A FAMILY transport firm has honoured its founder and one of the pioneers of road haulage by including his livery on a truck.

Siddle C Cook, who would have been 100 this month, built up two UK haulage firms over a 50-year-period.

After selling his original business in the Sixties, he founded Elddis Transport, of Consett, County Durham, in 1971 with six trucks.

His grandson, Nigel, now runs the firm which operates 430 vehicles and trailers and employs more than 300 people.

He has had the new Mercedes truck painted in his grandfather’s old livery to honour both his achievements and the history of the UK road transport industry.

Mr Cook said: “I have a deep personal respect for my grandfather, but I also think we need to pay tribute to the great history of the UK road transport industry.

“Since the invention of the motor vehicle it has contributed hugely to the social and economic progress of this country and still does.

“Men like Siddle C Cook helped make that happen. It is a fact worth remembering. I like to think he would be proud of how the company has matured.”

The Cook family have been involved in the haulage industry since 1881 when Mr Cook’s great-grandfather Thomas started a business in Consett with horse and carts.

His grandfather took over the company in 1942 and ran it until Siddle C Cook Ltd, was sold to a Scottish firm in 1964.

Elddis, which is Siddle backwards, has been based at its Consett site since 1972. Siddle C Cook was chairman from 1971 until his death in 1993.

The company also has depots in Loughborough, Pontefract, Bristol, Worksop and three in Scotland.