A less common Middle-Easter here, although I realise a few old Fodens went down there. Robert
bet that foden was a joy to pilot them boys sure earnt there money
Hey to all Middle East drivers, Didn’t want to make a new topic about it, because someone only told it me.
Do you know a company calle J & T who drove yellow Scania’s and did Middle East for Onatra ■■?
And went bust end the '70’s ■■?
Onatra was on the sheet of the trailers and yellow trucks ( so think in the coulors of Onatra) then.
All of course think it’s Astran, but his 's convinced that it was not.
Thank for everyones help,
Eric,
David Duxbury from Chorley ran a well equipped tidy fleet in the 70s/80s in similar colours to Davis Turner.
Photo courtesy of Trucker Ash.
J &T were the precursor of Oryx.
Most of Dave Duxbury’s business was for Davis Turner which is why his trucks were painted in their livery.
mushroomman:
David Duxbury from Chorley ran a well equipped tidy fleet in the 70s/80s in similar colours to Davis Turner.
Photo courtesy of Trucker Ash.
Great picture that Steve, definitely makes a statement. 
bullitt:
mushroomman:
David Duxbury from Chorley ran a well equipped tidy fleet in the 70s/80s in similar colours to Davis Turner.
Photo courtesy of Trucker Ash.Great picture that Steve, definitely makes a statement.
Yes Rick, that photo is one of my all time favourites and David had some good lads working for him. I remember running with a lad called Mick Benn who used to work for him and he told me that David was a gaffer who wasn’t scared of getting his hands dirty and that he was an excellent mechanic. When David packed up, Mick bought himself a red coloured second hand Volvo 89 and starting running down to the Middle East with it and about six months ago a Long Distance Diary was posted on one of the threads on Trucknet with a story about Mick on a trip to somewhere. If anybody can find it could they try and post it on this thread please.
If you remember Alan Sleight R.I.P. (Trucknet member Big Al) we used to correspond quite a lot and David Duxbury’s son who had his own truck a few years ago used to go into Alan’s yard now and again. Big Al asked him on my behalf if he had any old photos of his dad’s old wagons and he said that he would call in and see his mum to see if she could find any. This was a few years ago and sadly as you know, Alan passed away a couple of months later and that was the last that I heard about of David Duxbury.
When I first joined Trucknet, Trucker Ash very kindly sent me a few old Middle East photos that haven’t been seen on here for quite a while. That David Duxbery White was one of them along with this D.A.F. called Super Simon which I.I.R.C. Ash drove this down to Istanbul.
So credit for the photos go to Trucker Ash who I hope doesn’t mind me reshowing them.
Cheers for posting that Steve, the DAF looks the part as well, although you would have to go along way (no pun intended 
) to beat the pic of the White!
As this is “Middle East - Not Astran” I thought of another name that would fit this thread, Robert Dodds-Brown. I believe that although well known on the M/E run, he didn’t work for or sub for Astran. Well, Im going to do a job at Robert Dodds-Brown`s house soon. I had a chat with him previously before he died but didn’t realise the connection, then he called me up and asked if “Bullitt” was me! He said I was welcome to pop around anytime and have a chat about his Middle East driving days but sadly he passed away before that happened. I will mention this forum and the TopRun page that’s dedicated to him to his wife when I see her.
Centrum had a large fleet in the 70’s/80’s, they were a Dutch company who employed a lot of Turkish drivers.
Does anybody have any info on this one, Arthur G. Evison from Radcliffe-on-Trent.
Regards Steve.
This was the kitchen I built into my 142 when I worked for Expo Freight, when I changed jobs and trucks, it fitted straight into an F12.
I also had a Volvo fridge under the lower bunk.
