sinbin31:
FlysheetHow could you. Brinor pls the German who started Brinor coppied the colours of Astrans I feel insulted now
Roger Haywood
Only jesting Roger hope your keeping well Squire.
Fly sheet
well responded Roger, nothing like a good wind-up - one I owe you - see you at the Grenze
freshir
Is that the grenz in the clouds do u need a Permit for that place I have been good realy ,and Flysheet I’m good TYVM and yourself ,may have a trip to Saudi and Doha for two weeks they want to learn how to play Rugby will go if the money is ok may make me famous ,but I am that already 
Roger Haywood
sinbin31:
freshirIs that the grenz in the clouds do u need a Permit for that place I have been good realy ,and Flysheet I’m good TYVM and yourself ,may have a trip to Saudi and Doha for two weeks they want to learn how to play Rugby will go if the money is ok may make me famous ,but I am that already
Roger Haywood
You will need more than two hundred Marlboro for a baksheesh to get through that border Roger .
Roger,
make sure all the seals on the trailer and belly tank are ok, you don’t want to have to back onto the bank before you go through the pearly gates.
Hello Roger,
Good to see your trying to get some life back in this thread.
I’m midway through a painting at the moment, not Astran related, then I’ll be starting my next project, Your Volvo, along side Mark Stewarts 141…
Here’s a few to brighten up the thread
KJN671P, Driven by Charlie Norton, met Charlie at Ash’s book launch, the writing on the front says Desert Tramp, he had it put on , down in Doha
WHJ194S, Frank Hooks , motor, parked at Addington
A bit of artistic license here, dont know if R A Robinson ever went abroad, or to the M/E but i stuck it in the background anyway
Tony Soameson’s Scania, ( Poxtrans) parked at the Harem, another made up painting, the transcon in the foreground is Ian Taylors ( Bestbooties )
Chris Hoopers Transcon, painted this years ago, with hindsight it would have been better with the super singles on the front axle, but I got the initial idea from a photo of the truck before he had them fitted…
The Astran collage i did for Ash’s book
Jerry
Thank you Jerry will look forward to that thought you had forgotton when I spoke to you at the book launch ,just on queery I always thought the steps to Bob Pauls cabin were on the right as you look at the cabin or were there two sets one either end I cant remember ,dont realy matter now ,happy painting
Roger Haywood
Great to see this thread getting another lift, look forward to seeing some fresh pics and hearing some tales from our newer contributors!! 
A question for the ex owner drivers / subbies for Astran, did you approach Astran about subbing or did they contact you?? Was it reccomendation from other drivers already on the run?
Was there a sort of interview or did you just turn up with your passports full of stamps as proof of experience?
And how did you all get your first breaks on the M/E run? Even the O/D`s still running down that way today must have done their first trip with or for somebody else!!
Lets keep the thread going chaps and look forward to reading the replies.
Truckartist
Terrific skill - very gifted - I would appreciate your skills because I could not even draw a blank - I will try to educate myself into transferring some pic,s from my albums - Fred H
I dont really wish to raise this point big time but some pages back someone raised a point about the spelling of Quatar - can any one who has done our job believe that a person cannot spell Cataah - yeah rite !!
klunk/■■■■■■■■
I met Brian Robertson on the shuttle on friday some of you m/e men will know him i also took a picture but i am havein problems with my photo bucket at the moment.
He is not a Astan man but he has been a long time on Davis Turner.
I put him in the direction of this site as there will be a few names he might recognise.
So Brian if you get on this site say hello and dig some photos out .
Klunk
hi ya klunk, i have found loads of photos , will try and scan them , but i cant figure out how to put them on this site ,Brian,
Hia Brian and WELLCOME to trucknet, 
i bet theres a few names on here that you recognise,
There is an easy way to upload photos direct on to this site and i am sure you will be directed to the (how to do it bit).
Get them scanned and on here Brian 
I,M busy at the mom but will be on later if i have a signal.
Klunk.
And that will be Mick Prigg’s Trans UK Fiat second from left then…
Smashing pictures though.
sinbin31:
Sorry to be picky but isnt this the ASTRAN MIDDLE EAST DRIVERS THREAD seems to have drifted away to other things ,dont remember George the Pole having anything to do with Astran I know what he did do and it was’nt work to the ME.Roger Haywood
When I first read your post Roger, I thought you were suggesting that George hadn’t done ME work but I think I misinterpreted what you had written. So, go on, I’m now slightly inquisitive about what you ‘didn’t’ tell us. Not that I was any great fan of his…he didn’t do me any favours!
bullitt:
And how did you all get your first breaks on the M/E run? Even the O/D`s still running down that way today must have done their first trip with or for somebody else!!
I personally got my first break to do middle east work because the firm I was driving for (Howells & Reavels) went bust but I remember a couple of ex H&R drivers coming into the yard one time and spouting off destinations like Baghdad & Kuwait etc. which I remembered so when the firm folded I went along to Simon’s yard and managed to get a start with them. They gave me a “quicky” down to Istanbul for my first trip to test me out.
freshir:
I appreciated your comments, I put a lot of thought into my remarks before posting as I certainly did not want to offend anyone and surely not RH, i decided to proceed to the sinbin but it was over flowing - Lets all pull in the same direction, there’s plenty more interesting experiences to be heard and a lot of old jockeys out there sitting back with the wife in charge of the lap-top and not being able to air there stories, there’s a hint there ladies - Get the old man a lap-top for xmas - I will say this that I agree with RH that there is a lot of non M/E remarks infiltrating the forum -lets get back to reality - good luck - regards
hi fred that is not the same lap- top u won from the hewlett packard contract (chris grad `s pride and joy) when we where back loading out of holland, opps 1 over on the manifest, thats handy, u bad boy.
sinbin31:
Sorry to be picky but isnt this the ASTRAN MIDDLE EAST DRIVERS THREAD
■■■■■! You forgot the / between ASTRAN and MIDDLE EAST - apparently (though I was in short trousers so wouldn’t remember) a few other firms went down there too 
I have just finished the book “The long haul pioneers” verdict = Absolutely brilliant = well done Ashley, the memories came flooding back with names and places - The book was a complete suprise when I got it, My son took me to Gaydon on a suprise Fathers day treat and I thoroughly enjoyed it and when I was distracted he went into the Hall and purchased the book, I think it would be a good idea on these occasions for ex M/E jockeys to wear Londra ‘T’ shirts, a puzzle ring, clogs (Tiher toppers) and four days growth and carry a brief case and then we would probably recognise everyone, perhaps next year we could all bring tins with no labels on and meet on the car park and have a reunion with a ‘Camion stew’ Regards to all, Fred H
jj72:
sinbin31:
Sorry to be picky but isnt this the ASTRAN MIDDLE EAST DRIVERS THREAD■■■■■! You forgot the / between ASTRAN and MIDDLE EAST - apparently (though I was in short trousers so wouldn’t remember) a few other firms went down there too
Yes, I’m afraid Roger made a mess of that gear change, figuratively speaking. Being “picky” (or ‘fault-finding’ in my thesaurus) and then forgets the all important “forward ■■■■■” in the same sentence! Still, he came back saying it was only a wind-up. Do you believe him?