I’ve just read the list out to Ron and he recognises Steve Smith, Billy Tooke, George Fardell, Sue Ashworth and John McFall (he thinks!). Ron is convinced that George Fardell was Rhodesian but he might be wrong. Apparently George always wore a watch on both arms?
Another driver there about 2 years before Ron was Barry Ward. We were trying to work out when Ron started there but I think it must have been just after you left. He left Promotor in 1982 after problems with Dave Stagg too. I’d already started the CPC course and then Ron sat it too. Very much a joint family venture
He did some work for Promotor later as an o/d up until about 1985. Most of this work was to Yugo although there was a bit of exhibition work too. I’ll have to look out some old photographs too that I’ve got somewhere. Then I’ll have to work out how to put them on here!
George Fardell. Rhodesian (never Zimbabwean unless you were prepared for his wrath). He wore two watches because “time hangs heavy on my hands”
I’ve just read the list out to Ron and he recognises Steve Smith, Billy Tooke, George Fardell, Sue Ashworth and John McFall (he thinks!). Ron is convinced that George Fardell was Rhodesian but he might be wrong. Apparently George always wore a watch on both arms?
Another driver there about 2 years before Ron was Barry Ward. We were trying to work out when Ron started there but I think it must have been just after you left. He left Promotor in 1982 after problems with Dave Stagg too. I’d already started the CPC course and then Ron sat it too. Very much a joint family venture
He did some work for Promotor later as an o/d up until about 1985. Most of this work was to Yugo although there was a bit of exhibition work too. I’ll have to look out some old photographs too that I’ve got somewhere. Then I’ll have to work out how to put them on here!
Allo night owl, Allo night owl. At last I can put my mind to rest. When I first saw the picture and comments about George from Pro Motor, I thought, that doesn’t seem right.The first time that I saw George, was at the National Hotel in Belgrade and to be quite honest , he scared me a little bit. He looked quite suspicious hanging around the back of a Pro Motor trailer. He wore shorts, an old beaten leather cowboy hat and he had a very large Bowie knife, hanging from his belt. When I realised that he was the driver, I went over and had a chat with him. I am sure that he told me, that he came from Southern Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. He had also served in the B.S.A.P. which was The British South African Police, who policed Rhodesia until independance. I saw George on a couple of occasions mainly in Yugoslavia.
To me the best Pro Motor driver that I ever ran with, was a guy called Graham, who’s surname I can’t remember and does not appear to be mentioned anywhere. He was a tall guy with fair hair, and in 1980 he looked like he was in his fifties. He drove a Scania, and very often he pulled a super cube trailer. He did a lot of exhibitions and I saw him lots of times in the Commie block. The first time that I met Graham, was on the Hotel Wein in Budapest but I saw him a few times at the National in Belgrade.
Thanks Night Owl for your contribution to this thread and I hope that you get as much enjoyment out of reading it like I do. Regards mushroomman.
Graham ? That’s Bugsy Bertram. “Feeeeeelingss… who oh ooaaaaa, feeeeeelings…” (etc)
I’ve just asked Ron, and after a few minutes of the old grey matter working he came up with the name Graham Bertram. He heard that Graham died about 10 years ago. Apparently Graham had thinning hair and used to pull it from the back of his head over to the front! He also confirmed that George used to always carry a knife on him. I know Ron had a lot of time for George. I can’t remember meeting him myself though.
I’m surprised that nobody seems to remember my hubby Ron Hart. He’s medium height with blonde hair (now going grey). I think they called him Ronnie in those days. When he started for Promotor he used to pick up cars in Spain, and also did a lot of Yugo work. He ran to most countries and did a lot of the exhibition work to Poznan and Baghdad. He always preferred to run on his own and wasn’t one for sitting about so that could explain it. Later on in years the drivers used to call him Rocket Ron. He’s not into computers which is why I’m on here instead of him Could someone tell me if there is a way of printing off the posts on here for him?
