Longridge Depot
Originally in the early 1930’s the depot of W & J Riding was sited in the corner of the field furthest away from the family named Daniel Platt farmhouse in Longridge near Preston.
In 1969 as the business grew Jim Riding bought an additional seven acres of land from his brother Harry to allow for further expansion.
The series of photographs below show how the depot progressed and grew in size over the years along with the various types of vehicles in the ever-growing fleet.
Buildings were not built purely for long term storage purposes but as transit sheds to support what Tom Riding calls the ‘rip and tip’ operations for ICI which were quite significant at the time.
‘Rip and tip’ meaning the manual transfer of large bagged plastic granules into powder tankers for onward delivery which at the time was quite labour intensive work.
In 2016, eighty years after the original depot opened, it was empty and a year later in 2017 the whole site was leveled in preparation for a new housing development along with an Aldi supermarket store which opened in November 2018.
An early shot from the 1940’s showing the original Longridge depot entrance and forecourt on Whittingham Road.
‘Daniel Platt Garage’ as it was named consisted of just two large buildings to garage the small number of vehicles operated at that time.
The company’s original premises, located on Whittingham Road Longridge near Preston, are pictured here in 1957.
The purpose built buildings were name ‘Daniel Platt Garage’ after the nearby family owned Daniel Platt Farm.
Compare this photograph with the one below taken some 40 years later.
Riding’s original Daniel Platt Garage on Whittingham Road in Longridge, seen here in 1995, changed very little over the years apart from the addition of the office block which was added to the front of the garage on the right in 1988.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
When Leyland was King!
This impressive yard shot taken in 1959 shows the various Leyland models in the fleet which, at that time, consisted of a mixture of both rigid and draw bar outfits.
Within a few years of this photograph being taken the fleet became dominated by articulated vehicles, due to Jim Riding finally relenting after years of being dead against any form of articulation and the rest, as we all now know, is history.
1959 and this yard shot shows a line up of locally built Leyland vehicles as the fleet starts to increase in size.
One of those in the line up, second from the left, is Leyland Comet Scammell tractor unit Reg No 700 KTE which was W & J Riding’s first venture into articulation.
This depot shot taken in 1961 shows from left to right,
1955 Leyland Octopus Reg No XTB 198.
1960 Leyland Beaver 4×2 tractor unit Reg No 600 PTD.
1960 AEC Mercury 4×2 tractor unit Reg No 470 OTB (the only AEC ever purchased by Riding’s)
1955 Leyland Octopus Reg No WTF 574 Fleet No 24.
A nice yard shot of Longridge depot when Leyland was Riding’s preferred choice and before any of the transit sheds had been built.
Taken in 1962 this was before Atkinson became the sole supplier, the first one joining Riding’s just one year later in 1963.
On the left is L.A.D. cabbed Power Plus Beaver 4X2 tractor unit Reg No 5610 TD which was registered new by Riding’s on the 1st of August 1962 at a cost of £2,652.
Centre is Leyland Beaver 4×2 tractor unit Reg No 220 STD, a new addition to the fleet in October 1960, which was in fact the last of the Leyland 14B/10’s and was driven from new by Harold Swanson.
Right is 1957 registered 24-cabbed Leyland 4×2 tractor unit Reg No 649 CTD which had two lives while at Riding’s.
Originally a O.600-engined four wheeler rigid Beaver it is seen here after being converted into one of the company’s early 4×2 tractor unit’s, another very successful in-house conversion.
Another Longridge depot shot taken in 1962 shows a pair of L.A.D. cabbed Leyland Super Comets.
Both these vehicles were originally four wheelers but after undergoing surgery in 1962, at York Trailers, they both emerged sporting a trailing third axle.
On the left is L..A.D. cabbed Leyland Super Comet Reg No 375 HTB Fleet No 48 while on the right is L.A.D. cabbed Leyland Super Comet Reg No 200 KTE Fleet No 50.
Longridge depot 1963 by which time most of the Leyland Beaver tractor units had been replaced by a fleet of L.A.D. tractors and rigids.
In 1964, when this picture was taken, the fleet consisted of mainly L.A.D. Leyland’s with just the odd Atkinson and a handful Leyland Beaver’s one of which can be seen in the corner on the left.
The three L.A.D. Leyland’s in the foreground Reg Nos 5610 TD, 200 KTE and 8850 TE have all just been washed off which suggests this photograph was taken on a Saturday morning.
Longridge depot August 1964 shows Leyland Octopus Reg No XTB 188, then nine years old, just about to leave the yard.
Amazingly this vehicle still had another six years service left to do at Riding’s when this picture was taken.
One of a series of pictures taken by the late Jim Riding showing Longridge depot in August 1964 with three L.A.D. Leyland Comet four wheelers on the left.
Another angle of Longridge depot taken in 1964 showing the scene a few years before the depot really started to expand.
On the left is an all Leyland line up consisting mainly of L.A.D.’s.
Here we have another shot of Longridge depot taken in 1964.
At this time Riding’s were still operating a near all Leyland fleet apart from a couple of early Atkinson invader’s purchased the year before in 1963 obe of which can just be seen lurking behind Reg No 3800 TD.
With in a few years of this picture being taken all of the Leyland’s above would disappear and be replaced by the Atkinson marque.
A final 1964 black and white shot of Longridge depot.
