Reddesertfox:
I am also intrigued by the re-call of some of the guys who post on here and the collection of photo’s people like “mushroom man” have, all I can think is that he must have done very slow trips and thought he was a paid tourist
I bet people like Mike Walker have almost no photo’s in their albums as GS will probably confirm.
Hi Red, well I wouldn’t exactly say that I was a paid tourist but I also wasn’t expected to drive twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to make a decent wage. I did work it out in 1980 and it came to I.I.R.C. something like two quid an hour if I would of worked 24/7 so I opted to do what I called a fair days work for a fair days pay and the bosses seemed happy enough with that. Although I do remember seeing on a couple of occasions some of those guys who used to work for other transport companies whose colleagues used to brag about giving it big licks, (allegedly setting a new world record for getting to Baghdad in the fastest time) when they were parked up, sometimes with the truck on it’s side or with half a donkey stuck through the front grill.
As The Plater told me in one of his e-mails, “a lot of them were miserable gits who liked to run alone, unless they had a problem and then they didn’t mind running with other people” but having said that it always used to be every drivers prerogative to run to suit himself.
As you know Red and I have mentioned it on here before, I never went past Iraq in a truck
I know that a lot of my posts have been penned while wearing the old rose coloured glasses but I always find it hard to describe exactly what it was really like sat in a queue like the Bulgarian / Turkish border for three hours until the line moved up a couple of hundred yards but I did hope that the mention of these experiences could ignite an interest to a lot of the old guys who remember these situations only too well.
Some of the photos that I have posted recently are not mine but belong to older drivers who were going down to places like Iran and Saudi in the early seventies and I think that I have always mentioned the name of the driver who the photos belongs to. I have asked them to put THEIR stories on here themselves but they have refused preferring to enjoy seeing other drivers photos and reading about other drivers stories. Unfortunately some of these older middle east drivers who retired years ago do struggle with technology and find it a bit of a battle to put their anecdotes on here, so their stories are going to be lost forever.
I.M.H.O. if I couldn’t stop for two minutes to take a photo then I was either doing the job wrong or the wrong job.
Regards Steve.
Steve, all joking apart, when I see the collection of photo’s others have, there are times I wish I had taken more.
I will be in RSA for Ramadan and as it will be winter there, it will give me the chance to get into the old albums and do some scanning, until I get this done, I suppose we will have to rely on the great contribution from the likes of you and others.
brenics77:
would that be the one that blew up just over the water?
If I remember rightly from ‘the book’ it was the Guy that blew up on it’s maiden voyage.
Ross.
Mike Sargent did three trips to Kuwait for Astran with this!!
Hi Ron
Mike was some hero to drive that old shed, he has my utmost admiration. I consider it is not important how many trips people did but rather the conditions they underwent to achieve what they did.
I have a picture of an old Atkinson that was driven down to Doha, albeit not by me.
I will dig it out when I get to RSA and post it.
The picture I plan to post was taken at an old watering hole between Hofuf and the border.
Reddesertfox:
I consider it is not important how many trips people did but rather the conditions they underwent to achieve what they did.
All the very best…RDF
That sums it up really, the whole thing of going to the M/E is an achievement in itself, even today with modern highways and bypasses it’s still not a job for the fainthearted, dealing with borders and the many different cultures you encounter along the way.
Not taking anything away from those that followed, as I’ve said many times, anyone who did the M/E has achieved the ultimate in lorry driving terms, but the real heroes were the 1st generation, the ones that went down with a day cab Guy/Atki/whatever with 50 quid, half a dozen rounds of cheese and pickle sarnies and 4 packs of Senior Service in their pockets, that was a real hard job, not like the Astran primadonnas with their bone china teapots and big Scanias
Tell you what fellas after reading this thread since the beginning about the exploits,the conditions you worked in,the motors you drove,my admiration goes out to you.this applys to you all astran or whoever.Real guts were needed and i doubt weather i could have done it.
regards dave.
