Co-op R13, Caldmore, Walsall, 1986
Another picture taken on my visit to the Co-op Dairy on Midland Road, Cladmore, Walsall in December 1986.
R.13 I recall being told, was one of the 2-ton Simths Electric floats operated by the Dairy, this one dating from 1965. These 2-ton floats seemed substantial vehicles for the task with their double-wheeled rear axles. The deeply inset, narrow track front wheel arrangement looked at odds with the overall dimensions of the float, but still made for a stable platform.
Beyond the Dairy's fence, on the other side of Midland Road is the Walsall Lithographic Company Works. Built in the 1930s, it became the town's biggest printers, offering bookbinding, varnishing, hot-metal typesetting, letterpress printing, cutting and creasing, die-cutting and gold blocking services amongst others. However, with cheaper overseas printing becoming more widely available in the latter years of the Twentieth Century, the Walsall Lithographic began to lose business and the footing it once had. Sadly, the business was dissolved in the early 2000s and ceased trading. The factory's machinery and printing equipment was sold off and the buildings demolished in 2009. You won't be surprised to learn that housing now stands on the site of the former printing works.
Photo - 13th December 1986.
Information source re the Walsall Lithographic Co Ltd - courtesy of 'Litho Experimental: Walsall Litho - Blogger' steveparkes2.blogspot.com/2014/10/walsall-lithographic-co...
Co-op R13, Caldmore, Walsall, 1986
Another picture taken on my visit to the Co-op Dairy on Midland Road, Cladmore, Walsall in December 1986.
R.13 I recall being told, was one of the 2-ton Simths Electric floats operated by the Dairy, this one dating from 1965. These 2-ton floats seemed substantial vehicles for the task with their double-wheeled rear axles. The deeply inset, narrow track front wheel arrangement looked at odds with the overall dimensions of the float, but still made for a stable platform.
Beyond the Dairy's fence, on the other side of Midland Road is the Walsall Lithographic Company Works. Built in the 1930s, it became the town's biggest printers, offering bookbinding, varnishing, hot-metal typesetting, letterpress printing, cutting and creasing, die-cutting and gold blocking services amongst others. However, with cheaper overseas printing becoming more widely available in the latter years of the Twentieth Century, the Walsall Lithographic began to lose business and the footing it once had. Sadly, the business was dissolved in the early 2000s and ceased trading. The factory's machinery and printing equipment was sold off and the buildings demolished in 2009. You won't be surprised to learn that housing now stands on the site of the former printing works.
Photo - 13th December 1986.
Information source re the Walsall Lithographic Co Ltd - courtesy of 'Litho Experimental: Walsall Litho - Blogger' steveparkes2.blogspot.com/2014/10/walsall-lithographic-co...