NICKOLLS

7.5 tonne flat bed

2012-02-09T07:05:00.001Z

7.5 tonne flat bed, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

latest addition to the fleet

ariel photo of house

2012-01-20T18:49:00.001Z

ariel photo of house, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

ariel photo of house

next 7.5 tonner?

2011-12-24T15:44:00.001Z

IMAG0036.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

2011-11-09-11-16-19-318-orig.jpg

2011-11-09T11:52:00.001Z

2011-11-09-11-16-19-318-orig.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Curtainsider 7.5 tonner

2011-11-07T17:55:00.001Z

Curtainsider 7.5 tonner, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

curtainsider at Shugborpugh

2011-11-07T06:36:00.001Z

curtainsider at Shugborpugh, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

damage to front headlight on Steve's wagon

2011-10-29T14:41:00.001+01:00

2011-10-29-11-41-49-468.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Nickolls Trucks

2011-10-24T10:46:00.001+01:00

Nickolls Trucks, a set on Flickr.

loaded with rads

2011-10-18T21:59:00.001+01:00

2011-10-18-13-58-04-913.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Nickolls yell.com video

2011-10-12T08:40:00.001+01:00

old seddon

2011-09-28T07:47:00.001+01:00

old seddon, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Smashed windscreen on 75E15

2011-09-05T15:08:00.001+01:00

IMAG0263.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

2011-05-26T08:28:00.000+01:00

Trucking down a country lane

2011-04-13T13:34:00.001+01:00

2011-04-12-11-52-34-912.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

A&R Cox Skip

2011-04-07T13:27:00.001+01:00

2011-04-07-11-48-53-449.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

1959 Invoice

2011-04-05T17:04:00.001+01:00

1959 Invoice, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Farewell Edward Stobart RIP

2011-03-31T21:07:00.002+01:00

loading out of Newburgh

2011-03-23T20:14:00.001Z

2011-03-23-08-06-55-309.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

warehouse

2011-03-06T20:22:00.001Z

P1050373, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

pick ups

2011-02-11T12:52:00.001Z

pick ups, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

2011-02-10T08:54:00.002Z

2011-02-09T07:50:00.001Z

Blogger for Android

2011-02-05T18:59:00.001Z

This app is amazing, granted it is rather basic but it does what it is supposed to do. I would encourage all of you bloggers who have an Android device to give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

The end of the road

2011-02-01T13:12:00.001Z

2011-02-01-10-44-55-222.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

W538 about to take her last trip on the road. She has served us well and has over three quarters of a million km's under her belt.

Villa for the cup!!!

2011-01-28T19:49:00.001Z

Hoping for a Villa victory tomorrow!

New Blog Header

2011-01-14T11:38:00.000Z

Have you noticed the new header to our blog, what do you think?, can it be improved?, discuss

Welcome

2011-01-12T07:27:00.002Z

Welcome to Hollie and Jane, our newest followers.

Car firm Boston’s of Milford forced to close

2011-01-11T07:39:00.004Z

Thursday 6th January 2011, 11:29AM GMT.

Derek Boston former owner of Boston's of Milford car dealership, The Green, Milford Common near Stafford.

A family-run car dealership has closed down after more than half a century in Staffordshire — with the loss of around 15 jobs.

Boston’s of Milford was launched in 1955 as a filling station and cafe on Milford Common. It went on to become one of the borough’s longest-running businesses.

It provided a servicing and repair centre as well as a new car showroom from its base at The Green, opposite the common.

But the business has now closed with long-time owner Derek Boston blaming difficulties to “compete with the big boys.”

Mr Boston, who currently lives in a flat above the dealership, is directing customers with outstanding warranties to Platts of Stoke, which is due to open a new Fiat and Alfa Romeo outlet at Tollgate Industrial Park within a matter of weeks.

The 66-year-old said: “Margins got tighter and tighter and we could no longer compete with the big boys. We employed around 15 at the end and they had to be made redundant.”

The showroom at the site is currently empty and it is not clear what it will be used for. Another part of the site has been taken on by neighbouring haulage firm Nickolls and Son. Boston’s was a Ford dealership between 1963 and 1972, after which it changed to a Chrysler and Talbot franchise. In the 1980s it became a Fiat dealer, which it remained until its closure.

* Derek Boston looks back on his half-century in the car trade in tomorrow’s Express & Star.

By Alex Campbell

http://www.expressandstar.com/business/midlands-business/2011/01/06/car-firm-bostons-of-milford-forced-to-close/#ixzz1Ai5ux4Zk

The end of the road for historic garage

2011-01-09T14:16:00.003Z

Saturday 8th January 2011, 8:00AM GMT.

Boston's of Milford was Rock House Cafe when first purchased in 1954

A West Midlands car dealership has closed its forecourt after 56 years. Peter Carroll looks at the story behind Boston’s of Milford.

It’s been the oldest independent car dealership in Stafford for as long as anyone can remember. . .

Bostons of Milford has been selling vehicles from its semi-rural site on the edge of Cannock Chase for over half a century.

