Long Departed Southampton Hauliers

[MaggieD]

[quote="Sabretooth"]1. Back in 81, I worked for Matsolex, If memory serves Peter was the Director and I think Frank was the Financial wizard. They had 3 company drivers who ran Euro ( France, Portugal, Spain and Italy) They also did a lot of Container Tanks for a French company between Fawley and
Le Harve. As for the Manager Dave, he was an ex Army officer and a Drunk, if you couldn't find him in the office he was next door with a glass in his hand.

Hi Sabretooth,

Peter Rogerson was one of the directors, and the manager was David Dunett,and the pub was The Frog and Friggit,the French company was G. C. A. Group Charles Andre who took over Matsolex eventually.
One of the drivers was Martin Wright (The Bald Eagle).
Dave Dunett's mother was an actress Peggy Cummins she played the office girl in "Hell Drivers" a classic film about a haulage firm who ran tippers, also starred Sean Connery,Stanley Baker and several well known names, worth a watch.

Regards
Richard

[Ray Smyth]

1. Back in 81, I worked for Matsolex, If memory serves Peter was the Director and I think Frank was the Financial wizard. They had 3 company drivers who ran Euro ( France, Portugal, Spain and Italy) They also did a lot of Container Tanks for a French company between Fawley and
Le Harve. As for the Manager Dave, he was an ex Army officer and a Drunk, if you couldn't find him in the office he was next door with a glass in his hand.

Hi Sabretooth,

Peter Rogerson was one of the directors, and the manager was David Dunett,and the pub was The Frog and Friggit,the French company was G. C. A. Group Charles Andre who took over Matsolex eventually.
One of the drivers was Martin Wright (The Bald Eagle).
Dave Dunett's mother was an actress Peggy Cummins she played the office girl in "Hell Drivers" a classic film about a haulage firm who ran tippers, also starred Sean Connery,Stanley Baker and several well known names, worth a watch.

Regards
Richard

Hi Richard, I hope you are both well. I remember the Hell Drivers film, I seem to recall
that the tippers were bonneted Dodge lorries. Cheers, Ray.

[Sabretooth]

Hi Buzzer, Thanks for the welcome,
Re, Jim Squibb, he was a very hard man to work for and wanted his pound of flesh, but if you did right by him he looked after you. Yes he did look after the wagons, He once went to a Porsche dealer in his overalls, and the salesman apparently told him he couldn't afford one. He wasn't a happy man and went else where then drove a new 928 to the dealer who told him he couldn't afford one.
On the Autocross they used a single decker coach to transport the two vehicles in and all the supplies and tools, then slept in it at night. I also heard Barry caught Malaria on a trip to Saudi, so he became office bound due to Foreign Medical requirements. I should thing If Jim is still drinking diesel he'll be a round 95 plus and Barry must be at least 60? They had a very good Transport manager running the UK from the industrial park just North of the Docks, perhaps his name will come back to me but then that's like asking for a reduction in age.
Re, Matsolex, one of their drivers (Dennis) lived in Salisbury and ended up driving Busses due to health problems created from going to all the refineries and carrying Hazmat, You know its funny I can see their faces but names are a mystery now, but then I believe most truckers are the same way because your always moving and never really get to know your colleges.

After Matsolex I went to DAMCO (Holland)and transported the lead that goes in to gasoline, between Belgium and Fawley, with a couple of Acid runs in between to Riyadh. There was a guy Johann from Sweden who did the Saudi trip all the time until one day they stripped his tilt out on the Iraqi boarder and found the frame full of Whiskey ! I understand he escaped but he can't go back there or hell say good bye to his head.

As for me I have been in the USA for the last 32 years and have no regrets, until I retired I owned a Driving school and taught all aspects of Theoretical and Practical requirement to operate all classes of vehicle except motorcycles. As for being a trucker here its just as hard and regulations are like the UK, aimed at hitting the CDL (HGV)Drivers. I read the posts about new regulations being adopted and the rebelious comments, We had the same arguments when the Tacho was introduced but it was accepted because it was the law and you needed to earn a living. But hey being a Trucker is like being in the Army, you have a right to complain but make sure its after the job is done !!!

Ah well its time to put on a nosebag on so I'll let you go, have a good one talk again soon.

