PRIESTMAN EXTRAVIGANZA "YELLOW ERA"

[FOWLER MAN]

Hi.
I used to run Priestmans. "excelent machines" I had seven at one time.
Here are a few photos of them from "The Yellow Era", including the 2-11 rubber duck.
I beleive only 6 were made. ("Orange Era" to follow")

img044.jpg

[newjcb123uk]

Fred - Bloody Bloody brilliant photographs - Thank you so much for sharing them.

[BulldozerD11]

Cheers Fred for posting - Look very smart were some of them new when you took them ?

Did you think them a good product at that time as you had a few n your fleet. ?

Dave

[the wizard]

Great pictures always felt the 108 was the yard stick for others to follow smooth to drive,real quick yet so simple in desin and to work on. Did you find yellow ones as good as orange ?

[essexpete]

Good photos, when did Priestman finally disappear? How would it rate against contemporary JCBs and Hymacs?

[FOWLER MAN]

Chris,Dave and Bill ,
Thanks for replies.
I will try to answer your questions in this one post.
Dave, Over the years I did buy three new Priestmans but I also bought eight used machines. Yes I do rate them.
They had no dealer outlets so we dealt direct with the works at Hull, they werw smashing people to deal with,couldnt be more helpfull.
On one occasion I had a machine develop a rotary distributor fault. This pressurised a travel gear box causing the casing to split.
They sent down two engineers from Hull with a new box .They arrived early on a Saturday morning, fitted the box and by mid morning discovered the underlying fault in the distributor.
Knowing the urgency Norman Taylor the service manager brought a new distributor down to The Severn Bridge Services where he was met by one of the engineers.
About 10 o'clock that Saturday night the engineers rung me to say, machine ok. Back to work Sunday.
The following tuesday I rung Norman Taylor to thank him. The machine was about 2 months out of warrantee.
He had spokenton the chief designer.I think his name wae Dillan. They had agreed that the problem should not have happened. They extended my warantee and there was no charge.
"IS THAT SERVICE OR WHAT?"
THATS WHY I RAN PRIESTMANS
They also reccommended us to service and repair Priestmans in our area.

Bill, You are right about the 108. Good tool orange or yellow.

Fred

[FOWLER MAN]

hi pete
Thanks.
From the 108 on these machines were in a different league from Hymac and JCB .
I tried both . Ithink it was 1990 tey bit the dust.
FRED

[martyn williams]

Hello Fred
Where was the railway photo taken ? Was it on the Rhymney line?
Do you know Mike Harding ?he lives at Ystrad Mynach.
Cheers
Martyn

[FOWLER MAN]

HI Martyn
Cant say if thats the Rhymney Line. Thats the Sulley Tunnel near Barry in the background.
The name Mike Harding rings the bell but cant put it together at the moment.
I used to be on this work most weekends, Iguess the Road-Railers have taken over now.
Here are some more pics.

[BulldozerD11]

Chris,Dave and Bill ,
Thanks for replies.
I will try to answer your questions in this one post.
Dave, Over the years I did buy three new Priestmans but I also bought eight used machines. Yes I do rate them.
They had no dealer outlets so we dealt direct with the works at Hull, they werw smashing people to deal with,couldnt be more helpfull.
On one occasion I had a machine develop a rotary distributor fault. This pressurised a travel gear box causing the casing to split.
They sent down two engineers from Hull with a new box .They arrived early on a Saturday morning, fitted the box and by mid morning discovered the underlying fault in the distributor.
Knowing the urgency Norman Taylor the service manager brought a new distributor down to The Severn Bridge Services where he was met by one of the engineers.
About 10 o'clock that Saturday night the engineers rung me to say, machine ok. Back to work Sunday.
The following tuesday I rung Norman Taylor to thank him. The machine was about 2 months out of warrantee.
He had spokenton the chief designer.I think his name wae Dillan. They had agreed that the problem should not have happened. They extended my warantee and there was no charge.
"IS THAT SERVICE OR WHAT?"
THATS WHY I RAN PRIESTMANS
They also reccommended us to service and repair Priestmans in our area.

Bill, You are right about the 108. Good tool orange or yellow.

Fred

Thanks for reply Fred.

Some of todays manufacturers / suppliers should take note. The bean counters / consultans might say its not cost effective, but not supporting existing customers does no good long term as they go else were and tell every body else especially when service is bad. A lot harder to get customers back than to loose them. Shame other issues with parent companies (Bankers and money issues) put them out of business eventually.

excelent new photos

Dave