Alf Arrowsmith registered his family road haulage transport business - Alf Arrowsmith & Sons Limited - with Companies House in September 1963. The company centred round his home and depot in Cheswardine, Market Drayton, Shropshire with family members Rosemary and son Malcolm part of the operation. Alf had been a well known figure prior to that with his cattle trucks in particular, often seen at the local cattle marts.
The company used primarily Dodge and DAF trucks, and our Oxford model is a typical example of one of their DAF 2800 tipper trucks. Notice the wider cab which DAF introduced in the 1970s with the three wiper windscreen feature. The model is registered A292 AAW from 1983.It is decorated in their company colour scheme of deep burgundy and red and the cab roof in this instance is masked white. The highly detailed cream radiator grille features the 2800 DAF lettering in silver. The cab doors are also heavily printed with the company details within a white line-out. External trim is finished in black and silver. The silver trailer with red trailer cover sits on a bright red chassis and the company name is printed along the sides in white.
Although Alf’s business was dissolved sadly in August 2021, his original cattle trucks are remembered by the vintage transport community and photographic images of them have been displayed at vintage rallies, which is a touching tribute to a popular local Shropshire lad!