[Buzzer]

Buzzer

[windrush]

Hi Buzzer, Thanks for the welcome,
Re, Jim Squibb, he was a very hard man to work for and wanted his pound of flesh, but if you did right by him he looked after you. Yes he did look after the wagons, He once went to a Porsche dealer in his overalls, and the salesman apparently told him he couldn't afford one. He wasn't a happy man and went else where then drove a new 928 to the dealer who told him he couldn't afford one.
On the Autocross they used a single decker coach to transport the two vehicles in and all the supplies and tools, then slept in it at night. I also heard Barry caught Malaria on a trip to Saudi, so he became office bound due to Foreign Medical requirements. I should thing If Jim is still drinking diesel he'll be a round 95 plus and Barry must be at least 60? industrial park just North of the Docks, perhaps his name will come back to me but then that's like asking for a reduction in age.
Re, Matsolex, one of their drivers (Dennis) lived in Salisbury and ended up driving Busses due to health problems created from going to all the refineries and carrying Hazmat, You know its funny I can see their faces but names are a mystery now, but then I believe most truckers are the same way because your always moving and never really get to know your colleges.

Jim Squibb has long gone, I watched him ride many times. https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread ... mmy-squibb

Pete.

[Buzzer]

Thanks for that info on Jim Squibb never realised he did so much speedway, as for Barry his son he must be 70 plus now as I am slightly older than him, Buzzer

[robthedog]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Holden

Not involved in transport but Kevin was a legend round these parts, sadly taken far too early still miss pushing him around to get the bikes started

[Buzzer]

Buzzer

[MaggieD]

Hi Richard, I hope you are both well. I remember the Hell Drivers film, I seem to recall
that the tippers were bonneted Dodge lorries. Cheers, Ray.[/quote]

Hi Ray
We are both fine thanks I hope you and the current Mrs Smyth are, you are correct they were the old parrot Dodges in the film, speeded up a bit in some shots !
Came past Wigan on my way to Edinburgh but it was the middle of the night so didn't think you would appreciate a call !!

Regards
Richard

[Sabretooth]

Thanks MD, Martin has become clear now, he was the " Number one" driver according to him, although that is probably because he had been there the longest, and therefore seemed to get all the cream jobs, but never tanks. That was left to Dennis and another young gun with the odd owner operator helping out. Didn't know that about David's mother, he certainly didn't brag about it. And the Frog and Frigate! yes I remember it, didn't they make their own beer ?
Jimmy Squibb (RIP) also had another son (Jean / Gene ?) who lived in Norway working for a company building oil rigs. And I thought Barry's Hotel was in Torquay Devon not Cornwall. No matter which ever, its still a nice part of the west country although work wise I should imagine a hotel was a 24 hour hard business. Not my cup of tea.
Hey while I have your attention, the company with the fleet of yellow Volvo's, was that Brain's or Brian's ? I remember Davis and Meacher's not forgetting Pitters and Jameson's. Oh yes I remember the movie, it was black and white when I saw it and the TV had a big magnifying glass over the screen to make the picture bigger.
I left the UK over 30 years ago, So I would be completely lost now, And nothing against the mother land, But I have no regrets on moving west. And have never returned back over the pond.
have a great night, take care, talk again.

[MaggieD]

Thanks MD, Martin has become clear now, he was the " Number one" driver according to him, although that is probably because he had been there the longest, and therefore seemed to get all the cream jobs, but never tanks. That was left to Dennis and another young gun with the odd owner operator helping out. Didn't know that about David's mother, he certainly didn't brag about it. And the Frog and Frigate! yes I remember it, didn't they make their own beer ?
Jimmy Squibb (RIP) also had another son (Jean / Gene ?) who lived in Norway working for a company building oil rigs. And I thought Barry's Hotel was in Torquay Devon not Cornwall. No matter which ever, its still a nice part of the west country although work wise I should imagine a hotel was a 24 hour hard business. Not my cup of tea.
Hey while I have your attention, the company with the fleet of yellow Volvo's, was that Brain's or Brian's ? I remember Davis and Meacher's not forgetting Pitters and Jameson's. Oh yes I remember the movie, it was black and white when I saw it and the TV had a big magnifying glass over the screen to make the picture bigger.
I left the UK over 30 years ago, So I would be completely lost now, And nothing against the mother land, But I have no regrets on moving west. And have never returned back over the pond.
have a great night, take care, talk again.

