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Owen Owen/Louis Reece,Fruit Market

29 Comments

Wholesale Fruit Market
Wholesale Fruit Market
Photo: Ray Smyth
Views: 3,356
Item #: 29798
Another busy day at Louis Reece, in the late 60s
handballing approx 1500 boxes of fruit on to wooden pallets.

Comment by: Howard P on 19th October 2017 at 13:37

I suspect another HGV.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 19th October 2017 at 14:18

I realise there'll be a perfectly reasonable explanation Ray, but I'm a little curious as to why the produce wasn't palletised at source. When I used to load corned beef from Liverpool docks in the 70's, I had to take 20 or so pallets of my own into the dock with me, then transship the cases from the ship's pallets onto my pallets. It's hard graft handballing 20 tons by yourself, as you will know from experience, and there was never any assistance offered by the dockers. Still, at least it was fork lift off at point of delivery. Good photo by the way, where do you keep finding 'em?

Regards. Ozy.

Comment by: Poet on 19th October 2017 at 14:21

What an extraordinary feat of gymnastics. Surely they could have raised the pallet for him. Definitely a 10.

Comment by: Alan on 19th October 2017 at 17:33

NO way will that 4 wheeler Leyland carry 20 Tons. You're in cuckoo land, only 30 ton 8 wheelers or artics could carry 20 tons on it's back at that time.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 19th October 2017 at 17:50

Hang on.....am I missing something here?.... Where has it been stated that 20 tons can be loaded onto a 4 wheeler?........It's you that's in cuckoo land mate,....or cuckold land more likely.

Comment by: Matthew Black on 19th October 2017 at 18:09

Alan, The lorry that Ozy refers to was a 32ton artic that he
drove in the 1970s, not the 16ton Leyland in the photo above

Comment by: JJP on 19th October 2017 at 19:38

Alan, read carefully what Ozy say's, no mention of a rigid vehicle. Ozimandias would have had a articulated vehicle and yes, in the seventies it wasn't uncommon to handball twenty tons, Ray will tell you we would do it many times a week with tomato and spud deliveries, right Ray ?. What tickles me is the chap up top is stood on almost nowt, H&S would have a field day now. Thanks for the memory Ray. The last time I went to give blood the nurse said it was appx 60% diesel and couldn't use it !!.

Comment by: St. Wilf. on 19th October 2017 at 21:02

Poet I think this contest is like the high jump in reverse. The lower the pallet the higher the marks.

Comment by: Poet on 19th October 2017 at 23:50

Not quite sure at the level he's competing at here St Wilf but I think the Russians still dominate in the 20 ton tail lift down category.

Comment by: Monty Pylon on 20th October 2017 at 01:41

Howard P
No one suspects another hgv.

Comment by: Sammy on 20th October 2017 at 08:15

It's called incompetence, Poet.

Comment by: Howard P on 20th October 2017 at 10:34

But I do, I suspect.

Comment by: Cyril on 20th October 2017 at 13:45

I can't believe no one stuck an S above the brand name on the forklift, I'm sure I would have been very tempted to do so.

Comment by: c.p on 20th October 2017 at 14:39

I reckon only the back row wernt on pallets

Comment by: Alan on 20th October 2017 at 16:47

Now one has a silly imagination like you Cyril.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 20th October 2017 at 18:13

Ray: I guess you will have handled all manner of farm produce during the course of your work, so perhaps you would care to give me a 'boiler' that would be ideal for this Sunday's dinner. I'm just about fed up with the potatoes that I'm being subjected to; I find them bland in taste, and in some instances annoyingly described as being "Ideal for the Show Bench". This is no Agony Aunt query - it's much more serious than that. Thanks.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 20th October 2017 at 21:48

You have a good point there actually c.p, the rest of the load may well have been palletised. I doubt it to be honest, although I can't be 100% certain, as, apart from bananas from the Windward Islands, which were containerised incidentally, I was rarely involved in the transportation of fresh produce, other than the occasional load of grapefruit from the Isle of dogs. But Ray, or JJP may be able to provide the answer.....Or.....given enough time, maybe Howard, or Alan even, may be able to come up with a rational explanation.....on second thoughts though..... and being realistic here, I'm not expecting to live that long.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 20th October 2017 at 21:55

You have a good point there actually c.p, the rest of the load may well have been palletised. I doubt it to be honest, although I can't be 100% certain, as, apart from bananas from the Windward Islands, which were containerised incidentally, I was rarely involved in the transportation of fresh produce, other than the occasional load of grapefruit from the Isle of dogs. But Ray, or JJP may be able to provide the answer.....Or.....given enough time, maybe Howard, or Alan even, may be able to come up with a rational explanation.....on second thoughts though..... and being realistic here, I'm not expecting to live that long.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 20th October 2017 at 22:43

Sorry about the double posting, I can't imagine how that could possibly have happened. I'm usually so meticulous regarding these things. it must be the ' Maureen's iPad syndrome ' coming into play, or probably more likely, the' Hardy's Crest ' syndrome.

Comment by: Ray Smyth on 21st October 2017 at 10:37

Hi Philip, We get our "Charlotte" spuds from Sainsbury`s,
They are very good boiled,chipped, or mashed. Regarding my
deliveries of fruit & vegetables, most of it was Geurnsey
Tomatoes or cauliflowers from Brittany, loade at Portsmouth,
and delivered to wholesale fruit & veg markets in Northern
England, Scotland, and Belfast. handballed on at Portsmouth
and handballed off,except Belfast,Glasgow,& Liverpool, these
3 locations were equipped with forklift trucks in the late
1960s & 1970s.

Comment by: Cyril on 21st October 2017 at 13:04

Alan, not a silly imagination at all, it's an imagination that writes comedy.

Comment by: Jack Flash on 21st October 2017 at 13:31

I remember during the 1970/80s Herbert Platt from Standish? delivering fruit and veg etc in Hindley, with a Bedford Tk lorry that had curtain sides and sometime there was a young girl and a lad making the deliveries too.

Comment by: G P on 21st October 2017 at 22:32

Cyril,there has been many a person that have put an S before the Hyster over the years,this truck is from the spacesaver range,used manly on good flooring,it would have been fitted with the Contiental flat 4,side valve l p g engine,or the Perkins 3cyl diesel engine,this truck is from the B series,with a dry clutch single speed fwd/rev transmission made from 68-72,and then the C series came out.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 22nd October 2017 at 01:21

Ray: Thanks for your kind reply, and also for your 'top tip' Charlotte, potato. I've seen that variety on the shelves, many times, but can't recall having bought it - the game's afoot. I've also discovered, last year, that Jersey Royal ('untried') is also known as International Kidney - never too old. Regards.

Comment by: Maureen on 22nd October 2017 at 09:16

Ozy..Maureen's I-pad syndrome reared its stupid head again yesterday..lol

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd October 2017 at 10:05

I can vouch for 'Charlotte' I buy them every week good for everything,roast,mash and boil. Jersey Royals gorgeous in the summer especially if on the island of Jersey!

Comment by: Maurice. on 22nd October 2017 at 11:14

I used to call here on a Friday morning going home from work in the 60s,you could buy just one box of anything,from anyone,I agree about Charlotte spuds,also I reckon Jazzy spuds are excellent,Asda sell them.

Comment by: Cyril on 22nd October 2017 at 16:14

G.P., great to know that many people in the workplace have had the same sense of humour, it was that along with banter that made a dull monotonous job a whole lot brighter.

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd October 2017 at 17:55

Humour is something some people don't seem to grasp! I agree about the camaraderie between workers -some of the most fun times in my youth and beyond was n the workplace.

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