The Classic Machinery Network

Does anyone have memories / pics of the earth moving company Dick Hampton which was based at Bentley in Hampshire. In the 60s and 70s they were to be found all over the country withe their fleet of aged D8s and boxes but I have seen very little written about them.
I would like to put together a bit of material about them before all those who were there have either got old timers disease or passed on!
Memories and pictures will be greatly appreciated either on the forum or privately.
Angus

I've e mailed one of the low loader drivers from the 60's to see if he will contribute

Steve

Thanks
Angus

Yeh Great stuff Steve!

Lets hope he joins us and has some great tales to tell us !!

Keep up the good work

Nick

A couple of years back I mentioned Dick Hampton to the editor and publisher of Classic Plant and Machinery magazine and was told that an article on Hampton's was in preparation, but If something appeared I must have missed it!

There has been the odd photo of DH stuff from time to time in the magazine.

Dave.

The area I live in is crawling with Ex Hampton drivers, most of them started off on the Stock Cars, or D7/8s pulling rollers etc for a few months untill getting put up into a Motor Scraper or D8-box, the opening of the M5 turned the town of Tewkesbury on the A38, from a car/truck night-mare with tailbacks for miles, into a sleepy backwater, to cross the the road in the High Steet was a delight, I work with plenty of Ex Hampton men often, most of them are still sat up in D6/8s,one thing that is common in them is they all smoke, Drink and get up early,
The Classic Plant Mag, I think is printed by JCB, all the time there is some feature about the latest thing that JCB think we need, or have just built Via 3 robots and 1 worker, the Classic Mag Team think we need these **se Kissing dittys to keep a balance of the latest " What-ever " that fills the pages, they should stick to the plot and stop printing stuff that does not fit the Mag Title.

tctractors

Good Evening gentlemen.Many thanks Steve for bringing this thread to my attention,I have many stories to relate about Dick Hampton motto "Dig deep for Dick and throw well back!" Unfortunately I'm not as fit as I used to be in the early 60s and my wife Who has turned into my Mother pulls the plug when she thinks I've done enough.I have a few photos around and with the help of my Grandaughter I will put them up. If anyone has any specific questions I'll do me best to answer.Many things are very fresh in my mind.Others are a bit misty.The 60s were a good time for the "Muckshifting game" and there was a lot of money to be made.I drove for Dick from1962 untill 1969.In that time we had some really old Lorries including a 1954 Foden with a 150 Gardener.4 speed with a "super low" crawler gear.which was needed on most hills.The photos you have seen on here of the Scanias are after my time.Will post some more tomorrow.Regards Charlie.

charlie one wrote:Good Evening gentlemen.Many thanks Steve for bringing this thread to my attention,I have many stories to relate about Dick Hampton motto "Dig deep for Dick and throw well back!" Unfortunately I'm not as fit as I used to be in the early 60s and my wife Who has turned into my Mother pulls the plug when she thinks I've done enough.I have a few photos around and with the help of my Grandaughter I will put them up. If anyone has any specific questions I'll do me best to answer.Many things are very fresh in my mind.Others are a bit misty.The 60s were a good time for the "Muckshifting game" and there was a lot of money to be made.I drove for Dick from1962 untill 1969.In that time we had some really old Lorries including a 1954 Foden with a 150 Gardener.4 speed with a "super low" crawler gear.which was needed on most hills.The photos you have seen on here of the Scanias are after my time.Will post some more tomorrow.Regards Charlie.

Well its great to have you on board Charlie !!

And may I wish you a very big welcome to CMN!!

We look forward to anything you can offer here on the board

Nick

Welcome to CMN Charlie Tim

Construction News had an excellent article/interview with the man himself when he retired (sold out to Costain?) many years ago. The older among us may remember it

Told how he and his wife started out plowing, double-shifting a Fordson to put the hours in.

He also said that the biggest loss he made was working on Cumbernauld new town muckshift. It's the Scottish conditions you see.............

Anyone have a copy? I've looked through my cuttings but don't have it.

Dave.