At this time Riding’s were still operating a virtually all Leyland fleet apart from a couple early Atkinson Mk1 tractor units purchased in 1963/4 one of which can be seen lurking in the picture.
The first in a series of superb colour photographs of Longridge depot taken one weekend in 1964.
Another colour photograph of Longridge depot taken in 1964 showing just part of the large Leyland and Albion fleet the company ran back then before the arrival of the all Atkinson fleet..
This scanned 35mm slide is courtesy of the late Herbert Thomas Forrest, son in law of the late Jim Riding.
Longridge 1966 and the Atkinson invasion gets underway as the Leyland’s are gradually phased out.
In this depot shot, taken on a Saturday morning early in 1967, we see a few of the ever new Atkinson Mk I 4×2 tractor units lined up on the left.
Over the following years Atkinson would become the mainstay of the fleet replacing all the L.A.D. cabbed and Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver tractor unit’s seen in this picture.
Photograph courtesy of the late Jack Draper.
Easter 1967 from left to right….
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51 was purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd on the 10th of January 1966 at a cost of £3,129 6s 9d. and was registered on the 1st of February 1966.
L.A.D. cabbed Leyland Beaver 4×2 tractor unit Reg No MTC 710C Fleet No 70 had a 600 Power Plus engine and was purchased new from Leyland agents Gilbraiths on the 18th of March 1965 at a cost £2,810 and remained in service for seven years until it was sold on to Walter Southworth Ltd of Rufford on the 30th of June 1972 for the sum of £800.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver 4×2 tractor unit Reg No TTC 900D Fleet No 48, driven from new by Bill Coolican, was purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd at a cost of £3,129 6s 9d on the 10th of December 1965 but was not registered until the 1st of January 1966.
Longridge depot 1968.
Pride of place in the foreground for the photo-shoot are four of latest Atkinson acquisitions
From left to right Atkinson Mark 1 tractor units are
CTB 260E and BTE 180E were both powered by Gardner 180’s.
BTB 420E and MTD 160C both had Gardner 150’s.
1968 and this depot shot shows the introduction of more Atkinson 4×2 tractor units into the fleet.
The Ergomatic Leyland Beaver’s in the picture along with the L.A.D. on the right would all be gone within the next four years making it an all exclusive Atkinson fleet.
1969 and by this time more Atkinson tractor units have joined the fleet as they become the vehicle of choice replacing almost all the L.A.D. Leyland’s and later replacing all the Ergomatic Leyland Beaver’s.
On the right is some of the first powder tankers which were added to the fleet when the company set up the wholly owned subsidiary ‘Riding’s Bulk Haulage Ltd’ in 1968.
Atkinson Borderers as far as the eye can see!
This impressive line up of Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor units are seen here parked up for the weekend in 1975.
This was the time when W & J Riding’s immaculate fleet was dominated by the locally manufactured Atkinson marque which were built just down the road at Walton le Dale near Preston.
Atkinson Borderer 4X2 tractor unit Reg No AMS 113K Fleet No 33 ‘Invincible’ was driven by Alan Margerison.
Powered by a Cummins 220 engine, in line with a Fuller 610 gearbox and group axle it is pictured here next to the old fuel pump at Longridge before it was moved near to the entrance and exit of the depot.
More detailed information regarding AMS 113K can be found in the ‘Atkinson Borderer’ section.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne
One of the pair of gates at the entrance to the long gone Longridge depot which had the trade mark company logo ‘The Best in the Long Run’
Photograph courtesy of Gordon Hayes.
Aerial view of Riding’s Longridge depot in 1978, today now the site of an Aldi store and the Riding’s housing estate.
Brought in to replace one of the aging Atkinson Borderer’s Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No YFR 560R Fleet No 30 ‘Relentless’ was purchased brand new by Riding’s on the 1st March 1977 at a cost of £16,001.10p plus vat.
Driven from new by the late Miles Ward it is seen here while parked up for the weekend in Longridge depot.
Powered by a Gardner 240 engine, in line with an eight speed David Brown range change gearbox, a further £2,841 was spent on it before it entered service with the fitting of a compressor for discharging powder tankers.
After just over eight years service with the fleet YFR 560R was sold to John Killingbeck of Blackburn for £3,200 plus vat in December 1985.
Depot shot taken in the late 1970’s shows a few Atkinson Borderer’s parked up for the weekend.
The Atkinson tractor unit minus it’s trailer is Reg No UTB 706M Fleet No 53 ‘Iron Duke’ which was originally new to Pandora of Fleetwood on the 18th of March 1974.
It was purchased second hand through local agent R J & I Wells on the 31st of January 1978 along with three others at a cost of £4,550 each plus vat.
After being in service with Riding’s for four years UTB 706M was eventually sold on to Warren Jones of Kirkham on the 2nd of January 1982 for £1,050 plus vat
Fuel storage January 1979.
At the time it was the so called ‘Winter of Discontent’ with among other things Esso and BP tanker drivers holding an overtime-ban as part of a 40 per cent pay claim.
On the 3rd of January 1979, all lorry drivers belonging to the Transport and General Workers’ Union staged an unofficial walk-out, causing petrol stations to close across the country.
To try and alleviate the resulting fuel shortage many haulage operators purchased secondhand fuel tankers which enabled them buy and store diesel fuel in their depots as was the case at Riding’s.
