the company for over a century. For delay in delivering a miller's iron shaft, Pickford's was involved in the famous English contract law case, Hadley v. Baxendale (1848), where the court held the company was not liable for unforeseeable losses resulting from their lateness. In the 20th century, the company switched to road haulage. During this time it formed a rivalry with fellow hauliers Carter Paterson, with whom (amongst others) they merged in 1912, although both kept their separate names. Nationalisation In 1920, the company was sold again, to the Hay's Wharf Cartage Company, on the back of a burgeoning post-World War I home removals business. Pickfords still continued to operate under that name. In turn Hay's Wharf was taken over by the four main British railway companies in 1934 and was subsequently nationalised in 1947 as part of British Road Services and what would become the National Freight Corporation (NFC) in 1969. In 1942, the heavy haulage division moved Mulberry harbour sections (temporary harbour) to sea launchings prior to them being towed across the English Channel for the Normandy landings . As part of the NFC, Pickfords was involved in a wide range of haulage activities, including heavy haulage (moving oversize loads) from the 1950s to the 1980s. The company absorbed several well-known haulage companies during this period but then withdrew from the sector. A number of former Pickfords vehicles have been preserved and can be seen at events, demonstrating moving outsize loads along with the earlier steam tractors . Privatisation The National Freight Consortium, as it was subsequently renamed, was privatised via a sale to employees in 1982. Downard Pickfords (later Allied Pickfords Australia) was established in 1982 when Downard Transport in Australia was purchased. Pickfords' travel agency business was the second largest in the UK in 1984 and included the Harry Leek chain as well as its own brand. Pickfords Travel was sold to Airtours in 1992, when it comprised the Pickfords and Hourmont Travel brands; Hourmont had been acquired by Pickfords in 1987. After Airtours acquired the travel agency business of Hogg Robinson in 1993 it was merged with Pickfords and Hourmont Travel to form Going Places. In 1996, the NFC sold Pickfords to the American company Allied Van Lines in a deal worth $400 million, In 2002 the parent company was renamed, becoming Allied. In 2009, Allied Pickfords, the international arm of Pickfords, became Pickfords.