David Boult

I worked at this Exeter depot from 1974-1981 as an HGV fitter. The brick building in front the cement silo was the compressors house using ITT vane compressors to blow cement from the 50 & 100 ton presflo that came from Westbury Works into top of the silo. Under the silo was a platform where the trucks would back-in and a light duty compressor and sock to load the Bedford KM 4x2 and Scammell Routeman 8x4 bulk cement trucks. The green roofed newer building in front the main buiding was the managers and and dispatched clerks offices and there was a truck wash area behind. The back of the yellow bulk lorry in the right of the photo was parked outside the in-house repair garage where i worked and opposite was the black diesel fuel tank to refuel the trucks under the trees alongside New North Road opposite Exeter Prison. Front of the main building doors (shown) were never used and stayed closed during my time there. Back of the main building opposite the silo was the main special products store ie:Santex and bagged cement etc. The building in the right foreground was Fiffes Bananas depot during my time. The large building behind the silo was the new BT Telephone Exchange still being built and the large building in the right background was National Express Bus Company which was at the entrance to the Queen Street station yard depot. Exeter depot also covered Barnstaple depot which was of smaller design. Bulk cement trucks from Plymouth, Barnstaple and Westbury depots would also use the Exeter depot on a daily basis.