In the picture coupled up to the storage tanker is Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor unit Reg No TTB 810M Fleet No 85 ‘Superb’ which was purchased new by Riding’s direct from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 14th of January 1974 at a cost of £7,892 50p. and registered the following month on the 1st of February.
Powered by a Gardner eight cylinder engine, in line with an eight speed David Brown box and D85 Kirkstall hub reduction axle, it was driven from new by Bill Lambert.
On the 3rd of August 1983, after nine and a half years service with Riding’s, TTB 810M was sold on to John Killingbeck of Blackburn for £3,300 plus vat.
The Mini van in the picture was owned by Dootsons Auto Electricians of Clitheroe.
The first in a series of photographs taken in January 1982 by the late Tom Riding on a winters day in the depot at Longridge after 36 hours of snow fall.
Tom recalled…… “Apart from having to dig your way out of the yard along with the problems of drivers making it in to work this kind of weather was also bad for business.
The photographs i took that day show many vehicles parked up in the depot with nowhere to go as due to the treacherous conditions many of the local roads were closed”.
Longridge depot in January 1982 after a night of heavy snow with most of the fleet parked up due to the adverse weather conditions.
With much of the local road network treacherous due to the snow and ice it was a few days before things got back to normal.
Above and below are a couple more pictures taken in the depot in January 1982 after the business was brought to a standstill due to the heavy snowfall.
This picture shows some of the cars owned by the drivers that had managed to make it in to work parked up outside the depot on Whittingham Road in January 1982.
To see this exact location in 2015 click HERE.
Spring 1982 and this was the scene in the depot as the Atkinson Borderers are starting to be gradually replaced by Seddon Atkinson ‘400 Series’ 4×2 tractor units.
Also in the picture is a red Leyland Roadtrain tractor unit on the right which was operated by James Paterson of Aberdeen.
Paterson were also part of the Transport Development Group, and used Longridge depot for change overs fueling up and also any mechanical problems they might have along with running a night trunk service from Longridge to Scotland.
Seen here in Longridge in Spring 1981 Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor unit Reg No STF 852M Fleet No 71 ‘Patriot’ was originally new to Pandoro of Fleetwood on the 8th of January 1974.
It was bought by Riding’s second hand through Tom Riding’s agent R J & I Wells on the 31st of January 1977 for £4,550 plus VAT.
Fitted with a Riding’s in house sleeper cab conversion and powered by Cummins 220 engine in line with a 6 speed Brown gearbox and group axle it remained in the fleet until January 1982 when it was sold on to Norman Billington of Heysham for the sum of £1300 plus VAT.
Parked on the left of the picture is Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor unit Reg No RTJ 640M Fleet No 4 ‘Unapproachable’ which was powered by a Gardner 240 engine in line with an eight speed range change David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall D85 hub reduction axle.
Registered new by Riding’s on the 1st of December 1973 at a cost of £7,665.50p plus vat it was driven from new by Ted Bamber and spent its life running daily between Lancashire and the North East.
In June 1983, after ten years service, RTJ 640M was withdrawn broken up and scrapped but it is more than likely that today the reliable Gardner engine is still powering a junk somewhere in Hong Kong harbour.
A typical Saturday morning in the depot waiting for a wash after a hard weeks work is Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor unit Reg No RTB 130M Fleet No 84 ‘Resolute’.
Purchased new from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 14th of September 1973 at a cost of £6,946 it was first registered for road use on the 5th of October 1973.
Powered by a Cummins 250 the vehicle was by this time in the second phase of it’s life after receiving an in house sleeper cab conversion at a cost of £356.60p
After eight years in the fleet it was sold on the 26th of July 1981 to Billingtons Transport of Heysham for the sum of £1,450 plus vat but unfortunately at the very last minute the deal fell through as Billingtons ceased trading so it was sold on to a Mr A Robinson of Immingham for the same price the following month in August 1981.
The other Atkinson Borderer is Reg No STF 710M Fleet No 50 ‘Glorious’.
This particular Atkinson Borderer was fitted with a Gardner 240 eight cylinder engine in line with a David Brown eight speed gearbox and Kirkstall D85 hub reduction axle.
Registered new by Riding’s on the 1st of January 1974, at a cost of £7,947.50 plus vat, it was driven from new by long serving Riding’s man Jack Moon and was the first unit to be fitted with a sleeper cab extension by W H Fowler of Leyland.
After nine years service STF 710M was sold on to John Killingbeck of Blackburn on the 30th of June 1983 for £3,000 plus vat who used it for spares such as radiator, engine and gearbox.
Piggy back to Scotland.
These two Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor units and trailers were both based at Riding;s Motherwell depot in Scotland.
As can be seen from the freshly painted fuel tanks and wheels they had come down to Longridge depot for their annual overhaul and MOT and are getting prepared for their journey back up to Scotland.
Both day cabbed Seddon Atkinson’s Reg No GFR 340S Fleet No 41 ‘Royal Scott’,on the back of the trailer, was purchased new on the 14th of March 1978 at a cost of £18,427 while Reg No EBV 100S Fleet No 89 ‘Zealous’, being used for the trip, was purchased new o the 15th of September 1977 at a cost of £17,354.
They each remained in service for eight years until they were both sold on the 21st of April 1986 to Translitre of Burton upon Trent for the sum of £1950 each.
A couple of Atkinson Borderer’s are pictured here ready for the off at the entrance of Longridge depot with the one in the foreground sporting Riding’s updated livery in a different shade of blue to the old style livery.
