Here are a couple of pics of Yeomans quarry on the outskirts of Dammam. In I think 1977 we shifted their quarry machines and trucks down there. Robbo went out with the first 10 trucks,in the first 8 wheeler to show the way.They had welded hoops over the top of the bodies on some of the 8 wheelers put 3 or 4 sheets on and they slept and cooked in there.2 men to a cab. Robbo was fed up by Belgium the fitters thought that as they were in another country the trucks should be serviced. At Munich some of the drivers mutinied and wanted to go ātouristā, he told them you will have to catch me up then! They soon changed their mind, none of them had a map or the slightest idea where they were going.
When he got back he told me what an interesting (!) trip he had had, Bromilow then told me that he had arrange for me to take 10 more down but that I was to be driving my own truck loaded. I asked how I was supposed to control 10 trucks when they would be mt and I would be loaded? After much thought I turned it down and drove out on my own. Bromilow decided that he would do it himself, when he finally got back I asked him how it had gone?He promptly discussed the drivers intelligence their parentage and a few other points in language that I darenāt use here.
One story he did say was that when they arrived at the Bulgy side of Kapic (before the new park was built and you drove right up to the barrier by the restaurant) that they had gone into the Bulgy restaurant for something to eat, one of the drivers asked where the toilet was as he needed a ādumpā. Jeffery told him but he was back almost immediately Jeffery asked him if he couldnāt find it? The driver replied that he couldnāt use it as it was just a hole in the floor there was no paper and no lock on the door.He was told that from now on you always carried a supply of paper if you wanted a ādumpā you either used that or did what bears do and as for the lack of lock, canāt you sing?
The driver went off again only to return quite quickly with a bump on his head and looking very upset, he was asked if he had been mugged but replied, that he had managed to get in position, balanced on one leg with the other wedged against the door when a local yokel barged in knocking him off balance he fell over and banged his head and nearly fell down the hole and HE WANTED TO GO HOME!
By the way those of you who know Dave McMillan he was one of these drivers(not that one)
Gavin[/i]
is that rabbit i run down with in 2003ā ā im in canada driving a peterbilt now marra. cs
taebbreak:
is that rabbit i run down with in 2003ā ā im in canada driving a peterbilt now marra. cs
YE ITS ME MARRA,HOW YOU DOING CARL, YOU LASTED WELL IN CANADA,GOING FROM THE STINKING HEAT OF DOHA, TO ICE ROAD TRUCKING,TAKE CARE REGARDS RABBITā¦
Hi a couple more pics from Saudi. They show the climb up Taif on the western side of the country. One pic was taken a near the police post at the top looking down the other from the police post at the bottom looking up, in the centre of this pic just below the top of the mountain is a white dot that is the other police post. The distance between the 2 police posts is 15 miles.
I had broken down in the crusader between Riyadh and Taif (piston gone) so I prepared the truck for towing (wound off the brakes etc) attached my towbar to the front and sat there waiting for a friendly trucker to come along. Soon a Redcliffs Roadways stopped agreed to tow me to Jeddah and off we went. We were soon tearing along at a fair rate, no problem, until we got to the top of the mountain. The first bend is a very sharp one to the left and we were going too fast seeing as I had no power steering and no brakes, it suddenly occurred to me that the other driver might not know the road! I blew my horn but it didnāt make any difference so when we got to the bend I took a chance and cut the corner as much as I could, the other driver suddenly slowed down and we covered the rest of the trip OK.I think he had forgotten I was there. When I got to Jeddah I definately needed a change of underwear.
I took these pics later, the one looking down the mountain was all I could see as we hurtled round the bend.
I am 99.99999% sure that the other driver was Maurice Grey but when I asked him about it years later he said he could not remember.
The third one was in between.
Phil mceverley/houghton are you the guy featured in the book a thousand miles from nowhere who the author meets in germany?
Maurice Grey giving you a tow most unlikley
Roger
Donāt know what possessed me to do thisā¦?
sinbin31:
Maurice Grey giving you a tow most unlikleyRoger
What I did not say in the post was that I was charged a lot of money for the tow and when word got out in Jeddah the other driver had to leave because the rest of the drivers working there were not impressed. Does that make a difference?
