Hello Andrew
I was very interested to read that account of the “military road” towards Iran. In 1976 during one of my spells away from JR I was working for an architect who was designing a project in Iran. Along with another staff member we took a new Range Rover loaded with equipment by road to Tehran and one evening we were having a meal near the road going over the mountain to Tahir, which was a graveyard for lots of lorries because of its poor condition.
The café owner told us about this easier 25 mile route along the river, the other side of which was Russia, which is why the Turks were so fussy about it. We were alright to use it but he told us that any lorries caught on it were made to reverse all the way back, even if it took days to do it, with an armed ■■■■■■ all the way.
Your mate was justified in being worried!
Best wishes
Mike
Another Blueline
Bookworm:
Hello Andrew
I was very interested to read that account of the “military road” towards Iran. In 1976 during one of my spells away from JR I was working for an architect who was designing a project in Iran. Along with another staff member we took a new Range Rover loaded with equipment by road to Tehran and one evening we were having a meal near the road going over the mountain to Tahir, which was a graveyard for lots of lorries because of its poor condition.
The café owner told us about this easier 25 mile route along the river, the other side of which was Russia, which is why the Turks were so fussy about it. We were alright to use it but he told us that any lorries caught on it were made to reverse all the way back, even if it took days to do it, with an armed ■■■■■■ all the way.
Your mate was justified in being worried!
Best wishes
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your reply.Thats very interesting,in all the years I’ve known you,I was never aware that you,did that trip.Its brilliant to put all the pieces of the jigsaw together,even though it 40 plus years later.I looked it all up,Google earth and it’s very near the border.I don’t suppose you have any photos of your journey?
Regards Andrew.
Blue line
Mrsteel:
Petecotter
Hi, I worked for D David/ Blue Line back in the day. Who was your dad ?.
Sorry no photos or the means to post them. Pete 359 has probably got some
Regards Allan9
Hello Andrew
No, Im sorry but taking photos was never my thing, unlike ASG who has albums of his time on the road. In hindsight having them to look back on would be great as memories fade after time. Very often I relate what is was like in the old days to anybody unfortunate to listen, especially the tales about every backload which seemed to be handballed on and off. Ones like 7000 bricks or 20 tons of cement, or my abiding memory of turning up at Tate & Lyles in Silvertown, parking at the bottom of a chute and having 180 lb sacks of sugar coming down.
I doubt whether driver would do that now. Were those really the “good old days”?
Best Wishes
Mike
…tidy eh
we used to…
steelboyf10:
we used to…
Hi SBF10,
I always think of you,whenever I see a day cab 88 m8,Here is a Cardiff Transport MAN F8,that’s a lot of 8’s…
Cardiff Transport…they were the original 2 a day men to anywhere 
We had some early F8s at TNT, used to fly, had a C reg, with the big engine in to do a Preston change over from Oxford, the driver came in one night said he had come in early as it was snowing on Emmerdale… 
steelboyf10:
Cardiff Transport…they were the original 2 a day men to anywhereWe had some early F8s at TNT, used to fly, had a C reg, with the big engine in to do a Preston change over from Oxford, the driver came in one night said he had come in early as it was snowing on Emmerdale…
Hi steel boy,Cardiff airways up and back in a day and overweight good days when I worked there
steelboyf10:
Cardiff Transport…they were the original 2 a day men to anywhereWe had some early F8s at TNT, used to fly, had a C reg, with the big engine in to do a Preston change over from Oxford, the driver came in one night said he had come in early as it was snowing on Emmerdale…
Good to see you back on the airwaves Graham, Heard you have no truck now? Cheer’s Pete