I’ve just spent an entire day reading this thread start to finish. Fascinating Stuff. Thanks to all who have contributed to a thread which has touched on a part of my life I thought was but a distant childhood memory. If I may, let me explain…
My divorced mother met my soon-to-be step dad in Liverpool. That would be around 1969/70. My mum was a nurse at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool and her new ‘chap’ was a lorry driver working out of Liverpool Docks on Irish work for P&O Pandoro. As is often the case with relationships breaking up things turned sour in Liverpool. Family taking sides etc, and my mum (and now step dad) decided to up sticks and move.
He was offered a job for Pandoro in South Wales. Cardiff to be exact. Pandoro had rented truck parking spaces at Hills Transport in Cardiff and he was offered one of the slots. My mum found work as a nurse at Cardiff Royal Infirmary so we moved lock stock and barrel and set about building a new life.
Over the next few years all my weekends and school holidays were spent in the cab of a truck. Normally an Atkinson Borderer or perhaps an ERF A series and always in Hills livery as my step dad spent many weekends driving for Hills on the ‘obble’.
It would have been about 75/76 when my mum announced to us ‘Dad’ was about to go and work abroad. In Saudi Arabia. As a truck driver. I would have been about 9 or 10 and I had no idea where Saudi Arabia was.
Next thing I knew he was gone. And we would see him about every 12 or 16 weeks (cant remember exactly).
Having read this entire thread I’ve seen him mentioned in passing, and I’ve seen pictures of him but no one was ever sure of his name. On all the staff name lists his name never appeared. So hopefully if he deserves to be there now he will be.
I’ve seen him referred to as ‘Scouse’ and also as John, but no one knew anything else about him. This is he, on the left with taffie Bill (right) and Jonnie Mathews (Centre).
My dads name was John Long.
Thanks again fella’s. I’ve really enjoyed this and will check through all my mums photos (sadly she passed almost 2 years ago) to see if there’s anything I can add.
