Each year the organisers of Truckfest, one of Europe’s largest outdoor trucking festivals, awards a lifetime achievement award. For 2019 that award went to Jack Richards & Son who have their headquarters at Fakenham in Norfolk but started from humble beginnings at Haddenham in Cambridgeshire.

Having left the RAF after the war a newly married Jack moved with his wife Glad to live in Haddenham where he took various labouring and driving jobs with local companies that included Darby’s of Sutton. In 1956 Jack saw an opportunity and used some of their savings to buy a 1948 Bedford O-Type. The first truck he was to operate as his own under the name J.W.Richards from Haddenham. His first job was a tough one, carrying stone to RAF Mildenhall where the runways were being extended. As his Bedford was not a tipper each load of stone was loaded and unloaded by shovel by Jack. As a hard worker Jack didn’t mind this and his first job earnt him 25 shillings. Building a good reputation in 1958 he started a regular service running fresh produce from local farms to the big markets in London, Cardiff, Swansea, Nottingham and Birmingham. In 1957 Jack was looking out for a new truck when driving up the Mile End Road in London he saw a row of bright yellow Bedford S-Types for sale. He pulled up and after discussion with the salesman he had traded his O-Type in and drove off in his new, bigger, yellow Bedford. These trucks were all ex-Lucozade hence the colour and on return home he told Glad not to worry as he would have the truck re-painted. Her reply was that she loved the colour, so Jack kept it and so was born the now famous yellow livery. Into the 1960’s and Jack was now running 30 vehicles and had also set up Richer Produce, also Haddenham based, providing packing for the producers. It was while returning from trip to the Norfolk coast that Jack had the idea to start a business in Fakenham, a town both he and Glad liked, and in 1971 the new Fakenham depot was built and equipped with five Scammell trucks. With the fleet now numbering 40 vehicles the company was now branded Jack Richards & Son Ltd to mark the official involvement of son Anthony. With more produce being produced in Norfolk Fakenham became a bigger operation and in 1977 became the headquarters for the company. Things continued to progress as the company became bigger in 1998 a second site was purchased in Northwich to cater for the increasing business in Cheshire. The company now operates a fleet of 330 vehicles with 700 curtain side trailers and has also expended in warehousing, training, pallet movement as part of the Palletline system and carrying out commercial M.O.T.s.

Sadly 2014 saw the passing of Jack Richards but the company is still very much a family concern with Anthony Richards as Executive director while his daughter Lisa is based at Northwich controlling operations in the North. It was Lisa that I had the opportunity to discuss what it meant to receive this award and the current operations of the company.

‘Walking into the arena with our trucks to receive the award was a very proud moment and one I know Grandad (Jack) would have loved. It is nice to get the opportunity to show the trucks off and receiving the award shows appreciation of all the hard work put in by our staff.’

Having grown up with the business there was a certain inevitability that Lisa would join the haulage industry. With no family pressure to join Lisa did initially before taking an eight year break where she worked in logistics. Returning to the family business Lisa applied some of what she had learnt to the haulage industry.

‘I have to confess to feeling emotional in the arena when we received the award. The haulage industry is one that you live.’

In 2015 the decision was taken to update the Jack Richards livery, keeping the traditional yellow an updated red company logo was used for the first time and there were two key features that Lisa and the family were adamant should stay.

‘There are now other companies operating in a yellow livery but when I see our vehicles on the road what sets ours apart are the laurels above the windscreen showing our 1956 start date. Also the rear of the vehicles have traditionally carried the words You are following one of the best – Jack’

During the two days at the show a number of former drivers from the early days called to the stand which was nice to see. Speaking to the staff on the stand it was clear that they enjoy working in a traditional family company with heritage. Aside from receiving the award Jack Richards & Sons also used the occasion to recruit new drivers to the industry with both Lisa and Anthony on the stand both days to meet potential recruits. The company now also operate their own training school at the Northwich depot that allows drivers to take instruction outside of working hours with a view to gaining their HGV licence. The system also sees drivers through their CPC once their HGV licence is obtained.

Further information on Jack Richards & Sons operations, including the training can be found by visiting www.jackrichards.co.uk. The information on the history of the company was taken from the book ‘One of The Best’ The Jack Richards Story available from the same website.

Photo album;

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Gary Malkin