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Thank You!

A special thank you to the late Thomas William Riding, former managing director and chief executive of W & J Riding for 25 years, to whom this website is dedicated.

Over the years Tom was kind enough to supply a vast amount of detailed historical information along with many of the superb rare photographs featured and without his invaluable help and dedication this website would not have been possible.

The site now contains over 2500 images, complete with in depth details, all of which are accessible via the main menu & side menu (marked with the mobile menu icon of 3 lines on a mobile & tablet).

Seddon Atkinson Strato Reg No F954 YBV

Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F954 YBV was one of five ex British Nuclear Fuels Strato’s to enter service with W & J Riding in 1991.

This particular page documents the vehicles life before, during and after it’s life at W & J Riding.

 F954 YBV is pictured above parked at the Forton Service area on the M6 in it’s original BNFL livery.

The late Tom Riding recalled below…..

“Reg No F954 YBV was one of five Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor units that i bought from my good friend Dick Wells.

His company originally had them on hire to British Nuclear Fuels at the local Springfield’s site on a three year contract from 1988.

At the end of that period, in 1991, i purchased them from him and subsequently they turned out to be very good work horses for our company”.

After coming out of the paint shop and receiving it’s Riding livery F954 YBV was assigned Fleet No 79 and named ‘Sir Gareth’.

Purchased from local dealer Dick Wells at a cost of £16,950 on the 6th of February 1992 it is is pictured above loaded with 24 tons of pallets containing packed chemicals from the ICI works at Wilton.

F954 YBV spent all it’s working life running out of Riding’s Teesside depot on general haulage duties after which time it was sold on to Brands Scaffolding of Blackpool as can be seen in the picture below.

After spending it’s working life at W.J.Riding’s depot on Teesside F954 YBV was sold on to the Brands Scaffolding Company of Robson Way Blackpool where it is pictured here in their yard still in full Riding livery.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.

Still in W.J.Riding livery, but now operated by Brands Scaffolding of Robson Way Blackpool,  Seddon Atkinson tractor unit Reg No F954 YBV is seen here while heading East on the A585 out of Blackpool.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.

Pictured here again, now with it’s W. & J. Riding livery completely painted out on the headboard and doors, F954 YBV heads out of Blackpool on the A585.

Taken in January 1998 it was nearing the end of it’s working life with Brands Scaffolding of Blackpool and was finally withdrawn and scrapped six months later in July 1998.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.