In the foreground is Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor unit Reg No YTB 540N Fleet No 43 ‘Able’.
Powered by a Gardner 180 engine in line with a David Brown six speed box and Kirkstall D85 hub reduction rear axle it was registered new on the 1st of September 1974 at a cost of £8,034 plus vat.
Note the 90 gallon fuel tank, made by Jolleys of Preston, which enabled it to get to the South Coast and back with fuel to spare.
Pictured on the left is Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No OCK 460T Fleet No 59 ‘Shooting Star’ one of many 400 Series tractor unit’s brought into the fleet at that time to replace the aging Atkinson Borderer’s.
OCK 460T was powered by a Gardner 240 engine in line with a Fuller 9509A gearbox and Eaton single speed rear axle with a 5.04:1 ratio.
Registered new to Riding’s on the 1st of February 1979 at a cost of £19,367 22p plus vat it was used on the fleet as a general haulage tractor unit.
After eight years service it was sold on the 22nd of August 1987 via the Central Motor Auctions for £2,850 plus vat.
Photograph courtesy of the late Michael Deuchars.
Longridge depot 1981 on the left is Seddon Atkinson ‘400 Series’ tractor unit Reg No DCW 860S ‘Admirable’ which was driven by Jimmy Holden while the Mk1 Atkinson cab of FTF 410F, seen stood on 40 gallon drums, was in the process of being scrapped after being driven continuously for 14 years by Albert Brown aka ‘Big Albert’..
Longridge depot in it’s heyday in 1981 with a nice line up of Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor unit’s & trailers lined up on the left with a neat a row of the older Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor units, coupled to their trailers, on the right.
The all important fuel island can be seen in the centre of the picture.
A line up of Seddon Atkinson 400 Series tractor unit’s parked up in the depot in 1981.
Notice the redesigned front grille baring only the ‘Atkinson’ name and the absence of all things Seddon which was designed by Tom Riding himself.
Longridge depot early 1982.
At this time only a handful of the older Atkinson Borderer 4×2 tractor units remained in service with the fleet which was now dominated by Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor units.
Photograph courtesy of Robert Cheetham.
A nice depot shot shows an unidentified Seddon Atkinson 400 Series reversing into the line up after returning to the depot with a fully loaded 40 foot tri-axle trailer.
Photograph courtesy of the late Michael Deuchars.
Aerial view of Longridge depot in 1986 shortly after completion of the yard extension.
The yard adjacent top right of the picture is Walter Carefoots depot who was Jim Ridings brother in law.
This impressive line up, taken in the depot at Longridge in 1986 after the yard was extended, shows forty four of the one hundred plus Seddon Atkinson strong fleet.
Seen here on a Sunday in the evening sun they are all coupled up to their trailers ready for the off first thing Monday morning.
Also in the picture on the left is the late Tom Riding’s preserved Scammell Rigid 8 Reg No FJH 102 which is named ‘Locomotion’
Riding’s long serving tyre fitter Dick Brewer checks the pressure on a trailer tyre at the depot entrance at Longridge.
On the left is Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4X2 tractor unit Reg No WCK 620Y Fleet No 67 ‘Thane of Fife’ which was originally registered new in Northern Ireland as Reg No EIB 6916.
Re registered in England on the 1st of August 1982 as WCK 620Y this was one of a pair of Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor unit’s that Tom Riding bought second hand from Yardley Commercials of Kidderminster on the 1st of July 1984.
Each one cost £10,250 plus vat and were originally owned by Persitt International of Points Pass Northern Ireland hauling reefers between Ireland and Europe.
On the right is Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4X2 tractor unit Reg No DCW 930Y Fleet No 71 ‘Vanguard’ which was registered brand new to Riding’s on the 25th of March 1983 at a cost of £25,926.
It remained in service with the fleet for eight years until it was sold on to John Killingbeck of Blackburn on the 4th of September 1991 for £2,250 plus vat.
A typical Seddon Atkinson 401 Series depot line up with day cabbed RPL 122X ‘North Briton’ over on the far right which had been reduced to yard shunter at the time.
The company ran a large fleet of Gardner powered Seddon Atkinson 401 Series tractor unit’s throughout the 1980’s.
Seen here in this Longridge line up nearest the camera is Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No A350 PCW Fleet No 82 ‘Jubilant’ which was powered by a Gardner 8LXCT 300 bhp engine.
Registered new on the 1st of April 1984 it was driven on a regular basis by Fred Squires.
Photograph courtesy of Marcus Lester.
Seddon Atkinson 301 Series 4X2 tractor unit Reg No A130 HCK Fleet No 77 ‘Sir Tristram’ is pictured here coupled to a 45 foot tri-axle curtain-sider trailer in the depot.
It is loaded with a return load of sheet steel from the British Steel Corporation plant at Motherwell.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards
Riding’s long serving tyre fitter Dick Brewer can be seen checking the tyre pressures on day cabbed Seddon Atkinson 401 4×2 tractor unit Reg No B240 VCW Fleet No 25 ‘Night Hawk’ which was registered new the 1st of September 1984 at a cost £24,826 plus vat.
This tractor unit spent its life running 24 hours a day, driven on nights by the late Ken Fryer, and on days by long time serving Riding’s driver Paul Smith.