I’ve also hunted on the whole of this site and haven’t managed to find one picture of any of our old trucks. We ran International for 20 years, starting out with a used Scania111 and then went on to Volvo’s. Most of them were Globetrotters, white with a three coloured blue stripe. We packed up 3 years ago when it was getting more difficult to compete with the rates being paid to the old Eastern Bloc hauliers. We used to go all over but did a lot of Germany and Poland.
We keep in touch with a lot of our old drivers, although one is out in Texas and two in Canada (still driving). Another one is due to go out to Canada shortly. We don’t blame them for going and the reports we are getting back from them are the conditions are much better.
Thank you all for your posts. I’m really enjoying reading them and I know Ron will too.
I do indeed remember Ronnie very well. A very nice fellow who smoked rather too much… I can’t remember where we were going or what the job was but I think 4 of us ended up going all together, stuffed in one cab, Ronnie, Poxy, myself and one other… What I chiefly remember was that all of them smoked continously for the entire trip which was some kind of hell to me as I have never smoked…
nightowl33:
Supercube the only name Ron can remember is Chick. He became road foreman at some stage, and then went into the yard loading the trailers. That was at Dunton Green.
The truck Ron used to drive was a Scania 111 registration FOO 160T if that rings any bells with anyone?
Chick Steadman, ex-Royal Marine. Good enough fellow. I remember dropping a metal car ramp on his foot that made him limp for months afterwards. Luckily - for me - it disabled him enough at that time that he was unable to exact retribution.
nightowl33:
This one is of two Promotor drivers on their way to Baghdad. The older one is Trevor but we can’t remember the name of the other. Has anyone got any idea who he is please?
GS OVERLAND:
Hi Guys
Any one remember little Davie who used to be on for Promotors. Last time I saw him ( many years ago) he was on his way to Egypt for them, somewhere well south of Cairo. We had some good night at the National and at the Pudding Shop.
He used to drive a Scania 95 wagon and drag.
GS
Ex-squaddie, David Lloyd. There’s a photo or two of him on another thread here
Are there any old Promotor drivers on this site from the late 1970 early 1980 times? Names that come to mind are Jeff Gardner, Joe 90, Micky Proudlove, Trevor and George Fardell. Transport Manager at the time was Dave Stagg.
Trubrit:
Welcome Nightowl,
Somewhere on this site there is a picture of a Promotor truck being driven by a South African chap…can’t remember where though
Thank you for the welcome Trubrit.
I found this site because someone told me about the Promotor photo and then hubby recognised George Fardell. Ron (my hubby) used to drive Middle East and wherever the exhibitions were. He went on to be an owner driver but still did subcontract work for Promotor for a while. This was mainly to Yugo.
Please excuse any mistakes I make on here as I’m just getting used to this site.
Nightowl33 - Thought you might like to see this picture It’s a pity It’s not the whole of the lorry but the photo was of the Scania 82 curtainsider when it was new and the 111 just happened to be parked alongside it
It was taken at Robert Odell’s yard in Maulden around 1984 time.
Thank you Lemonmouth. From your description of where the photo was taken it’s definately on the back of hubby’s first Scania. Thanks for posting this for us.
Welcome to the BB nightowl.
If you look at the “Trucking in the '80’s international” forum,page 3,you will see a pic of a Promotors truck with the guy I knew as South African George.
hi nightowl, i was on promotor 1971-1975 when i first started the office was in shawfield park in bromley, it was in the back of peter calderwoods fathers house, peter ran it with his wife liz and his dad, george, who did all the accounts.
after a year or so we moved round the corner into the old nat west bank building, a driver was then made up to transport manager, bob charlton. he lasted about 6 months.
it all moved to west kent cold store around 74, that is when dave stagg arrived in the office, he was an o/d before that.
drivers at the time that i can remember were.
billy heath
steve smith
mick mitchell
john the australian
billy tooke
george fardell
jimmy conlan
sue ashworth
roy"cannonball" o/d
john mcfall o/d
carl ?
jeff douglas
oh yes and me, bob heath
joe 90 started off as an o/d but had a bad accident in france after falling asleep, killing a hitch-hiker, which apparently qualified him to sit in an office giving drivers orders.
i parted company after a falling out with dave stagg over something which i cant remember now, but it must have been his fault.
somewhere, in the loft i expect, i have some photos which i will dig out and post on this thread.