![x240-m05[1].jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/business20/uploads/trucknetuk/original/3X/c/2/c2e99e1af4e628a28ee2f313071f303527d48d1f.jpeg)
A few times the name Jim Hacking has been mentioned in topics about the Middle East run. I met Jim for the 1st time at the airport of Minneapolis in 2004. We were there as part of a group of aviation enthusiasts (50% airplane spotters obsessed by a/c registrations, 50% enthusiasts) doing a tour along bases in the Northern states, where large piston engined aircraft were still active . When entering the country there was some delay, this turned out tb caused by Jim’s passport having Syrian entrystamps. From then on we stayed in contact. Mainly by exchanging letters (Jim was not into computers). I asked him to send me some pics of his ME-trips, that’s what he did and he added some eloborate descriptions (rather difficult to decipher). We met at Duxford Flying Legends on 2 or 3 occasions, and we visited him in 2008 in Horwich. He was proud to show/run his tractors (big US types from the fifites). With some friends he imported containers with tractors from the USA. Restored some to mint condition! Jim was doing parceldelivery for DHL with his 400.000 miles Vauxhall diesel and not happy at all with this work. Then he had that fatal accident in 2011.
One of his Middle East stories is about a trip to Ankara. Jim’s words: “In Hungary outbound for Ankara with steel pipes, the engine (F89 NJE776R, ex Murfitts,) developed a knock on nr6 big end journal. A friend of mine, Bob Hickson, brought bearings, torque wrench and other kit from England via BA. We chopped the sump and fitted new bearings to no 6 conrod/piston after a long time polishing the crank journal. Bob returned to England and I delivered the pipes to Ankara”
Not the end of the story, the same mishap occurred again in Greece, and Jim found it was caused by a hairline fracture in the crankshaft”. Jim fitted another engine “but it was never so sweet as the original”.
Jim’s only accident, as far as I know, in 25 years (or more) of trucking happened when driving trough Eastern Germany with his DAF2800. A Tatra car (not a truck) got on the wrong side of the road and hit Jim’s DAF head on. Both passengers were killed. Fortunately Jim did not get into trouble, according to the police the driver was drunk.
Jim loved dogs, when we were at his house, he had just bought a dog on one of his DHL trips at a delivery address. There he saw a dog on a heavy chain, being treated badly. Right on the spot he bought the dog from the owner. It was good to see Jim had a nice lady friend.
I have uploaded photos.of DAF2800 and his 1st F89. The blue Volvo was driven by John Williams (of Astran fame). The group photo in front of Douglas DC-6 was taken at Anchorage 2005, Jim 6th from the left.
I’m now compiling a book with his photos and text. If somebody has any photos of Jim and his trucks, please let me know. Would be appreciated very much
Went to Jims yard at Horwich got pics of 2 Volvos NJE 776R and HVN 396N and his Tilt I think a lad at Southport bought one to do up for the vintage seen 776R Have 6 or 7 pics NJE 776R it is nesting in a hedge seen better days 
This is a cracking pic.
Guys 5 photos for you M/E veterans to case you keen eyes over, the only info I have is taken on one of his many trips in Jan 82 his route was KOPA - TARTOUS and then on to DOHA. Not the best photo,s and they were also taken as the ones on the Ferry that I,ve put on here before . So guys fill me in with more info ( Dad Passed in 95 while working for Brit,s )
Boatchaser:
Guys 5 photos for you M/E veterans to case you keen eyes over, the only info I have is taken on one of his many trips in Jan 82 his route was KOPA - TARTOUS and then on to DOHA. Not the best photo,s and they were also taken as the ones on the Ferry that I,ve put on here before . So guys fill me in with more info ( Dad Passed in 95 while working for Brit,s )
Hi Boatchaser
Having done “a few trips to Doha” I will tell you where I think these photos were taken. I stand to be corrected by more knowledgeable Middle-East Vets.
Photo#1 Al Umari Border Jordan exit control
Photo#2 Al Haditha Border Saudi Arabia entry control
Photo#3 Syrian Transit Convoy stop.
Photo#4 Approaching the first exit after entering Saudi at Al Haditha Border to head North towards Turaif.
Photo#5 Heading home on the T.A.P Line in Saudi Arabia.
GS.