, I am nearly sure.
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:26 pm
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:41 pm
[quote="Martyn Henley"]Hi Russ ... is this the French plant hire you knew ?
http://www.frenchplant.co.uk/
Hello Martyn,
No the company I am talking about is W C French, They where a big company, all their cranes and navies where generally painted in black and white vertical stripes. The 3W in the picture I am going to "try" and post was an exception, It worked on the Datchet reservoir in the early 70's, it was double shifted, my father on one shift and Ron Barker on the other. They also did a lot of motorway and bypass work.
http://www.frenchplant.co.uk/
Hello Martyn,
No the company I am talking about is W C French, They where a big company, all their cranes and navies where generally painted in black and white vertical stripes. The 3W in the picture I am going to "try" and post was an exception, It worked on the Datchet reservoir in the early 70's, it was double shifted, my father on one shift and Ron Barker on the other. They also did a lot of motorway and bypass work.
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:42 pm
Yeh Black and White cranes ...they were called W.C. French I recall
I am sure they have been mentioned on CMN before ??
Nick
I am sure they have been mentioned on CMN before ??
Nick
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:51 pm
Well, the picture didn't work so I'll try one more time.
No, it's not going to go. Ah well, I can see it!
No, it's not going to go. Ah well, I can see it!
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:23 pm
LDK wrote:Anyone got any memories or pictures relating to French? They had so much work going on in the 60's and 70's that I am surprised that they have not been mentioned.
Think that they were the main contractor for the Brentwood by-pass - 1963ish .
Attached are a couple of pics of new 657s being delivered for French - see the name board on the swan neck - but I failed to note when or where!
Also a Le Tourneau "electric digger" being demonstrated on the Brentwood by-pass site.
Angus
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:58 pm
HI All,
The company was W & C French established in Essex in 1850. They later evolved into the Kier Group. (See post below).
As a boy in the 1950's I remember seeing lots of publicity photos of Euclid scrapers,( possibly SS18s) and Vickers tractors and boxes in blue livery like the Kier's gear I remember in the 1970's.
Fred
The company was W & C French established in Essex in 1850. They later evolved into the Kier Group. (See post below).
As a boy in the 1950's I remember seeing lots of publicity photos of Euclid scrapers,( possibly SS18s) and Vickers tractors and boxes in blue livery like the Kier's gear I remember in the 1970's.
Fred
Re: French
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 9:17 pm
FOWLER MAN wrote:HI All,
The company was W & C French established in Essex in 1850. They later evolved into the Kier Group. (See post below).
As a boy in the 1950's I remember seeing lots of publicity photos of Euclid scrapers,( possibly SS18s) and Vickers tractors and boxes in blue livery like the Kier's gear I remember in the 1970's.
Fred
Great stuff Fred,
You are a true font of knowledge !!
Nick
