The driver I was enquiring about in my last post has been identified. Once again our many colleagues on Facebook have to be thanked for joining in but only one identified the driver and that was his son. The chap sitting on the ground on the left is Phil Houghton an owner driver. Originally from Liverpool his son say’s he was living in Holland and other places! Seems he did a fair bit of Middle East as well as work for Promotor. I assume he did Yugo work for us otherwise I would have known him if he ran to the exhibitions.
I said earlier that the 86 Tehran Fair was huge and many companies couldn’t get in with the official BOTB Group so Promotor formed an Independent British Group. We applied for a pavilion to house them but very little space was available. In the end the Iranian fair authorities found space for us in a very futuristic building left behind a few years before by the Japanese or some other far east country. It was a mess but our local contractors cleaned it up and it turned out to be quite good in the end. Certainly gave us a headache getting the exhibits in until the pavements were repaired though. In a couple of the photo’s you can just see a guy in a yellow shirt. That guy was Stan Mountain, ex Coles Cranes, who we employed to organise the on site handling and positioning of the freight/exhibits of the independent group.
Unloading Bill Kitt’s trailer at the 86 Tehran Fair. One of the first jobs was finding and removing the toolbox. Couldn’t open any of the cases/boxes/cartons for custom inspection until we had the tools.
A few post back I was asking if anyone knew who the driver was of the Scania SNO 622R in the attached photo. We now know its Phil Houghton, a bit of a character it seems. However, a guy by the name of Peter Sumpter saw the photo on Facebook and came up with the following information about the lorry.
“New to Brain Haulage Ltd and bought from Scantrucks at Purfleet in 77. One of 20 ordered with aircon for Sharjah UAE. Came back on the Evergreen contract till it was sold”.
There’s still masses of information out there hidden just below the surface. Peoples memories just need a bit of a jog for it to be released.
Last few, I think, of the 86 Tehran Fair photos. I know I have a few more somewhere of a trip Bill, Chic and I took on a day off when we took the cable car up the mountain one friday. Tehran is of course tucked in immediately to the south of them.
sandway:
Used to get some interesting loads. Obviously the kids thought so to.
Delivering Bluebird one of my first jobs at Promotor. Staggie was anxious that I was delivering back to Beaulieu without a chaperone.
On a different topic Phil Houghton dropped by a couple of times to my place in Kent when passing by. I think it was Phil I was with when we drove back from the pub in my car in 6" of snow having had years of experience with deep snow in Turkey on Bolu, in Russia, on Mont Blanc etc. Stopping at the brow of the hill I selected a low gear and started to descend. The car started to go faster and faster and Phil said “aren’t you going a bit fast” to which I replied “yes, we’re completely out of control now so I suggest bracing yourself”. We whacked the kerb and the bent in the front axle so the front wheel was at a very strange angle. Managed to drive the car the few hundred yards home and had to replace the entire front axle assembly.
Morning Efes. I of course was never allowed near Bluebird or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or any of the F1 cars or anything else of value by Staggie. I was ok with big heavy boxes, suppose he thought I couldn’t do much damage there. So Phil was obviously well known on Promotor. It does make me wonder sometimes just what happened on the company when I was away for months on end.
I recently got hold of a few photos courtesy of Paul Willis. I believe he was a resident of Biddenden and knew Graham Bertram. Most are of Grahams lorries that he parked up just down the road from his home. Perhaps you know the spot Efes. The ones I find most interesting are the ones of the yellow Transcon. Don’t remember seeing that before.
I remember that bloody trailer with the wheels right at the back… and with all the gubbins inside and having a hair-raising drive of a car (or cars as it carried two on the internal top deck) up an incredibly steep ramp at about a 45degree angle, foot flat down on the accelerator to make it to the top, ramming on the brakes on arrival at the top (if you made it that far and didn’t slew about) and waiting whilst two accomplices pulled up the ramps on a pair of block and tackle. Dreadful business.
As to the photo’s I have examined them carefully but can’t imagine where Bugsy parked in Biddenden. Nowhere that I can think of (currently) that has pavement and a lay-by opposite. It may have been different 30 years ago. Nor do I remember the yellow Transcon.
Bugsy’s second family is, I am reliably informed, still resident in Biddenden
Promotor had a Transcon for a while as I remember driving it to Poland. Jolly comfy over rotten roads and lots of room but it felt like being in a boat swaying all over the place.
Just seen this pic of B267-DHK on ebay:
So I thought I’d pop it on the Promotor thread. Then I noticed the number plate and it rang a bell. Yes, I drove it sometimes when it was in the service (later, I assume) of Harrier Express, Faversham. So here are some pics I took of it when I was at the wheel. Robert
The evolution of Pro-Motor (Europe) Ltd continued in the mid 70’s when Peter Calderwood invested in lorries, trailers and people and the Anglo-Yugo Express business was formed. Zadenka, our Yugoslav lynchpin was hired and brought with her a lot of business.
The attached photo was taken when two of the trailers were new and the business was just getting off the ground. On the right is driver John Ward then transport manager Dave Stagg. Next to him is Promotor director Chris Sly and standing next to him in the centre is Peter Calderwood. I have no idea who the other bods are but I assume the guy on the left is the other driver. Perhaps Nottsnortherner can identify him.
This is not my photo. I believe it belongs to Paul Willis who gave me permission to post his photos. However, in my view this is the most important photo shown on the Promotor thread. If anyone has any similar ones I would love to see them.
