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Owen Owen/Louis Reece,Fruit Market

10 Comments

First Ever Tautliner
First Ever Tautliner
Photo: Ray Smyth
Views: 2,542
Item #: 29365
This is the first ever "TAUTLINER",built by
Boalloy in Congleton,Cheshire,in the late 60s.
After many years service with Louis Reece at
Wigan Wholesale Fruit & Vegetable Market at
Worthington Way,Wigan, it was returned to
Boalloy for restoration. The nearside is restored to original condition,and the offside
is to a more up to date specification.
I believe it is now in The Science Museum.
Photo courtest of Angela & Craig Pickering,
the owners of Boalloy, Congleton.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 17th May 2017 at 14:57

Although probably meaningless to the vast majority of people, this example of engineering genius ultimately revolutionised, albeit over a period of several decades, the way that merchandise, foodstuff in particular, would be transported around the U.K. The first one that I ever came across close up was a forty footer. The year would have been 71 and It was in Jolyons in Greenford. It's a bit like remembering where you were when they shot J.F.K. I'd rolled the sheets over the top of my load and was preparing to rope up when this curtainsider rolled in. Everything stopped as we all went over to examine the thing. Well, colour me impressed, but another few years of calloused hands would come and go unfortunately before I finally got to drag one about. Great photo Ray. As a revolutionary concept, this trailer well deserves a place in the Science Museum. I'd be interested in seeing a view of the other side though.

All the best. Ozy.

Comment by: Derrick Cunliffe on 17th May 2017 at 18:00

IM SORRY that was not the first tautliner built ,the first
one was built on a AEC 8 wheeler for MIDWAY HAULAGE it ran between STANDISH /KITT GREEN factories during 1960 1970lots
of Drivers will remember D.C.

Comment by: Ray on 17th May 2017 at 19:53

Hi Derrick, I expected this sort of comment regarding the
"Tautliner" name. The 8 wheeled AEC was a curtain sided vehicle, I remember old Frank driving it round and round
Heinz. So many drivers call all curtainsiders "Tautliners".
"Tautliner" was a brand name of Boalloy at Congleton.
I have heard it spoken as "Torqueliner" and "Talkliner".
For example,Most people refer to all vacuum cleaners as
Hoovers, My mate told me recently that his wife had just
bought a "Dyson Hoover". Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.

Comment by: Alf Bimpson on 17th May 2017 at 20:58

Yes Derrick I do, Science Museum ?? give me strength.

Comment by: Howard P on 17th May 2017 at 21:01

I suspect a camera superimposed shot would be in order.

Comment by: Garry on 17th May 2017 at 21:04

Sugar company's had tautliners in the mid 1960s.

Comment by: Ray Smyth on 18th May 2017 at 11:37

I refer to the above comments from Ozymandias,His opening
9 words says what I suspected. "Tautliner" seems to be a
generic term for all Curtainsiders, irrespective of which
vehicle bodybuilder constructed them. Regards, Ray Smyth.

Comment by: Alex on 18th May 2017 at 18:17

They used to be called a curtain sider Derrick.

Comment by: Robert Williams on 19th May 2017 at 08:14

The purpose design of a curtain sider is to make loading and unloading easier with a forklift.

Comment by: Alan on 19th May 2017 at 15:08

Ozy is absolutely right on this occasion when he correctly say this is "probably meaningless" to most people.

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