Hi Dan, Robert 'n fellow truckers, ret’d, (that’s retired not retarded).
I went to the Londra camping last year, took the good lady. For the last 35 years I’ve been banging on about trips to Istanbul, Damascus and Doha to the other half. The people, the food, the architecture. How the Londra camping truckstop held a special place in my heart, as I was in the Londra Camping when I telephoned home to hear the news, our first born had arrived… 35 Years later that gets brought up in discussion regularly…
.So you can imagine after all those years, getting into a taxi at Sultananmet with the better half, Londra Camping please driver, the adrenaline coursing through old veins…the abject disappointment, the let down all those memories, shredded at the sight of a … zzzing go cart track.
Thanks Robert for posting the photo of the Londra Camping in its pomp.
Anyone remember Jimmy, a Turkish guy mid 20’s ( might have had a moustache ) he was always in there trying to fix or sort out any problems.
Those were the days my friend…
PanX:
Hi Dan, Robert 'n fellow truckers, ret’d, (that’s retired not retarded).
I went to the Londra camping last year, took the good lady. For the last 35 years I’ve been banging on about trips to Istanbul, Damascus and Doha to the other half. The people, the food, the architecture. How the Londra camping truckstop held a special place in my heart, as I was in the Londra Camping when I telephoned home to hear the news, our first born had arrived… 35 Years later that gets brought up in discussion regularly…
.So you can imagine after all those years, getting into a taxi at Sultananmet with the better half, Londra Camping please driver, the adrenaline coursing through old veins…the abject disappointment, the let down all those memories, shredded at the sight of a … zzzing go cart track.
Thanks Robert for posting the photo of the Londra Camping in its pomp.
Anyone remember Jimmy, a Turkish guy mid 20’s ( might have had a moustache ) he was always in there trying to fix or sort out any problems.
Those were the days my friend…
All the very best
Mick B
Alas, we can only re-live the past in our minds - we can never go back in time, only space. Robert
I’ve visited Londra and The National within the last year and their demise and deterioration is sad to see, the old saying ‘never go back’ holds very true in these cases. When you think what wonderful memories they hold for us. In these instances that saying is very apt. The eastern bank of the Bosphorus is now a huge extension to the city of Istanbul and I seem to remember that when you crossed the bridge in the 70’s it wasn’t long before you were out in the countryside…not now. There’s even a sign on the second bridge that says Welcome to Asia!!!. Population of Istanbul is now near on 16.000.000. Best to live with the memories I reckon.
But if it wasn’t for a medium such as this we would all be wondering …does anyone else remember those halcyon days… Most were bad days, with loads of grief and regular arguments over money…but I wouldn’t change them…What doesn’t kill you queuing up at Habur will probably get you at Zacho on the way back…
Just thought I would mention this…everyone seems to be playing nicely on trucknet… Astran ; (and anyone else to have been to the middle east)…
For goodness sake Roger (Rita) Haywood can we please have something controversial. ?. Oh yes and can we see some of your photos from a long and illustrious career…By the way, I do think you could have a row in a phone box on your own…so over to you…
For myself, take the canned and bottled stuff, along with essentials like tea and coffee but purchase fresh veg and salad stuff where I could. Meat sometimes too.
I wasn’t a great friend of restaurants though a Bar with draught beer - only in some parts of the trip of course - was an important target for a night stop,
More than one piece about Astran appeared via Saudi Aramco in the '70s. I don’t remember seeing this one before, though if has been posted on here before, forgive me. It mentions Gordon Pierce among others and was written in 1977. Here’s the link. Robert
David Miller:
I do so love accurate portrails of our old job,Robert, don’t you? Those Scania 230’s were great weren’t they?
David
What about one of these David, the Dogs doo-dahs in their day. Whoops they’ve come out downside up, if you click on them though they come out OK. Bloody iPads.
Why do they have those bulky tire pressure equalisers - if that is what they are - in Brazil?
David
Yes they are a bit of a Wierd thing aren’t they. I’ve asked various Drivers why, a few like them because they’re Bling, most say that the Boss put them on, the Wagon was bought with them on, or that they didn’t like them either. Most of the Wagons only use the metaled roads anyway, so there’s really no point in them being there. But to be fair, only a handful of the Vehicles over here have them on, I have seen a few newer Wagons with them, but mostly it’s the older ones that still have them on now.
Why do they have those bulky tire pressure equalisers - if that is what they are - in Brazil?
David
Yes they are a bit of a Wierd thing aren’t they. I’ve asked various Drivers why, a few like them because they’re Bling, most say that the Boss put them on, the Wagon was bought with them on, or that they didn’t like them either. Most of the Wagons only use the metaled roads anyway, so there’s really no point in them being there. But to be fair, only a handful of the Vehicles over here have them on, I have seen a few newer Wagons with them, but mostly it’s the older ones that still have them on now.
Thanks Archie. Last time I was in Brazil I was working in a shipyard in Santos and on the Sunday got a hire car (something that was nearly but not quite a VW Golf running on that stinky ‘green’ petrol) and went and watched the truck traffic up and down that steep climb on the old road to Sao Paulo. Lots of good old stuff still earning it’s living and even more of those MANs disguised as VWs.
That really is bad news Bazza as that’s the first that I have heard about this sad event, especially as he was only about 62.
R.I.P Frank Brandon and thanks for all the laughs that you gave to us, you were one of those that made the job like it was.
Hi Steve thank,s for your regard,s I will pass on to his family on the day i was having a talk with Peter the plater last week on skype He was gutted to here about Frank he was 61 2 yrs younger tan me All the best Steve .Bazza.
Hi Bazza, thanks for posting this very sad news about Frank Brandon, As Steve said he was a character and a half and I am sure he will be sadly missed. My condolences go to his family at this sad time. RIP Frank.
Thank you for your kind words above. My Dad; Frank or Frankie or FBI (or even “the member”!!!) Brandon would have been thrilled you all seem to remember him, and his antics so fondly.
I am his daughter Kelly and I look forward to reading more about his travels, friends and experiences in due course. I remember very clearly him doing the m e runs but was too young to understand really. Perhaps I may learn now.
if anyone has any good tales I would love to hear them, well some of them anyway, perhaps no x rated though thanks ha ha! Kelly Brandon
