GRAHAM EDGE
Proprietor of Gingerfold Publications

Graham Edge was born in Lancashire and became interested in all forms of transport at a young age. In particular lorries and road transport became his particular interest, no doubt kindled by riding with the owners and drivers of a small family road haulage business in their lorries from the age of about five. From Little Lever, near Bolton, Graham travelled the country during school holidays and weekends in the cabs of Atkinsons, Bedfords, Leylands, Seddons, AECs, and Dodges, giving him an extensive knowledge of road haulage in the 1950s and 1960s.

After obtaining GCE 'O' and 'A' level passes in various subjects at Farnworth Grammar School, Graham joined Rank Hovis McDougall Limited as a management trainee in 1968. When he was legally old enough to drive lorries he continued to help out at the family hauliers by driving at evenings, weekends, and during his holidays. In his career with RHM Graham passed his transport manager's exams and held several management positions with responsibility for production and distribution of various food products. He also took every opportunity to drive lorries when he could.

In the early 1980s Graham Edge joined Spillers Milling Ltd. at Cambridge and stayed for nine years before deciding on a career change to work for a road transport company. He became part of the management team of Turners (Soham) Ltd., one of the country's largest family owned haulage and distribution concerns. Food distribution for the leading supermarket groups is an important sector of Turners' business. After thirteen years with Turners, Graham resigned in May 2005 in readiness for his return to his home district.

Because of his keen interest in historical transport matters Graham Edge started writing articles over twenty years ago and his work has been featured in magazines such as Trucking (formerly Trucking International), Vintage Roadscene, Vintage Commercial Vehicles, (now Heritage Commercials). When Kelsey Publishing launched its highly successful Classic and Vintage Commercials magazine in 1995 Graham was invited to be a contributor for the inaugural edition and he has provided articles ever since. He has now agreed to provide a frequent page about the preserved commercial vehicles scene for Trucking.

In 1994 Graham had his first book published by Roundoak Publishing, an imprint of Nynehead Books. This was "AEC Lorries in the Post-War Years" (ISBN 1-871565-21-9) and it helped to establish his reputation as a factual, concise writer and thorough researcher. A second major work for Roundoak Publishing was "A Century of Petroleum Transport", (ISBN 1-871565-27-8), published in 1998. This book contains profiles of all the main oil companies active in Great Britain in the last century and each of them supplied archive material for this project. It is a book that links Graham's interests of road transport and industrial history. A similar theme is also present in "L. Gardner & Sons Limited". (See Transport Archives Series under Gingerfold Publications).

Because of the multitude of transport projects he is involved with Graham's industrial history researches have had to take a back seat lately. However, he produced a lengthy article about Kearsley Power Station for Archive magazine, and the history of E.P. Potter & Co. Ltd., Hall Chemical works, Little Lever, for the newsletter of the Manchester, Bolton, and Bury Canal Society. (The latter is available as a pamphlet for anyone requiring a copy).

Graham Edge established Gingerfold Publications in 1997 to specialise in certain topics, although he still works very closely with Robin Pearson of Nynehead Books / Roundoak Publishing.

Graham will also act as an advisor to television programme makers and film production companies requiring details about period programmes where historical road transport accuracy is essential. He can also provide information and details about modern road transport and distribution, being an experienced and qualified transport manager.

Given his interest in road transport matters it was inevitable that Graham Edge would become involved in lorry preservation. In 1986 he bought a derelict 1965 Seddon 16/4/470 lorry from Rush Green Motors. The restoration took just over two years, carried out in a barn on a local farm. After seven years of rallying this Seddon it was sold to Colin Pitt. The next project was a 1973 AEC Marshal Major tipper, then an AEC Mercury. The opportunity was then presented to acquire a 1973 AEC Mandator tractive unit from Spiers of Melksham and the Mercury was sold to make way for this. The Mandator has been restored in Spiers livery and it is Graham's current preserved lorry.

In the highly specialised field of road transport history Graham Edge is recognised as one of the leading writers and authors. His aim is always to be factual and accurate in his work and to write in an interesting and informative style. With over thirty years working in road transport and distribution he not only has a wealth of knowledge of his subject, but he is also fully conversant with the latest transport practices and operations.