Astran / Middle East Drivers

[klunk_cumbria]

Another one from Iraq

Aye it could be pidgeon tower maybe someone on here might know what they are ?

[bestbooties]

rondavies:

This is the spiral minaret at Samarra.
Always got a good view of this as you passed over the road/rail bridge over the river Tigris at Samarra.
It always looked golden in the sunshine.

Check this link out:
atlastours.net/iraq/samarra.html

[wheel_nut]

klunk/■■■■■■■■
Another one from Iraq

Aye it could be pidgeon tower maybe someone on here might know what they are ?

That looks like the road looking out over the beach in Zeebrugge. I know it says Iraq so I will shut up again

[mushroomman]

[/quote]
Tony Blair never did find those weapons of mass destruction .

[mushroomman]

bestbooties:

rondavies:

This is the spiral minaret at Samarra.
Always got a good view of this as you passed over the road/rail bridge over the river Tigris at Samarra.
It always looked golden in the sunshine.

Check this link out:
atlastours.net/iraq/samarra.html

That was a very interesting link Ian but I was a bit disappointed with the ending and I was really expecting something like this.

“An appointment in Samarra”, an old story:
Death speaks: There is a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to buy provisions from the market and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me.

She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city to avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me.

The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went.
The servant rode out of the old fort and got mashed by a red 32 tonne Mercedes juggernaut belonging to Taffy Davies from Darlington .

[rondavies]

mushroomman:

bestbooties:

rondavies:

This is the spiral minaret at Samarra.
Always got a good view of this as you passed over the road/rail bridge over the river Tigris at Samarra.
It always looked golden in the sunshine.

Check this link out:
atlastours.net/iraq/samarra.html

That was a very interesting link Ian but I was a bit disappointed with the ending and I was really expecting something like this.

“An appointment in Samarra”, an old story:
Death speaks: There is a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to buy provisions from the market and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me.

She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city to avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me.

The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went.
The servant rode out of the old fort and got mashed by a red 32 tonne Mercedes juggernaut belonging to Taffy Davies from Darlington .

Brilliant!!

And ,of course, you’re all right about it being Samarra.

OK, let’s try this one then

[reddesertfox]

Urfa?

[rondavies]

Reddesertfox:
Urfa?

'fraid not, Reddesertfox. Mike Sargent pm’d me with the correct answer but that doesn’t count, does it!
Keep going…but not on that road

[rocky_7]

mushroomman:

Reddesertfox:
Steve, what you say is correct, Istanbul is one of the worlds most fascinating and amazing cities, I once went over to Buyukada (Princess Islands) It seemed a better option than just swilling Efes all day in the Londra, sadly unlike you, I was not in the company of John and Peter

Hi Red, I have no idea where Buyukada ( Princess Island ) is but I am presuming that it is an island in the Sea Of Marmara . I do know that Taci Kocman lived on an island which was about a forty minute boat ride from Istanbul and he used to commute back and forth every day.
Once when we were tipping in Istanbul Taci told us that as it was a public holiday for the next two days then we wouldn’t be able to get tipped. He asked Jimmy Smethurst if he would like to go and stay at his house on the island for the holiday and Jim said that he would go over the following day as he had parked at The Stadium and was going to drive back to The Londra where the truck and the load would have been safer. Unfortunately when Jim got up to The Laundry Camp he became involved with a big Efes Control and spent the following day with a huge hangover .
Jim, I don’t think ever got over to the island but another driver who did said it was a really nice place with the only vehicles on the island being one police car, one ambulance, a fire engine, one taxi and there were lots of donkey carts.

Regards Steve.

The LAUNDRY Camp Steve, the only washing we did there was down the throat with efes, hahaha hows it going cobber■■?

[mushroomman]

OK, let’s try this one then

[/quote]
Hi Ron, I think that we might need a clue with this one mate, the only place that I can guess is between Ankara and the Iranian border but can you just confirm that the last British truck that crossed this bridge was not one belonging to Simon International carrying a full load of welding rods .

Regards Steve.

[ashbarns]

rondavies:

mushroomman:

bestbooties:

rondavies:
OK, let’s try this one then

How about that place at the bottom of Tarsus dont know name of village but think there was a river there just before the pay booths.
Dave. R.

[rondavies]

A clue?? Errrrrmmmm. Well, it’s not in Turkey.

