I have been reading through some of the older posts, I have found reference to names like Joe 90, John Kemp, Dennis Knight, Trans Arabian Freight, Knight International, Redcliffe Roadways. Does anyone still remember any of these names? 
wiz:
I have been reading through some of the older posts, I have found reference to names like Joe 90, John Kemp, Dennis Knight, Trans Arabian Freight, Knight International, Redcliffe Roadways. Does anyone still remember any of these names?
Hi Wiz, Many of the older drivers on this site will have known the drivers / firms you have mentioned. You will see from the Astran / Middle East Drivers that Jo used to do trailer changes in Iskenderun for TAF. Dennis Knight was related to the Knight brothers who owned Knights of Old / TAF but I understand took his money out prior to the firm growing and he later did a couple of spells inside for banned substances, having said that, I found Dennis to be a decent enough bloke and a ■■■■ good driver. I think he later bought a pub, but I have not seen him for maybe 10 yrs. I think John Kemp has passed on, but again a very good successful owner driver who later had a top job with TAF (A Director, I think) .
Many drivers were on for Redcliffe Roadways, Including those mentioned above and others like Brent Savage, Malc Watson, and I also believe Maurice Gray…but to name a few…
Regards RDF
Hello mate, thanks for the reply.
John Kemp is my dad and is still very much alive living back in Derbyshire with my mum. By some spooky fate Joe Nesome (Joe 90) rang him on Monday to catch up! You are right, Dad was a director of TAF Shipping which in the end owned KOO, TAF Pcking etc. Donald Knight I still see occasionally back in the village of Old near Northampton, where it all started. I was lucky enough as a 9 year old to travel to Kuwait with my dad in his 89. I remember most of those guys, Brent Savage, Dennis Knight, Kevin Barrat, Colin Johnson, John the ‘Baptist’, Maurice etc. I also remember a guy called Ron who had a trailer full of ‘KIT KATS’ on that journey. Kept us kids happy for 5 weeks! 
Reddesertfox:
wiz:
I have been reading through some of the older posts, I have found reference to names like Joe 90, John Kemp, Dennis Knight, Trans Arabian Freight, Knight International, Redcliffe Roadways. Does anyone still remember any of these names?Hi Wiz, Many of the older drivers on this site will have known the drivers / firms you have mentioned. You will see from the Astran / Middle East Drivers that Jo used to do trailer changes in Iskenderun for TAF. Dennis Knight was related to the Knight brothers who owned Knights of Old / TAF but I understand took his money out prior to the firm growing and he later did a couple of spells inside for banned substances, having said that, I found Dennis to be a decent enough bloke and a ■■■■ good driver. I think he later bought a pub, but I have not seen him for maybe 10 yrs. I think John Kemp has passed on, but again a very good successful owner driver who later had a top job with TAF (A Director, I think) .
Many drivers were on for Redcliffe Roadways, Including those mentioned above and others like Brent Savage, Malc Watson, and I also believe Maurice Gray…but to name a few…
Regards RDF
Hello Wiz, it would be good if you could show an old photo of Joe 90 on here as there appears to have been a couple of Joe 90’s running down to the Middle East in the 70’s/80’s and I wonder if it’s the one who I met on couple of occasions.
Maybe your Dad or The Red Desert Fox can answer something that I remember seeing once on The Mocamp back in 1980 when I was talking to a couple of lads from the Northampton area.
One of the lads, who was in his twenties was called Mick and I.I.R.C. he used to be a F3 driver, he had a blue D.A.F. which belonged to Euroroute which was an ex P.I.E. motor. The other lad who I think was from the Northampton area was driving a brand new black (now this is the bit that I am not sure of 
) was it a Scania or was it a Volvo N12 as it was one of those that had a long bonnet and I can’t remember seeing one on the roads anywhere in the U.K. at the time. He was pulling a fridge and he was also loaded with Kit Kits on his way to Kuwait so maybe that somebody on here can remember seeing him.