B240 VCW was scrapped on the 1st of April 1993 with the Gardner engine sold on to Hartwood exports for £2,500 plus vat.
A busy time on the fuel island at the entrance to the depot.
Pictured fueling up are Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No C980 JCK Fleet No 30 ‘Patriot’ driven from new by the late Jimmy Holden.
On the right is Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E530 NHG Fleet No 44 ‘Royal Star’ which was a brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of June 1988 at a cost of £29,355.22p plus vat.
Another shot taken at the same time as the previous photograph with vehicles waiting to fuel up on returning to the depot.
The powder tanker in the foreground was being hauled Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No C980 JCK Fleet No 30 ‘Patriot’ driven by the late Jimmy Holden.
Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No D950 XFV Fleet No 19 ‘Flying Dutchman II’ swings into the the depot past the fuel island at Longridge.
On the right is one of the many garage vans that Riding’s had in their fleet, in this case it is Ford Escort van Reg No F456 FWG.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Another shot of Riding’s long serving tyre fitter Dick Brewer who this time is seen checking the tyre pressures on Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No D880 SHG Fleet No 90 ‘Cock o’The North’.
Purchased new from Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 18th of July 1986 at a cost of £30,023 plus vat D880 SHG was not registered until over two months later on the 1st of September that year.
The late Tom Riding recalled below….
“I seem to remember this was the first Gardner 6LXDT we operated and it covered a massive amount of mileage with no problems.
This engine had been built at Patricroft before they decided to have them built by London Transport workshops an act of folly which caused many problems with subsequent engines until production reverted back to Patricroft.
This particular tractor unit spent years on the Bainbridge contract running to Enfield and back on nights and Birmingham and back on days.
Paul Spearriett drove it from new on nights and Neil Jackson was it’s day man.
Another very interesting fact is that the Bridgestone M711 pattern tyres fitted when new on the drive axle did a massive 262.000 miles with just a re-groove.”
Withdrawn at the end of April 1993 Reg No D880 SHG was used as a yard shunter at Longridge for five months until it was scrapped in October 1993.
A line up of three Seddon Atkinson 401 Series tractor unit’s coupled to trailers in the yard at Longridge.
Reg No D70 XBV Fleet No 52 ‘Lode Star II’ and Reg No D400 SRN Fleet No 33 ‘Lord of the Isles’ were both powered by Gardner 6LXDT engines and are seen coupled to Timax Bainbridge curtain-siders, which ran on contract from their premises at Squires Gate in Blackpool and Glasson Dock near Lancaster.
The third Seddon Atkinson 401 on the right is Reg No B520 BCK Fleet No 85 ‘Caledonian’ a Motherwell-based motor loaded with plate steel from the BSC plant at Ravenscraig.
Photograph courtesy of Marcus Lester.
Tucked away at the top of the yard at Longridge in 1986 were some of the scrapped cabs which were kept for spares.
These two old Seddon Atkinson 400 Series cabs originally belonged to Reg No SMM 733S Fleet No 33 ‘Phoenix’ and Reg No AHG 820R Fleet No 90 ‘Silver Jubilee’.
Both Gardner 240 engine’s had been removed and sold on to Translitre of Burton on Trent on the 19th September 1986.
Seen here in the depot is one of the many company cars that the late Tom Riding drove over the years a 1987 Emerald Green BMW 735i Auto (Chassis No 1660876) that was purchased new from Kinders Ashton Garage Ltd of Preston, part of the Bowker Group, on the 1st of May 1987 at a cost of £26,800.
After six years in the company car fleet it was sold on the 27th of October 1993 to a Mr D.Williams of Church Road Farndon Cheshire for the sum of £4,400.
W & J Riding’s modern office block on Whittingham Road Longridge which was completed in 1988.
This building contained the traffic office, accounts department and general offices but was demolished in 2017 to make way for a new housing development along with an Aldi supermarket.
To see this exact location in 2009 click HERE.
The ‘rip and tip’ shed where pallets were lifted onto a gantry and individual sacks were dropped onto the conveyor belt which were then slit open allowing the powder to fall into the powder tanker parked below.
Riding’s started this particular operation back in 1983 at the request of ICI Ltd and it continued until the final day of operations on the 28th October 2016.
Longridge depot January 1990 and two different models of Seddon Atkinson are seen here ready for the road.
On the left is Seddon Atkinson Strato Reg No G820 KCW Fleet No 110 ‘Endeavour’ which was a brand new addition to the fleet just two months prior on the 1st of November 1989.
On the right is Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E120 HCK Fleet No 4 ‘Pathfinder’ which, by now, was three years old having been registered new on the 1st of November 1987.
Aerial view of Longridge depot in 1991 which today is now an Aldi supermarket along with the Riding’s housing development
Day cabbed Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No OPL 51W Fleet No 5 ‘Comet’ was powered by a Cummins E290 big cam engine.
Pictured here in the depot at Longridge, at the end of it’s working life in 1991, it was not Riding’s innovative approach to air-conditioning! but waiting to be broken up for spares.
Originally registered new to London Carriers on the 10th of July 1981 Tom Riding bought this along with seven sister machines when they was almost five years old on the 7th of March 1986 from local dealer Syd Hartley of Whittingham.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
Day cabbed Seddon Atkinson 401 4×2 tractor unit Reg No RPL 151X Fleet No 65 ‘Conqueror’ (Chassis No 73251) registered new by London Carriers on the 4th of November 1981 was one of a batch of nine ex London Carriers Seddon Atkinson 401 4×2 tractor units that Tom Riding bought second-hand.
