A couple of stunners en route from Yorkshire 

04/07/2025

A regular visitor to Full of the Pipe, James Richardson of Richardson Transport Ltd. in Yorkshire will be at Mondello Park again this year. However, this time the amiable UK trucker is mixing things up a little as he’s decided to leave his show-stopping multi-award-winning Siberian Express Volvo at home and bring a couple of other impressive trucks instead. 

Richardson Transport in Yorkshire owns and operates some of the most stunning trucks on these islands. Proprietor James Richardson prides himself on the magnificent fleet he has assembled and has consistently collected a host of major awards at truck shows the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland, most notably his eye-catching, jaw-dropping Siberian Express custom truck. 

A previous winner of Best Truck at Full of the Pipe, Richardson's Siberian Express Volvo FH16 is one of the best-known custom trucks in the UK. At last year’s FOTP in Mondello, it took home a handful of trophies once more, but this year James has opted to leave his best-known lorry at home and bring two equally-impressive trucks to Ireland’s premier truck show: 

“I’d usually bring mine and it’s done well for me at shows over the years but this year I’m going to mix it up a bit and bring two others,” he confirms. “We won the show with it five or six years ago and did well with it last year, too. I got a custom trailer to go with the cab. The trailer was customised with the same tiger theme and I brought the whole rig to Full of the Pipe last year, where it was very well received. Now is the time for something different…” 

The first new lorry Richardsons will be presenting at Full of the Pipe for the first time is James’ daughter Jess’s astonishing orange-and-black Scania wagon and drag. Richardson Transport’s Scania R530 V8 has already been going down a storm at truck shows in the UK and is sure to do likewise when it makes its maiden appearance at Full of the Pipe this weekend. 

The ‘Tangerine Dream’ was in the winners’ enclosure at Grampian Truck Show in Aberdeen and Truckfest Lincoln earlier this year. “It’s my daughter Jess’s lorry and I’m sitting back a little bit this year,” James continues. “Jess is transport manager and also does a bit of driving. The Scania looks great, with the bullbar and a subtle little bit of airbrushing, on the back doors mainly. She’s done well with it so far and we’re looking forward to displaying it at Full of the Pipe for the first time.” 

By now, Full of the Pipe is an almost annual pilgrimage for the Richardsons, who invest a great deal of time and expense into supporting and attending the biggest truck show in Ireland: “We’ve done it a good few times now,” James confirms. “We were at Mondello last summer but we missed the previous one in Mondello the October prior to that as it was all a bit short notice. 

“We did Punchestown two or three times as well. Full of the Pipe is always brilliant. Mondello is a good setup and it was a really good weekend in 2024; I’m sure it’ll be every bit as good this year if not better!” 

The second truck Richardson Transport Ltd. is showcasing at Full of the Pipe for the first time this July is a sensational black 2001 Volvo Version 1, which was redone by Volvo in 2018 to mark their 25th anniversary. James initially wanted to buy it at the time but missed out, only to end up purchasing it later when it ended up back on the market. Which just goes to show that a little perseverance goes a long way! 

Like all James’ trucks, the Volvo FH 520 has a beautiful interior to match its spectacular exterior. “When I got it, I did a lot of work with it – new paintwork, bulbar, new wheels and a few other bits and bobs to put my own style on it,” he reveals. “It’s a very nice truck and it’s got a nice bit of history to it with what Volvo did for their 25th anniversary.” 

Richardson Transport also run an immaculate FH12, which is 40 years old and has been painted in tribute to company founder Gilbert Richardson and driven by James’s son, who is also a sheep farmer. Ideally, he’d like to have also brought this one to Full of the Pipe, but the Great Yorkshire Agricultural Show is taking place on July 8th-11th and the schedule is too tight to make both shows feasible. 

While shows provide the icing on the cake, work comes first of course and there’s never a dull moment for the Richardsons. A hard-working family-run transport business, Richardson Transport Ltd. have been going strong in the beating agricultural heart of Yorkshire for more than three decades now, delivering a range of produce including a lot of turf and eggs. 

James currently oversees an in-house fleet of 22 trucks and also has 15 subbies on the books. 

As Full of the Pipe Convoy 25 draws ever closer, James can’t wait to return to Ireland and Mondello Park: “It’ll be a nice change to leave mine here and let Jess bring hers instead. I have three or four mates going to the show as well and we’re all going to travel as a group. 

“I really like the show and the lads are so passionate about what they do. That’s something that always shines through. They have always done more than enough for me and they look after me very well, so it’s nice to support them. 

“One of the things that stands out about Full of the Pipe is that it’s a very friendly show. Some of the other shows are getting too big and it can all get a bit monotonous as there are so many shows over here in the UK now. Full of the Pipe is something different. 

“It’s not just a matter of heading over and back in a couple of days – it’s a four-and-a-half-day round trip for us, which is a big undertaking, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it and we’re looking forward to doing it a little differently this time.” 

Full of the Pipe Truck Show Ireland is on July 12 & 13 in Mondello Park