A lot of the guys on here will remember seeing Charlies Chocolate Cowboys (Charles Priors drivers), they were often opened up at a border as the customs men needed samples, sometimes it was a case of one box for them and one for the driver which they often shared with the other lads who were running with them, so it was always Mars Bars, Twix and Snickers with the afternoon tea break .
Regards Steve.
Hi Wiz
You must be very proud to have a Father named John Kemp, He is one hell of a guy, I am so pleased to know he is still alive and kicking (sorry for the earlier mistake) If I remember right did your sister also work for TAF.
Regarding the post by mushroom man, the only bonneted F12, I remember was owned by Brent and driven by Nigel Key (Kiwi) but not from New Zealand, that would have been around 1980.
All the very best RDF
Steve, I’m sure I have a photo of an N12 pulling a Redcliffe’s fridge somewhere in a book - will TRY find it mate…
By the way, is a Kit Kit like a Kit Kat for the Arab markets? 
Do you mean this one.
Dave.
jj72:
Steve, I’m sure I have a photo of an N12 pulling a Redcliffe’s fridge somewhere in a book - will TRY find it mate…By the way, is a Kit Kit like a Kit Kat for the Arab markets?
This is the bit that I am not sure of as I can’t remember if it was a long bonnetted Scania or a Volvo but it certainly was unusual for a U.K. registered motor at the time. It probably had a
V registration number which would of been 1979, it was definitely black and I think that the driver was from the Northampton area. It would of been likely that he had loaded from Rowntrees at York as he had KIT KATS on.
Yes Andy it was loaded with Kit Kats 
, slight senior moment there again.
Now I think that I had better get back to your Last Of The Summer Wine thread before the Matron catches me out of bed 
.
Regards Steve.
mushroomman:
A lot of the guys on here will remember seeing Charlies Chocolate Cowboys (Charles Priors drivers), they were often opened up at a border as the customs men needed samples, sometimes it was a case of one box for them and one for the driver which they often shared with the other lads who were running with them, so it was always Mars Bars, Twix and Snickers with the afternoon tea breakRegards Steve.
I remember running with Tony on Priors,what was his surname now?
When shipping out of Dover he only used to have one of the fridge doors sealed,the left side on which closed first,so the other one could be opened anytime,and I also remember afternoon tea was quite enjoyable.
mushroomman:
It would of been likely that he had loaded from Rowntrees at York as he had KIT KATS on.Yes Andy it was loaded with Kit Kats
Now I think that I had better get back to your Last Of The Summer Wine thread before the Matron catches me out of bedRegards Steve.
The better quality Kit Kats were of course made in Halifax, cheaper version at York 
You’re forgiven for the slight indiscretion, after all you moved somewhere where they even call good old Heinz Beanz ‘Watties’ or summat daft! And I only mistakenly started that bloody thread; don’t blame me for it 
That is the photo I was thinking of Mr Mackie, maybe it was on the web, not in a book?
I remember running with Tony on Priors,what was his surname now?
When shipping out of Dover he only used to have one of the fridge doors sealed,the left side on which closed first,so the other one could be opened anytime,and I also remember afternoon tea was quite enjoyable.
[/quote]
Do you mean Tony Meddins.
Dave.
jj72:
The better quality Kit Kats were of course made in HalifaxMytholmroyd?
newmercman:
jj72:
The better quality Kit Kats were of course made in HalifaxMytholmroyd?
Ello Mark, something rings a bell that they had somewhere at Mytholmroyd, the main factory was Albion Mills right at the bottom of Halifax itself by the railway station though. You could well have loaded out of Goodall’s Transport who used to do a lot for ‘Macks’ with their boxvans
Hi Steve,
I will have a word with my Dad to see if he a picture of Joe. Dad was never one for photo’s, never stopped driving by all accounts. When we went with him I remember driving for days non stop following that pipeline! I remember Joe for his Grimsby accent and the big scar on the top of his baldy head where he was asleep and he stuck to the inside of his side window at about -20 somewher in Germany I think. Dad had to put hot water on the outside of the window to defrost him. I will see what he has. I have a couple of photo’s of Dad’s trucks and one of him in the desert eating somewhere, I will dig them out and upload if I can.
