But do you recall seeing the varied fleet of vehicles that the Co-op ran?
There were many dozens of milk floats and bread vans – mainly Brush Electric and Morrison Electricar - before being phased out and replaced with Commer vans - PB model and the larger ‘Walk-Thru’s model in the late 1960s & 70s. There were also post-war Ford 10 cwt vans and probably an even wider array of makes and models too.
You may be interested to know that a project is underway to compile a history of the Dartford Co-op’s vehicle fleet (later as Invicta Cop-op Soc) and I am very keen on discovering more photos of the vehicles, and especially so, if the drivers are there in the shots.
Other Co-op departments that operated vehicles include the Coal Department - both at the railway sidings, unloading coal wagons and the deliveries to your home, in many cases using Austin K4 – and the Kent Laundry at Salisbury Road, which had operated since before the Second World War. A very popular part of the laundry was its ‘bag-wash’ service which operated as a pick-up yourself or delivery option.
Then there were the Furniture and white goods departments in the Co-op House in Dartford that would have had larger Delivery Vans working out of the Warehouse and loading bays in Orchard Street. Photographs of these vehicles, especially with their drivers, are keenly sought.
All of the vehicles were maintained by the Co-op’s own Transport Department that started in Springvale in 1926 and moved to a new ‘charging’ centre and garage next to the Co-op Dairy in Watling Street.
Also, the Co-op ran mobile shops to reach outlying districts right up until the early 1970s.
I worked in the Cascade Service Stations (later Cascade Motor Services Group) in Watling Street, Dartford and Main Road, Longfield, and carried out stores’ inventories at two new acquisitions at Canterbury Street, Gillingham and Archie Warr’s old ‘Tower’ Garage at Horns Cross, Greenhithe.
The Cascade Group also used the Co-op’s ex-grocery & provisions shop at 52-54 Spital Street for their new Renault franchise during 1980 to 1985, and later moved the Renault operation to Stonebridge Road, Northfleet.
I am keen to find photos and hear about memories and personal recollections of all of the above Co-op garages, departments, premises and vehicles …….. and the people!
These photos will be priceless in the quest to build an interesting and accurate collection showing an age of which so much has disappeared.
Some of the Co-op’s vehicles appeared in the Dartford Show processions each year, and I would love to see photos and hear your stories. If you can help at all please email me at: TONYJAN@TALKTALK.NET or by phone or text on 07914969571.
By Tony Brown
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