I’ve just read the list out to Ron and he recognises Steve Smith, Billy Tooke, George Fardell, Sue Ashworth and John McFall (he thinks!). Ron is convinced that George Fardell was Rhodesian but he might be wrong. Apparently George always wore a watch on both arms?
Another driver there about 2 years before Ron was Barry Ward. We were trying to work out when Ron started there but I think it must have been just after you left. He left Promotor in 1982 after problems with Dave Stagg too. I’d already started the CPC course and then Ron sat it too. Very much a joint family venture
He did some work for Promotor later as an o/d up until about 1985. Most of this work was to Yugo although there was a bit of exhibition work too. I’ll have to look out some old photographs too that I’ve got somewhere. Then I’ll have to work out how to put them on here!
I noted that you are from the Newcastle area. My first trip in a truck was when I was about 5 years old. My uncle who came from the Potteries used to work for Beresfords and call in when he was passing. He used to drop me and my brother off at school the next morning. That was the days when the cabs didn’t have sleepers and he slept on a plank across the front seats. I think he enjoyed having a bed to sleep in at his sisters
nightowl33:
Thank you for the welcome Best Booties.
I noted that you are from the Newcastle area. My first trip in a truck was when I was about 5 years old. My uncle who came from the Potteries used to work for Beresfords and call in when he was passing. He used to drop me and my brother off at school the next morning. That was the days when the cabs didn’t have sleepers and he slept on a plank across the front seats. I think he enjoyed having a bed to sleep in at his sisters
Berrisfords hit the skids not so many years ago,all their tackle was bought by Bassetts.
some of Beresfords old drivers are trying to sort a reunion do out .don’t know all the details just yet but if any body is interested i can find out for them
I’ve just read the list out to Ron and he recognises Steve Smith, Billy Tooke, George Fardell, Sue Ashworth and John McFall (he thinks!). Ron is convinced that George Fardell was Rhodesian but he might be wrong. Apparently George always wore a watch on both arms?
Another driver there about 2 years before Ron was Barry Ward. We were trying to work out when Ron started there but I think it must have been just after you left. He left Promotor in 1982 after problems with Dave Stagg too. I’d already started the CPC course and then Ron sat it too. Very much a joint family venture
He did some work for Promotor later as an o/d up until about 1985. Most of this work was to Yugo although there was a bit of exhibition work too. I’ll have to look out some old photographs too that I’ve got somewhere. Then I’ll have to work out how to put them on here!
Allo night owl, Allo night owl. At last I can put my mind to rest. When I first saw the picture and comments about George from Pro Motor, I thought, that doesn’t seem right.The first time that I saw George, was at the National Hotel in Belgrade and to be quite honest , he scared me a little bit. He looked quite suspicious hanging around the back of a Pro Motor trailer. He wore shorts, an old beaten leather cowboy hat and he had a very large Bowie knife, hanging from his belt. When I realised that he was the driver, I went over and had a chat with him. I am sure that he told me, that he came from Southern Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. He had also served in the B.S.A.P. which was The British South African Police, who policed Rhodesia until independance. I saw George on a couple of occasions mainly in Yugoslavia.
To me the best Pro Motor driver that I ever ran with, was a guy called Graham, who’s surname I can’t remember and does not appear to be mentioned anywhere. He was a tall guy with fair hair, and in 1980 he looked like he was in his fifties. He drove a Scania, and very often he pulled a super cube trailer. He did a lot of exhibitions and I saw him lots of times in the Commie block. The first time that I met Graham, was on the Hotel Wein in Budapest but I saw him a few times at the National in Belgrade.
Thanks Night Owl for your contribution to this thread and I hope that you get as much enjoyment out of reading it like I do. Regards mushroomman.
It’s a pity It’s not the whole of the lorry but the photo was of the Scania 82 curtainsider when it was new and the 111 just happened to be parked alongside it 
