As long as it wasn’t a BRS rental.The only sherpa’s i ever saw were the two legged ones.They could also carry an Engine and give better mpg.I’m curious as to where the pic was taken.It’s a nice one.Mike
As far as I recall it was somewhere just off the Izmir to Aydin road in Turkey. If you look at the picture carefully you will see that the truck was reversed down the slope from the main road!
Imagine how you would feel if you broke down there and sent a telex letting them know your situation, to be told your only hope of rescue is a bloke that’s coming down from London in Sherpa van. Still if he can get Sherpa van to Turkey then any problem you have would be quickly put right.
I’d be having a word with the abbie on the donkey, or may be the photographer could help.
Jeff…
Jazzandy:
Thought this might amuse youIt did not amuse they guys in Allentown!
That’s a great picture,almost composed for the article.
David
Just thought I,d let Saviem know that during my younger years I too lifted a lot of “Maris Piper” … a great breed of spud ■■? nothing to do M/E though
Hold my hands up!
It was a posed photo. The Leyland PR people went out to Izmir to find the location. I think the truck might have been Fred Melham’s or Johnny Curran’s.
The back story was true however. We transported a new engine from Van Hove in Belgium down to somewhere in Eastern Europe.
I dropped a piston on my GMC Astro 15 kms. short of Pazardjik in Bulgaria. Sat there for a week while a fitter came out from UK. He stripped the engine down and decided it couldn’t be repaired on the side of the road and departed to Istanbul. Various folk dropped by and said hello including Micky Fitzel and then a van load of Mercedes-Benz expats who were setting up a repair facility in Pazardjik. They put me up in their hotel (at their expense) and we had a riotous week! Eventually a Mack unit came up from Istanbul and pulled me and the trailer all the way there. It took another ten days for spare parts and repairs and then I was on the road back to Blighty. One month out of my life! Luckily I was on a weekly wage and not trip money!
freshir:
Re: Eddie, I spoke with Ed about 3 months ago, he phoned me completely out of the blue and I was completely surprised but very pleased to hear from him, he was going to contact Mick Bryant - Bobbie Power - Roy Hopkins to arrange a ‘meet’ so I will have to give him a nudge - all we would have to do is to find MILK-BAR somewhere suitable for
everyone. Don’t know if you knew Len Humphries but he phone me about a month ago he’s 83 now and living in Cornwall, there’s a man to sit and talk to about his experiences down the Gulf, smashing bloke, he could kid a duck off of a pond with a bucket of water, he lived for the day and never worried about tomorrow you never got bored with Len’s stories although you had been there got the ‘T’ shirt it was always good to hear his version, it’s people like this that we all miss now we are all ‘Self unemployed’ although you may still be at it. I also got a call last night from Kenny Ward one of old muckers, he calls me a couple of times a year, So if there is anyone out there who borrowed money off of me get in touch asap - Seasons greetings to everyone out there and wishing you all a great 2011 - Regards FredAND WILL THE LAST DRIVER OUT OF BELGIUM PLEASE TURN THE LIGHTS OUT
Fred,I’m still going thru the pages now on 83 of 205,Is that the Lenny Humphries I used to work with on ME at Concorde Express? Ray
Also can’t remember if it was you but a mention of a “Dave” at Pan-Ex cant remember his surname but didn’t he end up as Transport Manager?
ray nicholls:
freshir:
Re: Eddie, I spoke with Ed about 3 months ago, he phoned me completely out of the blue and I was completely surprised but very pleased to hear from him, he was going to contact Mick Bryant - Bobbie Power - Roy Hopkins to arrange a ‘meet’ so I will have to give him a nudge - all we would have to do is to find MILK-BAR somewhere suitable for
everyone. Don’t know if you knew Len Humphries but he phone me about a month ago he’s 83 now and living in Cornwall, there’s a man to sit and talk to about his experiences down the Gulf, smashing bloke, he could kid a duck off of a pond with a bucket of water, he lived for the day and never worried about tomorrow you never got bored with Len’s stories although you had been there got the ‘T’ shirt it was always good to hear his version, it’s people like this that we all miss now we are all ‘Self unemployed’ although you may still be at it. I also got a call last night from Kenny Ward one of old muckers, he calls me a couple of times a year, So if there is anyone out there who borrowed money off of me get in touch asap - Seasons greetings to everyone out there and wishing you all a great 2011 - Regards FredAND WILL THE LAST DRIVER OUT OF BELGIUM PLEASE TURN THE LIGHTS OUT
Fred,I’m still going thru the pages now on 83 of 205,Is that the Lenny Humphries I used to work with on ME at Concorde Express? Ray
Also can’t remember if it was you but a mention of a “Dave” at Pan-Ex cant remember his surname but didn’t he end up as Transport Manager?