Re: Gaydon, Sunday- what an absolute disaster and disappointment, my son took me and we were hesitant about going and finally made the wrong decision, what about you Roger ? I tried to sort you out to no avail just to see the ‘T’ shirt, I had a look around the Astran Scanny thinking that you may have been on your own territory although there were a lot of ex Jockeys there -
I reckon you took shelter somewhere, we arrived about 1230 stayed till about 14.30 then went down the cross road for a nosh, I was so surprised that the show was so crowded and the vehs: on show were a much of a muchness and taking the weather into consideration I think I was glad to get home - There is nothing like a good moan , Regards to all Fred
philipmceveley:
Dreva,why are you so bitter about Astran,maybe cos you would never in a million years get on there,or my view is your some little prick that keeps poppin up from your little Harem in islammabad/bradford.Keep stackin them shelves,Britain needs U
you another hero who was to young to do it or had it by miracle just finished before you got a chance and to put the record straight im from kent not a northern lad and phirip at least i have the balls to put on which part of the country im from you knob
Reddesertfox:
I consider it is not important how many trips people did but rather the conditions they underwent to achieve what they did.
All the very best…RDF
That sums it up really, the whole thing of going to the M/E is an achievement in itself, even today with modern highways and bypasses it’s still not a job for the fainthearted, dealing with borders and the many different cultures you encounter along the way.
Not taking anything away from those that followed, as I’ve said many times, anyone who did the M/E has achieved the ultimate in lorry driving terms, but the real heroes were the 1st generation, the ones that went down with a day cab Guy/Atki/whatever with 50 quid, half a dozen rounds of cheese and pickle sarnies and 4 packs of Senior Service in their pockets, that was a real hard job, not like the Astran primadonnas with their bone china teapots and big Scanias
Oh dear
What has this come to something That started out as a great thread with some good stories ans pics has now turned into a playground argument. WTF does it matter who you did the job for or even did it at all. The whole point of this is that people with a common interest in mid east, long haul work etc can read and enjoy the stories and pics and remember or learn from them and have a laugh at some. So stop the kin bickering and lets get back to the good stuff.
Hi all.As Ron says i did indeed plod down to Kuwait in the old erf at a magnificent top speed of 46mph.Ok maybe i was one can short of a six pack to go in that but in the early 70s there were lots of worse trucks on the road.I at least had a full size sleeper,and having only paid £1000 for it and getting about £6000 per trip i could afford to go slow.The money i made on those trips enabled me to buy a nice used f88 so it was worth it.Also the advantage in the early days was that you could fix most things with a hammer,and otherwise the turks or arabs could fabricate the neccessary parts so life was easier in a lot of ways.
Plus being young,i think that most of the guys had a bit of the Marco Polo mentality,jump in and see what happens.Nowadays you need a computer degree to change a bulb[thats if Health and safety will let you]Take care.Mike
hutpik:
Hi all.As Ron says i did indeed plod down to Kuwait in the old erf at a magnificent top speed of 46mph.Ok maybe i was one can short of a six pack to go in that but in the early 70s there were lots of worse trucks on the road.I at least had a full size sleeper,and having only paid £1000 for it and getting about £6000 per trip i could afford to go slow.The money i made on those trips enabled me to buy a nice used f88 so it was worth it.Also the advantage in the early days was that you could fix most things with a hammer,and otherwise the turks or arabs could fabricate the neccessary parts so life was easier in a lot of ways.
Plus being young,i think that most of the guys had a bit of the Marco Polo mentality,jump in and see what happens.Nowadays you need a computer degree to change a bulb[thats if Health and safety will let you]Take care.Mike
So how did it feel to set off into the unknown for the first time?
I remember feeling a bit daunted on my first trip over the water, that was in the mid 80s and things were a lot more civilised then, although we still changed our own bulbs
hutpik:
Hi all.As Ron says i did indeed plod down to Kuwait in the old erf at a magnificent top speed of 46mph.Ok maybe i was one can short of a six pack to go in that but in the early 70s there were lots of worse trucks on the road.I at least had a full size sleeper,and having only paid £1000 for it and getting about £6000 per trip i could afford to go slow.The money i made on those trips enabled me to buy a nice used f88 so it was worth it.Also the advantage in the early days was that you could fix most things with a hammer,and otherwise the turks or arabs could fabricate the neccessary parts so life was easier in a lot of ways.
