Dover was at that time a massive meeting point of all euro drivers non stop ferries like buses from CALAIS .
You would get to know men of different companies every one would know of some one who knew some one from a certain company and the lies were rife about all drivers doing this and that, running bent was the main game drivers would be in “THE WHEEL HOUSE” the clearance customs cafe bar ,rest room, a melting pot of European talk, ■■■■■■■■ ,bragging rites, other companies work truck drivers and of course the beer…
We all ended up in there once off the ferry, the parking was manic, us fridge drivers tried to park together out of the way but that always went ■■■■ up, dry fright drivers would park close then at night try to switch the fridges off ,the noise it got as a bloody nightmare.
Lack of sleep was the drawback of the job, it was a good job we were paid a salary as they could not have paid you the actual hours you worked ,it just meant if you had 3 days off at home you convinced your self you were getting paid for being at home but the real truth was it was for nothing ,pennies.
BUT !we got to drive new DAF,s AND SCANIAS , with lovely paint work ,chrome wheels, trucks driver would dream, also the trailers were very smart
If you stopped to think about it, you would not have done it ,i liked the long distance and i made that clear in the office many times, weekends away, not a problem for 3 weeks but then time home at least 2 full days.
One night i was unloading in Covent garden fruit market ,and one of Pulleyns’ drivers was also there ,we got chatting, i told him i missed doing the meat, and though no more about It once we were unloaded we would get back from the market run get back about 6 in the morning ,go home and wait for the phone at 5 pm for the nights run instructions.
While i was in bed PULLEYNS had rang ,and asked me to ring when i was up, that i did and spoke to Adrian the boss ,he offered me a new daf, 36 not used ,a fridge trailer for meat loads , he also had tilts for dry freight that would be used if the meat work ever dried up .would i be interested .on condition was i was to give my months notice but on no account what so ever tell anyone where i was going to work and not to tell Mr East, so i agreed .
So the rumours started once I put my months notice in, where was i going, everyone thought it was ACH i never let on at all. but I started the rumour Untill the very last minute of my time at Rokold .
.ROKOLD had been good to me ,starting me out on Europe I really appreciated it, I was loyal for a few years, however ,the reward ,cash wise was not what you would have thought for the work time also all the other drivers not just me ,however I am talking for only me,! No one ever complained to me about the wages.
My leaving Rokold was, going to me, be a change in the loads and places i would go to .I was fed up with loading from cold stores, then unloading maybe 3or 4 delivers to supermarkets, all silly timed delivers ,to be honest it was like being a van driver but with a 40 foot trailer, sorry not for me ,
.
On my getting back to the depot on my last trip my instructions from the office was to telephone Mr EAST at home to let him know what time i would be in the yard at Bicester, that i did i got back about 6 pm drove around to the fuel pumps and started to fill up most of the fleet were in ,all parked up like soldiers like most companies, clean i thought i am not going to wash down not today as sometimes you could get into the yard at 5p m and still be there waiting to wash the unit down at 7 pm not unusual,
I am thinking i will get away quick, just as i had finished ,fuelling in drove Mr EAST, he casually wanders over and we started chatting he was thanking me for what i had done and i replied with the same words thanked him for the opportunity[I never mentioned when I started he wanted rid of me ] i said i will park up now robin and get away , I parked ,first shunt no messing,it was tight when all the trucks were in there so i breathed a sigh as i had not had any dings. scrapes, accidents for a while .
.I am getting my bedding and gear in the car ,i never carried as much just lately, as it was lots of local work [euro]and you did not need it ,when I finished i thought right ,time to say bye and hope he does not ask me where i am going .as i will tell him the truth .i never did lie to him ,yes the office but not personal to him so we are shaking hands.
