Shipping out of and into Poole

I helped to build the Port at Poole for Truckline in the late 70s little did I know that I would later ship out of there to Spain and Portugal and other destinations.Any one else have any recolections of shipping this route?

This Resturaunt was possibly one of the farthest from Poole but one of the best. Had some good nights in here with some good mates. :slight_smile:

Recall shipping out of Poole in the early 70’s for PBC European in an non sleeper AEC Mandator, they also had an office in Cherbourg and French reg trucks to get permits. Frank Allen who was owner of PBC had money in Truckline from the off and he only lives 1/2 a mile from me now and is now 85 y/o, Shipped put one Sunday night on the “Cocotin” and it was rough seas landed in Cherbourg Tuesday afternoon and could not walk straight for 24hrs, still have a sticker on me banjo the truck with the thumbs up (remember them) cheers Buzzer.

Hi Geoff,

Remember shipping Truckline from Poole, Ian Rycroft (R.I.P.) always seemed to be there on the quay asking where you were going and for who :laughing:
Shipped out to Rome from there in a Magirus 232 via the Vent. (Non Quota :blush: ) took forever to get there with Mel from Ridgers thought we’d never get there :unamused:
One of Buzzer’s Mary Hopkins moments.
What was the name of the guy who drove the Swains French reg. Scania? really nice bloke.

In later years when I ran 30 trucks John Clark the Freight guy looked after me like a father :wink: I think he’s retired now, another diamond geezer.

Regards
Richard

Went via Poole a few times in 1975 when I was driving Pete Robbins Scania 140, subbing from Barbour European, Glasgow. Usually the Bordeaux area, whisky out and brandy back. Then Kellogs Manchester back up to Glasgow.

I hadn’t used my schoolboy French - well, since school. I found the French outside Paris couldn’t speak English and the Parisians wouldn’t! So I found it very useful. Pete said the only French he understood was ‘Demain matin’ when you arrived anywhere to tip.

‘Truckline’ to Cherbourg sometimes. Small ship, but more ‘homely’ than the Channel lines.

Remember having dinner with a French driver. Again, his English was nil. He looked at the overcooked roast spuds and said ‘Ha, patates Senegalese.’

Had great pleasure driving up the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans and singing ‘sur le pont d’avignon’ on my travels and found that I was constantly trying to translate all my thoughts into French.

First trip I went into Le Havre, across the TancarVille bridge. Cleared in Paris, where the customs officer took a bottle of whisky for himself - and gave me a bottle! I’d already bought a bottle of gin on the boat and agonised about whether to declare it on the way back.

Down to Bordeaux, tipped the whisky and loaded brandy, then back up to Cherbourg & back to Poole.

At Poole, I did declare that whisky and explained how it happened. He just shrugged & gave it me back. We do sometimes worry about inconsequential things don’t we!

All in all, enjoyed the ‘little boys TIR’ before setting off on the real thing in 1976.

John.

What about the old aeroplane rides in the “push pull” Aurigny planes out of Hurn to Cherbourg when there were more than 12 drivers and you got the short straw and had to fly, especially when you came the other way and you took off from the top of the cliffs and you had your fingers crossed that it had enough umph to actually fly else you would all get wet as the Pilot always said when questioned, Buzzer.

John West:
Went via Poole a few times in 1975 when I was driving Pete Robbins Scania 140, subbing from Barbour European, Glasgow. Usually the Bordeaux area, whisky out and brandy back. Then Kellogs Manchester back up to Glasgow.

I hadn’t used my schoolboy French - well, since school. I found the French outside Paris couldn’t speak English and the Parisians wouldn’t! So I found it very useful. Pete said the only French he understood was ‘Demain matin’ when you arrived anywhere to tip.

‘Truckline’ to Cherbourg sometimes. Small ship, but more ‘homely’ than the Channel lines.

Remember having dinner with a French driver. Again, his English was nil. He looked at the overcooked roast spuds and said ‘Ha, patates Senegalese.’

