R.A Haulage Co Ltd. Storage and Distribution

Reginald Humphry founded the company in May 1954 and started with one small van delivering for engineering firms in the Finsbury Park area of North London. A 10 ton flat vehicle followed with regular work delivering building materials for companies such as General Asphalt.

The business began in Kentish Town but moved to Camden Town in 1956 when the company rented a haulage yard from British Rail. 10 ton Bedford flat vehicles with railway swap bodies were used originally but these were replaced by 10 ton Luton boxes.

General haulage work was carried out, particularly banana deliveries from the Royal Albert Dock in East London. Household removals and exhibition work were also carried out alongside regular work for the printing trade.

In 1965 the company acquired the assets of P. Evernden Ltd, another haulage company, which is still owned and operated by the family today. The demise of the London docks and the advent of containerisation saw a shift away from general haulage work to food and drink distribution. Contract work for grocery giant H.J.Heinz began in 1968 and this was followed by a move to a bigger depot in Ponders End in 1969. Household removals and exhibition work were phased out in the early 1970's with H.J.Heinz becoming a major source of work. Bedford trucks were still used but the 10 tonners made way for 16 ton flats used for multi drop supermarket deliveries. In 1979 the first artic was bought running at 32 tons gross weight.

A further move to a larger depot on Montagu Industrial Estate in Edmonton followed in 1985 and the company diversified into warehousing. Major distribution work for Nestle followed and the Bedfords made way for the Volvo marque. The majority of vehicles today are 44 tonne artics with tri-axle curtainsided and box trailers. 18 tonne curtainsiders are used for the smaller distribution work.

In 1983 eldest son, David, joined the company followed by youngest son, Philip, in 1991. Both had qualified as engineers and gained experience in other areas of the industry prior to joining the family business. Both run the company today.