Gavin
Harry, how do you take pics off and clean them up?
Gavin
Iām not saying it was or was not Maurice but what I am sure of if You were with Maurice Grey you dont forget him ,Maybe he didnt want to rember.
I have to say I lay claim to the longest bar tow and if anyone has one longer lets hear about it .I towed a non sleeper sedon aki and trailer from the UAE border up to saloniki 110 ft including the bar the worst place was Turkey as cars trucks and buses overtook then tried to get between me and him we even I even had a sign made up in Adana by the little kids at the BP garage with Unsun Arac Dikatt on the rear (non turkish readers Long vehicle Danger) the biggest cost was on the salt flats past aksaray the turkish Police stopped us at night time for theusual marlbourgh but he walked between the back of my trailer and the Aki and didnt see the bar he smacked his nose on the tarmac but he just started laughing but his mate wasnt to happy and it cost us a hole carton of ā ā ā ā just as well we had brought a few ,I never did find out what happend to the driver but Astrans were not to happy as the trailer was rented and he did a runner.the load he was carrying I transhiped at the border and took it to MUSCAT in the Oman had to wait 3 weeks at Wadi Gissi the border for permit as mine had just been used nothing but 3 guards and long swords sporting old enfield rifles one tin shack and a water pipe but nice people had meal with them every day as my supplies were getting thin.dont know exactly how many miles the Tow was but it must be a record.
Roger Haywood
Hi Roger
That tow makes mine in around 1990, seem like a local uk trip !!
The range change on my 141 failed as I went through the wadi at Ar Ar, just at the first Iraqi control post on my way home one trip. So after crawling up the Iraqi side in low range and after clearing customs etc, Gary Glass, the chap that bought Andrewās 1632 Merc and trailer, towed me to Baghdad,to the Mivan Camp, the Irish construction Co that were re-building Saddams Palace, where after I bought the parts at Scania Iraq, in the street of a thousand clutches, I rebuilt the Range and we drove home. It took a week but saved being topped up and getting it fixed in Istanbul.I had a big long thick wire hauser and after dropping my propshaft, hooked up to my front tow pin and Garyās towing hitch on the back of his trailer, and off we went.Next stop Baghdad!!! Only 500Kās.
Getting ready to be towedā¦
It went uneventfully apart from just south of Baghdad when a taxi overtook me and an Iraqi 6 legger tipper was coming towards us so the taxi cut in front of me, up close to the wire and then when the tipper was past he put his foot down and overtook Gary, shaking his hand out of the window and sounding his horn!!!
It was so funny, I was laughing ā¦those Iraqiās.
Regards
Gavin S
Gavin McArdle:
Hi Gavin G.S. Where you been hiding lately? Re your mention of us meeting in Portugal Iāve been trying to agitate the grey matter, I can remember a red Irish reg scania but canāt place you yet. Where did you run to and for who? Got any pics to jog my memory?
Gavin (tāother one)
Hi Gavin G Mc
Thanks for taking the time to scan the Ali Baba pic.
Iām offline at the moment with my PC, and have to use my Blackberry which is a bit tedious, but keeps me intouchā¦
I will try and dig out some old portugal pics, I spent about 4 months shunting unacompanied trailers from the port at Viana de Castello to Algarve, Lisbon and Oporto,we had to show the customs what to do with the ECMT book !! It was great, getting them stamped up, to get the quota extended. I came over on the innaugural crossing from Poole and when we arrived in Portugal, there was a big celebration with fireworks. Brit European sent trailers over too. It didnāt last long though but was good while it lasted. Internals in Portugal. What a laugh. My office was the restaurant opposite the Customs compound in Oporto, canāt remember the name but can remember the food and Vinho Verde. Fantasic!!
I spent six months in the Gulf too, doing internals from Doha to the Emirates and Jordan. Not as much fun but a good experience.
Regards
GS
Not Middle East, just a little local. I donāt profess to have spent the longest on a bar either but as a recovery job, then Jogger John Roberts must deserve a medal.
