Staying with the M/E. Back in the 70’s it was quite normal to see Brit, European and US truck drivers within what is now known as the GCC, but now everything is price based, rather than quality. Hence most of what is down here now originate from pre partitioned India.
In most cases they do not have a clue how to drive, I recently tested over 100 drivers or may be I should have said “drovers” and rejected 80%, all of which held a heavy license.
The only western drivers now, are those on the post run for the PAE Group / US military contract.
Reddesertfox:
Staying with the M/E. Back in the 70’s it was quite normal to see Brit, European and US truck drivers within what is now known as the GCC, but now everything is price based, rather than quality. Hence most of what is down here now originate from pre partitioned India.
In most cases they do not have a clue how to drive, I recently tested over 100 drivers or may be I should have said “drovers” and rejected 80%, all of which held a heavy license.
The only western drivers now, are those on the post run for the PAE Group / US military contract.
Hi Red, this isn’t one of your postmans vans is it
I took this at the docks in Muscat last year so who knows where it is now .
Steve…was it inbound or outbound Halliburton / KBR are not as strong out here as they were, I think many people wanted to know why they got the lions share of the contracts could have been down to good relationships between Bush and Cheeny…
mushroomman:
Reddesertfox:
Staying with the M/E. Back in the 70’s it was quite normal to see Brit, European and US truck drivers within what is now known as the GCC, but now everything is price based, rather than quality. Hence most of what is down here now originate from pre partitioned India.
In most cases they do not have a clue how to drive, I recently tested over 100 drivers or may be I should have said “drovers” and rejected 80%, all of which held a heavy license.
The only western drivers now, are those on the post run for the PAE Group / US military contract.
Hi Red, this isn’t one of your postmans vans is it
I took this at the docks in Muscat last year so who knows where it is now .
Hi Red, that’s what I thought was very intriguing .
There were three of them, all brand new, in Oman .
It’s a strange way to go to Basrah .
Maybe they were enroute to Karachi and then onto Afghanistan .
Or maybe they were going to somewhere a bit nearer beginning with Y and ending with N. .
There used to be a lad on here called Neal (I think), he worked in Iraq and then he went driving in Afghanistan but I am not sure if it was for Halliburton, I wonder what happened to him.
I am sure this will have been posted before but to remind you.
Friderici on route to Pakistan with some grainy footage at the Londra Parking. See if you can spot yourself on the film with backing from Carlos Santana which spoils it a bit
Friderici on route to Pakistan with some grainy footage at the Londra Parking. See if you can spot yourself on the film with backing from Carlos Santana which spoils it a bit
One for the early guys, Looking in “THE BOOK” and video`s etc when you came to a village or cross roads and thought “ok that road” you were driving down cart tracks! How the hell did you know? you must have thought " no way can this be the rite road i must turn back" I guess you could have asked a local but could you belive them? there must have been time when it WAS the wrong road! Over rivers mud tracks etc, nerves of steel guys, p.s. brilliant videos.
down in larkfield the otherday and seen an astran trailer with seymour on the front.i was told on here they had nothing to do with astran.so whats that all about
dreva:
down in larkfield the otherday and seen an astran trailer with seymour on the front.i was told on here they had nothing to do with astran.so whats that all about
I’m a bit late on this 'cos I haven’t visited lately (you know, busy busy etc etc) but from my memory I don’t believe that anyone actually did India because the border transit was impossible. (India and Pakistan hated each other even then) The hippy busses certainly did though. We should get Spardo to write some of his recllections of that time of his life!
But Pakistan was done by lots of firms and possibly the earliest was the Bosphorus Express or Simons. However without doubt the man who did the most Pakistan was a man called Ray Tor (or it might have been Tour - I only knew him but never saw his name written down) who had worked for John Ellingham at the Bosphorus and when they went ■■■■■■■ upward Ray took on the Pakistan work and did it himself. He finished before most firms even started (early 70’s) but some may remember him as ■■■■ Ray (he wasn’t, he just got the name from the work) and he did all that with a dark blue Atkinson Borderer fitted with a 8 cylinder Gardner and a roof mounted sleeping box that he made himself of Plywood. He was a big mate of Bob Paul though he never worked for Astran (there were some!). He was a very solitary man who did not join in to the great chauffer gaggles though he did sometimes stop at the Mocamp. He was always kind to me because I worked for his old boss John Ellingham and therefore was ‘part of the family’ but he strictly ran on his own and stopped seldom.
It would be nice to know if he was still with us but I think it unlikely because he was 50 ish in the 70’s.
Mickey Chinock certainly sounded like a Red Indian and there were days I recall when he behaved like one as well! But he was a very good lad who always had time to help a driver in trouble.
Me old mate take it from me Seymour Transport have never owned ,run, sold, Astran Cargo Services they maybe in the same building in Larkfield and maywell pickup the odd bit of cargo ,but thats it,if you realy want the correct lowdown contact or send Astrankev a PM or phone the office and speak to him or Jan, cheers,
David Miller:
he did all that with a dark blue Atkinson Borderer fitted with a 8 cylinder Gardner and a roof mounted sleeping box that he made himself of Plywood.
Wow! I wonder if anyone has a pic of that machine?
Common Links;
Mike Woodman
Bob Paul
Peter Carroll
Hugh Thompson
Astran was NEVER sold to Seymour Transport. Although Hugh Thompson was the original owner of Seymours, he later relinquished control to his partner Peter Carroll. Astran was sold to Peter Carroll and Hugh Thompson who bought it between themselves. Carroll later stepped down to concentrate on Seymour’s while Thompson took overall control of Astran. He is still the owner.
Astran continues to trade as normal and operates from the premises next door to Seymour’s.
Ashley asked this question and answered it himself
BTW: Where does the Seymour name come from?? It is (one of) Hugh Thompson’s middle names.
The company name is; John Seymour Transport Ltd - “Logistics Magicians”
My question; Where does the John come from in the company name? The answer to that is that in the beginning Hugh Thompson had a business partner named John
Evans Transport bought Seymour Transport and the link with Astran is purely as Landlord and Tenant.
Peter Carroll left Seymour in 2010 to concentrate on other interests but still has links to Astran.
Dreva, Go and find another lost cause worthy of your investigative prowess
meanwhile back to Astran, the Middle East (now including) Pakistan thread.
Roger, new balls please.
And for real Astran fans, here is one of the trucks
Halliburton / KBR are not as strong out here as they were, I think many people wanted to know why they got the lions share of the contracts 
.
.