Purchased in April 1986, when four and a half years old, from local dealer Syd Hartley RPL 151X cost £8,350 plus vat and was initially used on general haulage out of Longridge depot from 1986 until 1988 after which time it spent all its remaining life based at Riding’s Motherwell depot in Scotland.
After five years service with Riding’s RPL 151X was scrapped and is seen here in February 1991 in Longridge depot shortly before being broken up.
The remains of Seddon Atkinson 401 4×2 tractor unit Reg No RPL 122X Fleet No 16 ‘North Briton’ which finished it’s life at Riding’s as the yard shunter in Longridge depot.
Scrapped in February 1991 RPL 122X was one of a batch of ex London Carriers day cabbed 4×2 tractor units Tom Riding bought in 1986 which were all fitted with Cummins E290 Big Cam engines.
Day cabbed Seddon Atkinson 401 4×2 tractor unit Reg No RPL 126X Fleet No 23 ‘Auld Reekie’ (Chassis No 73025) is pictured here while on shunting duties in the depot in 1992 shortly before being disposed of. .
One of a batch of several ex London Carriers Seddon Atkinson 401 tractor units that Tom Riding purchased second-hand in April 1986 it was powered by a Cummins E290 Big Cam engine.
Unlike most of the ex London Carriers day cabbed 401’s that were broken up and scrapped at Longridge RPL 126X was sold on complete to J.C. Commercials of Bootle Liverpool on the 27th of July 1992 for the sum of £700 plus vat.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
Longridge depot 1993 showing part of the tanker fleet and the variety of tractor units in the fleet at that time which included Seddon Atkinson 4-11, Seddon Atkinson Strato and ERF which the following year would be joined by a batch of Perkins powered Foden’ 4335 4×2 tractor units.
Nearest the camera is Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No H840 VFR Fleet No 1 ‘Precursor’ which was purchased new from Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd the 24th of April 1990 but was not registered until four months later on the 17th of August 1990.
Powered by a Perkins 335 TX engine in line with a Fuller twin speed splitter gearbox it was driven from new by Mick McKay and is coupled to a Carmichael tipping tank in Riding’s livery that was used exclusively on the movement of Corvic paste to Nairn’s of Kirkcaldy.
After eight years service H840 VFR was sold on the 19th of March 1998 to D.G. Taylor Commercials of Driffield for an undisclosed sum.
Another 1993 Longridge depot shot showing in the foreground ERF E10 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F270 YBV Fleet No 20 ‘Royal Sovereign’ which was purchased new on the 13th of January 1989 at a cost of £29,588 + vat.
Powered by a Cummins L10 290 engine it was first registered for road use on the 1st of March 1989.
Driven from new by the late Ted Woods this was the first EVC liveried sleeper cabbed tractor unit to be assigned to the European Vinyl’s Corporation contract and is pictured here while coupled to a Crane Fruehauf 55 cubic metre tipping tanker also in EVC livery.
After nine years service with Riding’s F270 YBV was sold on the 19th of March 1998 to D.G. Taylor of Driffield in East Yorkshire for an undisclosed sum.
Pictured here at Longridge on the 13th of January 1993, while in the process of being broken up for scrap, the remains of Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No TTB 341S Fleet No 38 ‘Perseverance’.
It was originally owned by Reliance Tankers of Manchester who ran it for 10 years after registering it new on the 1st of September 1977.
Powered by Rolls Royce 220 engine the late Tom Riding recalled……
“I bought it for just £50 on the 1st of August 1987 and after a tidy up it then spent it’s last years on internal work at the British Steel Corporation plant at Ravenscraig moving hot slabs around the site on a 24 hour basis.
I can’t quite remember how it acquired the chrome bumper bar which was a bit flashy in a steel works to say the least but the old girl served the company well for almost five years, not a bad investment of £50″.
Pictured behind is Leyland Beaver Reg No 880 FTF
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
A pair of Seddon Atkinson 4-11 Series 4×2 tractor units parked in Longridge depot in 1994 both looking rather tired with their faded front grills after being in the fleet for six years.
On the left is Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E530 NHG Fleet No 44 ‘Royal Star’ (Chassis No 84356) which was purchased new from Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 7th of April 1988 at a cost of £29,355.22p plus vat but was not registered for road use until the 1st of June 1988.
Powered by a Gardner 6LXDT engine, in line with a twin splitter gearbox, it was driven from new by Bill Procter and remained in service with Riding’s for 10 years until the 14th of June 1996 after which time it was sold on to local dealer Syd Hartley for £950 plus vat.
On the right is Seddon Atkinson 4-11 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E180 NBV Fleet No 29 ‘Britannia’ (Chassis No 84290) which was powered by a Gardner 6LXDT 290 engine in line with a Fuller twin splitter gearbox and driven by Peter Beswick.
Purchased new by Riding’s on the 15th of April 1988, at a cost of £29,355 plus vat, it was first registered two weeks later on the 1st of May 1988 and remained in service with Riding’s for eight years until the 27th of February 1996 when it was withdrawn and sold on to J.C. Commercials of Bootle for £2,150 plus vat.
Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No D60 WRN is seen here on the 26th of November 1994 after being demoted to yard shunter at Longridge depot.
