Page 96 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

He was caught in the act of lifting the offending tyre but managed to bluster sufficiently
while finishing the task simply explaining that he was doing a favour for a mate, which of
course was quite true.
The van fortunately had no sign writing and Michael managed to get home “physically”
unscathed.

If I might say, a typical situation which suited Michael to a tee, he was perhaps the only
person who I have ever known who could cope with that situation and come out in one
piece.

You notice I mention that Michael came back unscathed but the “new” little van did not fare
so well. In his efforts at lifting the tyre using the tree and the van front bumper bar to pull
the rope, THE tyre had ended up landing on the van bonnet!

Michael was duly sent back down the A17 towards Kings Lynn where we had found a
vehicle vehicle scrap yard with second hand Renault 4 bonnet!

We never did hear anything further about that tyre and Paul did eventually join the
Lincolnshire Constabulary. We never saw him again either, perhaps he was too
embarrassed?

CHAPTER 16

MICHAEL AT THE TESTING STATION
At about the time of this next “incident” we were running 4 or 5 lorries mainly on general
haulage and complaint tyre collections.
There was a Bedford KM 16 ton long wheelbase flat lorry, used mainly for straw and
vegetables. The metal cage structure on its body made it useful for tyres too.
The Commer Maxiload with its unique and noisy two - stroke diesel motor was used by No
1 driver Albert, on a permanent potato contract with John Hobster of Boston, one of the
larger and more reputable potato merchants in the area.
Albert went to markets in the North of England most weekday nights.

There were two Ford 4 D Flat bed lorries with wire cages for the tyres and an even more
elderly Austin FJK140 12-ton box van.

The reason for all this information is to explain that we had our own mechanic.
Michael, my brother in law, worked for us on four days each week, with one day off to go
to college. To help with running costs, we serviced and repaired commercial vehicles for
other firms too.
One was Axleline of Boston, run by a colleague in the tyre trade. Hugh the ex local Dunlop
representative.
Axleline sold axles, wheels and hydraulic rams. Most of these were manufactured in
Birmingham by Hugh’s father in law and one of our lorries normally brought their weekly
delivery back on a Friday after delivering a load of complaint tyres to Burton on Trent.
Axleline’s one Bedford 7.5 ton lorry was used for deliveries to their clients up and down the
east of England.

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