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Vehicles associated with

  

 


Image: Debbie Wicks Australia, an descendant of Jo Pope.


Dustcarts such as this would wander Sutton's streets collecting ash etc from fires. Although we still call them dustcarts today
the origins lie here. Food was not often collected as it went to compost or fed the chickens. David Wilcox recalls that
newspapers were used to light fires, food wrappings went on the fires. Cheese, butter or lard came in greaseproof wrappers,
sugar came in blue bags, as did tea etc. He also tells me that fish, wet or fried, would come wrapped in newspaper as did much else.

Davenports Coal Merchants & Haulage Contractors


Davenports operated from the Midland Coal Wharf, now the Post Office Sorting Office, and ran a coal merchant & haulage business. On the back of the right
hand vehicle looks like a advertising board but it is in fact behind the vehicle and directs people to the Royal Hotel. The vehicles are registered, from left to right,
AW3735, AW5034, AW5060 (or 5066), AW4976. They were steam powered. A child sits in the cab of AW4976 and possibly 5034. Image: David Wilcox

The A38 & The Diamond 'T'

The A38 ran from Birmingham through Sutton Coldfield and on to Lichfield and Burton on Trent and onwards North. (Remember, in those days, no motorways or bypasses). Some research shows that a DIAMOND T used for hauling tanks in WW2  could be bought for about £350 and were purchased by heavy haulage contractors. IO remember seeing heavy loads such as the one in the picture travelling up Mill Street and hearing the engine revving in low gear. These  loads would have been leaving Birmingham heading for the north. David Wilcox.

The A38 southwards runs on to Cornwall, and passes my sisters house just before it hits St Ives. As for the picture above, I used to see many of these, in the 60s,  in and around Birkenhead, entering and leaving the docklands with large freight.


Two more examples of the diamond T and its uses


RAF Low loader (think this carried barrage balloons)


Item and image: David Wilcox


School Farm


Church Farm


The next generation(s) of the dustcart


The Tram would stop at the Sutton Coldfield boundary and go no further.
Passengers had to alight and board a Midland Red bus for the remainder of the journey


Davenports operated from the Midland Coal Wharf, now the Post Office Sorting Office, and ran a coal merchant & haulage business. On the back of the right
hand vehicle looks like a advertising board but it is in fact behind the vehicle and directs people to the Royal Hotel. The vehicles are registered, from left to right,
AW3735, AW5034, AW5060 (or 5066), AW4976. They were steam powered. A child sits in the cab of AW4976 and possibly 5034. Image: David Wilcox

 


1920 Bus in Four Oaks                                                                      Esso Garage in Jockey Road

Hastilow's Garage Park Road, Sutton Coldfield. This picture dates from 1921.  From the look of it Hastilow's did everything, Charabanc Tours, Removals and Motor Repairs. Strange that the goods on the lorry were kept dry but the passengers on the Charabanc got wet. On the right: Sentinel Steam Lorry
(image and info: David Wilcox)


A fire engine, such as this, was Sutton Coldfields Fire Service in the 40s and 50s.


A vehicle such as this was used to change the light bulbs in the street lamps.
Image: David Wilcox


MEB Van. The MEB was located next to Speight Photography



Bike, car, bus and horse drawn cart on The Parade

Delivering The Ale

Most, if not all, of Sutton Coldfield's ale houses were run by either Ansells or Mitchell & Butler

 

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