Registered new seven years earlier, on the 2nd of February 1987, when it was used on the road it was formerly Fleet No 26 ‘Sans Pareil II’ as can be seen in this photograph here.>>>>
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No VPM 235Y Fleet No 61 ‘ Highland Laddie’ is pictured here towards the end of its working life at Riding’s.
It is seen here on shunting duties in the depot at Longridge during the transfer of bagged ICI powder into one of the company’s powder tankers for onward delivery.
A busy Saturday morning scene on the 9th of April 1994 at Longridge depot.
In the centre of the picture is ERF E10 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G790 JCW Fleet No 2 ‘Knight of the Thistle’.
New on the 1st of September 1989 it was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine and is seen here having just arrived back home coupled to a Murfitt 1600 cubic ft non tipping powder tank.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
This Marion crawler crane was used in the depot to unload steel plates collected from British Steel Corporation plants and place them in the yard for temporary storage.
It was also used to reloaded the trailers of outside hauliers for onward deliveries down South where W & J Riding didn’t normally venture on general haulage.
Capable of lifting 40 tons with the jib upright the late Tom Riding bought the crane off Garston Dock and it was still in operation when he retired in October 1995.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards
This was the steam cleaning ramp in the depot were vehicles were steam cleaned in preparation for their annual MOT test.
On the ramp is Seddon Atkinson 301 Series 4X2 tractor unit Reg No C150 BKP Fleet No 92 ‘Sir Lancelot’ Tom Riding bought this tractor unit from Translitre of Burton on Trent for £16,150 plus vat on 18th of May 1987.
More details in Seddon Atkinson 301.
Another shot of the steam cleaning ramp at Longridge depot were vehicles were, amongst other things, steam cleaned in preparation for their annual MOT test.
On the ramp on this particular day, the 25th of July 1992, is Seddon Atkinson 301 Series 4X2 tractor unit Reg No C150 BKP Fleet No 92 ‘Sir Lancelot’.
Longridge depot Seddon Atkinson line up!
From left to right……..
Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No B131 TND Fleet No 6 ‘El Capitan’.
Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4X2 tractor unit Reg No DCW 930Y Fleet No 71 ‘Vanguard’.
Seddon Atkinson 4-11 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E420 MFR Fleet No 101 ‘Implacable’.
Seddon Atkinson 400 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No ORH 90W Fleet No 12 ‘Tornado’.
The fuel island at Longridge shows driver Alan Margerison fueling up Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E80 HFV Fleet No 99 ‘Hercules’ which is coupled up to a Timax liveried curtain-sider trailer.
Registered new on the 17th of October 1987, at a cost of £27,459 plus vat, it remained in service until the 13th of February 1995 E80 HFV when it was sold on to J.C. Commercials of Liverpool for the sum of £2,750 plus vat.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seen here in Longridge depot, in front of the garage, is Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E440 NCK Fleet No 34 ‘Black Prince ‘ which was registered new on the 1st of May 1988 at a cost of £29,355 plus vat.
Powered by a Gardner 6LXDT engine and driven by Tim Dewhurst it is pictured here on the 25th of July 1993 when five years old about to depart Longridge with a full 24 ton load of cement loaded earlier at the Castle Cement plant at nearby Clitheroe.
At the end of its working life with Riding’s E440 NCK was sold on to a dealer in Liverpool for £1,500 plus vat.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E440 NCK Fleet No 34 ‘Black Prince ‘ parked up in the depot at Longridge.
This busy scene on the 25th of July 1993 shows the variety of work Riding’s undertook at that time which included curtain-siders, flats and containers.
A well sheeted and roped load awaits departure in the depot at Longridge in August 1993.
Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E420 MFR Fleet No 101 ‘Implacable’.
Driven from new by Rex Rich it is seen here loaded with drums of Cereclor, chlorinated paraffin, on board a 45 foot tri-axle curtain sider trailer.
Taking time out in the depot is Seddon Atkinson 4-11 4×2 tractor unit Reg No E470 NFV Fleet No 18 ‘Apollo’.
Powered by a Gardner 6LXDT engine in line with a Fuller twin splitter gearbox E470 NFV was registered new on the 1st of June 1988, at a cost of £29,355 plus vat.
Driven on a regular basis by John Fawcett, ‘aka Cumberland John’, it remained in service with Riding’s for just over eight years until it was sold on the 28th of September 1996 to J. C. Commercials of Liverpool for the sum of £1,500 plus vat.
At this time Gardner’s were not everyone’s favourite engine and the premium prices that they once used to command were no longer available on the second hand market.
Photograph courtesy of Geoff Milne.
ERF E10 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F540 THG Fleet No 102 ‘Skiddaw’ is seen here near to the end of it’s working life with Riding’s when seven years old in 1995.
Registered new on the 1st of October 1988 and powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it was the first ERF tractor unit to enter service with the company.
Originally based at Riding’s Thornaby depot on Teesside, where it spent most of it’s working life, it is seen here outside the garage at Longridge depot.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F500 BFV Fleet No 24 ‘Invincible’ is pictured on the steam cleaning ramp at Longridge depot undergoing cleaning for it’s annual MOT test.
Reg No F500 BFV Fleet No 24 ‘Invincible’ was the first Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit to enter service with Riding’s on the 1st of May 1989 at a cost of £30,027.65p + vat.