Had great pleasure driving up the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans and singing ‘sur le pont d’avignon’ on my travels and found that I was constantly trying to translate all my thoughts into French.

First trip I went into Le Havre, across the TancarVille bridge. Cleared in Paris, where the customs officer took a bottle of whisky for himself - and gave me a bottle! I’d already bought a bottle of gin on the boat and agonised about whether to declare it on the way back.

Down to Bordeaux, tipped the whisky and loaded brandy, then back up to Cherbourg & back to Poole.

At Poole, I did declare that whisky and explained how it happened. He just shrugged & gave it me back. We do sometimes worry about inconsequential things don’t we!

All in all, enjoyed the ‘little boys TIR’ before setting off on the real thing in 1976.

John.

This was about 1974 Buzzer, you couldn’t have done much. It’s the “entrance” to the port (the railway lines are still there) as if you were going to ship out. Recently queued up on those lines to tip grain on the quay. I did take a photo of the same angle but it’s on my work phone and don’t have it here. Will post next month.

I took one of two steel structures down for the ramp in the early 70s I think they could have been support legs but not sure and they would have been around 35/40 tons each as I ran with the Samson which took the other one so it must have been when they were building the roll on roll off dock I know it was Newton Chambers Chapeltown Sheffield who constructed the structures but is a long time since and I have done a lot of loads since
cheers Johnnie

My first trip on Truckline was on the plane…quite an experience
for a young 26 year old.

Shipped out of poole on more than one occasion in the 70,s, remember the push pull plane didnt they used to give you 200 free ■■■■ if you flew? I remember the Spanish never would. The ship with the portacabin on deck for drivers accomendation was that the Armorique ? Spent over 28hrs on the " cocoa tin " one time in bad weather lying off the Channel Isles getting nowere in fact we were probably being blown backwards ( that was a good start to a trip to Gib ). The last time I saw the cocoa tin she was in Ramsgate , Worms shipping had started a new service and offered big discounts to encourage new traffic I had booked to ship came down to the dock took one look and turned and went to Dover! I remember that for a short time they had a ship with German captain and Turkish crew , watched it coming into Poole one time with a list on that defyed gravity, they shovelled some of the waggons off it that time. Happy days.

Richard Greens photo.

MaggieD:
Hi Geoff,

Remember shipping Truckline from Poole, Ian Rycroft (R.I.P.) always seemed to be there on the quay asking where you were going and for who :laughing:
Shipped out to Rome from there in a Magirus 232 via the Vent. (Non Quota :blush: ) took forever to get there with Mel from Ridgers thought we’d never get there :unamused:
One of Buzzer’s Mary Hopkins moments.
What was the name of the guy who drove the Swains French reg. Scania? really nice bloke.

In later years when I ran 30 trucks John Clark the Freight guy looked after me like a father :wink: I think he’s retired now, another diamond geezer.

Regards
Richard

This Scania Richard.■■?..another of Richard Greens photos.

Bewick:

John West:
Went via Poole a few times in 1975 when I was driving Pete Robbins Scania 140, subbing from Barbour European, Glasgow. Usually the Bordeaux area, whisky out and brandy back. Then Kellogs Manchester back up to Glasgow.

I hadn’t used my schoolboy French - well, since school. I found the French outside Paris couldn’t speak English and the Parisians wouldn’t! So I found it very useful. Pete said the only French he understood was ‘Demain matin’ when you arrived anywhere to tip.

‘Truckline’ to Cherbourg sometimes. Small ship, but more ‘homely’ than the Channel lines.

Remember having dinner with a French driver. Again, his English was nil. He looked at the overcooked roast spuds and said ‘Ha, patates Senegalese.’

Had great pleasure driving up the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans and singing ‘sur le pont d’avignon’ on my travels and found that I was constantly trying to translate all my thoughts into French.

First trip I went into Le Havre, across the TancarVille bridge. Cleared in Paris, where the customs officer took a bottle of whisky for himself - and gave me a bottle! I’d already bought a bottle of gin on the boat and agonised about whether to declare it on the way back.

