Coventry Scrapyards

Hi Colin About the scrap yards you referred to in Valley Road. The first one you came to was owned by Brian Farrington who`s son Andy Farrington (FAZ) played rugby for Coventry RFC and later Broadstreet a good friend of mine from our teens who sadly passed away in 2009 I`ve known the family for the best part of 40 years. I also worked with a man called Mick Dintar a plumber who opened a CB shop in Clay lane about the late 70s early 80s there was another CB man called Skip who used to use the Grange pub around the same time wondered if you knew them?

Hello Mickw, the names you mentioned I know them very well, along with Mick Dintar (Hot Dog), Skip (the Prisoner) and a few others including myself (Rover) we started WK CB using the Grange (lighthouse) then we moved to the Barras Heath Working Men's Club until it disbanded, during that time I took my RAE and became legal operating on 2m and 70cm. Anyone who took the RAE were called B.O.Fs I will let you work that one out. It's a small world Mick and I must know you if you worked with Mick Dintar.,One of the Valley road scrap yards was operated by another CBer, Danny Cxxxxx. I hope you throw some more memories this way Mick. Colin.

some relation to my late mother had sharmans scrap yard it used to be near binley area I think by the coombe social club that was many years ago

I remember John Sharman, a truck breaker and a hard man to deal with I recall... He was at Brandon Road and then Brinklow Road...

There used to be a scrap yard in a field off Old Church Road , opposite The Royal pub . It was owned by a chap called Jack and he lived in one of the decrepit caravans on site although he was usually in the Royal during opening hours . His living conditions were very primitive and the caravan was absolutely packed with scrap televisions and because of the lack of space he would stack them against the door when he went to bed.I believe he died sometime in the 60s when his caravan caught fire and he was unable to escape. Little Heath Primary School now occupies the site .

I met this guy a few times, I think his second name was Creagles, and you are right in what you say the whole place was a shambles..

yes thats right his dad started it I believe he was my mothers uncle also john had brothers we rarely seen any of them

Jim Potter

Oh what a lovely thread - please keep it going. Cannot say I have much Coventry input, as I have been elsewhere too long, but did hone my lifelong love of scrap yards when I used to visit Roache`s in Albany Road when I was still at school, don`t know why, never bought anything, but it obviously indicated the glorious path ahead and I have since visited sites in Dundee, Edinburgh, Grantham, Newark, Skegness, Ingoldmels, Boston and that`s not to forget having scavenged a fair few tips and a number of skips. Mick Hales, I used to play rugby with him for the Old Coventrians when they played in Coundon, he used to turn up straight from work, in the lorry he picked the bones up in - I`m sure that was worth 10 points. Still keep up the interest at 80, presently get my scrap tyres from a Mr.Mole. Anybody know where I can lay my hands on a rear windscreen wiper for a Rover 45?

Never really know where to put my posts, I was once given a lift (1945) from Walsgrave to Gosford Green, the guy was turning right to go up Swan Lane, as I stepped out of his car the running board fell off, I mean really fell right 'off' into the gutter, the only thing I could say was sorry, it was right opposite where Potters shop was in the fifties, have no idea if Potters was there then, and no idea of the make of car.