Had the pleasure of meeting Merve the Swerve, what a character and positive outlook on life.
He once told me he turned over a truck and got hit on the head with wheel brace and bottle jacks that were stored in the passenger side.
Think he was from Bath.
Yes he is Toby , Geoff and several others went up to Bath before Christmas to meet up with him .
These used to come through alot.Dont know if they are stil going,as i have not seen one in along time !
DEANB:
These used to come through alot.Dont know if they are stil going,as i have not seen one in along time !0
Hi Dean I think they are still about.I used to know Rod Shepherd who worked for them along time ago.
He then ran Road Traction on Ferndown Ind Est,doing traction for Alberti,s that all went ■■■■ up and I have no idea what he is up to now.Thanks for the pic mate.
toby1234abc:
Had the pleasure of meeting Merve the Swerve, what a character and positive outlook on life.
He once told me he turned over a truck and got hit on the head with wheel brace and bottle jacks that were stored in the passenger side.
Think he was from Bath.
Hi Toby you are right Merv does live in Bath and he is still much the same as he was all those years ago.
A few of us Poole old boys went to see him before Christmas and had a meal with him and presented him with an engraved Mantel clock and Barometer to remember us and the times we all had back in the day.
He is now 83 and hasn’t changed hardly at all.The next time I phone him I will tell him that you and Baldric send your regards.All the Best Geoff.
Tell Merve I am TC from ex Euro Psl, Garnett Eurotrans,Freight Transfer,LV shipping owner driver, had white Daf 310 with yellow roof, then ex Peter Gilder 142 maroon lhd.
I in Ouistreham a lot.
Despite being an HGV driver since 1965,I only ever did about
30 trips “Over The Water”. Only 3 of them were Poole to Cherbourg, Most journeys
were “Day Trips”, deliver and collect at a factory in Normandy, Friday night sailing
Portsmouth to Ouistreham, then Saturday night sailing back to Portsmouth.
My journey would usually be in a 16 ton GVW Volvo F6, or a Mercedes 814,
both rigid curtain siders. Us 4 wheeler men would often be put in the same queue
as the caravans and motorhomes, and tucked into whatever nooks and crannies
once we drove on board. A regular vehicle that I saw on these trips was a Leyland
55 series day cab milk tanker from Mansfield area, loaded with cream for a factory
near Argentan. After unloading and steam cleaning inside the tank, he then loaded
whey for return to England, He was back at Ouistreham early afternoon, having a
nice meal and a bottle of wine, in bags of time for the night ferry to Portsmouth.
2 round trips a week, best job in the world, said the driver. Ray Smyth.
Ray Smyth:
Despite being an HGV driver since 1965,I only ever did about
30 trips “Over The Water”. Only 3 of them were Poole to Cherbourg, Most journeys
were “Day Trips”, deliver and collect at a factory in Normandy, Friday night sailing
Portsmouth to Ouistreham, then Saturday night sailing back to Portsmouth.
My journey would usually be in a 16 ton GVW Volvo F6, or a Mercedes 814,
both rigid curtain siders. Us 4 wheeler men would often be put in the same queue
as the caravans and motorhomes, and tucked into whatever nooks and crannies
once we drove on board. A regular vehicle that I saw on these trips was a Leyland
55 series day cab milk tanker from Mansfield area, loaded with cream for a factory
near Argentan. After unloading and steam cleaning inside the tank, he then loaded
whey for return to England, He was back at Ouistreham early afternoon, having a
nice meal and a bottle of wine, in bags of time for the night ferry to Portsmouth.
2 round trips a week, best job in the world, said the driver. Ray Smyth.
Those were the days Ray we can talk about them till the cows come home,Happy days all the best Geoff.
HNH 350 Y , I bought that from Patricks Geoff, (Dorchester )John Langlands drove it for me.
geoff luther:
toby1234abc:
Had the pleasure of meeting Merve the Swerve, what a character and positive outlook on life.
He once told me he turned over a truck and got hit on the head with wheel brace and bottle jacks that were stored in the passenger side.
