Wheel Nut:
jsutherland:
I was wondering if Dave Mackie would be kind enough to write briefly where the pictures he posted were taken for the chaps like me who have never made it out of Europe…Johnny
Dave Mackie has a brilliant website with pictures from all over Europe and beyond, with some descriptions.
Thanks Wheel Nut. You’re right - it is a great site. I’m sure there are many a story behind most of the pictures.
Johnny
Looks like nothings changed in Saudi then, still a full strip out ,whats the point when the Trucks are in Transit ,this is what the Sun does shrinks the brain ,and as they have nothing better to do ,suppose we have to let em get on with it ,I remember King Kallifi of Saudi back in the late 70s had a big sign up saying Saudi Arabia the Land of Achievement ,I wonder when it will come about 
over 40 years gone by and I bet the sign is still there
Hi Steve, no mate its not the same guy Ash only drives in the UK, but the name u mention seems to ring a bell somewhere
got to rack my brains on this one.Im not sure but I think he was in with Graham Hills sett up just befor he was killed with another young driver in his plane the young driver was local to me and he had a garage in Dartford ,with a large fleet of vehicle hire his name was Tony Brise,if I remember
Roger
I watched that jingley strip down them pallets of blocks, the cheif picked out about 6 random pallets of blocks, the jingley then picked up each and every block, let it drop and smash , had a look then carried on to the next block, every one he smashed, the cheif came back, okayed the load, along came a bobcat, loaded the smashed blocks into a tipper, to be taken out to the desert to be dumped, driver then secured the rest and he was on his way, 200ft away was there working x ray machine…>Ps there is also a big sign up saying, dont take pictures!
sinbin31:
Looks like nothings changed in Saudi then, still a full strip out ,whats the point when the Trucks are in Transit ,this is what the Sun does shrinks the brain ,and as they have nothing better to do ,suppose we have to let em get on with it ,I remember King Kallifi of Saudi back in the late 70s had a big sign up saying Saudi Arabia the Land of Achievement ,I wonder when it will come aboutThere has actually been a lot of progress and achievements made in Saudi, in fact they pretty much control their own affairs with regard to business and National security, hence the septic tanks (yanks) not being there.
As many on this site will know truck drivers (European, Turks and Arab) have pulled some naughty stuff over the years with regard to smuggling booze and drugs into Saudi, even when in transit. (even injecting oranges with vodka)
Now of course with the continued threat of terrorism, the Saudi’s like the rest of the world have greater concerns to contend with. If stripping transit vehicles is what it takes to keep safe, so be it.
For the record, try applying for employment in any of the GCC states, unless you have a MBA, you will not even get considered for a management job.
What is the story behind this trailer?
Wheel Nut:
What is the story behind this trailer?
Hi
There’s a black & white photo of that motor in Ash’s book, its a Swiss subbie who worked for Astran…
Jerry
BEREAVEMENT - I am sad and sorry to inform the older M/E Drivers (With Respect) that a good old mate of mine Micky Bryan ex; White Trux, Concorde and Top Hat passed away this morning (Friday) — I was so shocked when I got a phone call from Bobby Power (Concorde) I have fond memories of Mick, he was an ardent drinker and when he had only four drink he completely lost all co-ordination and could only walk on one leg and he kept going around in a circles - So funny, the times that I have taken him back to his truck, A fond memory of a valued old mate - RIP Mick
FRESHIR sorry to hear about your friend and i guess plenty on this site new him R.I.P.
Guys, on the middle east run was pakistan seen as the Daddy? i know something about turn right for saudi and left for afghanistan guess that must have been in turkey? Was Pakistan classed as the middle east, and one more question, did anyone get as far as india. Thanks guys
brenics77:
FRESHIR sorry to hear about your friend and i guess plenty on this site new him R.I.P.Guys, on the middle east run was pakistan seen as the Daddy? i know something about turn right for saudi and left for afghanistan guess that must have been in turkey? Was Pakistan classed as the middle east, and one more question, did anyone get as far as india. Thanks guys
freshir wrote :- It was a topic of conversation when the outbound lads had a powwow with the homebound lads - The question was often raised " Are you going left or right" as soon after Ankara it was left for Iran and Pakistan and right for Syria - Saudi - Gulf States, I have never been further that Teheran and UAE so I cannot comment on Pakistan but I am sure some of the lads reading your post will answer your question, I would also like to hear their comments too, interesting point that one. Regards Fred
cheers fred, you say ive (you have) never been past… bloody hell mate you did plenty! ive done a bit but how did you plan? buy food for a wek 2 weeks? 3? maps etc. what did you use? any pics . thanks for the reply . brenics77
brenics77:
FRESHIR sorry to hear about your friend and i guess plenty on this site new him R.I.P.Was Pakistan classed as the middle east, and one more question, did anyone get as far as india. Thanks guys
A retired member Spardo took a hippy tour bus to India I think, not sure who else did.
Coffeeholic:
BondiTram:
Just reminiscing Bear. By the way if you’re a Mid East fan must talk one day about my trip to India with a 1956 AEC Regent coach!Salut, David.
David
I don’t think I would be alone in saying I would love to hear about that trip. Why not write it up and post it on here, after all this forum is for Europe and beyond and India would qualify as beyond.
Regards
Neil
easy wheel nut! if it dont have astrans/middle east / truck/ you will be hog tied and set on fire! all jokes apart , india anyone? and pakistan i no was a trip so anyone do it?
