REMINISCENCES PART 2

[Grandad]

Reminiscences Part 2
Monday and another miserable cold and rainy day so I will conclude my reminiscences about early transportation and my early days.
The company that I have been talking about was Robert Brett and Sons established in the early 20th century. From their early and impressive fleet of Foden steam tractors (before my time I must stress ) they moved on to diesel powered ERF's in the late thirties and early forties.
I have always remembered the registration of one ERF lorry and trailer because around 1943 a pal and me were taken for a ride to an air base, probably Headcorn, to deliver several tons of aggregate. The mate on the lorry was my pals father, the air base was American, and the lorry was BFN852. By chance I found a picture of that lorry in one of the books.

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I completed my apprenticeship in December1955 when I started National Service with the RAF although I opted to sign on for three years. My fiance and I were planning to marry and you could not save much on £2 18s 6p a week, National Service pay. £11 a week as a technician rank was much more attractive. My Airforce experiences are another story but I stayed in England and was not posted overseas.

Staying with the vehicles at RB & S, through the sixties they moved up to Commers, 1964;

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and Commer Carriers 1968

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Volvos and Scanias followed in the eighties.

Today with rebranding, the trucks are now large DAF tippers

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As a family we have a long association with RB & S, and their Precision Engineering Division. My daughter worked in Head Office from around 1987.
I found this photo of the works football team in 1987 which is interesting to me because:

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The player third from left in front row became my son in law in 1989 and after his and my daughters divorce, the player far left in back row became son in law number two in 1993. Today they are both still with the company in management roles; number 1 SiL works in product development, and number 2 SiL in Product Conformity.

The story continues with my second grandson working there and around the South East on Quality Assurance.

So that's it, my reminiscences about this local firm, still in operation after around 100 years, and my own association with the company over nearly 80 years including the young lady who lodged with us in the war.

And all triggered by Horus's post about steam traction at Smallwood Steam Rally.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Interesting memories and living on those amounts way back when wouldn't hardly get you a cup of coffee these days.

[Kiya]

Love it when old memories come flooding back to us interesting part of your life Grandad

[LovelyLadyLux]

I like hear the 'how it was' and have reached an age when I can also remember what was and how it used to be as well.

Keep the memories coming Grandad!