Just read a long distant diary from Truck magazine, where Phil Llewellyn went to the M.E.with a Fareham based company called Abadan Services…run by a guy called Martin Lyon, running orange and white Merc 1924’s, and driven by a Bill Cooke… doesn’t give a date, but early seventies I’d guess, I was doing European work around the same time, but personally I don’t remember them, does anyone ?
bubbleman:
Hi Fergie,From page 1 of Scrapbook Memories,Cheers Bubbs,
Hi Bubbs, …hope you’re well ?..well done, must admit, I’m born and bred in the area, but haven’t heard of them… 
Fergie47:
bubbleman:
Hi Fergie,From page 1 of Scrapbook Memories,Cheers Bubbs,Hi Bubbs, …hope you’re well ?..well done, must admit, I’m born and bred in the area, but haven’t heard of them…
Hi Dave,
Hope you and Liz are ok, their yard was behind Fareham Railway Station,I think Baldrick may know a bit more,from memory a guy in the same yard called Edward Bear (his real name) shot and killed a customs officer in London,something to do with drugs I think.
We’ll come and see you both soon.
Regards
Richard
Hi Fergie…
I remember them , I worked for Martin Lyon for a while , after Abadan Services demise,
he started another outfit called Metrans , backed with Iranian money. He employed half a dozen drivers doing European work but not M/E.
We were based in Station Yard Fareham. A hotch potch of units including 2 ex P.I.E. DAFS.
At one time , we inadvertently supplied an MAN tractor unit that was used in a major drug import scam that ended with me being under surveillance by Special Branch 
and subsequently the shooting dead of a Customs Officer in London…
I chronicled some of those events in Long Departed Soton Hauliers…
The last I heard of Martin Lyons was in the mid eighties he was a Director of Frigoscandia ,after that he seems to have gone off the radar… There is another LDD about his trucks doing Italy under the name of Satrans. Two brand new MACKs driven by John Canty and Gary Chowns…
Hope all good in La Belle France… Are you having Mappo for Christmas this year? Or Turkey again??
Cheers, Baldrick.
Oh, and time wise… Abadan were active in 1975 through to 1978 … Not sure why they packed in. Metrans was started in 1979 then changed to Satrans in early '81 with a bit of creative accounting and re registering of vehicles etc 
. It all finished later that year.
Strangely Abadan are never mentioned on the M/E thread.
Cheers now. Balders .
Baldrick1953:
Hi Fergie…
I remember them , I worked for Martin Lyon for a while , after Abadan Services demise,
he started another outfit called Metrans , backed with Iranian money. He employed half a dozen drivers doing European work but not M/E.
We were based in Station Yard Fareham. A hotch potch of units including 2 ex P.I.E. DAFS.At one time , we inadvertently supplied an MAN tractor unit that was used in a major drug import scam that ended with me being under surveillance by Special Branch
I chronicled some of those events in Long Departed Soton Hauliers…The last I heard of Martin Lyons was in the mid eighties he was a Director of Frigoscandia ,after that he seems to have gone off the radar… There is another LDD about his trucks doing Italy under the name of Satrans. Two brand new MACKs driven by John Canty and Gary Chowns…
Hope all good in La Belle France… Are you having Mappo for Christmas this year? Or Turkey again??
Cheers, Baldrick.
Thanks Richard and Baldrick, what a hive of info this forum is…sounds like Abadan was, like many others in the '70’s and '80’s a bit…errrrrrrrrrr, how can I say it, without being sued QC Evans ?. 
All’s well here, in not so sunny Bretagne, waiting on all my Xmas dirt money from those people I’ve kept the negatives on, surprising what a lonely driver will do with a sheep…
Couldn’t eat a whole Mappo…too much, unless I invite the whole of Brittany !!..anyway, he’d be full of grissel , sinew , and fat, and wouldn’t fit in the oven…
Take care
Fergie
It has been quite a while since any new posts on this “Portsmouth & Fareham” thread.
When I started the “Robert Baillie,Portsmouth” thread on Trucknet in December 2015,
for the first 6 months, the response from Portsmouth was nil,and then Tim Walker from
Horndean spotted it and provided most of the pictures that are on there now. Thanks Tim.
Several of the “Long Departed Southampton” Trucknet members contacted, some of whom
knew Robert Baillie Transport. So I thought I should post a couple of Tims pictures again
on this thread, and see if there is any response from the Portsmouth area.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
This TK Bedford JRV 300F, became part of the Robert Baillie fleet in 1970,
Photo courtesy of Mick Ansell of Horndean. Ray Smyth.
Another Percy Powell Ltd., lorry, GTR 953D, an AEC Mandator which became
a Robert Baillie vehicle in 1970. Regards, Ray Smyth.
This Ford Transit does regular round trips from the Mojacar area of South East Spain
to destinations throughout the United Kingdom. It is operated by Mick Cox, who I
believe originates from the Gosport/Portsmouth area. Regards, Ray Smyth.
Ray Smyth:
This Ford Transit does regular round trips from the Mojacar area of South East Spain
to destinations throughout the United Kingdom. It is operated by Mick Cox, who I
believe originates from the Gosport/Portsmouth area. Regards, Ray Smyth.
Hi Ray,
We have talked before, I send you a PM but chances are I got it wrong !!! I have an old friend in Mojacar who may find your pall of interest. Peter has been there for ove 14 years.
Any chance of some details ■■? Harvey
HRS:
Ray Smyth:
This Ford Transit does regular round trips from the Mojacar area of South East Spain
to destinations throughout the United Kingdom. It is operated by Mick Cox, who I
believe originates from the Gosport/Portsmouth area. Regards, Ray Smyth.Hi Ray,
We have talked before, I send you a PM but chances are I got it wrong !!! I have an old friend in Mojacar who may find your pall of interest. Peter has been there for ove 14 years.
Any chance of some details ■■? Harvey
Hi Harvey, I have sent you a PM, Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.
Just heard Palmer & Harvey have gone to the wall, 2500 staff just before Christmas sign of the times I suppose, Buzzer.
Hi John, for gods sake, you would have thought they could have waited another 4 weeks or so to allow all staff to at least have a well deserved Christmas. I am sure if there were bonuses for the top brass they would have !!! sorry, makes me cross. Harvey
Jeez Harve, GBE, Pompey, Bournemouth, Lichfield, Bordeaux, etc. went skint on Boxing day…just think of that…you’ve spent all your money on your family on the basis you will get paid about the 29th…double crisis!
gazzer:
Jeez Harve, GBE, Pompey, Bournemouth, Lichfield, Bordeaux, etc. went skint on Boxing day…just think of that…you’ve spent all your money on your family on the basis you will get paid about the 29th…double crisis!
Your right Gary, at least you wont spend what you will not have. But how hard will that be on the kids and your feelings as the bread winner, Bl**dy rough, OK taking deep breaths now. Harvey
Hi all,
A name came to mind the other day af a chap i dealt with 100 years ago, moving on second hand stock, who had a roadside cafee Pompy way, MARTY RUFFLE is he still about ■■? Harvey
MARTY RUFFEL there’s a name from the past,havnt seen him for about year or so, last saw him when he visited testing station at Botley
