M56, Hapsford

[v64paul]

Nick Lamb could possibly date this accurately but it has to be early 1970's My brother Graham has been doing some searching and came up with these. The shot of the 110RB is definitely earlier and most likely at Pool Covert nr Wrexham. Our dad,Ron drove a low loader for McAlpines and remembered moving brand new 38RBs from the Lincoln works to the job. Our late brother Bob drove a Euclid dumptruck on this job, we think his was fleet no 38. It's great that the internet brings up memories like this and i had to share them with you.

[nick lamb]

hi Paul,I'm not sure but your timeline seems about right.That's a later series 68A D8H pushing a cussion hitch 627.I believe that earlier pics would likely have shown Mac's Terex TS14's or their Cat 657's.By the time I hired kit to them they were running D8N's and 627B's and some series 2 631E's turned up on the scene later on.Larry Webb was working on the next section down and John Jones was on the M56/M53 link.There were 627's there too.Morshan (Wigan) had tractors and scrapers in the area at that time.I will ask my Dad more for you.
I don't think I will be attending the local plant show this year as I'm trying to get some caravan time in with the family but we'll see.
Send my regards to Graham and I will ring up big Al some time.........Time just keeps on flying by...
best regards,nicky.

[our kid]

Nick Lamb could possibly date this accurately but it has to be early 1970's My brother Graham has been doing some searching and came up with these. The shot of the 110RB is definitely earlier and most likely at Pool Covert nr Wrexham. Our dad,Ron drove a low loader for McAlpines and remembered moving brand new 38RBs from the Lincoln works to the job. Our late brother Bob drove a Euclid dumptruck on this job, we think his was fleet no 38. It's great that the internet brings up memories like this and i had to share them with you.

Hiya Paul & Nick
The pic of the 110RB and Euclid R27 is the Pool Covert OCCS Wrexham and would be about 1960, they took delivery of the Euc's late 1959, I believe the first thing Mac's did with them was to pull out the Cummins Engines and fit Rolls Royce Engines before putting them out to work,they had Blackwood Hodge on the doors so not sure if they were on hire to Mac's or not, the Monighan drag line in the background was operated by a guy named Jimmy Hoyle, we used to have our dinner in his cab (cab it was as big as a garden shed) he had a pot bellied stove in their (I can still smell the bacon emm) I was 10 and it was great to go with our brother Bob on a Saturday and Sunday to the job, wouldn't be allowed now, my one regret didn't have a camera those days, Iv'e still got the operators manual for the R27.
Small correction Paul Dad delivered 22RB's they had four on the job, can't remember any 38's? but I might be wrong,
long time ago.
Young Badger who is Jimmy Hoyles son may know a bit more? come on Malcolm.

cheers for now
Graham

[youngbadger]

Hi chaps, yes,Jimmy Hoyle was my Dad,and I eventually became his Engine man on the Old girl,the Monighan.We were told she started her working life mounted on a barge,building levees on the Mississipi River,so we called her The Mississipi Riverboat, and I witnessed her last day as the salvage lads cut the jib ropes and the whole jib came crashing to the ground,very sad. I well remember that bloody stove,got badly burned by it once! But the fry ups were classic. She was fitted with a National Marine diesel,and the starting procedure was a right game,two of us,me and Kenny Williscroft,had to start a series of small compressors and Hand Prime the oil pump,before I operated the air start valves,once we had enough pressure,an amazing piece of pre war machinery,but my Dad was a hard man to satisfy,we had to keep it spotlessly clean inside,always cleaning,mopping the deck and machinery. Best part was greasing the cathead pulleys top of jib,160ft , every day,the view of Wrexham was brilliant. I don't remember the engines of the Euc,s being changed,particularly because we had some Aveling SN35 Dumpers and these came with RR engines,and they were notorious for blowing turbo,s and so not as reliable as Cummins/Detroit Diesels. I missed the Hapsford job,think I was on another coal site at that time. Not sure any of this is informative,but I hope
you found it interesting. Cheers, youngbadger

[youngbadger]

I forgot to say that the Eucs pictured were owned by Mac,s. Blackwood Hodge were the suppliers,a very big firm who at that time handled a lot of different machinery sales,in the same era firms like Bowmakers and Levertons handled Cat products,hope that clarifies it for you guys. There is an excellent website,Blackwood Hodge Memories, Google it, plenty of cracking images and history of the company.

[youngbadger]

Nick Lamb could possibly date this accurately but it has to be early 1970's My brother Graham has been doing some searching and came up with these. The shot of the 110RB is definitely earlier and most likely at Pool Covert nr Wrexham. Our dad,Ron drove a low loader for McAlpines and remembered moving brand new 38RBs from the Lincoln works to the job. Our late brother Bob drove a Euclid dumptruck on this job, we think his was fleet no 38. It's great that the internet brings up memories like this and i had to share them with you.

I can add a little detail to this, the 110 in the foreground would have been operated by Eric Ball jnr at that time,the Aveling Austin grader by Jack from Bryneglwys,near Corwen,the 100RB was operated by Len Carroll,I worked on the 110,100 and the Monighan at various times.

[our kid]

Nick Lamb could possibly date this accurately but it has to be early 1970's My brother Graham has been doing some searching and came up with these. The shot of the 110RB is definitely earlier and most likely at Pool Covert nr Wrexham. Our dad,Ron drove a low loader for McAlpines and remembered moving brand new 38RBs from the Lincoln works to the job. Our late brother Bob drove a Euclid dumptruck on this job, we think his was fleet no 38. It's great that the internet brings up memories like this and i had to share them with you.