Wiz
mushroomman:
Hello Wiz, it would be good if you could show an old photo of Joe 90 on here as there appears to have been a couple of Joe 90’s running down to the Middle East in the 70’s/80’s and I wonder if it’s the one who I met on couple of occasions.
Maybe your Dad or The Red Desert Fox can answer something that I remember seeing once on The Mocamp back in 1980 when I was talking to a couple of lads from the Northampton area.
One of the lads, who was in his twenties was called Mick and I.I.R.C. he used to be a F3 driver, he had a blue D.A.F. which belonged to Euroroute which was an ex P.I.E. motor. The other lad who I think was from the Northampton area was driving a brand new black (now this is the bit that I am not sure of
A lot of the guys on here will remember seeing Charlies Chocolate Cowboys (Charles Priors drivers), they were often opened up at a border as the customs men needed samples, sometimes it was a case of one box for them and one for the driver which they often shared with the other lads who were running with them, so it was always Mars Bars, Twix and Snickers with the afternoon tea breakRegards Steve.
Hi RDF,
Your right, without sounding daft he is my hero. B@lls of steel what he got up to in the trucks you had at the time. I was lucky to be old enough to know the trucks he had and even luckier to have travelled with him to Kuwait in the summer of '76. When the teacher asked, what have you been up to in the holidays…
You are right in thinking that my sister worked at TAF for a while and my Mum at Knights of Old. We lived in a bungalow at the entrance to Knights of Old yard, Cherry Hill, Old, Northants.
Sister now has her own business back up in Derbyshire doing tacho analysis and training.
Did you know Dad? run with him?
Wiz
Reddesertfox:
Hi WizYou must be very proud to have a Father named John Kemp, He is one hell of a guy, I am so pleased to know he is still alive and kicking (sorry for the earlier mistake) If I remember right did your sister also work for TAF.
Regarding the post by mushroom man, the only bonneted F12, I remember was owned by Brent and driven by Nigel Key (Kiwi) but not from New Zealand, that would have been around 1980.
All the very best RDF
John Kemp and 2 of his Volvo’s from his Middle East days.
The F89 was my favourite as it was his first as an Owner Driver on the Middle East. Also the truck I was lucky enough as a 9 year old to travel to Kuwait, in the summer of '76.
The pic of Tony meddins and lets not forget his good lady, was taken by me on a very sad day at Pat seals funerall (R.I.P) Tony had .downed a few at this time hence the glazed look in his eyes.
Roger Haywood
Hi hope this works. First time for me at this.
Picture taken in Jeddah in 1977, all employed as drivers by American Company
called G.A.C.Ryan, I am 2nd from left, the two lads on either end came
from Rugby, the other lad was from Prestwich. Sorry cannot remember the names.
May be someone on the site may do, great site by the way.
wiz:
Hi Steve,
I will have a word with my Dad to see if he a picture of Joe. Dad was never one for photo’s, never stopped driving by all accounts. When we went with him I remember driving for days non stop following that pipeline! I remember Joe for his Grimsby accent and the big scar on the top of his baldy head where he was asleep and he stuck to the inside of his side window at about -20 somewher in Germany I think. Dad had to put hot water on the outside of the window to defrost him. I will see what he has. I have a couple of photo’s of Dad’s trucks and one of him in the desert eating somewhere, I will dig them out and upload if I can.Wiz
Hi Wiz, that sounds like The Joe 90 who I was thinking of although I thought that he came from Hull and it was a port wine birthmark on his forehead.
Jacdaw, the Middle East driver from Prestwich has now got me thinking
