Thatcham tanker driver retires after 43 years

Peter Woodage (pictured third from left), aged 71, joined Pinnock Brothers, based at the Pipers Lane Industrial Estate, as a coal delivery man in 1960.
He then joined the company full time as a tanker driver in 1971 and the company has calculated that he has driven over one million miles and pulled his delivery hose over 15 million feet delivering heating oil to customers all over Berkshire.
Mr Woodage said: “Obviously I’m going to miss the job. I’ve been going round to people for 43 years and some of the people I’ve been delivering to since I started. I shall miss the job and the banter with the other drivers.”
Indeed, despite deciding to retire at the age of 66, Mr Woodage asked whether he could return to work for another year, which became five.
Pinnock Brothers said that Mr Woodage had always been a highly regarded and well respected employee and a true ambassador for the company.
They added that the irreplaceable driver had an exemplary safety record and would be very much missed by all.
In his 43 years of service, Mr Woodage showed he had the manoeuvres after winning the National Amoco Driver Competition in 1975.
Mr Woodage said that his retirement had not really sunk in yet but it would during the winter, when the company would be at its busiest.
Mr Woodage still has plenty of drive in the tank and said that he was looking to spend his spare time in his role as vice chairman of Thatcham Football Club as there were always spare jobs to be done.