This week we're going to be looking at the times Alan + Wyn would spend in their van when they first started to grow as a business. As well as offering their services from the several buildings the company resided in they would often travel across the country to take their spare parts business to old and new customers.

I [Wyn] would like to turn to our Van sales and travels in the early days of the business which contributed to growth in our business and helped increase our customer base. Alan kitted out our VW with shelves & drawers in such a way that when the customer would open the sliding door they would often say “this is like Aladdin's cave” a never ending supply of spare parts! Back in the day we could have possibly been one of the only companies selling plant spares this way around the country. Word got around about the service and the goods we offered and we were always welcomed, even with companies that would only allow certain trade vans to sell straight from their vans. Some examples of the goods we carried in our trusty van throughout the years are; ignition keys, starting handles, prop stands, dumper seats, air couplings and many more!

When we would travel on long distant runs we would go out together to share the driving. We would set off early in the morning, always between 5 and 6 o'clock and would return home between 7 & 8 in the evening! As we left so early we would often arrive at our first stop before 8 o'clock, some would welcome us with a cup of tea which was always a good start to the day. As we were out all day we would make sure to take hot flasks of tea and a packed lunch to eat on the move, so we never missed an opportunity to visit customers on our journeys.

A top trick of the trade I found whilst on our many journeys around the country was to always park our van with the sliding door facing the sun. When the foreman and fitters came to look through the parts we had on board they would always stay a little bit longer when they had the sun heating their backs!

On our early outings in the van we set off to Yorkshire, and this week I would like to mention some of the customers that helped us on our way as a small business starting out in the early 1970's.

The first customer Vibroplant from Starbeck. Harrogate. When we travelled to this company we would often talk to a Mr. Thackery and his team in the purchasing and stores department, a joy to do business with. Whilst we were still doing business with them, that department and yard disbanded and moved to another part of Harrogate, so we began dealing direct to the depots around the country!

Another highlight customer was H.B Raylor & Co Ltd builders and scaffolds merchants. Originally founded by Harry Raylor the site was transformed into a popular business centre by his sons and still stands today! They were located on James Street, York. We would often deal with a gentlemen by the name of Mr. Horner when we visited. He was an important customer and I still recall him buying a.c.e platform scaffold hoist spares, sheave pins, flaking shafts and bushes. He would also buy a large quantity of Villiers carburettors (which we still sell spares for to this day.)

Next Mechplant from Fulford Road in York. We would communicate with the gentlemen in charge of the buying for the company a Mr. Littlechild, and the lady in charge of the stores by the name of Viv, who the last time I heard was helping at the national railway museum in York! Mechplant were sold to Chippendale Plant Ltd in the early 2000 and they are still running today.

The final customer I would like to mention is D W Tong from the Thorp Arch trading estate in Wetherby, Yorkshire. I recall the building was previously a royal ordnance and munitions factory with rubberised flooring for the storage of ammunitions during the war. Whilst visiting this customer we met David Tong and Stuart Buxton for the first time, the pair were partners of the company who worked in their portakabin next to the main building. They specialised in plant hire and vibrator poker repairs, and the existing rubber floors came in handy when it came to testing these! We dealt with the two of them for many years, often selling them Villiers parts for their vibrator units and water pumps. The company then sadly dissolved but Stuart went on to build up his own company. We traded with FS Buxton Supplies, which operated out the back of a van as we had done many years before, until Stuart retired last year. He was always a loyal customer and friend that continuously made a positive impact on the growth of our business.

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