D.Sandiford Haulage

folly · 09-02-2014, 12:51

As asked for by Antonw sorry they aren't all the ones you was lookin for the one next to the f reg is the x reg. Think the w reg is the one behind the trailer, the t reg was in the shed and used for spares everyone was dreading there gearbox goin because the gearbox out of the t reg was back to front. Here are some photos of D. Sandiford trucks an a couple of trailers. Not forgetting the main dog blakie. Dennis's yard was based in the old Rishton paper mill. Dennis's main work was from ward Knowles printers of Oswaldtwistle and Blackburn and the soap factory at Ramsbottom which the name as escaped me . These photos were taken late 80's. Dennis's brother Brian was based behind westend auto's.

Antonw · 10-01-2018, 14:47

OMG!!

Extremely sorry it's taken me so long to find these.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post them.
My father Tony drove NCK 598X throughout the 80s. I seem to remember someone called Alan (Billy Goat) drove the one with the air kit on it and the 95 was new in about 87.

Really great to see pictures of these trucks again, and crackers (My fathers name for the dog) too

if you've got anymore would be great to see them

Anton

Gremlin · 10-01-2018, 19:54

Dennis worked with me at Thomas Gilmartins (owned by Gilbraith) in the 60,s. He drove a Leyland Comet with 4 in line trailer. Mostly doing either Blythes work or Rishton paper mill work. Ive a photo of that lorry in my collection.
When we moved into the main Gilbraith haulage yard at Whinney Hill road Dennis started driving a Scammell Highwayman artic.
We all stayed at digs together in Calledonian road London, run by a Scottish lass called Kitty.
Antonw. I knew your father very well and he later drove for Tony Brierly.
When you were born he was living next to me on Hood street.

Folly. did you give the late Peter Davison a copy of those photos. He shared them with me many years ago.

Antonw · 01-07-2019, 14:43

Ahh yes Thanks Gremiln, I was in Touch with Peter many years ago and he also provided me with some interesting pictures and some stories of his time with Dennis at Gilbraiths.

That's right he drove for Tony Brierley for a while after he finished at Sandifords before moving onto continental work. Tony also had the Daf 2100 that my father drove in the early 80's a guy called Clifford drove it if i remember rightly.

What's your name Gremlin i'll mention you to my father. He's still driving as an owner driver for about 20 years now.

Would be great to see any pictures that you or anyone else has for that matter.

Gremlin · 01-07-2019, 20:52

My name is Russell Taylor.
I worked for Gilmartin and Gilbraith on tippers twice in the mid 60’s.
Between them and before I started on Tankers I worked for Batty Holt tours. We did European tours, usually 14 days with a courier co driver. Verona, Garda, Como etc.
Then in 1969 I started on Gilbraith Tankers and did 30 years there. Retired at 60.
Me and the late Peter Davison have over 700 photos of Gilbraith group vehicles we either took ourselves or had given. Phil Gilbraith gave me a few of old publicity shots and when Tankers sold out I got some more.
I’m 80 now and still fit and well.

Margaret Pilkington · 02-07-2019, 09:56

When I was growing up on Riley's Hill, the Sandiford Family lived up there.
Dad was Bert and Mum was Bessie.....they occupied nearly a full row of cottages.
Happy days!

Antonw · 05-07-2019, 19:00

Good to hear you're still fit Gremlin. I'll mention you to my father when i next speak to him. Peter did share some good Gilbraith pictures with me several years ago and some of Sandifords (seem to be very difficult to get pictures of them)
I remember Gilbraiths well from the 80s with their Roadtrains i think i remember an E series ERF and Seddon Atkinson too? Must've been a change from doing the coach tours of Europe doing tankers in the UK, Did Gilbraiths do continental work ay all.
I do have a few photos of Dennis's wagons including one of that 2100 Wagon and Drag in the carnival if anyone's interested but like i say really struggle to track down photos of them.

Thanks for replying Russell always nice hearing stories from that era.

Gremlin · 06-07-2019, 08:43

I started at Gilmartins/Gilbraith's around 1965 when Dennis had a four wheeler. Soon after I got a new Albion Reiver six wheeler and Dennis got a Leyland Comet with four in line.
When we moved from Padiham road to the Whinney Hill depot Dennis got a Scammell Highwayman. Later he got a Scammell Handyman and was the only driver to go abroad from Gilbraith's. He did a couple of trips to Germany with machinery. I can't recall any other jobs we did abroad unless you count Southern Ireland where we took oil for the cattle boats and Stornaway with de-icer for the airport.

Photo is the Leyland Comet and four in line trailer which Dennis got new at Gilmartin's which as you know was part of Gilbraith.

Antonw · 10-07-2019, 19:31

Nice to see this old picture Gremlin. I hadn't heard of Gilmartin always knew them as Gilbraiths, when did the name change happen? I suppose Southern Ireland could be classed as abroad. Are Gilbraiths still operating now?

Gremlin · 11-07-2019, 11:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonw

Nice to see this old picture Gremlin. I hadn't heard of Gilmartin always knew them as Gilbraiths, when did the name change happen? I suppose Southern Ireland could be classed as abroad. Are Gilbraiths still operating now?

A man called Thomas Gilmartin had a few tippers working around Accrington on hire to the NCB. Gilbraith bought him out for the A licence and had to keep the name until the O operators licence came out in 1970. A chap called Robert Martin also had a couple of tippers and Gilbraith took him over for the A licence and made him MD of the Gilmartin firm.. Then when the A licence changed to O licence and old Gilmartin lorries were replaced they had Gilbraith name on them.
Gilbraith sold out to Pollock about six years ago but retained the large depot and railhead they had at Blackburn and leased it to Pollock... Pollock decided to pull out six months ago and sold to Kenyon of Blackburn... They coudnt handle all the work and cutomers were ringing Henry Gilbraith to see if he could help. Henry already had the depot so he bought four lorries to start with and started a new business called Gilbraith Logistics. So the name lives on.
Gilbraith Tankers where I worked for 30 years was a seperate company and they sold out to Hargreaves about 11 years ago.. The depot they had at the bottom of Read street was sold to AAA recovery. Hope all that makes sense.

Antonw · 14-07-2019, 19:15

Thank you for the info Germlin always interested to learn about local history. I did see a Pollock liveried Daf with the Gilbraith name on it a few years ago... now it all makes sense although it is kindof sad in a way. So many of the local hauliers that were common when i was a kid in the 80s have been lost, swallowed up by these huge conglomerates like Stobarts, Pollock etc. That's progress i suppose.

folly · 22-01-2020, 04:01

Been a while since I was on. Gremlin. I remember Dennis used to tell us about the digs and all that. Remember him telling me about the manager think it was, used to stand listening to the trucks smoking his pipe is thst right? He told me he had to go and pick a new truck up. Was asked what he thought of it, Denise said there's something wrong with the steering. The boss said aye that's power steering ��.

wigass · 19-04-2020, 15:43

Hi, do you mean Dad was Brian and mum was Bessie, I used to play on there farm when I was a kid, feeding there chickens and donkeys, sadly Bessie passed a couple of years ago but I spoke to both of them just before Bessie died, I visited them at the same home they have lived in for at least 40years, it was strange going back, because I hadn’t been there since I was a kid nearly 35 years since.