He said so i hope you are happy at A.C.H.YOU ARE ALLWAYS WELCOME HERE .so i thought ,and i said who told you i was going to A.C.H ,”the office” he said, i told him oh no ,not ACH.I i am going to Pulleyns he turned and walked away, he went ballistic, unprintable, he walked over to the shutter doors and kicked them ,zb brilliant!,. I thought now you know what it is like being lied too, so i get in the car and make off but i thought zb-it i stopped, got out walked over to where he was and said to him mr East i can work wherever i like i do not need your permission. He said yes i suppose ,you are right and i walked away I knew I never owed him anything I had done my bit.i never did ever seen him again.
Before I do pull the ROKOLD PLUG , some of the loads were “different ”one load I was tipping in Glasgow fruit market with instructions to ring the night man whenever I was empty, that I did, he gave me orders to go to OBAN he gave me the address with words they are expecting you today ,another long day to come then when I got there, not a lot to be seen as a factories it was a tourist place I drove down the sea front and eventually came to a quay with trailers parked up another sigh of relief i pulled up and there were fishermen types around so I asked one of them if he knew so and so ,yes he did he would ring them.
Not long after they showed me where to back in up to a old trailer parked up they told me to open the doors then go and sit in the cab and when they were finished loading they would tell me ,great ,head down ,
It was about 5 hours later I had been well away, it was dark they said come to back and have a look before we shut the doors up, well zb me plastic sacks full of what looked like shells and water in them ,is all i could see they told me it was old scallop shells .and it stank of ammonia
It was overwhelming .
Once I arrived in France near LYON in a old quarry, the unloaders were going to wear gas masks, when I opened the door the smell was overpowering again I was told to go to the cab,they were just throwing the sacks out in a massive heap about 15 tons worth.
WASHING OUT at a firms wash took me ages the fridge stank the only way to clear the smell was to dry the fridge completely and try to find some vanilla smelling powder, like custard powder. one chap understood English ,he knew what I wanted and he took me to a bakery. they had none so I got some bleach from a super market and made do with that, no ideal but it was better than ammonia.
ANOTHER return load job was from Alba ,Italy I have no idea whose work it was, from Ferrio rhocha chocolates the loads went back to Rotherham and also south Wales The crack there was getting chocolates you were not allowed, there was a shop but they never let you have a lot of chocs.
One day there loading ,I watched a man pushing a green bin on wheels out side near where we were the bins you see over here for paper and cardboard ,my magpie instinct got the better of me so when he went I went ,and it was jack pot it was only full of the plastic trays that you buy in the shops but the lids were cracked so for the dump, as I dug deeper the bigger ones were also there ,the plastic bags from duty free came in very handy ,i only told a few others about the find and yes you can get fed up with chocolate .
My start with Pulleyns was when they were still down by the canal in Reading then they moved to where they are now 3 mile cross, and i will say most of my time was very happy there lots of good experienced drivers, the best of trucks anyone could have to drive also top of the range trailers ,it was and i hope now a very good company to work for all though, i went there twice
I could go on for ever about the loads we did and we went everywhere in Europe you never new from one month to the next where you would be going ,Russia was the talk, Fransens had not been there yet, not many went to Russia back then, not fridges the odd one maybe I did not know about the dry fright companies that were going there, I am talking 1989 there was one from queensbrough on the island that did Moscow the name eludes me road trains
More than once i have shipped out solo, unit only, from Poole to Cherbourg to pick up another new trailer from CHEROUE fridge trailers from Avanranches with all the new meat rails fitted in them to also large side trailer boxes big enough to put 20 pallets in the tilts were the best ,sliding roofs steel coil carriers
As a company they were so clewed up on EUROPEAN HAULAGE it was a pleasure to work for them .
When you first started you would be given £1000 in travellers cheque, all drivers were the same and you would take your night out allowance out of that every day. it was also for any expenses incurred by you for the load or truck so long as you had receipts it would be ok. i never once had any problem ,however they did get one or two know all ,fly by nights manage to get work the but they did not last long. you would see some change the travellers cheques at Dover in to sterling the post the cash home ie their night out money, and hope they never needed a large sum for whatever reason, a few come unstuck.and fiddling expenses was a no ,no,… no need if you wanted anything you would ring up and it would be ok , you would pay it back later.