He came out solo from Oldbury to recover me from Gyula when my DAF had decided to go on strike. It had actually split a conrod like a banana, no problem except it had come through the side of my block and knocked the starter motor off 
John arrived with an old 111 and a box of sandwiches to find me still smiling. I had loaded engines for izmit and they were running out. He took my trailer and I went for a ride with him, tipped and then had a tow hitch welded to my trailer. We had a bar made and returned to Gyula to the RABA dealer on the border where my truck was parked.
The next job was to reload my trailer in Hungary so we coupled the Daf to the bar and hung it on the trailer. We went back to Budapest for the loading details and eventually were given a nice light load. A nice light load of lightbulbs for RING in Leeds. from there it was an adventure, we travelled back through Czech and through Cheb as JJ didnt think Waidhaus would appreciate a 20 metre Push Me Pull You 
A nice tour through Germany but at least we had seperate rooms now instead of the 3 days we had shared a Scania cab to Istanbul and back to the poorly DAF. We did have a few strange looks but no real problems until we reached Aachen. There, a joint control with the Dutch and Germans decided that what we were doing was not quite cricket.
John used his considerable language skills to explain where we had come from and why. The BAG were quite amazed and one guy who spoke English, said to me, āI understand your problem and think you have enough problems without us. So if the Dutch man will let you past, you are free to goā. I arrived in Zeebrugge and JJ dropped me, my bar and my poorly truck off at NSF for Hull while he continued with my trailer to Dover and Leeds.
It probably doesnt go very far as the greatest tows ever but if you want a bit of fun, then try sitting 6 feet behind a tilt for 5 days with no radio, no heater and no power steering.
The final part of this tale starts when I was pulled off the Hull ferry by a dock tug and straight into the customs shed, their ears pricked up when I said I had just returned from Turkey empty 
Richie Thorne towed me from Nis,Yugoslavia.to Istanbul, Turkey. both fully loaded.
Dave.
Gavin
Yes I did see your reply your command of the arabic is most outstanding you are to be comended and will be given the order of the Sandstorm only awarded
to ME Drivers who can recite there number plate in Arabic
Roger
Hi Roger
Shukranā¦I am highly honoured !
Masallamah
GS
hello chaps i never did me but plenty european work 1st run antwerp with john dee transport ferryhill. i no loads of lads who did me job my dads neighbour for 1 frank roach ect ect . my question is can any one remember syd crowther transport ferryhill on the middle east job one of the drivers was called skippy? i have some good photos all black n white i got of frank roach when he worked for taffy davies thanks anyway mel mitchell. 
GS OVERLAND:
Iām offline at the moment with my PC, and have to use my Blackberry which is a bit tedious, but keeps me intouchā¦
Fancy that!!..laying on a beach in Barbados, checking emails on the blackberry!!!..Suppose you have a glass of the local hooch in the shade next to you and a few of the local maidens fanning you with palm leaves!!! 
Im so glad im in cold, wet, grey, cash strapped Great Britian
Wouldnt want your life mateā¦MUCH!!!
Hi Roger I think the last part of your post( he didnāt want to remember) covers it especially considering my second post. I actually got to know Maurice very well when I was doing Greece for DTās, I shared a cabin and a bottle of whisky more time than I can remember (thats the whisky). One night i decided to look in his passport, he had left in on the table while taking a shower,(not something I would normally do) and discovered that the passport office had wrongly read his date of birth by 5 years! Know what I mean? To be quite honest I liked him once you had got past the bluster and although he had been doing international for a few years more than me I could beat him on countries travelled.He was very much in the same mould as Taffy Davies.
Hi Dave Thanks for the pic I remember you, it must have been a long time ago I can see Youg Phills school satchel!
Does anyone remember the sing-songs in the Londra with Dirty ā ā ā ā ? I think he knew the first verse of every song ever written. Get a couple of Welshmen and everyone running on Effes and ā ā ā ā would start the singing hoping someone would know the second verse.mean while the Ahbiās would be lurking in the shadows trying to find something to be offended about! Great nights.
Does anyone know the true story of the 5 Lira note and the card game? I only know it second hand so if anyone knows it first hand lets hear it please.