Well done Ash for a fantastic insight into Astran.Having seen a good part of the book I can only repeat all the praise that Paul has said.It could not have come out better.AstranGordon
I see W.H.Smith are advertising it on their site at £18.65 incl free UK postage,that’s a bargain!
I however have ordered it from Ferdy at Toprun,as he say’s,it helps to keep his excellent site going.
Well done Ash,I can’t wait to get my copy and I know for certain that it will have been well worth the wait.
My copy arrived yesterday,and already I can’t put it down.Although I did my own share of m/e and knew many of the guys mentioned in the book,it still makes riveting reading.
Puts my proposed scribblings into the shade and makes me wonder whether to keep going with my book even because there are some similarities with Cola Cowboys and mine inasmuch as description of many of the border crossings that we all had similar problems with.But that will be inevitable I suppose,it just goes to confirm the border crossings could be as bad as described when agreed on by all.
But I must say that Ash has done a magnificent job in putting this all together and into print,he should be mighty proud,I must make the effort to go down to Gaydon to shake his hand.
hi ash got mine yeaterday had a quick look it looks brilliant thanks
bestbooties:
My copy arrived yesterday,and already I can’t put it down.Although I did my own share of m/e and knew many of the guys mentioned in the book,it still makes riveting reading.
Puts my proposed scribblings into the shade and makes me wonder whether to keep going with my book even because there are some similarities with Cola Cowboys and mine inasmuch as description of many of the border crossings that we all had similar problems with.But that will be inevitable I suppose,it just goes to confirm the border crossings could be as bad as described when agreed on by all.
But I must say that Ash has done a magnificent job in putting this all together and into print,he should be mighty proud,I must make the effort to go down to Gaydon to shake his hand.
Hi Ian, that’s really bad news and I am sure that along with all the other older Trucknet members we would encourage you to carry on with your book, after all once we have read Ashley’s book several times what will we then have to look forward to 
.
I remember in one of your postings over two years ago, you said that every driver had a story to tell even if he had only done one trip down to the Middle East, other drivers stories may be a bit similar but thats because they encountered similar problems. I always find it interesting to hear how other drivers got around the differant problems that they came across and the mention of long gone forgotten places certainly rekindle some of my memories. Your experiences are unique to you Ian and like all your posts over the years which we have found interesting and sometimes fascinating I am sure that there are a lot of members who would love to read about some of your other adventures.
Unfortunatly I will have to wait a couple of weeks for my copy of The Long Haul Pioneers as Heather hasn’t got back to me yet, so I had better chase her up as I feel that I am already missing out on something really good.
Regards Steve.
I agree Ian, you must carry on with your book, there are several of us drivers who never got that far, and the stories are quite compelling reading, so please share yours.
I met Klunk on the Lehavre boat a year or so back and the stories he told were brilliant, one I remember is that he used to go to bed with the tins of stuff he intended to have for dinner the next day, perplexed I had to ask why, and he replied so it has a chance to thaw out before cooking it 
I would never have imagined that happening on route to the middle east - a hot country 
These are the type of things that need to be told, so please make a point of continuing it.
I’ve only looked at the pictures as I only got a copy of this book tonight, it was worth the money for the pics alone. Fair play to you Mr Author a job well done.
Fly sheet
tc trans:
I agree Ian, you must carry on with your book, there are several of us drivers who never got that far, and the stories are quite compelling reading, so please share yours.
I met Klunk on the Lehavre boat a year or so back and the stories he told were brilliant, one I remember is that he used to go to bed with the tins of stuff he intended to have for dinner the next day, perplexed I had to ask why, and he replied so it has a chance to thaw out before cooking it
These are the type of things that need to be told, so please make a point of continuing it.
I second that, 
Judging by the posts on this website about the Middle East runs, there is plenty of interest from in the whole period of truck driving, including doing Europe in the days before Motorways, the Euro and open borders. I read the posts with a mixture of wonder and admiration for those who did it.
Watching my DVD of Destantion Doha and I’m waiting for my copy of the Long Haul pioneers to be delivered.
i met ash today nice to meet ya bud,i bought a signed copy by yourself and gordon and ive gotta say its bloody brilliant mate 
ash ive just seen terry tott in your book i worked with terry at a firm a few years back we mustve worked together for a year or so and he never mentioned astran or the middle east once. i never new he,d done it till id left the firm we worked for and his old mate nobby told me about it when we worked together for a nottingham firm
Hi all: Glad those of you who have got the book are enjoying it and sorry that some of you are having to wait. It will be worth it though.
