Puppy:
I remember you Frank, we ran on a couple of occaisions down to Barcelona, I was subbying for RS Hills in Fareham pulling mostly LEP trailers, I used to get the short straw most weeks and always had Barcelona groupage which could involve many on wheels deliveries even as far away as Granada Those where the days!!
Pete
Yes those were the days and I enjoyed every minute of it but must sat that i don’t miss it one bit, the rules that came in for tanker drivers made you frightened to turn in, Hays closed the St Helens Factory where I was based in 2002 I then went to TDG working four days on four days off until I retired aged 63 in 2006,
Now the nearest I get down south is when I visit my daughter who has a pub near Godalming and I also exhibit a vintage vehicle at The Great Dorset Steam Fair when I am there for the week of the show.
Hi frank i seem to remember one or two nights in bordeaux in your company, i did wine collections for sts and then vincent cottells same company that steve mathews pulled for i had an r&a freight renault turbo liner. a few years ago know thou. kevin (the gerbil sb152)
gazzer:
I know he wasn’t a Rawlings driver but we all love him so much! he was part of the family. Also gets this thread back up there.
BBQ 1996 in typical moody style.
Is this Steve Mathews in the photo and is he still about, I was known as Frank the Tank I worked for Hays Chemicals running St Helens - Barcelona 1985 - 1995.
I’ll slot this in here: Chris Englefield passed away about a month ago April 2025. His Ex Mrs Lorraine informed me (EX T.T. alongwith her sister Tina of T.T. Duty Free shop, anyone remember them?).
Lorraine has a hoard of photos she hopes to bring over to us (to see Tina, Not very well) in the next few weeks.
Ive been promised some photos from his ex Mrs (lorraine, ex Townsend Thoresen, duty free shop) when she comes to visit her sister (Tina, ex Townsend Thoresen as well, duty free shop) down here near us this week!
True to form Lorraine Engelfield brought a few photos she could find.
Now, before I continue with that: Lorraine frequents a cafe in Bitterne (Southampton) whereby she overhears a conversation between 2 guys on the next table. She asks them if they were european drivers, “why yes madam”. Turns out it was Danny Moss and Wee Jock reminicing over a pot f tea! She explained who she was and that she was just off to Spain to see her unwell sister, Tina (also of TT) and that Mrs. Gazzer (Shirley) was picking her up from Malaga airport!. Small World innit!
Talking to Lorraine today at Tina’s about the accident. Chris had loaded laminate board but it was in packs without internal strapping. Bunter Rawlings wanted it on an ASAP boat for a booked delivery. Chris advised him it’s not a hurry up load because of no securing inside the tilt. Bunter wouldn’t hear of it. Chris coming off the motorway A21/A26 area, went down the ramp, all the packs shifted to one side and pulled him over.
Bunter paid for Lorraine to go out with the proviso she got the tacho out of the truck!
Those where the days!!
