Can any one supply pictures of ACH (Aston Clinton Haulage) from the 60’s and 70’s?
My dad worked there for a while in the early 70’s, he was in charge of shipping all the New Holland stuff. Any one know what happened to a man called Brian Soames? My dad’s name is John Sheldrake. And he was wondering what happened to some of his old buddies!!
try truckphotos for sale its a website theres loads of old pictures on there
When Norbert bought ACH they thought they had got a good deal & kept on the odious son of the boss to manage the outfit. A few years later they wanted to realize their assets when ,they found out that they had bought the firm & trucks but not the land it stands on! The depot stood on a prime development area near the centre of Aylesbury .So the Clinton gang doubled their bubble much to the annoyance of Norbert .Red faces at Norbet to match the trucks. 
anyone know what happened to that depot…?
harry:
So the Clinton gang doubled their bubble much to the annoyance of Norbert .Red faces at Norbet
anyone know what happened to that depot…?
hi harry: funnily enough i was at the “old” aston clinton depot a few weeks ago.
its still there. Warehouse, offices, the lot! A film company had hired it recently to film the latest series of TV show Hotel Babylon. If anyone watches it, its so strange. The sccenes at the front of the hotel where the cars pull up, are all done “inside” the warehouse…weird 
Mr 141:
Can any one supply pictures of ACH (Aston Clinton Haulage) from the 60’s and 70’s?
here you go mate: an early Howe European/ACH, thten 3 ACH in Dover at night, then 1 on Jubilee Way in the transition to Nober Dist.
hi harry: funnily enough i was at the “old” aston clinton depot a few weeks ago.
its still there. Warehouse, offices, the lot! A film company had hired it recently to film the latest series of TV show Hotel Babylon. If anyone watches it, its so strange. The sccenes at the front of the hotel where the cars pull up, are all done “inside” the warehouse…weird [/quote
Well it looks like they missed the property boom. Be interested to know who owns it ?
Re ;Film sets. I did a bit of cabbing in the old days & turned up at Stansted .There were NY Yellow Cabs all over the entrance.The arrivals had been turned into a US airport for a movie.
Solstor in the early 90s was a retirement home for ex ACH drivers, there were a few of them on there, Pete Chaundy, Ben (the Rat) Smith, Bobby Joyce & a couple of others whose names escape me at the moment.
They (the ACH lads) were all decent blokes but you wouldn’t have known it unless you knew them, I got talking to them through the Solstor connection, they were instructed not to run together, not to associate with other drivers or park in any of the regular haunts, not to flash their lights or wave to other Brits & IIRC they weren’t allowed to cook in the cab, the boss was David Fowler & he was, by all accounts a total meglomaniac.
As I said ,‘Odious Scumbag.’
harry:
As I said ,‘Odious Scumbag.’
I dont suppose he minded me bumming a lift with a driver from Auxerre to Calais to draw some more money from P & O after a bad trip then.
Thanks Mr Fowler 
Had the same prob once. Working for a Swiss firm I left Aosta loaded for Berlin & too heavy for Swiss had to go via France .I needed dosh so stopped the French side & made a call to the boss.He told me that the money was waiting for me with the agent in Aosta.Had to hitch back collect cash & then back to Jeannette’s. En route I stopped at a routiers where my mate happened to be who was a bit borasic .Remember I had to make Berlin & back to Swiss before I touched money again & he was on his way back to UK. Like a heel I didn’t take the hint & left without giving him a loan. He never spoke to me again [ Don’t blame him ] but I was in an impossible position ,you never knew where you would end up on that outfit.
Some of the younger fellas will be wondering why you didn’t just go to a hole in the wall.
There was a time when a hole in the wall was where a wagon had gone through. 
I had forgotten what a complete nightmare money was in those days before plastic.
Yes David,I too had forgotton what is what like to be without cash when over the water.After a year or so I found out where one could get a draw.My favourite was Jacky Maeder in Milano.Always good for a few lira.So much easier today.And quite right too.Enough hassle without having to worry about money.
Bought an ex ACH Globetrotter (B413 YWL) years ago. Credit to its previous driver - who I later met - for looking after it so well.
Collected the truck from Dawsons in Leighton Buzzard, then over to Peterborough to collect my trailer. Then down to South Wales to load steel for Athens. After tipping, I was waiting at Peter’s in Keratsini when this giant of a fella walks in, looking like Henry the 8th, and shouts out “who’s driving B413 YWL”. Scared the … out of me! Didn’t know if i’d done something wrong, but after owning up, it turned out that he was it’s last driver at ACH. He then told me everything about it’s history. Got some photos of it, both in plain white when I first got it, and again after I’d had it painted. Will post soon as I get chance. Sure somebody will tell us the ACH drivers name.
Spardo Yes ,of course ;I assumed everyone knew what I was talking about .The funny thing was that when the Dutch lad that I hitched back to Jeannette’s with stopped for a meal in France he went his ‘Hole in the Wall.’ He used a Phillips screwdriver to open the door panel where he kept his wallet with the French /I/D/CH/NL cash.
I used to leave Swiss on a Saturday morning & pay CH Francs;cross into French francs ;up to Lux & fill up with B +L Francs ;Belgium B francs ; back into France ; then into GB with ££’s .All in a day ,no cards & thought nothing of it. You’re right ,things have changed.
truckerash:
harry:
So the Clinton gang doubled their bubble much to the annoyance of Norbert .Red faces at Norbet
anyone know what happened to that depot…?hi harry: funnily enough i was at the “old” aston clinton depot a few weeks ago.
its still there. Warehouse, offices, the lot! A film company had hired it recently to film the latest series of TV show Hotel Babylon. If anyone watches it, its so strange. The sccenes at the front of the hotel where the cars pull up, are all done “inside” the warehouse…weird
Didn’t Coales from Bradford move in there after ACH and before
Hotel Babylon? And are they still going?