R Barkley & Sons: delivering the goods since 1962
18/08/2025
Headquartered in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, R Barkley & Sons Ltd is an exceptional family-run business which continues to go from strength to strength by offering unrivalled haulage solutions across the UK and Ireland.
Celebrating 25 years as a limited company, R Barkley & Sons has been trading since 1962 when it was established as a one-truck operation by Richard Barkley. Richard sadly passed away in April 2020, but the company has stayed true to its family roots with his sons Brian and Kenneth now at the helm. Brian’s sons Chris and Colin are also involved as garage and transport manager respectively, while Kenneth’s son Gareth oversees the groupage side of the business and his daughter, Tina Rouke, runs the office and looks after the accounts.
The Barkleys are joined by a 104-strong team who are experienced, highly-skilled, reliable and friendly. With additional depots in Stoke and Heywood, R Barkley & Sons has earned an enviable reputation for delivering prompt and dependable customer-focused services on both sides of the Irish Sea.
The third-generation business is currently running a fleet of 66 trucks and 130 trailers. As part of an ongoing replenishment programme, it recently took delivery of six brand new DAF New Generation XGs from nearby TBF Thompson and has six more on order. Comfort, efficiency and safety are the hallmarks of the XGs whose attractive, distinctive exterior design is characterised by unmatched aerodynamics.
“It’s important to reinvest and to keep the fleet as fresh as possible,” Colin Barkley says.
“DAF has been our preferred brand for many years – about 95% of our fleet is DAF. We also have some Scanias as a result of our acquisition of Causeway Pallets & Transport four years ago. They had 15 Scania trucks and 30-40 trailers which were all part of the sale.
“With DAF, you know exactly what they are getting. They are known for quality and performance. Drivers are hard to come by these days and if you can provide them with a really good truck, then they are very happy. When you get a happy driver who takes pride in what he is driving, that’s an excellent starting point.
“At the end of the day, we are handing our drivers something that is worth a lot of money, so there is a lot of responsibility on them and we are also showing great faith in them. We have a one-man, one-truck policy here so each driver has his own lorry and has to keep it right, treat it like it’s his own and make us aware immediately if there are any issues. Down through the years, DAFs have been a great asset to us – they are extremely reliable and fuel-wise they are as good as any truck on the road.”
Of R Barkley & Sons’ 66 trucks, 50 are articulated and 16 are rigid. The trailers are a mix of curtainsiders, flats, coil carriers and low loaders. The majority of the trailers are SDC. The Co. Antrim haulage firm takes great pride in the appearance of its fleet. With their striking blue and white livery, they are a real head-turner. Furthermore, all vehicles are maintained and serviced on a regular basis to ensure there is no such thing as downtime.
R Barkley & Sons provide a complete general haulage service, including machinery, plant & tractors, specialist haulage and groupage / pallet distribution. The company also offers onsite warehousing at all three depots. “If it fits on a trailer, we will deliver it – anything from birthday cards to a tractor,” Colin smiles.
“We have a large and loyal customer-base which has been built up over the last 60-plus years. We transport farm machinery, precast concrete, paving slabs, peat moss and many other goods."
Asked what gives R Barkley & Sons the edge over its competitors, Colin replies: “It’s our versatility. We have such a mix and variety of customers that we’re busy all-year round. We don’t put all our eggs into one basket. The spring and summer months are peak time for tractor deliveries. We’ve brought snow ploughs into Dublin in the winter.
“Groupage gets very busy coming up to Christmas. We work for a greeting cards manufacturing company and you notice a sharp rise in deliveries for them before Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Everything is seasonal.”
The affable transport manager adds: “We have a good workforce behind us and everybody is here to do their best. That’s our ethos. If you aren’t in it for the company, then you aren’t here. You would hope that everybody has the best interests of the company at heart as your reputation is everything and performance is crucial. It’s all about providing a service and being prepared to go the extra mile for your customers.”
In summary, R Barkley & Sons prides itself on its professional, reliable, trustworthy and value-for-money service. The long-standing family business would like to take this opportunity to thank its clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as its expert team for their hard work and dedication.
R Barkley & Sons Ltd,
14 Landhead Road,
Ballymoney,
Co. Antrim,
BT53 7HD.
Telephone: 028 2766 3301
Email: www.rbarkley.co.uk
First published in Irish Trucker magazine July/August 2025, Vol 28-4