Even owner Derek Boston describes it as a ‘country bumpkin garage.’ Yet he has rubbed shoulders with his share of aristocrats – and once found himself under a Mercedes with King Constantine of Greece trying to fix a mechanical fault.

“The King was a friend of Lord Lichfield who was a regular customer here,” recalls Derek. “We got his car fixed in the end and off he went.”

During his 47 years in the motor trade, Derek has dispatched cars as far afield as the Orkneys in the UK and was delighted to be told that a Hillman Hunter bearing a ‘Bostons of Milford’ sticker had been spotted in the Falklands.

Yet his days as an independent garage boss have drawn to an end. Derek decided to close the business just before Christmas on what he describes as the saddest day of his life.

“I had to make 15 people redundant and was in tears that day.”

The cars are gone from the forecourt and Derek will sever his ties with the site at The Green when he and wife Jill move out of the flat over the garage at the end of the month.

The closure of the Fiat and Daihatsu franchise brings 56 years of car retailing to an end. His father Gordon bought what was then a transport cafe called the Rock House Cafe in 1954 and added a petrol station the following year. Derek, an only child, was pressed into service selling sweets and home-made ice cream.

“We employed 18 ladies on Sundays in the summer and customers would pay half a crown deposit to have lunch on the edge of the common.”

When he was older he graduated to serving fuel and joined the business at the age of 18 in 1963. He began selling new Fords when the Beatles were breaking into the charts and Doctor Who was making its TV debut.

“Cars were easy to sell in those days,” recalls Derek. “We had a deal where it was £100 to change your car for a Ford Anglia.”

Gordon Boston & Son, as it was now called, continued retailing Fords until 1972 when it changed to a Chrysler (later Talbot) franchise.

Derek took over at the helm three years later and changed manufacturer in 1982 when he signed up with Fiat. In its 1990s heyday the garage sold up to 1,000 vehicles a year and had up to 25 staff on its books thanks to a contract to supply Fiat people carriers to the London taxi market.

But this annual figure had slumped to around 300 and Daihatsu’s decision to withdraw from the UK market last year also hit the business.

Apart from not being able to get sufficient stocks of new cars, it became increasingly difficult to compete with the big national dealer chains.

“Margins got tighter and we could no longer compete with the big boys,” says Derek. He is directing customers to Platts of Stoke which is to open a Fiat and Alfa Romeo outlet in the Tollgate area of Stafford shortly.

Now 66, Derek has no plans to retire and intends to work part time for Platts on the fleet and commercials side of their operation, and will oversee conversions of Fiats into Motability vehicles for disabled drivers.

“My hobby has always been my business. Right up until Christmas I was working a 55-hour week – from 8am until 6pm every day, plus Saturday mornings too. I always said I would die selling a car.”

His only real interest outside his business is watching West Bromwich Albion and he’s a season ticket holder at the Hawthorns: “It’s generally more stressful watching the Baggies than running the business.”

Derek and wife Jill, 63, will move into a bungalow in the town, and plan to spend more time in Tenerife.

Part of the site has been taken on by haulage firm Nickolls and Son next door. It is not yet clear what will happen to the showroom. Derek is pleased all but a couple of his former staff have found new jobs.

“To be honest I’m looking forward to leaving now. The cars have gone, the showroom is empty. It feels a bit strange.”

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T19:30:00.001Z

Cannock Chase Snow, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

end of W538

2010-12-20T20:35:00.001Z

2010-12-20-14-03-36-271, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

the end of an era

6393d5146b4ec6b0139f25130f74ad55.jpg

2010-12-09T10:23:00.001Z

6393d5146b4ec6b0139f25130f74ad55.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Eddie Stobart

2010-12-03T16:53:00.001Z

Image0006, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

snowy 1st December

2010-12-01T08:21:00.001Z

2010-12-01-07-57-17-002, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Bonfire Waste

2010-11-30T15:42:00.001Z

Bonfire Waste, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

frozen skips

2010-11-30T14:53:00.001Z

Skips are proving to be rather troublesome at the moment because of the cold weather. The contents are freezing in the skip and will not tip out.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

red paint

2010-11-25T09:59:00.001Z

red paint, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

A frosty start

2010-11-25T08:52:00.001Z

A frosty start, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

test

2010-11-25T06:25:00.001Z

is this ok

DSC01390

2010-11-21T15:08:00.001Z

DSC01390, originally uploaded by ernestch.

overloaded skip

2010-11-11T10:42:00.001Z

2010-11-11-09-28-00-563, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

please do not overload skips as they will not be taken away

Poppy on Truck

2010-11-11T10:39:00.001Z

Poppy on Truck, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

IMAG0295

2010-10-26T17:45:00.001+01:00

IMAG0295, originally uploaded by 12stelmo.

Missile

2010-10-26T15:10:00.001+01:00

71759_461680657600_585157600_5963153_4914730_n, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

2010-10-22T19:38:00.000+01:00

2010-10-22T17:40:00.002+01:00

New Page Design

2010-10-22T13:15:00.000+01:00

Have you seen our blog recently?

