Bentley Brothers attercliffe Road

[hillc4 10]

My dad was the bodyshop foreman for Bentley brothers at Coleford Road until they closed down. The idea was to centralise the dealership to the new premises at Savile Street but the business went bust weeks before the big move. The story went that Peter Bentley had borrowed so much money to fund the building and as soon as any equipment was moved in it became liable for business rates. My dad always said that if the Vauxhall Cavalier had been launched a few weeks earlier it would have saved them.

He went back to work there when it was taken over by Charles Clarke ltd looking after the new car stock and I worked there for a while when they expanded the car compounds further down towards Forgemasters. We used to take delivery of all new cars coming from Luton and Ellesmere Port,check for damage and anything missing then stack them away and log them on to stock also ferrying cars out when sold or swapped.Our manager was John Walker but we used to work with Vic Elwis daily.When I think back it was a very busy place with car sales,bodyshop,parts department,commercial sales,truck workshop,car workshop and recovery service all on one site.

It always seemed that a lot of Bentleys staff had gone there and just carried on,some of them in different jobs but just pleased to be back at work! I remember Fred Thorpe,Bob Bradshaw,Arnold Sowerby,Gerry Barton and loads of others that I can't put names to at the moment. I think I know who you are Bullerboy,did you drive the recovery wagons?

 

hi there i used to work at bentleys doing the valeting for the rental cars, i lived next door to bob bradshaw hence how i got the job, i ended up going out with a machanic called martyn windle

[bullerboY 10]

I believe the demise of Bentley Bros was due to under estimating the cost of the new premises especially when finding a unmapped tunnel which cost a fortune to sort out.Bentleys also had a van Dept opposite the Wicker picture house this eventually became the disabled and motorbility section.

[von1960 10]

Did anyone work at the commercial garage 1979 until it closed?

 

my father in law worked there, on the night shift if im correct, his name is gordon niel.

[Alligin 10]

Hi all,

The father of a lad I grew up with put his Bedford Shootingbrake on display in the Wicker Showrooms each year. It was a wooden bodied vehicle having 11/12 seats and believed to be a unique vehicle being the only one ever made. Wondered if anyone else can remember this I think this was in the 1950's.

[hillc4 10]

Hiya I worked at Bentley Bros at Attercliffe road when i left school in 1970 Left in 1978 to go to National Travel (Old SUT) i met my old man at Bentleys he worked in Engine Shop. I was in the office. Managers at the time i started was Fred Thorpe, Harland Renshaw Dick Williams. Good days, until John Croft, came did not get on with him, he use to send me up to Savile street in stores office. Maiden Name Lindley

 

do you remember a bob bradshaw or martyn windle bob worked in the rent a car and martyn worked as a machanic

[Shogun 10]

I worked there in the engine rebuilding shop at the Attercliffe workshop,I worked on the Victor 101 fc and fch and the cresta engines, also the Viva engines around about 73;75 time,a lot of the ice cream vans were Bedford CF and CA engines then, they would usually need an engine rebuild after about 60,000.

[wilddancer 10]

do you remember a bob bradshaw or martyn windle bob worked in the rent a car and martyn worked as a machanic

i remember martin windle. he worked at saville street.

[hillc4 10]

i remember martin windle. he worked at saville street.

i used to go out with martin i met him at bentleys, but that was quite a few years ago now

[raymondo1952 11]

I worked there in the engine rebuilding shop at the Attercliffe workshop,I worked on the Victor 101 fc and fch and the cresta engines, also the Viva engines around about 73;75 time,a lot of the ice cream vans were Bedford CF and CA engines then, they would usually need an engine rebuild after about 60,000.

 

once bought a white bedford cf caravanett from Bentleys just before the wicker arches

[820vitesse 10]

Once was the proud owner of a Vauxhall Magnum Sportshatch. One of 198 made.Story was each sports dealer got one and apparently mine was used by one of the brothers.Its reg no was MKY 621P.

[davidpw 10]

do you remember a bob bradshaw or martyn windle bob worked in the rent a car and martyn worked as a machanic

 

Budget rent a Bob as he was affectionately known ran the hire business through the arch on Spital Hill, Bentleys Tyre dept was through there as well. Martyn is my brother is that Carrie?

Edited April 2, 2013 by davidpw
spelling

[hillc4 10]

Budget rent a Bob as he was affectionately known ran the hire business through the arch on Spital Hill, Bentleys Tyre dept was through there as well. Martyn is my brother is that Carrie?

 

yes its carrie how are doing, hope you are all ok. its been a long time,

 

---------- Post added 12-04-2013 at 19:23 ----------

 

Budget rent a Bob as he was affectionately known ran the hire business through the arch on Spital Hill, Bentleys Tyre dept was through there as well. Martyn is my brother is that Carrie?

 

got your message david sent you one back but dont know if you received it or not just glad that your all ok