George Wimpey (Plant)

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usedjcbdave
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #11 by usedjcbdave » Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:48 pm

Seeing Wimpeys JCB 3C Mk.III reminded me of 1974 when I had the task of looking at Geo.Wimpeys trade in machines against new.(JCB 3C MkII AND Johnson Humper Dumpers) Travelling alone in a Ford Escort 1100 took me to Liverpool-Carlisle-Uphall-Inverness-Middlesborough-London-Plymouth then back to Sheffield.A journey of just under 1000 miles completed in 28 hours!Glory days!!


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #12 by Ross » Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:59 pm

Nice Pic's ..

My old Man use to drive the Marion 195 ... Well one of them as two operated at Chapmans Well OCCS, Along with a Marion 7500.


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #13 by Sylvester » Sat Oct 17, 2009 2:57 am

Was an apprentice with wimpey uphall from 79 to 83, but due to the downturn at the time they let us go after our 4 years was up. Good place to work but tended to do mainly overhauls of plant, cleaning and regreasing cat scraper box pulley bearings still haunts me, washing bearings in paraffin, regreasing them, don't think my hands ever recovered. Wish I had some pics of the plant. 22RB's,TS24's, R17,50's and D8's ( belly plate under the operators platform had a distinct odour) were common customers and loads of villiers engines for pokers, almost forgot, the bread and butter benford mixers. Never knew anyone to be sent on a manufacturers course though.


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #14 by tim » Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:10 am

Some Wimpey tippers
GW3.jpg
GW1.jpg
GW2.jpg
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #15 by tim » Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:42 pm

22RB's on pipelaying duties
GW4.jpg
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ian white
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #16 by ian white » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:25 am

XS650 wrote: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

yes i know craig sad to see wimpey lose all its plant i remember as a young boy wimpey had all thier own plant no subbies all wimpey men they seemed to be better times


ian white
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #17 by ian white » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:28 am

usedjcbdave wrote:Seeing Wimpeys JCB 3C Mk.III reminded me of 1974 when I had the task of looking at Geo.Wimpeys trade in machines against new.(JCB 3C MkII AND Johnson Humper Dumpers) Travelling alone in a Ford Escort 1100 took me to Liverpool-Carlisle-Uphall-Inverness-Middlesborough-London-Plymouth then back to Sheffield.A journey of just under 1000 miles completed in 28 hours!Glory days!!

i seem to remember wimpey bought massey backhoe loaders then changed to 3c in 1976


Mark Williams
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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #18 by Mark Williams » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:57 am

Hello All,
Does anybody know what the relationship was between Wimpeys and a contractor called Motorways.
When it was final backfilling time on the o.c.c.sites down in Wales from the 60s to the 90s,Motorways equipment (D9s, D8s and boxes) would be brought in to carry out the task.
This was I remember a very professional company which worked long hours and kept their plant in tip top condition.
I heard that Motorways owner was a reletive of the Wimpey family,but never new if this was true.
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards,
Mark. :D


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #19 by Mark Williams » Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:47 am

Hello again everyone,
I can remember in the late 60s staying over my Gran & Gramps out in the country area near Aberdare, South Wales.
They lived middle of the coal route of the Wimpeys Bryn Pica o.c.c.s.I used to sit for hours out on the layby by their farm and watch the constant flow of Wimpeys orange AEC mammoth Minor 6x4 lorries going back and forth to site.I can also remember contractor Harfords Foden 8 x 4 tippers on hire on occasions to the same site.
The AECs I remember used to use super single tyres on the rear in them days.(I think I am correct in calling the 6 wheeler AEC the minor and not the major)
My father used to take me to site some days as he was a chargehand fitter for Wimpey over the Terex R50s and I can remember Wimpey had their own transport shop,when it was time they used to strip their road lorries down to the bare chassis and completely over-haul them from the ground up.They would have their chassis sprayed silver and the cab and tipper sprayed orange.A sign writer would come in then and complete the job with the company name.They carried out this work method into the 90s I remember.
Over the years I saw the Wimpey coal lorries,still 6x4s upgrade to Leyland Bisons,then they started buying Maguirus Deutz because of their excellent ability to pull out of boggy site conditions.
These are some of the sites I remember Wimpey using their own coal lorries on.
Maesgwyn Cap,Maes-Marchog,Onllwyn,Bryn Pica,Bryn David,Drym,Tredeg,Ffos Las.
Maesgwyn Cap was a site that operated for Wimpey for over 30 years,this is where the Ransomes & Rapier W1800 walking dragline worked for most of its life.She was known affectionately as the Silver Queen.
I hope this is of some interest to you,
Regards,
Mark. :D


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Re: George Wimpey (Plant)

Post #20 by tim » Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:44 pm

Mark Williams wrote:Hello All,
Does anybody know what the relationship was between Wimpeys and a contractor called Motorways.
When it was final backfilling time on the o.c.c.sites down in Wales from the 60s to the 90s,Motorways equipment (D9s, D8s and boxes) would be brought in to carry out the task.
This was I remember a very professional company which worked long hours and kept their plant in tip top condition.
I heard that Motorways owner was a reletive of the Wimpey family,but never new if this was true.
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards,
Mark. :D

I have a pic here Mark-not a very good one-of a low loader belonging to Motorways Plant of Stratford on Avon-I think the boss was called Pat and he died and the firm folded not long after.Roly or one of the other muckshifters may be able to help you on this one
MP1.jpg
:thumbup: Tim
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