RMweb Gold stovepipe Posted May 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 7, 2014 I have a strong childhood memory of seeing HYDIG tanker lorries travelling around the West Hertfordshire/South Buckinghamshire area in the 1970s, and I would quite like to model one for my layout. Does anyone remember seeing them, and if so what type of vehicles were used? Part of the reason I remember I think, is they had a distinct odour on account of what the were carrying - HIghly DIGested sewage sludge! I used to see them at least once everyday. They were 2 or 3 axled, with a tank like a small petrol tanker. The livery was green with a horizontal yellow stripe on each side and rear of the tankl with HYDIG in green letters. I can't find any pictures of them, so hoping I can stir some memories! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH-UK Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 The name sounds familiar and the area is right but I couldn't tell you what they were. My only definite memory of tankers of stinky stuff were the Bedford TK that CDC used to deal with houses not on main drainage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissixties Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 Wow - this is triggering memories for me, but again, just vague memories I'm afraid. I remember the slow-moving, lumbering "cesspool" lorry as we used to call it. We had a septic tank. I remember olive green, wasp stripes, the hoses an de smell! I'm pretty sure ours were Scammells, very short wheel base - possibly a Highwayman. Tried looking for an image and while I didn't find a scammell I did find this picture of a Thames Trader from a catalogue https://www.flickr.com/photos/seacoaler/12190030065/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold stovepipe Posted May 15, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2014 Thanks for the replies. The ones I'm talking about weren't emptying cesspits, but taking processed sludge for spreading on fields. I think they were probably a later vehicle than the Thames Trader. I found this 1975 article which has a picture of the rear of one. Not sure if anyone can tell from this angle, but is it possibly a Bedford TK? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffashworth@virginmedia.com Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I have a strong childhood memory of seeing HYDIG tanker lorries travelling around the West Hertfordshire/South Buckinghamshire area in the 1970s, and I would quite like to model one for my layout. Does anyone remember seeing them, and if so what type of vehicles were used? Part of the reason I remember I think, is they had a distinct odour on account of what the were carrying - HIghly DIGested sewage sludge! I used to see them at least once everyday. They were 2 or 3 axled, with a tank like a small petrol tanker. The livery was green with a horizontal yellow stripe on each side and rear of the tankl with HYDIG in green letters. I can't find any pictures of them, so hoping I can stir some memories! Hi there sorry its been a while for this reply Regarding Hydig tankers . My Dad drove these tankers in the 1970s the lorries were Guy Bigj 6 wheelers and he use to supply local farmers fields around the Sarratt area I have just finished building a scale model of on in 1:24 scale I will see if I can post a picture of it on hear Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffashworth@virginmedia.com Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Hi there sorry its been a while for this reply Regarding Hydig tankers . My Dad drove these tankers in the 1970s the lorries were Guy Bigj 6 wheelers and he use to supply local farmers fields around the Sarratt area I have just finished building a scale model of on in 1:24 scale I will see if I can post a picture of it on hear Hi again regarding HYDIG they also ran Bedford KMs 4 wheel drive tankers and Guy Bigj artic tankers as well back in the Seventies . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold stovepipe Posted October 11, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2016 Excellent, that's brilliant info and your model is exactly how I remember the livery. I grew up about 8 miles from Sarratt and they were a regular sight around Rickmansworth in the 1970s. I shall see if I can find a Guy Big 6 or Bedford KM tanker in 4mm scale to play around with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubber duck Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Excellent, that's brilliant info and your model is exactly how I remember the livery. I grew up about 8 miles from Sarratt and they were a regular sight around Rickmansworth in the 1970s. I shall see if I can find a Guy Big 6 or Bedford KM tanker in 4mm scale to play around with. Check out Road Transport Images, excellent range of resin kits, you'll find what your looking for there. Regards Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Quite a few Water Companies sell the processed sludge as manure; farmers apply it as a surface dressing. It has the disadvantage of having lots of tomato pips in it, which germinate more successfully after digestion by humans. In the manner of those rather meaningless platitudes mission statements often seen on lorries, I quite like the idea of 'It may be s**t to you, but it's our bread and butter' painted on the side of tankers delivering the stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold stovepipe Posted October 12, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2016 Yes indeed, and this HyDiG scheme in the 1970s was one of the first instances of processed sludge being used productively on the land - up until relatively recently much of UKs sludge was dumped at sea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffashworth@virginmedia.com Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Hi again regarding HYDIG my Dad drove these tankers for a few years I remember him coming home one day and told us when He was filling up the tanker from the top funnel the filler pipe had a blow back and he got covered in the stuff . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 When I was a kid at school, one of my classmates dad drove these. In class one afternoon we were learning about industry and teacher went round the class asking what our dads did for a living. When it came to my classmate, he didn't hold back, "my dad's a s**t tanker driver miss" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.