Plus being young,i think that most of the guys had a bit of the Marco Polo mentality,jump in and see what happens.Nowadays you need a computer degree to change a bulb[thats if Health and safety will let you]Take care.Mike
Mike, this post needs you to post and post pics for about 20 pages to get it back on track! Give us a tale about your 1st trip in the old girl, the longer the better , cheers John
hutpik:
Hi all.As Ron says i did indeed plod down to Kuwait in the old erf at a magnificent top speed of 46mph.Ok maybe i was one can short of a six pack to go in that but in the early 70s there were lots of worse trucks on the road.I at least had a full size sleeper,and having only paid £1000 for it and getting about £6000 per trip i could afford to go slow.The money i made on those trips enabled me to buy a nice used f88 so it was worth it.Also the advantage in the early days was that you could fix most things with a hammer,and otherwise the turks or arabs could fabricate the neccessary parts so life was easier in a lot of ways.
Plus being young,i think that most of the guys had a bit of the Marco Polo mentality,jump in and see what happens.Nowadays you need a computer degree to change a bulb[thats if Health and safety will let you]Take care.Mike
pics and a story would be nice and yes you must have been mad to do that in an erf
Yes mate I was there ,had the wife and my stepson with me left about 2.30 pm ,was in with Gordon Pearce and Ashley for a while ,I wanted some pics but Gordon had to take a rest, as he is not so well, Ash was gutted about the T Shirt ,and he wants one ,will put it on here just for show , I might get a few made up for Gaydon next year ,and make up a stall with other gear I have in mind ,all proffits will go to HELP THE HEROES, I am in contact with a couple of lads who have served it the latest conflicts ,so might get them to come along with there families,if they are arround ,so folks please dont ask for a T -Shirt you might get a better one next year ,
PRICK (dreva)this will be the last time i respond to your dribble,but people who know me know where i"m from,and i dont recall you ever asking my location,but anyway living in bradford i aint surprised that you have nout else to do but to try an ■■■■ people off.You have been told on a number of occasions by different M/E legends to stop dribbleing your ■■■■■ and get a life,so what part of that dont you understand,you shelf stacking KNOB…Would love to meet you somwhere en route in some far flung ■■■■■■■■ being Russia etc and M/E just to see if you would be still as hostile towards people you no nout about…I THINK NOT…heard it all before,.it would be like havin a 18 meter draw bar in tow/GLUE…HAPPY DAYS
Hi Phil, Hope this finds you well. I am surprised that you allow the shelf stacker to wind you up. He has obviously not read your previous posts or seen your photo’s on this forum, We’ll have to get Ritchie to take him out for a drink lol.
Regards Jamie
Reddesertfox:
I consider it is not important how many trips people did but rather the conditions they underwent to achieve what they did.
All the very best…RDF
not like the Astran primadonnas with their bone china teapots and big Scanias
Hi Newmercman, I trust all is well with you.
I consider that in many ways the drivers who got into M/E transport in more recent years, have equally as much to contend with but in different ways, despite as you say “their bone china teapots and big Scania’s’ / better vehicles.
At the end of the day whether it is Astran, or others, most drivers have done the job for various reasons;
Maybe they have considered it to be a way of making more money than they could on other runs, possibly a greater challenge in life, possibly the freedom, possibly escapism, who knows what the reasons are.
Is the job easier now, maybe / maybe not……… In the old days it was quite easy to blag your way out of trouble, due to the lack of education in the Middle East, however things have changed, the Arabs have got smarter, and with that, more hassle has come with the Job.
With this in mind let us not take away the credit from any of these drivers, new or old they have still achieved the ultimate in driving, so far as I am concerned.
Mike (hutpik) I did’nt see your Erf only that red 88 you had, me I had that new Scania 111 and they’d only just been out a few months so it was luxury in those days but as you say there were drivers mainly O/D’s with some fairly primitive equipement running to the M/E. One lad who lived near me in Buckingham was running to Iran and Iraq with a non sleeper A series Erf which kept popping windscreens and running back with me through Yugo lost the back window as well so had a straight through draft and I met a driver for a company in Witney who was on his way back from Tehran with a non sleeper Guy Big J.
The trouble was these trucks would’nt stand up to more than a couple of trips before it became uneconomic to keep repairing them.
I consider it is not important how many trips people did but rather the conditions they underwent to achieve what they did. 
