Dick Hampton

[tctractors]

Hi Stodge, it must be you I spoke to in the Car Park at the Welland Show, what did you think of the Chariot (D8K) its a shame it was not hooked up to a "Bin" to rattle down that slope gathering a few pebbles up, did you clamber aboard the pilot seat to feel a long shift coming on, 6am till 10 pm 7 days a week with the chance of overtime, on Saterday I had the young drivers from about 3 years old upwards perched up in the "Control Room" a few with their Gramp's, some of the Gramp's had dug deep for Dick and there was a few tears to be seen off them and a few young lads that did not want to get off the chariot,the parents having to wait and near rip them out of the seat,so for me the day was "Necter for the Soul" and worth all the trouble of carting about D8's.

Good to meet you tctractors

[stodge]

yes it was me,thanks for making my day,how did we do all those hours?. have to confess night shift was my fave ,you had sat night off!! and yes did have my pic taken ,very emotional for very personnel reasons.memories of a happy time .but life is fine now ,I have even trained the eldest grandson to call out if we pass any earthworks.DIG DEEP AND TIP HIGH.thanks again stodge .

[tctractors]

Stodge, super to touch base with you in the small way it was practical, next year I am sure going to make the effort to take a 463 bin to the Show and you would be most welcome to give it "The Boot" if anything happens before I will P.M. you any details as you would be most welcome to have a day with a few chunks of iron laughing at past antics and rubbish with a mob of idiots, me included??

[duncan]

Ginger thanks for those photos I was in the tractor workshop Bentley as a fitter 62-65 and remember your self and those blokes in the photo,s.What happened to Peter Charlton? I was recently in the UK from Australia met up with Norman , ( "Lofty") Dowding who was telling me that Basil is still going well and lives near him in Alton ,also caught up with Harold Penn in Spain .
Any one know what really happened to Dick himself as I find it hard to believe he Died at 42 and where he was at the time
regards to all Duncan

[John penfold]

With reerence to the many enquires about Dick Hampton, he died in the Carabean not from Cancer but from liver failure due to heavy Vodka drinking.
He never owned a rolls royce but he did own 2 Bentley cars and at one time an Aston martin that caught fire in hig garage at the farm house, and was tetaly destroyed,Owen Fury took it back to the ins company on his lowbed. Yes I do remember Arther Toon well, and have photos of him at Lambourn with Gorden Elson the sit agent leaning on a 325 Compactor,other staff i remember was Gerald Box, and Phil Peeters both contract managers, Bryan Wells,Chris Chaplin, John Shadock,Harry Wrath,and Fred Goldsmith, all site agents to name a few.
The plant department consisted @ head office was Bill Harriss the plant director, John Penfold , Basil Gamgee, Bert Parrish. the transport supervisor was a chap named Westwood.
Site plant managers were Phil Walton,the Skepper brothers. Gordon Kite .Arther Toon Don Hughes and "Mac" Macall
I was with Dick from the early days when he only had 4 TS14s and stayed with them until Cementation decided to sell the plant and Company to Bill Semore.

I have many photos of sites and staff,
and a copy of rosemary hamptons first company news sheet, P.S I am now past 80 years of age, and still very active. My email add is johnjepenfold@gmail.com If any one would like me to forward any information,
Regards J.P

[tim]

From a 60's tyre advert

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[John penfold]

A major problem on M74 site was obtaining suitible fill, these trucks hauled Burnt shale from a large "Bing" near Bathgate to The site @ Uddingstone,which eventualy put the company Dick Hampton under heavy financial stress, and was the cause of Cementation taking over Hamptons, together with all its Staff.

[John penfold]

A major problem on M74 site was obtaining suitible fill, these trucks hauled Burnt shale from a large "Bing" near Bathgate to The site @ Uddingstone,which eventualy put the company Dick Hampton under heavy financial stress, and was the cause of Cementation taking over Hamptons, together with all its Staff.

Ginger thanks for those photos I was in the tractor workshop Bentley as a fitter 62-65 and remember your self and those blokes in the photo,s.What happened to Peter Charlton? I was recently in the UK from Australia met up with Norman , ( "Lofty") Dowding who was telling me that Basil is still going well and lives near him in Alton ,also caught up with Harold Penn in Spain .
Any one know what really happened to Dick himself as I find it hard to believe he Died at 42 and where he was at the time
regards to all Duncan

[John penfold]

Hi Martyn,
Your comments re Dick on the m74 contract are quite accurate,
Please note that other quotes re the motor scraper holdings at the companies peak are understated, he operated 57 motor scrapers consisting of Ts24s TS14s Cat 631 bs + 631 c
and 637 twin scrapers. This I am positive about, as at that time I was responsibe for all the company plant and equipment in the field. he also had 9no D9gs, 99 no D8hs, 29 old D8 rs for pulling dead weight rollers, and small onion boxes, He also had a fleet of 465 and 435 towed scrapers D6cs 955s and 951 loaders, Numerous Excavators Ranging from 71 Rb down to 22rbs, Dump trucks and wheeled loaders It was the largest plant holding in the uk at that time. Yes bigger than Wimpy. Both Basil Gamgee, and Norman Dowding, I am sure would confirm these amounts if asked.

I noticed that Angus was of the opinion that Dick only had old plant, in fact the scotish company dick hampton edinburgh was started with old D8 model Rs as he was determined to start the new independant company, with the same old items that he started the parent company with. The scottish companys managing director was a Rudi Ficher, All the good gear was until the Hamilton By pass, south of the border.

[modelman093]

A major problem on M74 site was obtaining suitible fill, these trucks hauled Burnt shale from a large "Bing" near Bathgate to The site @ Uddingstone,which eventualy put the company Dick Hampton under heavy financial stress, and was the cause of Cementation taking over Hamptons, together with all its Staff.

I had just started work as a management trainee in Cat's Sales and Service department then based in the Cat plant at Uddingston when Hamptons were working just down the hill on the M74 Bothwell interchange. I was lodging at Bellshill and can recollect a line up of parked D8s and boxes on a Sunday afternoon.
There was a lot of rumour concerning the colliery shale known locally as Red Blaise (Blaze?). My understanding is that the shale heaps or Bings had a tendency to self combust and only when this had happened was the resulting material was suitable for fill. The story doing the rounds was that the Bing that had been earmarked to supply the fill had not been subject to this process hence the need and expense of importing suitable material from Bathgate.