Down to Bordeaux, tipped the whisky and loaded brandy, then back up to Cherbourg & back to Poole.

At Poole, I did declare that whisky and explained how it happened. He just shrugged & gave it me back. We do sometimes worry about inconsequential things don’t we!

All in all, enjoyed the ‘little boys TIR’ before setting off on the real thing in 1976.

John.

Go on then Dennis,

What’s the connection between a 1966 Ergo Octopus and Truckline? Or as usual, am I missing something?

Bet you and Possy were quite jealous of that!

John

John West:

Bewick:

John West:
Went via Poole a few times in 1975 when I was driving Pete Robbins Scania 140, subbing from Barbour European, Glasgow. Usually the Bordeaux area, whisky out and brandy back. Then Kellogs Manchester back up to Glasgow.

I hadn’t used my schoolboy French - well, since school. I found the French outside Paris couldn’t speak English and the Parisians wouldn’t! So I found it very useful. Pete said the only French he understood was ‘Demain matin’ when you arrived anywhere to tip.

‘Truckline’ to Cherbourg sometimes. Small ship, but more ‘homely’ than the Channel lines.

Remember having dinner with a French driver. Again, his English was nil. He looked at the overcooked roast spuds and said ‘Ha, patates Senegalese.’

Had great pleasure driving up the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans and singing ‘sur le pont d’avignon’ on my travels and found that I was constantly trying to translate all my thoughts into French.

First trip I went into Le Havre, across the TancarVille bridge. Cleared in Paris, where the customs officer took a bottle of whisky for himself - and gave me a bottle! I’d already bought a bottle of gin on the boat and agonised about whether to declare it on the way back.

Down to Bordeaux, tipped the whisky and loaded brandy, then back up to Cherbourg & back to Poole.

At Poole, I did declare that whisky and explained how it happened. He just shrugged & gave it me back. We do sometimes worry about inconsequential things don’t we!

All in all, enjoyed the ‘little boys TIR’ before setting off on the real thing in 1976.

John.

Go on then Dennis,

What’s the connection between a 1966 Ergo Octopus and Truckline? Or as usual, am I missing something?

Bet you and Possy were quite jealous of that!

John

Trick Question John,it actually was an AEC MM,don’t ask me how it got the front grille of a Leyland,but just clock the rear axle hub caps,pure AEC but unfortunately it was only a single drive back end so not very good for pulling a trailer,sorry I know it’s nowt to do with this thread but I saw your comment about about knowing who Ronnie Lomas was but not the motor so I stuck the shot on the thread you seem to to favour mate,quite understandably,of course! Cheers Dennis.

Ah, It is an AEC :blush:

I see Bradys only had 4 lines then, later it was 10, proudly displayed. They were still no dial phones until the mid seventies - pick up and wait for the operator! Bad news when they went on strike early seventies Barrow just about seized up - people were driving out to Grange to dial out!

John

First time I encountered Truckline and Poole docks was around 1974 when driving for Howells & Reavells. Remember having to return from the French side using the plane. Never flown before…what an experience!!! :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

Years later I was a constant user of Truckline when driving for Ridgeway Int. as it was one of the routes we had to use when carrying explosives.

I also shipped out of Poole on the ship that went direct to Portugal.

I’ve posted these photos before but here they are again.
Waiting to board Poole

Top deck

The ship to take us to Portugal

Hi Ron, I never went on it, but didn’t that dock at Vigo. ■■?

I loaded frozen peas from Grantham to Vigo for Chingfords. Marks usual “which way you wanna go?” I think I shipped to Cherbourg. When I got (eventually) to Vigo, Aduanas was on the RORO quayside. If I had said “Mark, I’ll go direct to Vigo” he would have booked it!

‘Weekended’ in Poole docks on return to UK, about 13 years ago. Don’t feel sorry for me, I’d deffo have had a bottle or two of decent French vino under the bunk! (Second pic taken in France). Robert :smiley: