neil memmott

Hi Geir, Sorry to have left it a month since I last posted you but since then my wife suffered a stroke which plonked her in hospital for a short while. Luckily it was'nt a bad stroke in the sense that it did'nt do a lot of lasting damage. The main affection is in her right leg which won't respond to the instructions her brain tells it to but they (the medics & physios) are working on this and they seem confident that they can restore something like normality within time. It's been a rather busy time for me one way or the other since but we seem to be settling down somewhat now. Anyway it's good to see the Bedford lads have been keeping you busy, it's like old times really or would be if one or two of the lasses threw their hats in as well, it would be nice to catch up with them, I bet there's a few story's to be told between us. I hope you have a pleasant Easter, just as a matter of interest, what do you give to the kids to celebrate the occasion? as you know it's custom here to give them chocolate eggs. I know in Finland they give chocolate rabbits, is that the same in Norway and/or Sweden? Take care and have a good un'. N

Hi Geir, yes, when I think about it, we were a good bunch, in fact the wholeplace was good and there are one or two people that I still correspond with from those times but we did have a really good crowd in our office and the atmosphere was great, it's all changed a bit since then. After Bedfords had been taken over by the mighty Tarmac things rapidly began to change, top management out and replaced with Tarmac's own and the writing on the wall became all to clear and I got out and joined a construction company as tranport and plant manager, nice company and paid well but the export call was soon coming back and after a year or two I joined "Presto" Tools who were really just around the corner from Bedfords. I remained in sales of one sort or another up until we both took very early retirement and went to live in Cyprus for a few years and whilst we still visit and house sit various properties there we sold our own place and came back to live in UK. I took a part time job looking after the local DIY shop in the village where we live and finally retired officially from there about four years ago. So there you have it. Healthwise I'm nay so bad but I had a fright a couple of years ago when the old ticker started playing up, luckily I had stopped smoking back in 2000 so I did'nt have that to pack up but I've been ordered (yes ordered) off the Booze by my consultant, when he told me I nearly had a bloody heart attack mate I'll tell you, fifty odd years boozin' and this cocky young sod cooly tells me to pack it in then and there. I though it was going to be painfull but it was easier than stopping smoking and so I'm nearly as clean as a whistle these days. I'll be in touch nearer the time of our visit matey, in the meantime look after yourselves and take your grandson off to see the ice hocky matches.

Nay, of cause you would'nt remember fighting with a frying pan, we believe you obviously. Peter says hi (he remembers the pan incident also :-) and he also remembers that when you returned to Norway you went to work for Rank Xerox - we still got you taped mate. I think I can stitch together the other members of the Export clan for you i.e. Lynn Heppenstall - typist Elizabeth (Liz) - typist (very slightly oriental looking) Jean Longford - typist (slightly well built) Mr. Reid's secretary was Kath. Ian Davison - I think he did go down under, whether he stayed or not I don't know. Peter and me. "The Full Monty" was filmed all around Bedfords but not actually at Bedfords but it was a very good and funny film and so life like. It was well written, someone had done their homework well. Did you remain with Rank or did you move on. Bergen is our first port of call on this trip, I have only ever been to Oslo on 3-4 occasions so I am looking forward to seeing a bit more of Norway this time. I have been to Sweden, Denmark and Finland many times both on business and pleasure in fact we were in Finland last in 2011 and before that in 2010. Hasten slowly. Then there was peter and myself

Well, well, well the Nordic Nomad himself and still as cheeky as ever. You sound on great form Geir, I hope that is the case, 43 years is it since we classed you as alien to these shores, we must have enjoyed having you over as Peter (yes the Peter you refer to, his surname is Coupe and he's still married to Marion or "Mags" as he used to call her, they live in Northern Ireland these days and we still keep in touch from time to time. We still laugh at you being hit over the head with a frying pan by your missus for being a bad lad). Mr Reid is long gone but as far as I know his son Alan is still with us, I remember the MGB incident well, what a shame that was. Arnold Wade of Capstan Full Strength fame coughed himself to death some time ago also. Another thing Peter and I laugh about is your liking for Potted Beef sandwiches with Piccalli, we've never known anyone else who ate these either before or since your escape back to your country folk. Must have been a Norwegian thing. What was the name of the owner of the shop who sold these sandwiches, can you remember? Something else we have wondered about. I took a drive through old Neepsend some time ago and yes it was sad to see the old place in such a state even though it was an old building to start with I spent fourteen years in that place and enjoyed every minute. Anyway I have lots more to ask but that must wait for another time, funnily enough, the wife and I are taking a cruise round your coastline in June, going as far as Murmansk and Archangel. Take care

What's wrong with Isabelle?