I can add a little detail to this, the 110 in the foreground would have been operated by Eric Ball jnr at that time,the Aveling Austin grader by Jack from Bryneglwys,near Corwen,the 100RB was operated by Len Carroll,I worked on the 110,100 and the Monighan at various times.

Nice bit of info there Malc, some of the names are coming back, yes I remember Eric Ball jnr I think he went to South Africa for Mac's?
His dad Eric snr lived in our road he drove the minibus at one time taking our kid, your dad and a few others to Wrexham, the other son Roy included, he drove the D8 at Wrexham, can't remember if it was one D8 or two?
Sadly Roy died in a caravan while working on the A55 expressway at Colwyn Bay.
Another name Big Fat Rogers, was he a Euc driver?
There must be some Mac's men out there that can add to the names?

[youngbadger]

Hi Paul, glad you found it interesting,now then as for names of people at Pool Covert,here you go, apart from those mentioned,Harold Stocker,Euc,Ernie Powell,22 and then 110,Michael O 'Keefe( took Michael to visit my Uncle Edward,ex Works Manager,at his home in Denbigh early 2010,Edward was 92 that year).George Roberts,200w,Herbie Tudor 977 TraxcavatorPassed on, Frank RoacheD8,Vincent Burns D8,DW21 etc,Len Mathews,Davy stores,Bruce Lloyd Fitter,Davy Morton,Pumpman,Alan Davies Welder,Davy Welder,see him now and again,Neville Evans Electrician and Bob,Neville became Quarry Manager at Borras,now passed on,Roy "Stretch"Eucs and Aveling,Robert Jones Eucs and Barfords,an old mate,now in Phillipines in regular contact, Colin LancelotteGreaser and Eucs,Harold Ginger,Greaser and Eucs,Tony Williscroft,the old fella,s engine man,Dennis Williscroft Ganger,passed on now, Harry Heywood,passed on,his sons Eric Fitter,and John,Johns a good friend of mine,Tommy "Snowball"Jones,Ganger, Harry Keogh head Gangerman and a right old bugger,haha, ,Hughie, Eucs, from Corwen, Ted "Barney"fitter, Reg Rushton Fitter, Don Dexter Plant Boss, I,m getting writers cramp here,and of course,Peter Rogers, great bloke,Jack the Knife, could hit a rock on the haul road with the Eucs tyres and send it spinning out of the way every time! There are more,but I,m knackered now,let me know If you recall any more ,interesting this innit? Enjoy. malc
P.S. Roy Ball, so sad when I heard of his death,a cracking lad,mad as a box of frogs,just like his brother,big,big,loss,I remember him on Cat Scrapers when I was a kid and they were land clearing before building Vauxhalls plant in the 'Port,I was still in school I think,firm called Site Clearance from Warrington. Eric Snr was a good mate of my Dad and Des Diamond back in the day.I,d love to sit and talk to them now,what memories they had, ah well,dreams of yesterday.

[nick lamb]

Hi Paul, glad you found it interesting,now then as for names of people at Pool Covert,here you go, apart from those mentioned,Harold Stocker,Euc,Ernie Powell,22 and then 110,Michael O 'Keefe( took Michael to visit my Uncle Edward,ex Works Manager,at his home in Denbigh early 2010,Edward was 92 that year).George Roberts,200w,Herbie Tudor 977 TraxcavatorPassed on, Frank RoacheD8,Vincent Burns D8,DW21 etc,Len Mathews,Davy stores,Bruce Lloyd Fitter,Davy Morton,Pumpman,Alan Davies Welder,Davy Welder,see him now and again,Neville Evans Electrician and Bob,Neville became Quarry Manager at Borras,now passed on,Roy "Stretch"Eucs and Aveling,Robert Jones Eucs and Barfords,an old mate,now in Phillipines in regular contact, Colin LancelotteGreaser and Eucs,Harold Ginger,Greaser and Eucs,Tony Williscroft,the old fella,s engine man,Dennis Williscroft Ganger,passed on now, Harry Heywood,passed on,his sons Eric Fitter,and John,Johns a good friend of mine,Tommy "Snowball"Jones,Ganger, Harry Keogh head Gangerman and a right old bugger,haha, ,Hughie, Eucs, from Corwen, Ted "Barney"fitter, Reg Rushton Fitter, Don Dexter Plant Boss, I,m getting writers cramp here,and of course,Peter Rogers, great bloke,Jack the Knife, could hit a rock on the haul road with the Eucs tyres and send it spinning out of the way every time! There are more,but I,m knackered now,let me know If you recall any more ,interesting this innit? Enjoy. malc
P.S. Roy Ball, so sad when I heard of his death,a cracking lad,mad as a box of frogs,just like his brother,big,big,loss,I remember him on Cat Scrapers when I was a kid and they were land clearing before building Vauxhalls plant in the 'Port,I was still in school I think,firm called Site Clearance from Warrington. Eric Snr was a good mate of my Dad and Des Diamond back in the day.I,d love to sit and talk to them now,what memories they had, ah well,dreams of yesterday.

Did a few weeks on a TS24 for Morgans during 1997 at Vauxhallss before going on the Pusher.We were doing an extension.
Small world.