Prior to Septimus Cook starting a haulage company in his own name he worked for the family business and this photo shows a vehicle owned and operated by Thomas Cook & Sons of Consett, Thomas (standing) being assisted by his sons Septimus and Siddle (Siddle, many will remember later of Siddle C. Cook and Elddis Transport Ltd). The photo was taken at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire (of Brideshead Revisited fame) in the very early days of heavy road haulage. Both Sep and Siddle can be seen sitting on a huge felled log being removed from the estate. The young lady with her dog both taking an interest in proceedings, a member of the Howard family.
Moving on, this large precast concrete section was one of many bridge sections used in construction of the M1 in the 1960's England's first motorway. The section was made at Dow-Mac Products, Eaglescliffe near Stockon-on-Tees and the photo is believed to have been taken in Leicestershire. The name of the truck "Lady Mary" was taken from Seps much loved wife Mary who many will remember taking an active part in the adminstration of S & MC Transport Ltd before both of their retirements.
This picture was taken at the BSC Cargo Fleet Works in Middlesbrough. These 60 foot piling bars were taken up to Nigg Bay in Scotland at the start of the North Sea Oil and Gas boom in the 1960's. They were to be used during construction of the deep water berth to facilitate the heavier vessels and the construction of the oil rigs.
This picture is a bit of a mystery, but we think it was taken in Bowesfield Lane, Stockton on Tees. However many older drivers will have fond memories of Guy Invincibles such as this fine example of Septimus Cook's shown here in position under a crane.
This photo was taken in the early 1960's and shows another of Sep's vehicles, an Atkinson ("Atki") carefully negotiating a roundabout with another precast, post-tensioned bridge beam from Dow-Mac Products en route to British Railways, Crewe. The beam was finally positioned at Bridge 19, Birdswood Lane, Crewe, Cheshire. This consigmnent was 68 feet long and weighed 29 tons. Note the overhead tram-lines and the absence of motor cars.
This photo is probably taken in the 50's (Shows Sep on the left) posing for a shot with the driver!