I could go on for ever about all the different meat loads i did from the UK and Europe some went fine and some a pain in the arse, if you all ways told the truth no matter what happened while at Pulleyens and you were correct they would back you up.
When the French farmers were playing up they would keep us working out of HOLLAND OR Germany we did whatever we were told to load as we had all the right equipment we even had the european meat rails in the trailers so that when you backed up to the loading bay we had the connectors that clipped on to the hanging meat rails inside of the abattoir so it meant that the meat would be pushed out of the cold store straight on to the meat rails inside the trailer, no lifting like every where else in England." and we would then just exchange the meat hooks that would be pushed back on to the trailer ready to load again it was then the best thing for a meat trailer we also had room in lockers under the trailers if the hooks had to come out of the trailer
THE unloading or for us the loading of meat from a abattoir, every carcass no matter what had to be manually lift off the hook in the abattoir carried then put on a hook within the trailer all meat it was a time consuming job however it had always been done that way until some clever European decided that lifting was the wrong way so they had different hooks to us in the uk
They had round meat rails in the abattoirs also round meat rails in their trailers where our uk meat rails were like a t piece of steel up side down and the hooks only come of if you undid the holding bar at the back of the trailer above the door
It meant, on the round meat rails the meat hooks could be pushed any where there was a round rail when you looked up to the roof/ceiling of ant abettor it was a mass of pipes and steel ,rails it looked like a rail track shunting area in and out of the chill rooms ,so when the trailers were backed up to the loading bay there was a small gap from their rail to the trailers so someone designed a joining piece about a 18 inches long that fitted the trailer rail and the abattoir rail then the meat would be pushed straight on to the trailer no lifting and quick loaded, why did we in the uk not get on board with the easy option ,there were two joining pieces with every meat trailer and they were like rocking horse ■■■■, the trailers meat rails would not be changed because home market preceded export. good old fashion no change its been fine years let every one do all the lifting of the meat .we have done it this way for years.
Some meat hooks were called Christmas tree hooks ,these would be hooks that would carry 12 pork legs on one hook and that would hang from the rail in the roof of the truck all meat trailers had stops that would be clipped down to stop the actual full hooks sliding up and down .
, If you were to heavy on the steering wheel when turning or roundabouts they all got swinging you then new about it and you sure took note ,and watched the road for camber changes and sharp bends, it was ok in Holland .as not so many sharp bends etc
Most times it would be around Paris, where you were constantly fighting the traffic but still right hand drive we had a advantage of being able to see the ■■■■■ that what they were they had no idea what you had on ,the trailer did not move around like lift the wheels up that never happened but you knew what was happing inside all going swinging together you got used to it.
I loaded Bull meat ,not cow or steer from a abattoir in northern Germany,[called a slachtoffer] i rang the office to tell them i was ready to leave I was very heavy c m r said 22 tons well in kilos it was 44 tons gross in Europe.
The middle rail was empty [the wonders of ,how do the meat rails hold up] just to confirm ,the worst thing a driver can do is take it in to his or her own hands to decide which way to go when you have a option of different routes on a outward bound journey as for the veterinary clearing border compounds , the paper work also has preferred crossing places .
Return loads was normally up to you however .I was told go via Paris for some reason to clear in AOSTA the long way round they, the exporting company did not like their loads going down through GERMANY all though we loaded in northern Germany [oldenburg area] the most direct route was make your way to the BRENNER PASS, over and down in to VIPPATINO, compound ITALY and clear, it is the other side of the Brenner pass, the problem was the veterinary, [meat doctors]in the auto port for some reason they had a habit of too long a inspection ,that was what I was told any way, did I care NO all meat trucks no matter where they were loaded from had to leave the centre rail in the fridge empty so the VETS could and would walk down inside the load in the trailer and check the whole load of meat why ?they were the only country to do it.
