Jimmy was born in Glassford station house the son of Alexander (Sandy) Yuill, the foreman mechanic of Arneil's Garage, so he was always destined to have an interest in all things mechanical.

This certainly followed, initially with a large fleet of motorcycles numbering in excess of 35 and then after a few years military service in Germany and Malaya he returned and settled into his early career as a drainage contractor working with Matt Dodds.

And so in 1952 the now famous Yuill & Dodds business was born and the emergence of surrounding brickworks soon took the pair into the general haulage business.

History records that the business grew well over the following years developing in several areas including bulk haulage, dry freight, aggregates haulage and more recently waste haulage and vehicle rental. Having moved from its original Strathaven location in 2000, the business is now based in Blantyre, home to 120 vehicles.

It is without doubt due to the strong character and resilience of Jimmy that the business grew into one of Scotland's largest independent fleets and certainly one of the most famous.

Jimmy was well known as a big tough character who didn't settle for second best. When he set his mind on something, it happened!

He earned the nickname 'The Bear' from staff and friends, and many will testify he certainly did have a roar and occasionally he did bite! But, those who knew him well would testify to a much softer and caring individual who frequently went out his way to help others.

He loved to reminisce on old times and could always recall exactly what types of truck a certain operator had 30 years ago, even what gearbox it operated.

Jimmy was a proud family man, always interested in what his family were up to and keen to celebrate their successes. He is survived by his wife Letitia, his children Brian, Karen and Lorna and grandchildren Chloe, Taylor, Carter and Jodie.

Steelworks Saviour

The business is probably most widely known for its part in supporting the Scottish steel industry during the mid-eighties miner's strike, at which time the business employed in excess of 200 people.

Jimmy Yuill recognised the job that had to be done and he saw it through. Consequently, as the 50-strong fleet of tipper artics in the Yuill & Dodds livery kept the giant Motherwell steelworks going in 1984 with supplies of imported coal from Hunterston, the transport operator from Strathaven became a household name,

Red and blue liveried MAN, Scania and DAF tractor units appeared in news headlines with such regularity that observers from south of the border could be forgiven for assuming there were no other tipper contractors in Scotland.

Jimmy Yuill was reluctant to talk about what was almost a military-style operation and this reluctance was understandable as he and his family had been harassed by the media for months, and frequently misquoted.

But one year later he revealed to Transport News the technicalities of running a double shift five days a week from Hunterston to Motherwell.

It was a tribute to the trucks and Yuill & Dodds' team of fitters that down time was kept to a minimum.

Two fitters were based at Ravenscraig from 6am to 6pm with a further nightshift when required. Bunkering facilities were also laid on at the steel strip mill to save time on refuelling. In addition there was a double shift of mechanics and fitters at the home base in Strathaven.

With each vehicle clocking up just over 3,000 miles a week on the series of 100-mile round trips, the wear and tear on tyres was enormous, running up a £30,000 monthly bill.

Adding up the total mileage of the vehicles over the year - close on 4.5 million - breakdowns were inevitable, but light pickups were acquired to speed to the scene with a team of mechanics to carry out repairs.

Weekends saw the Strathaven workshops at their busiest, when a routine of planned maintenance and servicing swung into action.

In between times, fitters based at Hunterston greased all bearings and tipper gear. Jimmy Yuill's policy of prevention being better than cure was put into practice for the dedicated truck fleet, complete with full protective gear, that comprised trucks no more than two years old.

Jimmy Yuill's decision to fulfil the contract with Ravenscraig may have set the cat among the pigeons in some quarters, but he was in no doubt that he was correct.

'I was contracted, and if I hadn't taken it on then some outfit from the south would have muscled in and kept it for all time. And remember, I had an obligation to my drivers and mechanics, and they were all union members too!' he explained to Transport News a year after the event.

Jimmy Yuill's funeral, held in the West Church, Strathaven on Saturday 26 August was very well attended with in excess of 500 people in the church and many others at Strathaven Cemetery. Also present were a couple of Yuill & Dodds tractor units specially prepared by the drivers who had adorned them with wreaths and messages.