Hi Ray - Sure Lennie was with Concorde Express and retired to Ilfracombe where his family ran a seaside restaurant but sadly he is no longer with us (RIP) - - and the Dave who was on for PanX was Dave Telford (The Fonze) who became transport manager. You have a lot of catching up Ray if you are only on page 85 - Regards Fred
Jazzandy:
Thought this might amuse youIt did not amuse they guys in Allentown!
Evening all, …and I bet it did not!!!
Criticism of the product was just not allowed at Allentown, (or any of the retail outlets)!! When I was first at Dallas, I was taken by my Vice President, to meet a new Mack “convert”, Freighters out near Fort Worth. The top man took me out to view his new R series Macks, parked in a line, far in the distance from the “pump island”. As we walked around them, I , (poor innocent in the ways of the US market, that I was), asked, "why did you buy Mack, this time? (The fleet seemed to be all Paccar, KW, and Pete…with very, very short cabs)!..“Because they gave me what I wanted”, came the reply…"■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell "…
Mind you I came to regard Mack, and more importantly its people, and its engineering, with the highest of regard. They lived, and loved their products, and worked to very high standards. They were great to work alongside, and I have to say, the one truck, of all that I have owned and driven, that I regret selling the most was my own F786 Interstator, RIJ334, (later AUE267S, I kept the original numberplate), ex Lagan Valley Steels, and ■■■■ Young of Penrith…whay hay, what a goer,…a hooligan motor…and I loved to drive her…the more weight she carried, the more she performed, that “tip turbo” whistle as she dug in…should never have sold her…idiot that I was, thinking a Transcontinental would carry my T34 better…I was, oh so wrong.
Jazzandy, that is a super image, and those Sherpa`s, despite being as basic as an Anderson Shelter on wheels , with that old J4 panel body, did some good work…Bit like a Mack…the driver could not break the vehicle in…but the vehicle broke in the driver!!!
Happy memories, I shall reflect on them over a few Bollingers tonight…thanks…
Cheerio for now.
ray nicholls:
Fred,I’m still going thru the pages now on 83 of 205,Is that the Lenny Humphries I used to work with on ME at Concorde Express? Ray
Also can’t remember if it was you but a mention of a “Dave” at Pan-Ex cant remember his surname but didn’t he end up as Transport Manager?
I remember running through Bulgy a couple of times with Lennie,stopping at the duty free shop to buy cases of whiskey to secrete under the trailer.
The last time I saw Dave Telford was in the customs compound in Izmir when a lot of us were parked up for over a week when the customs were on strike.
Happy days!
The late Fred Graham that used to be the sales man at Bells of Ashington ( Merc ) told me that Merc did a road side engine swap up on the Bolan Pass ( Afghanistan Pakistan region). The story is there’s a bridge over the river that’s to tight to get an artic over so you had to wade through,( I’ve seen photos ) The driver got bogged in the river and various versions here.
1 over revved the engine causing it to pop.
2 sucked water in through the air cleaner and hydraulicted the pistons/ cracked the block.
Either way Merc did the right thing and sent a new engine with a couple of fitters and did road side engine swap.
I would have thought they would have used some of the local facilities to make life easier, and I don’t know if it was meant to be some kind of “Oh look how good at road side assistance thing we are” publicity stunt.
I heard various versions of the story with various locations
Jeff…
[/quote]
Fred,I’m still going thru the pages now on 83 of 205,Is that the Lenny Humphries I used to work with on ME at Concorde Express? Ray
Also can’t remember if it was you but a mention of a “Dave” at Pan-Ex cant remember his surname but didn’t he end up as Transport Manager?
[/quote]
Hi Ray - Sure Lennie was with Concorde Express and retired to Ilfracombe where his family ran a seaside restaurant but sadly he is no longer with us (RIP) - - and the Dave who was on for PanX was Dave Telford (The Fonze) who became transport manager. You have a lot of catching up Ray if you are only on page 85 - Regards Fred
[/quote]
Thanks Fred,sorry about Lennie,great guy.It’s thru these messages that my brain is starting to remember.
