dick hampton scrabers in the 70 tis

[McGrath]

Hi Tony, A lot of names I well remember, it'sthe'late' bit that I find daunting, every time I go to a funeral I seem to be getting a bit nearer the front! On that Cheltenham section of the M5 Dick had a TTS14 on demonstration from Blackwood Hodge two bowls and three engines, didn't catch on, infact that was the only one I ever saw. He also had TS14s with push/pull which we had on formation ,great application as the could self load together with out a pusher chewing up every thing. As well as his own 631s, there were six 621s on hire from Ray Wight of Froxfield in Wiltshire. I seem to think they were the first in the country. Incidently I was in digs in a Pub at a place called Piffs Elm with Tom Bruen (of Blackwells fame) Great cracvk all together.

[tctractors]

Chris, the Pub at Piffs Elm was called the White Swan, I called in there after getting wed to my "Hooded Claw", we had a quick Pint of Beer (the reception) then I drove my new wife home got changed and went back to work, its sad as S~~; realy but I thought it was normal???, Larry Webb had a team of 627's and a few 631B's with gas necks working on the Northleach Bypass and there was plenty of work about in Gloster with the Quedgley Bypass (Percy Bilton) with Lightmoor Plant running their old 631A's, they all calved down with Knackered cranks in the hot summer of 76, the new to them scrapers were 631c's with big fronts and soft necks, I now know that life was good in Cricklewood???, I remember also Blondy Harvey as a happy bit of a chap, always good for a joke, sort of loved a pint but could drink gallons, again now sadly on the night shift, Ray Ball and Clifford Lovell also a chap called Robbo that used to be a sharp pusher with his D9G, I think Robbo lived around the Ross area copped a few coins out of the M5-M50 jobs, its best I stop printing the names of people I worked with as plenty are not now about, but I must admit that I was lucky to have met them worked with them and drank a few pints with them,

loads of black smoke tctractors

[McGrath]

The White Swan at Phiffs Elm, yes that was the place, as for a reception venue, there can be no doubt about it, you knew how to show a girl a good time! As you say there were a lot of Hampton men from around that area, goes back to the old M5 at Worcester I guess. I certainly remember Big Robo the pusher driver on the 9 with the fixed push block. He went out to Antigua for Dick with on a 22A and ripper on the Quarry for an airfield job. Did you ever come across Roddy Dunaway also from Ross ? (also late I'm sorry to say) I first worked with him on the Pencraig section of the A40 at Ross back around 62, then again in Nigeria in the mid 70s. Another great bloke. Not many srapers on that bit of the A40 ,though when I was on the Dixton bit of the Monmouth Bypass we had a couple of the 631s there with a 68A pushing. A firm called Wadworth Morton were doing the muck on the Mitchel Troy side of Monmouth, but they went pop and Dicks finished the job. All great stuff Cheers

[poncho]

Hi Tony, Poncho here, You have just stirred up a lot of names and memories of some great muckshifters who as you said have passed on fuzzy Bob lived near me in twyning, Albert (the best cider maker this side of bulmers)Goodall. I went to Nevills funeral hell, of turn out. I would love to try and organise an old muckshifters reunion. I went on radio Gloucestershire a couple of years ago to chat about the Teweksbury to Gloucester section of the M5. I posted a few photos of my time with Hamptons on this web site. If you want to meet up for a pint and a chat about the good old days. leave a message and we can arrange something. we could meet at the Fleet now its reopened.

[tctractors]

Poncho, I live about 3 miles from the fleet inn, just along the A38 heading to Upton, it was hell of a shock to hear about Bob I used to get on a blinder with the man laughing all day, but he was very fussy about neatness, everything he owned was kept perfect, he used to have an Austin/Morris 1100 in mint nick, even when I rebuilt the D8 he was driving that he helped me do, he never seemed to get any crap on him, I once went to a site he was working on driving a D8+Box to find the hoist rope was down to about 2 strands of wire, I asked him how long has it been like that?? he said about 2 weeks now, get and pull a bit of new out will you at the weekend, I did it instantly as its a good bit simpler to tackle before it breaks, Nevill trained Farmer John from what the 2 had told me, Farmer was mounted on a Stock Car on the M5, he was push driver on Macs up at the new bit of road near Himpsold Haulages old yard and down on the Channel tunnel Terminal, nothing ever seemed to bother Nevill he always seemed very happy no matter what, on the Beer front he could drink a Pub dry and still walk out and do a good shift, to be on a site with Farmer and Nevill was just "Nectar" to a nob like myself.

tctractors
will pm you my phone no, or send me yours and save a bit of cost

[mash]

hi chris mash here i must have worked with you or tony at sometime i worked at piffs elm on a ts14 with billy edwards, and then on a d4 with micky lamb and silly sid, iworked on the golden valley byepass with folly and robbo and loads of other good lads but can,t think of all their names. mash

[tctractors]

Mash I would be a good bit to young to have copped a shift for "Dick" I am now 55 but I have worked many times on muck shifts with all the names I have posted, I had a bit of a brain moment today thinking about cars vans and crappy caravans,the car to have if you were a scraper driver was a Ford Zodiac or mk2 Jag, wops ive just had the down shift light come on I best get in the bath.

To be continued tctractors

[McGrath]

Hi Mash, I certainly remember your name, but to be honest can't but a face to it. Mind you it was, lets see, my God, 42 years ago! Ashton Reece was the Agent and I was Sub Agent there for a while, Dave Latham took over when I went across to the M4 at Newbury. Other names that spring to mind are Tommy and Micky Lamb,Jonny Roberts, the long Duffy and his brother Jimmy Kernan (never knew why they had different names) Tom Bruen and of course Jock Wilson, The Bran Mash! There was a guy called Dave Richards there as well, think I read that he still has a few 14s operating in the Worcester area. Grear days, cheers Chris.

[mash]

hi kingfisher mash here i,ve just seen sackum today he,s been on holiday for three weeks he,s got a caravan at rhyl, he,s just started useing a computer like me he,s not very good at it, he,s told me to give you his phone number he,d like to here from you it,s 07788843537 mash

[kingfisher_61]

hi kingfisher mash here i,ve just seen sackum today he,s been on holiday for three weeks he,s got a caravan at rhyl, he,s just started useing a computer like me he,s not very good at it, he,s told me to give you his phone number he,d like to here from you it,s 07788843537 mash

thanx alot mash, i'll give him a ring today, nice one dude..