Think he was from Bath.Hi Toby you are right Merv does live in Bath and he is still much the same as he was all those years ago.
A few of us Poole old boys went to see him before Christmas and had a meal with him and presented him with an engraved Mantel clock and Barometer to remember us and the times we all had back in the day.
He is now 83 and hasn’t changed hardly at all.The next time I phone him I will tell him that you and Baldric send your regards.All the Best Geoff.
I seem to remember Merv repeated his “falling off the edge of the road” trick on 2 successive New Year Eves? Or is that just a story exaggerated over the years? The episodes were said to have happened after dinner in The Vigilana Restaurant? Apologies if I`m guilty of maligning a fine upstanding member of the trucking community.
Franglais:
geoff luther:
toby1234abc:
Had the pleasure of meeting Merve the Swerve, what a character and positive outlook on life.
He once told me he turned over a truck and got hit on the head with wheel brace and bottle jacks that were stored in the passenger side.
Think he was from Bath.Hi Toby you are right Merv does live in Bath and he is still much the same as he was all those years ago.
A few of us Poole old boys went to see him before Christmas and had a meal with him and presented him with an engraved Mantel clock and Barometer to remember us and the times we all had back in the day.
He is now 83 and hasn’t changed hardly at all.The next time I phone him I will tell him that you and Baldric send your regards.All the Best Geoff.I seem to remember Merv repeated his “falling off the edge of the road” trick on 2 successive New Year Eves? Or is that just a story exaggerated over the years? The episodes were said to have happened after dinner in The Vigilana Restaurant? Apologies if I`m guilty of maligning a fine upstanding member of the trucking community.
Hi Franglais yes I remember Merv sliding down the road on the windscreen near Spiritu Sancti after leaving the vegellana one year I will ask him if there was another occasion the next time I phone him.cheers Geoff
Thats it Geoff, HNH 350 Y with a bit of a smarten up .
Some good ones there Geoff, MJM blast from the past. Not the best maintained fleet they were always breaking down and the fitter was always shipping out in a lorry to repair !
Heres some more regulars.
OTA,they were a big outfit back in the day.
J.Johnstone always had nice kit,shipping out with lambs.
V.G.Mathers,there was a owner driver on there had a twin turbo iveco when they first come out.
I think it was either the first or one of the first in the country.
Ferryline,another company that always had nice kit.
Are any of them still going ? I havent seen any of them for years.
Dont know about the others Dean , but OTA was absorbed by Norbert.
Seeing that pic of a Johnstones Volvo reminded me of an incident …
I was heading up to Miguels from Irun , looking forward to a coffee and a few tapas.
About 20ks from there on the real windey bit was stranded JJ with a blown clutch. I stopped and after a brief chat I offered to take his trailer and get him out of the way. I drove up to the next hostal ( just on the right before Miguels , can’t recall the name? ) went back and got the fellas trailer… He was a real nice bloke and offered 200 Bensons that I refused. He bought me coffee and I headed off.
Later that day around Vitoria I could hear two Scots fellas on the CB ripping the arse out of the outfit I was working for and their drivers in general…
As they eventually came into sight and passed me heading for home one of them says " are ye’s OK Muster Davies " … I thought my reply but didn’t voice it 
Baldrick1953:
Seeing that pic of a Johnstones Volvo reminded me of an incident …I was heading up to Miguels from Irun , looking forward to a coffee and a few tapas.
About 20ks from there on the real windey bit was stranded JJ with a blown clutch. I stopped and after a brief chat I offered to take his trailer and get him out of the way. I drove up to the next hostal ( just on the right before Miguels , can’t recall the name? ) went back and got the fellas trailer… He was a real nice bloke and offered 200 Bensons that I refused. He bought me coffee and I headed off.Later that day around Vitoria I could hear two Scots fellas on the CB ripping the arse out of the outfit I was working for and their drivers in general…
As they eventually came into sight and passed me heading for home one of them says " are ye’s OK Muster Davies " … I thought my reply but didn’t voice it
Wasn’t that other hostal called ‘Alaska’? Robert