Hi Roel
Most of the drivers you have got correct the one’s you do not know are Left to right as u missed them Charlie Norton,Kim Belcher ,And Terry Tott ,great you have read the book,we all had many stories that we could have told which could not fill a book 100 times the size of Ash’s book ,keep in Touch we may have more pics and stories to show
Roger Haywood
Roel van Ulft:
Was just wondering if any of you can help me and tell me what happenend to them and if they are actually (i hope for them) are retired. Mick Eckersley
has been doing italy full time for quite a while, apparently now ‘retiring’ to buy/run a pub 
A better more whitty bloke than Mick you could’nt wish to meet, I hope he does well in his new venture he’ll make a cracking Landlord I should think.
Fly sheet
Hi all I spoke to Frank Brandon last week and are meeting up on Saturday for a couple of bevies also spoke to Dave Chamberlian the week before. they both seem in top form.Looking forward to meeting up with both again.Rgd,s Barry Lang.
Barry … you found Frank!!!
Please ask him to ring me.
Thanks, Alison
Hi Alison Frank has none of his old number,s if you pm/email me your number i will pass it on .Bazz
Ah yes Dave Chamberlain the best thing about him was his lovely wife how she has put up with him for so long 
god only knows
last seen at Pat Seals funeral .
Roger
Alison
Have a good pic of you at the bash will post soon was so 
to see you again
Roger
Hello Roger - dont know whether you’ve seen, but I put some of my photos on Ashley’s thread “ASTRAN BOOK LAUNCH & GRAND RE-UNION PARTY!”
Does anybody no what happened to Mick Fullford,he used to do istanbul for Lawrabian Freight in the 90"s,he had Fullfreight written on his tilt with a 33oo Daf(tidy)pulling it.Ex military,from the north east somewhere.
He’s been doing a bit for Intersped I overtook him on the M6 a few weeks back he has a Renault Magnum.
Fly sheet
Thanks matey,always wondered what happened to him,had many a drunken night en route to istanbul in the 90"s,not seen or heard of him since.
Back to the top of the page we go, where this thread belongs 
Newmercman…You are absolutely right this thread does belong on the top slot.
Maybe all the Astran / Middle East drivers are all in the doldrums following the passing of Bob Paul (RIP) which is quite understandable, but I do not believe Bob would want that. Bob would want us all to be celebrating his amazing life. He certainly brought a lot of happiness into the lives of all who knew him. Apparently when Steve Goodman died, Bob opened a bottle and toasted Steve’s life and I am doing the same for Bob (RIP) and cheers to the most amazing gentleman.
So come on guys get drinking and writing, there are still so many tales to tell… 
RDF
Yes your right Bob was one great guy I remember running to Muscat one trip with Black Billy on the way out of the Emirates we came accros a non sleeper sedden strange we thought then it hit me the driver was at the border ,I decided to ring Bob, now in the no mans land there is a turning which say Hotel 50ks and a Watneys red barrel sign we hedded for the hotel and there it was .Now this is the best bit it was Christmas Day about 2pm at home ,I rang Bob at home because I remember Bob asked me for a set of Permits for a new subbie with and old Truck ,Astrans were exteemly busey at that time and loads were being given out like sweets,Bob answered and I asked him would he like me to help, ■■■■ me he said im about to Eat me Turkey ,very nice I said sve me some Christmas pudding,do what u can he said but get the trailer back its a rental.
Black billy and I went back to the Border picked up the Driver towed the Truck and trailer back to the border ,transhipped the load to my trailer changed the Manifest,I left Black billy to go on his way home I told the driver to strip the Trailer cut off the head board and get ready for me to piggy back the trailer home ,of i go back to Muscat got to Waddi Gissi and my troubles started my visa in the passport was still valid but the truck and trailer only had one invite ,if i had taken the plates from the sedden all yould have been fine , there I sat for 15 days till all the holidays in England finshed and Astrans could apply for another permit for my truck .I got an extreemy good sun tan and the Guards were most helpfull calling me to eat with them everyday.
I got going and tipped in Muscat returned to the border wher the Lazy ■■■■■■■ driver was still sat on his arse with no stripped trailer he then begg me to bar him to Greece this I did and the storie of that is on another Astran page.
The most important part of this story is when I returned home and went to see Bob Paul he presented me with a large portion of Christmass Pudding what a gent this I will never forget
Roger Haywood
Roger, absolutely bang on………
I always compared Wadi Gizzi border to Heaven……When you arrived at the gate the guy would be there to check if your name was in the book and if it wasn’t you couldn’t enter….
If this old memory serves me right, there were no phone lines at the border in the early days and all communications between the border guard and Muscat were by radio, therefore all the names and truck numbers of pending arrivals were also transmitted to the border by radio, so even if you had the clearance by the R.O.P. and Interpol, the entries in that big book were sometimes wrong due to poor translation and communication. 
Mr. Sinbin…You no doubt did lots of sucking up to the great Bob Paul, hence you being one of his favourite sub contractors. I do trust you supplied Bob’s favourite cognac to flambé the Christmas pudding.
All the very best…RDF
Reddesertfox:
Newmercman…You are absolutely right this thread does belong on the top slot.Maybe all the Astran / Middle East drivers are all in the doldrums following the passing of Bob Paul (RIP) which is quite understandable, but I do not believe Bob would want that. Bob would want us all to be celebrating his amazing life. He certainly brought a lot of happiness into the lives of all who knew him. Apparently when Steve Goodman died, Bob opened a bottle and toasted Steve’s life and I am doing the same for Bob (RIP) and cheers to the most amazing gentleman.
So come on guys get drinking and writing, there are still so many tales to tell…
Foxy, you’re also right, the remarkable achievments of you lot are a legacy of Mr Bob Paul, his life should be celebrated, his vision was responsible for the whole M/E era & now that Ashley’s book has hit the shelves perhaps a few more of you will come out of the woodwork & thrill us wannabes with your tales, I hope so
sinbin31:
Alison
Have a good pic of you at the bash will post soon was soRoger
come on Roger, wherezit?
I cant get it off the Box Brownie waiting for my son to try, pls hold your horses
Roger
sinbin31:
I cant get it off the Box Brownie waiting for my son to try, pls hold your horsesRoger
If you could fix it with the spanners, it would be done by now Roger