Thanks for all the kind comments and positive feedback especially from the “old hands” (Ian), it means a lot to me when someone like Ian who has great experience, gives my book such a glowing report.
Over the weekend at the Gaydon truck and model show we (my publisher and I) sold over 150 copies of the book, so it is all looking very good indeed… Sorry Mushroomman - I’m not trying to rub salt in your wound 
Great to see you and Gordon yesterday Ash, The book is fantastic, So looking forward to Maidstone.
Would like to say a big thankyou for putting one of my paintings in the book, and I’m flattered that you’ve given Bob Paul and Gordon Pearce a copy of it.
See you soon mate.
Jerry
Got my signed copy at Gaydon on Sat. great read ash and very factual not like some of the drivel that comes out about the ME experience. I never thought my photo of Jeff Ruggins truck would reproduce as well as it has done , and that was taken with an ‘Instamatic’ !Hope you think it was worth the effort because i think most of the readers on here do mate, Wll done.
Bill
LB76:
Got my signed copy at Gaydon on Sat. great read ash and very factual not like some of the drivel that comes out about the ME experience. I never thought my photo of Jeff Ruggins truck would reproduce as well as it has done , and that was taken with an ‘Instamatic’ !Hope you think it was worth the effort because i think most of the readers on here do mate, Wll done.
Bill
Must have just missed you on Saturday,I was told you were about.Next time maybe.
Finished reading the book last night, superb read, found it hard to put down, but the wife is glad its now finished as I may pay her some attention she says, no hope probably, lol.
My son has picked it up and part way through reading it and states its the best book he has ever had for having him glued to it, so perhaps he may now understand the fascination the middle east has for those of us old enough to remember it, but never done it.
I tip my hat to each and every one of you guys for your sheer determination and guts in making the runs work out.
Ash told me a while back he had to cut a huge amount of pictures from the final draft, it would be a terrible waste if the cut pics never saw the light of day, so perhaps a follow up Ash■■?
I second this we need more pics Ash maybe even a dvd of em. These pics need to be in the public domain to be enjoyed by people from the era as well as those just finding out about the early pioneers and for future generations.
Just to add both books finally arrived in the post Ash. You have done a sterling job with the book pal, all your work and late nights have been well worth it. Good to see you on Sunday keeping up with demand for your book and also good to chat with Nodrog and Roger aka “Rita” if your both reading this post.
Dave
just read my copy of the book. its amazing what the drivers had to put up with. different breed to todays drivers. we think we have a bad day being held up at a rdc, doesnt compare with being stuck up a mountain 30 below with the diesel waxing. well done ash, excellent stuff!
just finished reading the book fantastic read very well put together and presented ash i tip my hat to ya mate,bob paul sounds like an absolute legend,what happened to mr woodman is he still alive ash
Carl:
what happened to mr woodman is he still alive ash
Hi all: I was wondering when someone would pick up on Mike Woodman and ask that question…
He is still alive and is living in France and I did make contact with him but unfortunately, try as hard as I did, he declined the offer to contribute anything towards the book which was a great pity! Nevertheless, I “battled on regardless” and got the results I wanted.
I’d like to say a massive thanks to all of you who have written such nice comments. It’s great to read them and to know the book is such a hit! Considering I’ve only ever written a few magazine articles previously, I was always a little apprehensive as to how it would be accepted - especially by the experienced M/E drivers - and I wondered if I had written it in the correct style, but it certainly looks like I needn’t have worried…Thanks very much again folks
Shock!!! The last time I saw Gordon he was about to start with Ken Davies on the Swiss run . He stopped at a Lux hypermarket on the way home to do some shopping with his wife .I don’t know wether he took the job or not ? When I see Gordons picture I can see how much we have all aged . Nice to see you Gordon ,keep yer elbows in !
BTW anybody know what happened to Ken ? I know he took a job in the office with H+D (?) down in Kent .
The other one thats gone off the radar is Barry Dily ex-Hangartner .