New Pages
a
history
Company transport
Before the
coming of the Motor Car most businesses had to rely on the Horse and
Cart for transport - Brunel brought the railway from Bristol to Exeter
in 1844 and the London and South Western reached Exeter in 1860. Up
until then transport was by packhorse and horse and cart. As the
railways opened up the county so goods were able to be moved around
more easily. Lord Portsmouth conveniently arranged for a station at
Eggesford so many of the products that were made by the Foundry for
Eggesford House (including gates, railings and stoves and ironwork for
the extensive stables) travelled most of the way by train - as did the
staff who installed some of the equipment. Elsewhere in the county
workmen and equipment went by train and were met at the nearest station
and transported to their place of work by the buyer or his staff. The
Company owned a pony and trap as there is a reference to it being sent
to Powderham Castle at Kenton and we know from written evidence that
the 'Old Horse' died in July 1880 and was replaced by a 'New Horse' in
September. Garton & King, ever a firm to save a bob or two
wrote to the well known Bristol Wagon Works on the 12th August 1882
enquiring after second hand wagons. We will probably never know whether
they became a customer of the Bristol company.
One of the
earliest motor cars owned by the company was TA 8423 - I do not
recognise the make.
Mr A.B.Green of Taylor & Bodley at one time
owned the vehicle shown with a full compliment of passengers at
Sticklepath. From left to
right is Mr A.B. Green, Mr Edgar Holladay (my grandfather) possibly
Alec Holladay stood on the running board, Miss M Green and Mrs Green.
Some years
later the company owned the impressive looking Austin, BFJ 366.
Who hauled
products from the new factory at Tan Lane just before and during the war
I do not know. I remember the regular driver from W.T.J. Eastmond,
Exwick who, in the late 40s, 50s and possibly 60s were the regular
haulage contractor and I believe when this firm ceased trading the
contract passed to BRS Contracts with the same driver. One of their
adverts I have included in this section.
The sepia
coloured photograph, apart from showing another vehicle that might have
belonged to the company shows an often reproduced picture. In
explanation here is a brief description of the gears.
"16th October 1953. These three gear rings for a Cement Mill in Canada are about to start their 9,000 mile journey through the Panama Canal to British Columbia. A fourth wheel was despatched about five weeks previously to meet an urgent demand. They are cast in a special steel iron mix to withstand the abrasive conditions in which they work, they measure 9 feet in diameter, 1' 2" wide with 96 teeth and each weighs about three tons (none of your metric tonnes!) The wheels are cast in two halves and are bolted together."
For a while I operated a 7 ton tipper in the Exeter Area
and the final photo shows my vehicle by the loading gantry at Tan Lane
with the last delivery from the foundry, destination South West Water
at Plymouth, the picture was taken in September 1979.