Wigan Album

A Bedford mixer behind and a Dodge mixer in front. These could well be petrol engines.

Where was the concrete coming from Barrie, I know they had their own batching plant up at Forton, but did they also have one in the Wigan area ? Surely Mac's wouldn't have been buying in ready mixed concrete. And why a subbie from Preston I wonder ?

My mistake, when I saw Longton on the cab door, I initially assumed it to be Longton near Preston. On closer inspection however, it turns out to be Longton near S.O.T. Even further afield and even more curious.

Not petrol engines that is diesel on the tank if it was petrol it would have evaporated

Gary Are you not thinking about the petrol engine coal wagon
that you used to drive around in the one with the turbo engine I mean.D.Cv

Yes Derick I did own a petrol engine version, but diesel much better engine. Diesel engines are more economical than petrol but more complicated. Things would always go wrong with our petrol engine.

Hi Derrick the old petrol engine trucks didn't use turbos, they were what is called normal aspirated induction.

I am pretty sure that McAlpine had their own batching plants between Warrington and Bamber Bridge for the scheme, similar Len Fairclough may have done the same for the bridge construction work. From memory I cannot recall seeing them close to the works between Winstanley and Charnock Richard (McAlpine had another main office set up not far from the service area apart from the Windy Arbour main office) Incidentally, the crane jib behind the truck mixer is a 10RB crawler crane that was used to lift the shutters in place.

Alf,Gary used to drive a coal bagging wagon petrol engine
with a turbo on so he says I worked as a class 1 HGV Driver
Fitter for 50 years before I retired I do know a lot about
trucks.D.C.

Never mentioned turbo only petrol engine, Derick.