The route was out Germany, Karlsruhe, Strasbourg ,Mulhouse Besancon, Bourg en Bress Nantua, skirting Genève, Cluses, a long route from GERMANY to ITALY let alone Mt Blanc[my memory may be a little out in direction but that was the way-ish.] all was well untill around Bourg en- Bresse, there was a farmers protest ,the roads were blocked many, many trucks all going south and that was us all ZB ed, so you just stuck with it moved a bit then some more, but no distance the main thing was to make sure you had diesel for the fridge at the moment i was ok, however you would be able to syphon diesel from your tank into the fridge so long as you had the pipe etc ,i did have the kit…
Having stopped and started we crept slowly on through Nantu then duel carriageway after 2 days we were now slowly heading towards Cluses masses of trucks, my fridge was ok.purring away at+1 all good,
[[[ i all ways had plenty of food, i also had a pressure cooker, i had potatoes,carrots, cabbage,onion,main oxo cubes,i would buy meat from a supermarket and i have been known to be going through a village a spot a butchers ,stop,run back and get what i liked the look of , so all was good for me " i would boil bacon with cabbage in the cooker, i had flour,milk, i would make pancakes ,and use them as yorkshire puddings jams,tinned meat ,to be honest there was no end what you could do with one gas ring ,i had contrary to safety, a 5 kilo gas bottle in the passenger foot well, a small table that had 2 flat hooks that clipped in the front air vent at the bottom of the windscreen.
I used to hear men say [i never cook in the cab etc] however they would never refuse a feed or just a cup of tea. opened the windows ,and i washed the cab curtains i when week ended while some went on the ■■■■,well i would later,i did like the beer ,but only weekends.]]] back to the road.
The office were well aware of what was going on you just had to stick with it to be honest i did not mind it at all, another night went and come round ,i had given up walking up and down the ranks of trucks again no movement one thing these old French farmers do not zb about. No one came and knocked my door that was a good thing I was not one of theses men who needed to be with others.i expect I was getting good at avoiding others.
Once into Cluses parking was nightmare, you were better off on the old road but every where was chocker block so i just followed the bloke in front when he stopped i did ,there was not going to be any quick exit everyone was blocking every one in, if you have not ever been like that you just have to chill. you will get out in the end.
You will then be moved up to the parking area by the sky slope that had been opened .what a god send that was Then the police will let trucks out of the at there leisure as there was no farmers here blocking the roads up.it was just a mass of volume of trucks,
I do not remember the whole length of time lost but it must have been around, 4 days, the fridge was going ok i was ok just follow the leader ,creeping up slow time ,when i eventually got to the top, the last french pay phone, i thought i would phone the depot ,they were fine ,instructions were “keep us posted” i had 4 delivers ,2 in Milan market one Bologna and the last in Forli-in-pola i new where the market was and the last one but BOLANGA never done that before .
Once i got through slowly, slowly ,done the customs at the top then followed the snake down the mountian, it was low gear most of the way ,easy on the brakes that was for sure. Eventually i pulled in to the auto port in AOSTA ,with the airfield across the road ,i did manage to get parked on one of the vets inspection bays that was lucky still no other English trucks around at all some Southern IRISH they were fine but kept to themselfs.
My papers were put into the agent as with the masses of others so it was just wait they were generally cleared within 4/5 hours however the auto port was full of trucks so it could be the next day and it was it would be lunch time around 11 am was the normal about 9/10 o’clock the parade of vets and customs me would start cutting seals on the doors and another man would open the rear door ,then move away so GOD, the vet ,could just walk in to the load and do his bit.
,It was no use hanging around standing watching them the looks would be enough they were the men and ladies of importance.[jumped up ,never come down, ■■■■■■ Hanging around the truck it would make no difference to the clearance time or whatever ,so it was feet up in the cab and dose or read , it was amazing no matter what sleep you had you would bet that within a few minutes reading ,feet up ,you would be away with the fairies snoring ,i must have dosed off as the sound of trucks woke me up ,the clock said i have, had nearly 2 hours kip ,jesus, i jumped out, half asleep.
