![]() ![]() “We even encountered our first low bridge,” he added with a laugh as he recounted the trip back to Archie’s yard at Island Garage, Shotley Bridge, where the artic was to be painted by Bob Grindle. In fairness, first dibs on that seat was taken by Archie’s eldest son, Ken, who still vividly recalls the day in 1960 when he went with John – in the family Morris 1000 Traveller – to collect the double-decker at the Rubery Owen plant at Prees, Shropshire, where the Burtonwood tail-lift had been fitted: “The only instruction we got from there was what button did what,” says Ken, recalling how that versatile piece of mechanism worked. Just like many folk in my home town of Consett, in the north-west of County Durham, the arrival in 1960 of Archie Glendinning’s first new car transporter just blew my mind! I was even more lucky than some as I knew this artic’s regular driver – John Thompson – and, as time passed, John would let me travel with him as and when there was any space in the passenger side of the cab. Well, that may be a bit strong but, the first time I saw SJR 100, I was totally smitten. You could say it was love at first sight. John Thompson was the first regular driver of this outfit. The Morris artic had just been painted by Bob Grindle, so it was taken up to JS Robson – the town’s Vauxhall dealer – so that the Burtonwood tail-lift could be tried out. Seen on Front Street in Consett, Ken tells us that this was something of a trial load. The car transporter revolution!: New in 1960, SJR 100 was the first car transporter to be operated by WA Glendinning, of Shotley Bridge.
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