I believe thats the first photo I’ve seen of B267 DHK Robert. I’ve had a quick look through some of my photos and found a few of B268 DHK. We did have five units painted up in Midland Bank colours for a year to eighteen months and both lorries could be there. When they were on those type of jobs they weren’t clocking up vast milages so there were plenty of buyers for them when they were moved on.
sandway:
I believe thats the first photo I’ve seen of B267 DHK Robert. I’ve had a quick look through some of my photos and found a few of B268 DHK. We did have five units painted up in Midland Bank colours for a year to eighteen months and both lorries could be there. When they were on those type of jobs they weren’t clocking up vast milages so there were plenty of buyers for them when they were moved on.
It’s always fascinating to know the history of trucks you drove. When I drove DHK it never occurred to me that it had ventured out of the home counties, let alone Iran! Robert
A couple more pics of Graham Bertram’s lorry JWC 477V parked up near his home in Biddenden in Kent. A left ■■■■■■ Graham did a lot of Yugo work in her during the late 70’s and early 80’s. Some years later he was laid to rest in the churchyard not to far from where he used to park up. Glad to hear his young family are still in the area Efes.
In the first photo Graham can be seen in the cab. Ten or twelve years later in one of our newer Scannies I shared a cab with him as three of us made our way to Israel. A good bloke to travel with except first thing in the morning. As soon as he woke he had to light up. Smoke would swirl around and he would be coughing. All I could get out of him was ‘Ahh, that feels better’. Made me feel like bebunking to Stevie Smiths motor. Couldn’t be worse.
Photos courtesy of Paul Willis.
ERF-NGC-European:
sandway:
I believe thats the first photo I’ve seen of B267 DHK Robert. I’ve had a quick look through some of my photos and found a few of B268 DHK. We did have five units painted up in Midland Bank colours for a year to eighteen months and both lorries could be there. When they were on those type of jobs they weren’t clocking up vast milages so there were plenty of buyers for them when they were moved on.It’s always fascinating to know the history of trucks you drove. When I drove DHK it never occurred to me that it had ventured out of the home counties, let alone Iran! Robert
Well spotted Robert, I drove B267DHK for Simon at Harrier, for 6 months or so back in 1993 - my Dad was it’s regular driver before me.
I moved on to D609XBC, a 142 Scania which I think you probably drove too.
Cheers Keith
kmills:
ERF-NGC-European:
sandway:
I believe thats the first photo I’ve seen of B267 DHK Robert. I’ve had a quick look through some of my photos and found a few of B268 DHK. We did have five units painted up in Midland Bank colours for a year to eighteen months and both lorries could be there. When they were on those type of jobs they weren’t clocking up vast milages so there were plenty of buyers for them when they were moved on.It’s always fascinating to know the history of trucks you drove. When I drove DHK it never occurred to me that it had ventured out of the home counties, let alone Iran! Robert
Well spotted Robert, I drove B267DHK for Simon at Harrier, for 6 months or so back in 1993 - my Dad was it’s regular driver before me.
I moved on to D609XBC, a 142 Scania which I think you probably drove too.Cheers Keith
Hello Keith! If I see your old man I’ll remind him of it. Yes, I remember the storming 142 - a great motor: the sort of lorry you drove through tunnels with the driver’s window down and the radio off! 
Here it is taking a 45 at Leicester Forest East in the days when you could leave Faversham and make Rotherham within 4.5hrs (no limiter then), tip and reload for Loughborough, tip there and head south. You’d be lucky to make it to the M1 now! Robert
Efes:
I remember that bloody trailer with the wheels right at the back… and with all the gubbins inside and having a hair-raising drive of a car (or cars as it carried two on the internal top deck) up an incredibly steep ramp at about a 45degree angle, foot flat down on the accelerator to make it to the top, ramming on the brakes on arrival at the top (if you made it that far and didn’t slew about) and waiting whilst two accomplices pulled up the ramps on a pair of block and tackle. Dreadful business.As to the photo’s I have examined them carefully but can’t imagine where Bugsy parked in Biddenden. Nowhere that I can think of (currently) that has pavement and a lay-by opposite. It may have been different 30 years ago. Nor do I remember the yellow Transcon.
Bugsy’s second family is, I am reliably informed, still resident in Biddenden
Promotor had a Transcon for a while as I remember driving it to Poland. Jolly comfy over rotten roads and lots of room but it felt like being in a boat swaying all over the place.
Here’s a photo of the ramp you mentioned Efes. I rarely hitched up to those trailers so was lucky but as shown in the photo on this occasion my luck had run out. I believe there were two, FM1 and FM2. Nottsnortherner told us a while back how Peter had the ramps built on the cheap.
A few more photos of Graham Bertram’s outfits. I could never understand the thinking behind the numbering of our trailers. GB262 shown, makes you think it was a huge fleet. Maybe that was the thinking behind it.
sandway:
A few more photos of Graham Bertram’s outfits. I could never understand the thinking behind the numbering of our trailers. GB262 shown, makes you think it was a huge fleet. Maybe that was the thinking behind it.
Great photos!
I guessed the spot in Biddenden where he parked the truck - these newer photos confirm it - even though you can’t park there today as that lay-by has been re-modeled, gentrified, to prevent its use by large vehicles. The only van that parks there these days is a Police speed-trap van.
It is also ironic that the ■■■■■■■■■■■■ is directly opposite the churchyard - Graham’s last resting place - so, if you crossed the road 10 or 15 paces into the churchyard you’ll find his rather well tended gravestone. I once had a boozy night with him in The Chequers at Biddenden - alas another pub now long gone - where Graham did his regular rendition of “Feelings” and “Windmills of your mind” into his beer bottle. The one he used to sing on stage at The Huts in Checko.
I had just left Promoters when he died and I understand - from a story told by John Preece when I last saw him (many, many years ago) - that he was taken to church on the back of his Scania unit. Had I known about I’d have gone along for the funeral.
