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Post by Les on May 2, 2015 10:40:59 GMT
Dust carts and milk floats
Vehicles were quite different, dust carts were lorries with something similar to an old nissan hut thrown over the back. Milk floats were three wheeled and battery powered the operator milk-man would walk in front of it holding a long control lever which they used to steer, stop and start the thing.
Lorries three wheeler's
There were many three wheel articulated lorries, some of them owned by the breweries. I remember something the size of a Transit van, which ran on three wheels. In addition, they had exposed suspension springs on the front. Perhaps someone will let me know what they were.
Dray horses
Deliveries to my parent’s off-license were by horse and cart. My goodness they were not friendly horses. I remember the draymen, after delivering our beer, accepting a sample. They never refused so even though the horses where not friendly, they obviously had the sense to make their own way home. Drinking and driving is not new.
Rag and Bones
I remember rag and bone men chundering down the street, usually on a Saturday morning calling at the top of their voice "Raaags". It seemed more like bring out your dead.
Maidstone Fire Brigade
Hard to believe that the old fire engines lived under the Market buildings. They did, and the scars are still there to prove it.
Fire Station
Anthony (Tony) Egglesden
I remember Batsons an off-licence opposite Mote park where you come out of the back of the Grammar School sports ground. They used to deliver beer there by horse and cart or by steam lorries, I think they were called Trojans and the beer was from Fremlins.
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Post by Colin Packman on Oct 16, 2015 14:02:40 GMT
The 3 wheeled lorries were probably Scammell Scarabs, most were used by British Railways out of the goods yard at the West Station. The other type used by Maidstone Corporation were Oppermans recognised by an open single cylinder engine alongside the large front wheel with tractor-type tread, and used in the parks and roads, having an open truck rear,
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Post by Les on Oct 16, 2015 18:00:52 GMT
Thank you Colin . I heard about the Scammells .I remember the Oppermans but did not know what they were called
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Post by steveseenbetterdays on Oct 16, 2015 21:26:16 GMT
Reminds me of the time around 1966 when I did a Saturday morning milk round (still at school). Primrose & Len dairy where the Milkman was one Harry Moody. Delivering in Loose, just about to finish the round for the day, there was me with 4 pints of Primrose's best in my two hands, in the passenger side of the cab of the electric milk float. Sitting on the seat with one leg hanging out in readiness to alight and deliver the pinta's when Harry did a particularly tight turn at speed on the driveway shingle only for me to lose my balance and my foot, and then leg, got caught by the front wheel, dragged me out of the cab and got run over! (Well my legs anyway) Fortunately the shingle, although grazed the skin off my ankle and shins as Harry was braking hard at the time, it did at least prevent any serious injury as the leg displaced the shingle and the float came to a stop resting on my leg. Bloody heavy it was too and took my breath away all the time it was on my leg but once reversed off, all was ok, just very sore... Really lucky as it could have been much worse - managed to play football on the Sunday morning anyway. Harry was a bit of a character... I remember one Christmas a couple of years earlier, there was Harry doing his round and receiving a tot or two of the hard stuff, as Christmas Boxes from many of his appreciative customers wherein he returned to us 3/4 times that day, delivering the same milk in a totally inebriated state Ha Ha - Well, Drunk-in-Charge, of an electric milk float!
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Post by steveseenbetterdays on Oct 16, 2015 21:34:04 GMT
I know the name Tony Egglesden, I think - either Oldborough or football teams connection, me thinks?
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