Check it out today!

2010-10-22T12:33:00.003+01:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

2010-10-22T12:33:00.001+01:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

skip

2010-10-22T07:51:00.001+01:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Wait and load in Oulton, Stone

2010-10-21T11:08:00.001+01:00

2010-10-21-09-51-32-200, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

quality pallets

2010-10-20T20:01:00.001+01:00

quality pallets, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Goughy Yard

2010-10-20T19:49:00.001+01:00

Goughy Yard, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

This is Gough's yard in Church Eaton

HIAB

2010-10-20T19:19:00.001+01:00

HIAB, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

DAF Crane

2010-09-25T09:43:00.001+01:00

DAF Crane, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

CameraZOOM-20100922124647

2010-09-22T17:19:00.001+01:00

CameraZOOM-20100922124647, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

green waste

2010-09-13T21:09:00.001+01:00

2010-09-13 13.18.10, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

green waste

2010-09-13T21:08:00.003+01:00

2010-09-13 13.18.10, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

green waste

2010-09-13T21:08:00.001+01:00

2010-09-13 13.18.10, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

recycle green waste

2010-09-13T20:15:00.001+01:00

recycle green waste, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

IMAG0337

2010-09-04T08:08:00.001+01:00

IMAG0337, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Picnik collage

2010-08-24T08:47:00.001+01:00

Picnik collage, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

IMAG0325.jpg

2010-08-12T13:11:00.001+01:00

IMAG0325.jpg, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Skip lorry @ Shugborough Gates

2010-05-20T08:03:00.001+01:00

P1020708, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

NOKIA 6303 UNBOXING SILVER / BLACK

2010-05-15T11:41:00.000+01:00

well loaded skip

2010-05-13T17:07:00.001+01:00

130520101988, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Skip near Wheaton Aston

2010-05-13T08:41:00.002+01:00

View Larger Map

2010-04-30T16:00:00.001+01:00

On the Tip

2010-04-30T15:43:00.001+01:00

On the Tip, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Skip Hire

2010-04-28T13:11:00.002+01:00

Skip Hire, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

This is the Volvo Skip Loader after it's recent respray

Skip Hire

2010-04-28T12:54:00.001+01:00

Skip Hire, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Iron Acton

2010-04-23T08:10:00.001+01:00

230420101969, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Volvo Skip Loader

2010-04-17T12:34:00.001+01:00

Volvo Skip Loader, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Volvo Skip Loader

2010-04-17T12:22:00.001+01:00

Volvo Skip Loader, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

Volvo Skip Loader

2010-04-17T11:11:00.001+01:00

Volvo Skip Loader, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

2010-04-08T08:57:00.001+01:00

greedy boards

2010-03-17T21:00:00.002Z

170320101895, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

H. Nickolls & Son (Milford) Ltd.

2010-03-15T21:47:00.000Z

H. Nickolls & Son (Milford) Ltd.

on a field near Newport

2010-03-15T20:50:00.002Z

090320101886, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

german trip 006

2010-03-07T09:54:00.001Z

german trip 006, originally uploaded by John Nickolls.

The Green, Milford, Stafford

2010-02-05T15:39:00.001Z

Loading at Cov-Rad

2010-02-05T11:51:00.001Z

05022010751, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

step frame

2010-02-05T07:58:00.001Z

050220101789, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

Transit Connect

2010-02-03T13:35:00.001Z

Transit Connect, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

Fish Tank

2010-02-03T13:30:00.001Z

030220101786, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

DAF XF95 with Stepframe

2010-02-02T09:09:00.001Z

DAF XF95 with Stepframe, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

Snowy Yard

2010-02-01T16:31:00.001Z

010220101783, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

beds tipped up

2010-01-28T08:53:00.001Z

270120101780, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

skip full of beds

2010-01-28T08:51:00.001Z

270120101777, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

The bonfire being taken away!

2009-11-24T12:49:00.001Z

241120091689, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

skip at shugborough

2009-11-16T08:37:00.001Z

skip at shugborough, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

bonfire 2009 2009-11-06 031

2009-11-07T08:24:00.001Z

bonfire 2009 2009-11-06 031, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

first load to 2009 bonfire

2009-11-05T13:14:00.001Z

051120091655, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

the first load of pallets

2009-11-05T08:12:00.001Z

the first load of pallets, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

shugborough skip

2009-10-29T15:45:00.001Z

shugborough skip, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

wood for bonfire

2009-10-27T17:22:00.001Z

271020091628, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

Loading at Stafford UPVC

2009-10-26T16:50:00.001Z

261020091627, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

skip off the tip

2009-10-21T16:59:00.001+01:00

211020091624, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

artic load sheeted

2009-10-20T12:52:00.001+01:00

artic load sheeted, originally uploaded by john nickolls.

191020091620

2009-10-20T05:32:00.001+01:00

191020091620, originally uploaded by john nickolls.