Hi Sabretooth,

The Frog and Frigate brewed their own beer called The Frog and Croaker it only opens Friday and Saturday 10pm - 2am and has a great reputation as one of the top night spots in Southampton.

Barry's hotel is in Torquay close to Basil Fawlty's one !

Regards
Richard

[Sabretooth]

Thanks Mag's,
The pictures of the Renault looks like the one Dennis used to drive, that would be around 1981/82, martin had an Iveco and the young gun drove a F86, later a 111 Peter bought from one of the Downton Owner Drivers, They had nothing but problems with the Scania, the OD who sold them it changed the transmission with a miss matched one and it kept refusing to go in high range and one piston went through the head.
The Photo of JS must have been taken when he was a lot younger, when I knew him he was older with gray hair and he wore glasses. So I imagine he was in his 60's at that time, I guess his biggest fault was he never new when to stop and relax...

[Buzzer]

Was the driver from Downton who sold the Scania John Compton RIP, Buzzer

[Trucky Mc truckface]

That looks like Vercelli Buzzer ???

[Sabretooth]

Was the driver from Downton who sold the Scania John Compton RIP, Buzzer

That sounds right, I believe when he sold Peter the 111 he either traded or bought a Ridged Flatbed Renault in part exchange. And ran Euro with it.
When did he kick it ?

Solent Shipping. rings a bell, they had at least one Blue F86, and on one visit to their warehouse I remember they were making Double Gassing Windows ?

[Buzzer]

Buzzer

[MaggieD]

That looks like Vercelli Buzzer ???

Hi Trucky Mc T

No deffo Novara,spent some time there waiting for trailers and sending them back to UK

Regards
Richard

[MaggieD]

Was the driver from Downton who sold the Scania John Compton RIP, Buzzer

That sounds right, I believe when he sold Peter the 111 he either traded or bought a Ridged Flatbed Renault in part exchange. And ran Euro with it.
When did he kick it ?

Solent Shipping. rings a bell, they had at least one Blue F86, and on one visit to their warehouse I remember they were making Double Gassing Windows ?

Hi Sabretooth

Another of the Downton Subbies was Chris Whitmarsh he had a Volvo F88

Regards
Richard

[Buzzer]

Was the driver from Downton who sold the Scania John Compton RIP, Buzzer

That sounds right, I believe when he sold Peter the 111 he either traded or bought a Ridged Flatbed Renault in part exchange. And ran Euro with it.
When did he kick it ?

Solent Shipping. rings a bell, they had at least one Blue F86, and on one visit to their warehouse I remember they were making Double Gassing Windows ?

Hi Sabretooth

Another of the Downton Subbies was Chris Whitmarsh he had a Volvo F88

Regards
Richard

Hi Ricardo, that Dave Whitmarsh had really long sideboards IIRC, I knew his brother well back in the motorbike days. Buzzer

[Buzzer]

Buzzer

[MaggieD]

Was the driver from Downton who sold the Scania John Compton RIP, Buzzer

Hi Ricardo, that Dave Whitmarsh had really long sideboards IIRC, I knew his brother well back in the motorbike days. Buzzer

Hi John,

Yes you are right, ran with him to Italy one trip via Ventimiglia did the customs and pulled off at the first exit,parked at a restaurant it was about 7pm he had his girlfriend with him, he got out and we went in to eat,I said "isn't she coming in ?" "No" he said "she can sit in the cab". I heard a couple of weeks later when they got back she had attacked his Ford Zodiac with a hammer causing considerable damage.

Another one of your Mary Hopkins moments !

Regards
Richard

[Buzzer]

Buzzer

[Franglais]

Buzzer

Since that FL of Kingswood is a 7 not a 10, would that be the Marseille shunter that Mickey Matthews had? Lightest possible so max weight loads were legal leaving the plant. He had a tent awning thing that clipped onto the top of windscreen I seem to (vaguely) remember?

[Georgeh]

Buzzer

one of my dads old maggies, VOT 689T, STS liveried vehicles

[gazzer]

Franglais: It was worse than that for Micky Mathews, he had an F6S for his Marseille shunter! F6S!!!