The Road Haulage Industry

Road haulage has been in existence for as long as roads themselves: wherever goods need to be moved across land, people have set themselves up in business to carry those goods. For hundreds of years horses were at the center of this business, but in the twentieth century everything changed, first with the widespread use of steam power on the roads, and then the internal combustion engine.

The lorry driver was a new, hardy breed, working phenomenally long hours in all weathers and with few of the comforts afforded to today's truckers. Drivers needed to be able to maintain their own wagon, and loading and sheeting was an art hard leaned.

This book tells the real story of motor road haulage in Britain, featuring the design and development of the vehicles, competition from the railways and the coming of the motorway age, the changing organization of the industry, the services that kept the trucker going, from garage to transport cafe, and the men themselves. Illustrated throughout with period photographs, this will be a feast of nostalgia for anyone who has enjoyed a career in the industry, and real eye opener for anyone who hasn't. It will appeal not only to lorry enthusiasts but also to social historians and those wanting to know more about one of Britain's unsung industries.

Chris Woodcock is a writer, artist and heavy goods vehicle driver. He is a regular contributor to Heritage Commercials magazine.