I made my way to queue up at the agents door with all the other hopefuls these agents were the new gods ,it all depended on them, they would have a stack of paper work on the desk that you could see, and they would shout out truck numbers then your papers would be handed to you after you had paid unless your company had a account with them ,[i never did pay any agent in Aosta [all i worked for had accounts].
So i waited and waited until they were getting up from the desks to put their coats on,[not a good sign] so i asked .excuse,ee and her the companies name .and a women looks at me and does the look of ,what the zb are you saying speak ITALIAN.and a banter goes on between 2 office workers, papers are picked up ,put down ,arms are out stretched ,all the gestures, that said to me, Mr you have a problem.
That was my next expletive word, in English ,i asked, is there a problem with my truck and load ,after time the answer was ,yes there is, and you will have to wait, so i ask what is the problem ,and they reply [VETENIARY],with outstretched arms as if to say ,ZB all to do with me…so i say problem FRIGO!! temperature ,and the reply was no ,nnono. paperie.[paper].or ZB off …they say to me go back to the truck for another inspection, vet…
I am not the only fridge left, but all that was overnight with me have gone, after a while the door open gang are standing around a sort of pointing at my fridge and sort of giggling, so with the packet of ■■■■ i sunter round and say to them ,HEEY MISSTER PROBLEMEO WITH FRIGO
[[in my best broken stupid Italian I detest doing the trying to speak English with a foreign accent some drivers used to do it all the time and think they were smart, when they do it times I have to walk away.]]
One starts smiling and says to me ohh lee,o,LEE,O, i have no idea what he is on about so i laugh with him give him a ■■■ and walk away and he shouts me again in a laughing manner MR,
points at the truck and says leeo lee,o, and laughs again ,i have no idea what is going onabout the fridge is still sound +1 ticking over ,the gas is good as i had checked it, i could see the bubble in the sight glass so as far as i am concerned all is well plenty of diesel…
I have all ready rang the office and told them the score and will ring as soon as i find out in the mean time maybe they said they could ring the agent office ,that would not do a lot of good as they do not want to try to speak English ,well you cannot blame them can you.
At 4 o clock the “fridge door openers” are at the back door and there is a posse of white coats at the back of the fridge ,and I mean 3 men one women ,as if they were going operating on the meat.and they had face masks on After 2 mins papers in hand doors closed one of the agents me calls me and says follow him to the office…
i will not try to do this in Italian however it was very dramatic for them, the basic story is=
When the first lot of meat was slaughtered in GERMANY IT WAS PUT IN COLD STORE UNTILL A LOAD WAS READY, each carcass has a eec stamp on it and it is recorded by date ,and apparently fresh hung meat is allowed only 21 days to be fridged and transported from the date of slaughter.
it must be used by the date shown on the dated health certificate the hold up in the journey down ,by the strike a lot of the meat had gone into the 21st days and some was over, and the importer did not want it now, so it was going to be sent back to GERMANY OR THE PLACE OF ORIGIN or to a cold store and be used for meat to feed the ZOO. AKA LEEO THE LION… NOW I KNEW
The agent had been in touch with the office and the balls have been rolling ,and it was to go to the cold store in MILANO at MELZO. I knew it well all you fridge men will also know it.
So papers sorted i eventfully got on my way and to the cold store to unload the next day, when the doors were open there was a smell of meat going off that was for sure, thank god i did not have to help but i knew a very hot wash would be needed to get the oddur,PLUS SOME BLEACH, it was not a pungent as the fish smell. so i would have to find a haulage yard with a hot water wash, another problem?. A office worker spoke very good English and he sorted it for me…another eventful trip.
I do know that of our beef especially scottish beef is supposed to be better when hung for at lest 20 od days matured yellow beef fat on the outside however the rule was the ITALIANS .