To Sezlez, Hi, I did'nt know your relatives personally but unbe knowing to them they were a group of quite famous ladies. Back in the 60's Bedfords were known worldwide for the finish on their spanners, they had a mirror finish which you could see yourself through and this was only made possible by the fine finish on the finished article prior to being chrome plated and it would have been your relatives that created that finish by the quality of their glazing. So, there you have it, a little bit of fame. Regards neil memmott

The north island is the hotter of the two main islands but the south has more to see. I would advise you to invest a few quid in a "Rough Guide to New Zealand" (or similar)travel guide, worth their weight in headache pills.

S17, post yesterday but not today in fact no deliveries at all.

It was once said that 'the person who invented decorating wants f-----g' but this was argued down and re-invented as 'the person who invented f-----g wants decorating'.

Actually I was'nt too far off the mark regarding departure points as I now remember SUT having booking offices in Pond Hill, Union St, Waingate and Attercliffe Road and I can now certainly remember coaches leaving from Waingate and I think it probable that you remember this and not Snig Hill just around the corner.

I don't remember Snig Hill but before SUT went into Pond Street we always caught the coach in Union St. , where they had a booking office. I suppose it's always possible that different destinations had different departure points i.e. East Coast from Union St., West Coast from Snig Hill etc. , but this is only a suggestion.

I've noticed recently that the birds which come into the garden are much reluctant to eat any Ciabatta bread left out for them, even the Wood Pigeons will only peck at it when everything else has gone. Why is this? Has anyone experienced similar re-actions by birds to Ciabatta and if so what do you think the bread contains to make birds behave like this?

Me too, I bought two medium Pork Farms from Sainsbury's Archer Road and they were the same as already posted. If this is to be general issue I will not be buying any more, a shame really as they were the best around. Why change the design of what already was a winner or is it another victim of greed and profits for the sake of inferior ingredients?

Pisces, I think I've just had a brainwave i.e. the one armed man in the timehouse was a Mr. Burkenshaw, does that have any recollections with you?

Hi Pisces, Shropshire is a long way from Mowbray Street. I remember the name Mary Cox (I remember her as being a slim woman) and I certainly remember big George Baggley and the one arm guy I can picture without any difficulty but his name slips the memory. You would remember Joyce in your office the one who married David Ballard the advertising manager. I met up with David years later at Presto Tools, we had adjoining offices up on the very top floor, it was known as the penthouse suite, sadly no more. Anyway it's good to speak to you, I hope you had a good Christmas, have a happy 2010. regards,

Greggs Sausage Rolls are, well, er just can't get enough of them.

If you are near to Totley you can get them from Martin Scivens Greengrocer on Totley Rise, he also has Cunninghams Piccalli and pickled Red Cabbage.

Try Hadfields Electrical in Abbeydale Road Ruby (just below Carterknowle Road on the left hand side heading into town). Bought some from there 6 months ago.

The last tin of Corned Beef I opened with a key had a note inside saying "good luck to our lads on the Somme"

From the early fifties I remember two programmes on a Saturday night i.e. 'In Town Tonight' and 'Saturday Night Out'

Ray Plumtree and I were in the same class at Carfield together and I think it was Ray who took over from his father in the coal business.

A F Hancock was one of the first Directors of SUT although many individual companys actually made up SUT. I wonder if "Uncle" Simm was one of the two brothers who also had their own companys running coaches in Sheffield in the fifties and sixties. I can remember E. H. Simm and I think the other was J H Simm but I'm not sure what actually happened to either of these two companies. Around this time were Fantoms Coaches whose garage was in Queens Road where the carwash is now, the last coach they had as I remember was a Bedford with a Duple Vega body, the one where the radiator grill resembled a butterfly. There was off cause Jeffcocks, Hirst and Sweeting, Littlewoods (again became two companies) similar liveries, only the initials told the difference between the two company's. There were other companys also but they have slipped the memory for the time being. Carnells came along later with some flashy equipment but I think they went to the wall. Hagues had some nice tackle but gave up touring and stuck to road haulage.

This coach registration number was 336 DWJ and the wooden panels were in fact 'Arborite' which was laminated directly onto the metal. I remember seeing this coach when it was new and looked really nice but I understand that the effect did'nt wear well. The coach was written off in the early seventies. I have an excellent book written by Trevor Weckert called 'Sheffield United Tours A brief history. It is published by Venture Publications Ltd of Glossop. It gives you the history from the very beginning to it's sad end and it is loaded with photographs of coaches, some with their drivers; a good £10 worth for any enthusiast. There used to be a list of SUT coach names in circulation at one time and if anyone has a copy I would pleased if they will contact me.

Martin Scrivens on Totley Rise has them in stock now (or had them yesterday lunchtime) I don't think he would have sold out as they were a bit price restrictive but for a treat they are worth it.