When I used to go to Pan Ex and Dave was in the office I quite often used to call Dave,“fonzie” and his drivers used to ask why.I told some of them and
Dave phoned up my office at Commercial Recovery and threaten to kick my a**e next time I went to his yard.
Another name I’ve seen is Roger Hargreaves but don’t know if it’s the same Roger from Con Exp.The guy I done my first run with was Billy Baker shortish
and a full beard,also had a limp.
bestbooties:
ray nicholls:
Fred,I’m still going thru the pages now on 83 of 205,Is that the Lenny Humphries I used to work with on ME at Concorde Express? Ray
Also can’t remember if it was you but a mention of a “Dave” at Pan-Ex cant remember his surname but didn’t he end up as Transport Manager?I remember running through Bulgy a couple of times with Lennie,stopping at the duty free shop to buy cases of whiskey to secrete under the trailer.
The last time I saw Dave Telford was in the customs compound in Izmir when a lot of us were parked up for over a week when the customs were on strike.
Happy days!
Ian - Did you ever get that photobucket ‘Glitch’ sorted ? and your recall of Lennie doing the bizz on the Bulgy border - what a classic eh: that’s what you call “BOTTLE” not to mention the tin of paint for painting the underside of the trailer to cover up the evidence, I also witnessed this little caper along with Pete Burgess - memories eh 
Fred
bestbooties:
ray nicholls:
Fred,I’m still going thru the pages now on 83 of 205,Is that the Lenny Humphries I used to work with on ME at Concorde Express? Ray
Also can’t remember if it was you but a mention of a “Dave” at Pan-Ex cant remember his surname but didn’t he end up as Transport Manager?I remember running through Bulgy a couple of times with Lennie,stopping at the duty free shop to buy cases of whiskey to secrete under the trailer.
The last time I saw Dave Telford was in the customs compound in Izmir when a lot of us were parked up for over a week when the customs were on strike.
Happy days!
Ian - Did you ever get that photobucket ‘Glitch’ sorted ? and your recall of Lennie doing the bizz on the Bulgy border - what a classic eh: that’s what you call “BOTTLE” not to mention the tin of paint for painting the underside of the trailer to cover up the evidence, I also witnessed this little caper along with Pete Burgess - memories eh
Fred
Hi all,couple more pics.The top one as we all know is Golling taken from Pauline’s side.Must about 26th dec 1977.
The lower one is one top of the hill going down into Damascus.Judging by how clean the motor is I’d say I was on
my way to Hofof with eggs from Sowerby Bridge Halifax.We had a contract with Grand Met Hotels to supply eggs
to the base at Hofof.
The Strian driver with the Merc had trouble getting heat or cool air into the cab.Billy Baker in Pro745R,and I went
over to truck as he asked for help,and it turned out the controls were back to front.Switch to heat,cold air came out
and vice versa. Ray
Hi Ray - your mention of Golling Services got the old memory into cog, I used to take Pauline books and mags: each time I went in there and she was truly thankful and you always got a rundown from her re: who’s been in etc; but on one occasion I had mein frau with me and we went into the shower together and she kindly charged me for two, I was so B####Y annoyed that I never went in there again, I think it was her Austrian husband who may have noticed us
and I never took too kindly to him - If he had a mouthful of gumboils he wouldn’t give you one. 
Fred
freshir:
Hi Ray - your mention of Golling Services got the old memory into cog, I used to take Pauline books and mags: each time I went in there and she was truly thankful and you always got a rundown from her re: who’s been in etc; but on one occasion I had mein frau with me and we went into the shower together and she kindly charged me for two, I was so B####Y annoyed that I never went in there again, I think it was her Austrian husband who may have noticed us
and I never took too kindly to him - If he had a mouthful of gumboils he wouldn’t give you one.
I think that ■■■■ used to knock her about as well.
On more than one occasion she was not far off getting into a homeward bound truck,I think it was only the kid she was worried about.
I wonder where she is now■■?
freshir:
Ian - Did you ever get that photobucket ‘Glitch’ sorted ?
Fred
Fred,
My old lady got it sorted for me,had some gremlin in the works that was inundating me with on line gambling sites and Tesco adverts and slowing everything down to almost a standstill.
Now I am back up to speed and Photobucket is working OK at the moment,touch wood!
Got to be real careful these days at what you are looking at,if you don’t know who is sending you messages,bin 'em.
My photobucket’s lock me out of 2 sections, I can see the thumbnails but when I try to open them it says file’s empty.
It also did a similar thing few years ago when I was using Picasa as a storage system.
Jeff…
