Wigan Album

Eddie, the Pagefield System was born in 1922 when the Borough Engineer of Southport asked Walker Bros.for help with the refuse collection (page 27 in Tom Meadows "Pagefield Motor Vehicles").

Someone must remember the dust bin lorries that had sliding metal panels on each side of the lorry. The men carried the dust bins on their shoulders, and tipped the contents into the lorry. I am recollecting the procedure at Ince District Council, in the 1940s. The lorry didn't have a steering wheel. It was steered by two handles that the driver revolved, one on each side of where he sat. A Mr Ashton, of Winchester Grove, Lower Ince, drove the lorry. Lived next to the old band room, near Lower Ince Labour Club.

Albert, the bin wagons you refer to were made by a company called Shelvoke & Drewry. Ince UDC had three of them. In the 1950s the drivers were Billy Ashton, Moe Humphries and Harry Molyneux.

The dust bin wagon that Albert and ArthurP refer to was known has the Chelsea type SD Freighter. As you say, Ince Council operated these, they had the three sliding arch doors on each side of the body.

Some photos of them here:

http://www.classicrefusetrucks.com/albums/SD/SD1.html

AP. The website shows an excellent group of very clear photographs.