Unfortunately it did not live up to it’s name of ‘Invincible’ as it was written off in May 1996 after being burnt out following a fire which started in a front wheel hub.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F996 RCK Fleet No 77 ‘Sir Tristram’, powered by a Cummins 14 litre engine, is pictured here in August 1994 returning to the depot with a well sheeted and roped 24 ton load of bagged cement from the Castle Cement plant at nearby Clitheroe.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Registered new on the 1st of September 1989 Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G881 GFV Fleet No 95 ‘Morning Star’ swings round in the yard in the depot at Longridge.
In the background you can see the variety of trailers that Riding’s operated at that time which included curtain siders, powder tankers, flats and tipping skelly trailers.
G881 GFV was one of a number of Riding’s Seddon Atkinson Strato’s that were painted in the contract livery of European Vinyl’s Corporation Ltd (EVC).
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G881 GFV Fleet No 95 ‘Morning Star’.
In the contract livery of EVC it is pictured here after reversing one of Riding’s trailer’s into the tyre bay in the depot.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G750 UEC Fleet No 7 ‘Indomitable’, driven from new by Rodney Preston, makes it’s way across the yard at Longridge while coupled to a tri-axle flat trailer loaded with steel plate from Motherwell.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
The busy fuel island at Longridge depot, with driver Mick McKay doing the honours.
Mick is seen fueling up Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No H840 VFR Fleet No 1 ‘Precursor’ which was another of the batch of Seddon Atkinson Strato’s that were painted in the contract livery of European Vinyl’s Corporation Ltd (EVC).
‘E’ Series ERF 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K730 URN Fleet No 6 ‘Sir Lancelot’ spins round in the yard at Longridge while coupled up to a Crane Fruehauf built 1450 cubic foot non tipping tri-axle powder tanker.
To the left is part of the garage complex while to the right is one of the transit sheds.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
ERF EC12 4X2 tractor unit Reg No L390 KHG Fleet No 58 ‘Resolute’, which was registered new on the 1st of July 1994, is pictured here in the yard at Longridge as the driver secures the curtains ready for the off.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Another shot of the fuel island, which was located just inside the entrance of the depot off Whittingham Road, enabled vehicles to fuel up on entering or leaving the premises.
Pictured here fueling up is Foden 4335 4×2 tractor unit Reg No M430 URN Fleet No 11 ‘Coeur-de-Lion’ which was powered by a Perkins 335TX engine and assigned to the European Vinyl’s Corporation Ltd contract.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Foden Line Up at Longridge.
Seen here parked in the depot are three of the ten Foden 4335 4×2 tractor unit’s introduced into to the fleet in 1994/5.
ERF EC12 Series 4×2 tractor unit Reg No N340 ERN Fleet No 19 ‘Flying Dutchman’ was registered new on the 1st of September 1995 only a month before the retirement of Tom Riding.
Powered by a Perkins TX325 engine it is seen here parked adjacent to the vehicle wash in the depot.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Longridge depot Saturday the 28th of October 1995 one of a number of fleet photographs taken on the day the late Tom Riding retired from the company.
In 2016 the whole site above was completely leveled in preparation for the building of an Aldi supermarket and a housing estate which now stands on the site today.
Saturday the 28th of October 1995 and managing director the late Tom Riding took this photograph of the main entrance to the depot on the day of his retirement from the company.
In 2016 the whole site above was completely leveled in preparation for the building of an Aldi supermarket and a housing estate which now stands on the site today.
The late Tom Riding seen here on the day of his retirement, Saturday the 28th of October 1995, standing in front of ERF EC12 4×2 tractor unit Reg No N780 ERN Fleet No 14 ‘Hotspur’ which was registered for road use from the 1st of September 1995.
Another shot of ERF EC12 4×2 tractor unit Reg No N780 ERN Fleet No 14 ‘Hotspur’ which was registered new on the 1st of September 1995.
It is pictured here outside the long gone offices at Longridge depot on Saturday the 28th of October, the day Tom Riding retired from the company.
This was the last vehicle that managing director the late Tom Riding ordered on behalf of W & J Riding from the ERF factory at Sandbach.
Three of a kind parked outside the offices of on Saturday the 28th of October 1995, the day the late Tom Riding retired from the company.
ERF EC12 4×2 tractor unit Reg No N780 ERN Fleet No 14 ‘Hotspur’ was registered new on the 1st of September 1995 was the last vehicle that managing director the late Tom Riding ordered on behalf of W & J Riding from the ERF factory at Sandbach.
Today this is the entrance to the ‘Ridings’ housing development and Aldi car park.
Longridge depot December 1995 and pictured in the foreground is Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F833 LJR Fleet No 71 ‘Vanguard’ which was registered new on the 7th of February 1989.
Purchased second hand by Tom Riding from local dealer Syd Hartley on the 23rd of July 1991, at a cost of £15,000 plus vat, it was driven on a regular basis by the late David Fletcher who met his wife to be Pauline who worked in the offices at Riding’s continuously for 40 years.
Already looming in the background is a sign of things to come with a re-liveried curtain-sider trailer now in TDG scarab green livery just two months after the retirement of Tom Riding.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
This photograph, showing the entrance to Riding’s depot at Longridge, was taken on the 23rd of December 1995 two months after Tom Riding retired from the company.
In 2017 the whole site was completely leveled with nothing in the picture left standing and today an Aldi supermarket and a housing development called ‘The Riding’s’ now stands on the site today.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