[rondavies]

Another story passed on to me by Mike Sargent

jack the lad.Friday, November 6, 2009 9:52 PM
hi ron. an anechdote to post if you’r interested which people may find amusing.
i was on my way back from tehran empty driving a road train,a three axle rigid with a three axle trailer.i stopped at eleskirt for a meal and asked about tahir.still a lot of snow on the road said the restaurant owner better chain up.out i went.got my only set of chains out and proceeded to fit them.after fitting them i stood back and said that went well,i’m getting to be a real pro.just then who should pull in but ruggins.allo mate,i’ve just finished chaining up,i’ll put a brew on while you fit your’s,ok.great he says.while i’m doing a brew i hear ruggins fitting his chains,then i hear him laughing fit to burst.i get out and go back to him.now he is doubled up with tears running down his face.what the hells a matter with you i say,you been smoking those afghani woodbines or what.he slowly calms down.lets have a brew then i’ll tell you he say’s chuckling.after the brew jeff looks at me and says let me go first,i don’t want to get stuck behind you halfway up.what you on about i’ve got more axle weight than you with a road train and i’m chained up.he bursts out laughing again.i know he says,look.i turned and looked at my truck all nicely chained up,at first i could’nt see anything,then it hit me.my mouth fell open and i looked at jeff.good i’nnit he said real professional job.i wanted to die.no wonder the chains went on easy,i’d only gone and put the bloody things on the bogylift axel which was 6inches off the ground. after jeff had got himself together we re fitted the chains and away we went.the whole day i suffered.every bloody time he looked at me or the truck he burst into laughter.in the evening when we stopped at erzincan and had a meal [which i had to pay for as punishment].it cost me the better part of a case of efes before jeff promised not to go around telling everyone that things were getting so bad to get drivers for M.E.that some companies were having to take on partially sighted people to do the job.a wonderful man.

---

[wheel_nut]

That’s why these threads are so amusing, of course no one would ever tell anyone 30 years later would they?

[rondavies]

rondavies:
A clue?? Errrrrmmmm. Well, it’s not in Turkey.

Do you lads want another clue? OK, don’t turn right at Ankara.

[biffo]

situation
The single arch of 17 m spans between the cliffs of the rocky gorge of the Arapgir Çayı, an affluent of the Euphrates.[2] The bridge, along with much of the Arapgir Çayı valley, has been submerged since the completion of the Keban Dam in 1975, as a result of which the water level in the Euphrates valley and some of its upstream tributaries dramatically rose.[3]

The structure belonged to the Roman road to Melitene, which was cut into the rock near the bridge at both sides of the river. Its name KaramaÄŸara (“black cave”) probably derives from an artificially widened cavern on the southern bank which was carved into the darkish rock 75 m above the structure and served for protection of the crossing point. The bridge was quite frequently mentioned by early European travellers.[4]

As with other monuments in the region, the site was examined by the Middle East Technical University of Ankara prior to its flooding.[5] Further downstream, at the village of Bahadın, the remains of another now submerged Roman bridge may indicate the existence of an older crossing point.[4]

[edit] Pointed arch

rondavies:

rondavies:
A clue?? Errrrrmmmm. Well, it’s not in Turkey.

Do you lads want another clue? OK, don’t turn right at Ankara.

I am sure this is the one Ron its up by Erzincan on way to Iran regards Biffo

[rondavies]

biffo:
situation
The single arch of 17 m spans between the cliffs of the rocky gorge of the Arapgir Çayı, an affluent of the Euphrates.[2] The bridge, along with much of the Arapgir Çayı valley, has been submerged since the completion of the Keban Dam in 1975, as a result of which the water level in the Euphrates valley and some of its upstream tributaries dramatically rose.[3]

The structure belonged to the Roman road to Melitene, which was cut into the rock near the bridge at both sides of the river. Its name KaramaÄŸara (“black cave”) probably derives from an artificially widened cavern on the southern bank which was carved into the darkish rock 75 m above the structure and served for protection of the crossing point. The bridge was quite frequently mentioned by early European travellers.[4]

As with other monuments in the region, the site was examined by the Middle East Technical University of Ankara prior to its flooding.[5] Further downstream, at the village of Bahadın, the remains of another now submerged Roman bridge may indicate the existence of an older crossing point.[4]

[edit] Pointed arch

rondavies:

rondavies:
A clue?? Errrrrmmmm. Well, it’s not in Turkey.

Do you lads want another clue? OK, don’t turn right at Ankara.

I am sure this is the one Ron its up by Erzincan on way to Iran regards Biffo

That’s a very comprehensive description, Biffo but it ain’t the right bridge. As I stated in a clue…it is not in Turkey. Please feel free to have another go.
Rgds Ron

[mushroomman]

Hi Ron, don’t turn right at Ankara , it’s not in Turkey , so could it be in Iran .

[rondavies]

mushroomman:
Hi Ron, don’t turn right at Ankara , it’s not in Turkey , so could it be in Iran .

Yep!

[mushroomman]

Anybody with a selective memory might remember this place so where was it ?.