Bread and Cheese Hill

An Accident Blackspot

How can a car inflict so much damage to a steam roller, which by the way was a write-off? The driver of the Wolseley car emerged unscathed and walked off west into the mist.  There is some debate as to whether the car driver was in a state of  shock or whether the car was stolen.  Either way the police found him still walking west in Pitsea.  Information and photos supplied by Bertie Bardell, the son of the steam roller driver and Echo Newspapers. Also see Bertie Bardell’s Memories of Benfleet

The accident between the brand new car and the motorcycle turned ugly when the dog attacked the motorcyclist shortly after this picture was taken!

Photographs courtesy of  Echo Newspapers

Mr Albert Bardell with his steam roller on Bread and Cheese Hill around 1942. Mr Bardell was employed by Essex County Council as a steam roller driver.
Bertie Bardell
Car and Motor Cyclist
Echo Newspapers
Car and Steam Roller
Echo Newspapers

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  • Hi, my nan, Rose Vowles who’s still alive today aged 94 was also on the bus on her way home from Glanfields clothing factory. Would anyone on here know what year it was as she can’t remember.

    By Mark Casson (24/07/2022)
  • Is this the same incident where a bus lost a wheel and was driven down on 3. There is a family story about my husband’s grandfather (bus driver) being given a commendation for managing to drive the bus down the hill safely on 3 wheels.

    By zubzubuk (27/01/2018)
  • Very interesting article on the Aveling crash with the car.

    I own the same engine now and putting back together after new boiler and firebox. I would be very interested if anyone has any further information on NO 1218 or a contact with the Bardell family

    By Bob Reed (09/06/2014)
  • Regarding the roller that hit the bus .. would anyone have any details about the roller itself?

    By AvelingFan (20/11/2013)
  • The bus involved was Eastern National 1442 XVX 30. It was new in 1954 and was a Bristol LD5G seating 58. The damage was severe enough for the bus to be rebuilt by the original Bodybuilder – Eastern Coach Works in Lowestoft and was re-seated to the higher seating capacity of 60. The bus was renumbered to 2411 in 1964 and was withdrawn in 1971 .

    By Pete Renaut (24/05/2013)
  • Steam Roller hits bus on Bread & Cheese Hill. My mum was on the bus which was hit – she was on her way home towards Victoria House Corner from working at Glanfields Clothes Factory. I will ask her what happened.

    By Ann MORRISON Adams (05/09/2011)
  • When I was a child in the early 50’s I spent many hours playing with my best friend Alan Lewis (sadly now deceased) on and around Bread and Cheese Hill. I remember a particular day when a steam roller came rumbling up the hill and almost reached the top of the main hill. The driver jumped out and the steam roller went backwards down the hill out of control.

    Unfortunately, a bus driver who was coming up the hill (at the very bottom) tried to avoid it but accidently pulled into it’s path. It tore the side out of the bus like a piece of paper. We ran to the bottom of the hill and watched as the people were taken off the bus (lots of blood) and to this day I can remember a man’s hat laying in the road at the front of the bus. His head had come through the upstairs window. As far as I know there were only injuries. Does anybody remember this incident?

    By Alan Emery (02/03/2011)

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