Brenics77
Yep bin there did it two times not on deisel, but on parrafin at 30,000 ft
Roger
sinbin31:
Yep bin there did it two times not on deisel, but on parrafin at 30,000 ftRoger
india?
brenics77:
cheers fred, you say ive (you have) never been past… bloody hell mate you did plenty! ive done a bit but how did you plan? buy food for a wek 2 weeks? 3? maps etc. what did you use? any pics . thanks for the reply . brenics77
Hi Brenics77 - I don’t know your background but I appreciate your interest on M/E operations, your questions are often brought up and it is in my experience an undying subject that can hold an audience for hours I do not know of any job that attracts so much interest, so I would suggest that you obtain ‘THE BOOK’ = “The Long Haul Pioneers” this is a terrific account from A to Z by experienced jockey’s who have been there got the ‘T’ shirt, I personally have read it twice, Hope this bit of info answers your interest - Cheers Pal - Regards Fred
Forgot to mention = I have been along West India dock road a few times, does that count ■■
I know Simon International did Pakstan,unfortunately I did not do it when I was on for them.
I know there was a discussion on here some time ago about a Stoke firm,Thor,Comart? who loaded for India,but found on arrival at the border from Pakistan they were not able to enter India and had to tranship the loads.
I’ve been advised to ask Bunchy as he would know about it,but I haven’t seen him for quite some time.
bestbooties:
I know Simon International did Pakstan,unfortunately I did not do it when I was on for them.
I know there was a discussion on here some time ago about a Stoke firm,Thor,Comart? who loaded for India,but found on arrival at the border from Pakistan they were not able to enter India and had to tranship the loads.
I’ve been advised to ask Bunchy as he would know about it,but I haven’t seen him for quite some time.
phil is recently out of hospital after having a pacemaker fitted so that maybe why you haven’t seen him .it was thor transport that did the trip you mention and as you say they got as far as the border then it had to be transshipped . Steve will fill in the rest when he reads this 
Freshir your rite about the book! brilliant. that poor extended cab 141 on fire, so sad, Only link i have with middle east is my uncle drove for Daysons but uk only back in the 80s, i did a few weeks with him and have plenty of pics of the scania 111 he drove, they did the middle east as you know then put the older trucks on uk work, as for me, 6 yrs for Dukes 2 yrs for a Dutch firm and 6mths driving in NZ on the b-trains and quads for Brenics. 20 yrs trucking all in. Thanks for all your posts guys. us Young ens love what you did.
brenics77:
FRESHIR sorry to hear about your friend and i guess plenty on this site new him R.I.P.Guys, on the middle east run was pakistan seen as the Daddy? i know something about turn right for saudi and left for afghanistan guess that must have been in turkey? Was Pakistan classed as the middle east, and one more question, did anyone get as far as india. Thanks guys
Astran did a couple or three trips to Pakistan, but found Iran was more profitable. But even before they started, one John Williams went there in 1969 or very early 1970 in a Volvo F88 for Eurasia Transport, Long Buckby near Northampton. He delivered to Rawalpindi. Was he the first to go that far? I’m not sure but maybe someone can put me/us right…
There was also Birdale International from Maidstone (Eric Birdale) who went there (I have a pic of their Scania 140 parked at railway station) Anyone else do it?
the flying foden:
bestbooties:
I know Simon International did Pakstan,unfortunately I did not do it when I was on for them.
I know there was a discussion on here some time ago about a Stoke firm,Thor,Comart? who loaded for India,but found on arrival at the border from Pakistan they were not able to enter India and had to tranship the loads.
I’ve been advised to ask Bunchy as he would know about it,but I haven’t seen him for quite some time.phil is recently out of hospital after having a pacemaker fitted so that maybe why you haven’t seen him .it was thor transport that did the trip you mention and as you say they got as far as the border then it had to be transshipped . Steve will fill in the rest when he reads this
Hi Jeff, I hope that you are well and that you are looking after Phil, have you heard anything from Alan 
.
As you might know I met up with Alan last year at the Dow reunion but the night happened to fly by that fast that I forgot to ask him about his trip to India in the 70’s 
. I think that I have mentioned it on this thread before and somebody else did ask about six months ago if anybody ever drove a truck to India and I thought well if he starts reading this thread from page one he might find the answer .
According to Alan Morrey and anybody who met Alan would agree with me that Alan never dished out the bullpoo, that sometime in the seventies Alan and another lad who I think was called Les Parkinson who worked for Thor Transport in Stoke on Trent, took twenty ton of copper to India. Alan told me this while we were sitting in a queue at Kapicule sometime in the eighties and I now wish that I would of payed more attention but he did say that they drove through The Kyber Pass and that all the British regiments that had been stationed there had all carved their regimental coat of arms into the sandstone cliffs. Also while they were travelling through, I think that he said Afghanistan they had to park up because of a terrific sandstorm which blew the roof off the trailer.
I hope that The Flying Foden will confirm that the other driver was Les Parkinson.
I was telling a mate of mine called Ken Singleton about when I got stuck for two days trying to cross The Fish River in South West Africa back in the seventies and he told me that his mate Ken Corrigan once got stuck crossing a river in Pakistan for two days. This was before I ever met Ken Corrigan so come on Corrigan did you ever go to Pakistan and did you get stuck in a river or was Singo pulling my leg all those years ago 
. Maybe John Roberts can ask Ken the next time that they go for a pint 
.
Your dead right Wheel Nut, Spardo ( David Marker) did drive a coach to India on the Hippy Trail back in the sixties although I don’t know how many times he did that. What I found really interesting about him was that he also drove cattle Road Trains for Noel Buntine in the Northern Territory in Australia when it was all dirt roads from Katherine to Wyndham in Western Australia. I do know that the last time that I e-mailed David he was writing a book but that must of been about two years ago. I hope that he is O.K. as he had some very good experiences to share with us.
Regards Steve.
