Hi Sandway, I think that there is a load of very interesting information there so thanks for taking the time to write it all down and for sharing it with us.
I presume that all the equipment that you took out and brought back to the U.K. went out on an A.T.A. Carnet so if this was the case, did you ever have any problems coming back through Zakho or Kapikule.
As a matter of interest Brian how many trucks did Promotors have and did you use subbies often or just on the odd occasion.
You asked for pictures of The National Hotel in Belgrade, well I am afraid that this is the only that I have which you have probably seen before. As you know it could get bloody cold at night parked there without a night heater and I remember one Saturday night in winter myself and another driver ending up booking a room in the hotel just to keep warm.
On a couple of occasion I had a shower in one of the rooms in the hotel which they charged me about 50 pence which I thought was well worth it at the time. They would also let you use the toilets to have a wash and it was quite common to see a table full of drivers with their washing bags and towels on the table while they were tucking into their Mixed Grill.
It often looked quite picturesque whenever it snowed at The National as it hid all the discarded Heinz baked beans cans and Campbell’s soup tins, along with all the old tea bags and the half filled condoms that lay around the parking area and in the bushes.
I am pleased to see those old photos of The National from that Italian web site that you posted as it answers a question that I asked on Trucknet many years ago.
The trailer that is parked up belonged to Mick Martin, I met Mick who was an owner driver on at least three occasions around 1980 and I remember that his company was called MayFreight from a place called Mayfield in Sussex. I.I.R.C. he had a brown M.A.N. at the time and he was one of those nice quiet types who just got on with the job. It was strange how often that you met up with somebody running back to the U.K. and then you would bump into them again about a week later, when you were on your way back out.
It looks like Mick has probably dropped his trailer at The National and gone into Belgrade to get a visa for some Middle Eastern country.
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=45945&p=968059&hilit=Mayfreight
I recognised a Davis Turner Volvo in the photo which might of belonged to David Duxbury from Chorley. In the other photo you might recognise an M.& C. Volvo from Braintree and a D.A.F. from Falcongate either from Birkenhead or their Aberdeen depot. The white D.A.F, with the brown stripe and the air con certainly rings a bell but at the moment I can’t think who it belonged to.
As regards not using the fuel station at The National to fill up, well if you had come through Hungary and filled up on The Black Market with just over a 1,000 litres of diesel, it would of cost you one Deutsch Mark for three litres when it was four D.M. to the G.B. pound, which was about G.B.P. 83 for 222 gallons.
The National Hotel, Belgrade.
Regards Steve.