Born Idle:
There used to a great transport café on the left hand side of the A34 going south from Kidsgrove towards Newcastle U-L but I can’t for the life of me remember the name. They used to have a couple of very old one armed bandits in there and the dinners were huge! It went in about 1991 I think? Also there was a good one on the Macclesfield - Leek road quite near Rudyard Lake…it’s a housing estate now!
Lodge cafe on the a34, long gone and houses now.
Lodge Café…thank you. My memory isn’t what it used to be before I…er…bought some shoes!
Born Idle:
There used to a great transport café on the left hand side of the A34 going south from Kidsgrove towards Newcastle U-L but I can’t for the life of me remember the name. They used to have a couple of very old one armed bandits in there and the dinners were huge! It went in about 1991 I think? Also there was a good one on the Macclesfield - Leek road quite near Rudyard Lake…it’s a housing estate now!
Born Idle:
There used to a great transport café on the left hand side of the A34 going south from Kidsgrove towards Newcastle U-L but I can’t for the life of me remember the name. They used to have a couple of very old one armed bandits in there and the dinners were huge! It went in about 1991 I think? Also there was a good one on the Macclesfield - Leek road quite near Rudyard Lake…it’s a housing estate now!
Lodge cafe on the a34, long gone and houses now.
Sometimes known as Bob Manley’s.
Also on the A34 north was the Durose, and the Mousetrap at Talke crossroads.
South of Titensor was The Silver Birch.
nodding donkey:
Smokey Joes in Cirencester has finally closed as well. …
was that the one near the industrial estates,you drive into a car park and it was behind you,well I say car park more like disused land
No mate it was off the r/bout were the rd split for Swindon/Chippenham.A small park with limited services except smokies.I found it a bit pricey and a good few walked just dow the rd to sainsburysl[I think]to eat.Never the less its another parking area gone.
regards dave
m.a.n rules:
the happy hour café at bassets pole on the a38 just north of brum, now a maccy d.
also a little further down the 38 towards brum is the drome café still open food not to bad but crap for parking.
Do you remember, just a bit further down the road, the Allen End Cafe - where Paul Archer’s yard is now?
The ‘well endowed’ young lady behind the counter with her top split nearly down to her navel…
(and that must be the best part of forty years ago!!!)
nodding donkey:
Smokey Joes in Cirencester has finally closed as well. …
was that the one near the industrial estates,you drive into a car park and it was behind you,well I say car park more like disused land
No mate it was off the r/bout were the rd split for Swindon/Chippenham.A small park with limited services except smokies.I found it a bit pricey and a good few walked just dow the rd to sainsburysl[I think]to eat.Never the less its another parking area gone.
regards dave
Thought it was known as “Greasy Joe"s” and Tescos was within walking distance.
m.a.n rules:
the happy hour café at bassets pole on the a38 just north of brum, now a maccy d.
also a little further down the 38 towards brum is the drome café still open food not to bad but crap for parking.
Do you remember, just a bit further down the road, the Allen End Cafe - where Paul Archer’s yard is now?
The ‘well endowed’ young lady behind the counter with her top split nearly down to her navel…
(and that must be the best part of forty years ago!!!)
Steve
Yes I remember the Allen End, and the lady! I only went in the Happy Hour once to use the loo and have a cuppa, saw the state of the toilets and didn’t bother staying for a brew! Used The Tree at Alrewas occasionally to kill time, that wasn’t bad.
m.a.n rules:
the happy hour café at bassets pole on the a38 just north of brum, now a maccy d.
also a little further down the 38 towards brum is the drome café still open food not to bad but crap for parking.
Do you remember, just a bit further down the road, the Allen End Cafe - where Paul Archer’s yard is now?
The ‘well endowed’ young lady behind the counter with her top split nearly down to her navel…
(and that must be the best part of forty years ago!!!)
Steve
Gavin used to refer to that place as “■■■■ on the hill café”
nodding donkey:
Smokey Joes in Cirencester has finally closed as well. …
was that the one near the industrial estates,you drive into a car park and it was behind you,well I say car park more like disused land
No mate it was off the r/bout were the rd split for Swindon/Chippenham.A small park with limited services except smokies.I found it a bit pricey and a good few walked just dow the rd to sainsburysl[I think]to eat.Never the less its another parking area gone.
regards dave
Thought it was known as “Greasy Joe"s” and Tescos was within walking distance.
I think you might be right there mate.I stand corrected.
regards dave.
yes i remember goin with my father in the wagon wen i was youngster,thames trader 6 wheeler rigid,long distance,no heaters,army coat over me wrapped up,the best lorry my father had was a ERF 8 wheller rigid 150 gardner mainly china clay from ponts mill st,Blazey cornwall to Hull,& return load of fertilizer to Devon area,all i lived on wen goin in transport caffs were sausage sandwhiches,my father tried to pick the good digs for the nite,“,anyone remember Pats cafe at Plympton,nr Plymouth.i remember we had alot of drops in the cornwall area,we ran out of time to load the china clay at st,Blazy,so we stopped at Tom"s Redruth for the nite.next mornin up early for our load of china clay on route to Hull.” Norman croad,Torquay"
Salt box is still there but a bit more directed as general diners as apossed to Lorry drivers. My dad tells me drivers used used to make big detours to go there back in the day!!!
Did anyone know Shuthonger cafe Tewskbury,wen driving for Harris & Miners of Devon,he used to put us up on Sat nite coming back from scotch run,then sun mornin run in the yard to tranship loads etc,the pub is still there,down road on the right hand side,2 of Harris & Miners drivers used to play darts for the Tues nite Leauge,Norman Croad,Torquay,Devon.
m.a.n rules:
the happy hour café at bassets pole on the a38 just north of brum, now a maccy d.
also a little further down the 38 towards brum is the drome café still open food not to bad but crap for parking.
Do you remember, just a bit further down the road, the Allen End Cafe - where Paul Archer’s yard is now?
The ‘well endowed’ young lady behind the counter with her top split nearly down to her navel…
(and that must be the best part of forty years ago!!!)
Steve
Yes I remember the Allen End, and the lady! I only went in the Happy Hour once to use the loo and have a cuppa, saw the state of the toilets and didn’t bother staying for a brew! Used The Tree at Alrewas occasionally to kill time, that wasn’t bad.
Pete.
I used to stop at the Tree cafe on a sunday nite,wen driving for Harris & miners,Devon,ending up North East,good Labour club down the road,i see the Oakamoor is still going!!Norman Croad,Torquay,Devon.
I would say for best grub ive had wen 28yrs in the days of driving,was Silver Link cafe,Kincardine Bridge,Now Gone!!B/fast>4 sausages,2 eggs,beans,2 toast,help yrself to tea,I always used to stop there wen finished loading paper at Tullis Russell paper Mills,Markinch,Fife. Sadley the Mill is shut.My friend Ken Sims,Who drove for Harris & Miners of Devon,lived in Kings Kettle,Fife. ken worked out of Tullis Russell paper Mill all the time…Norman Croad,Torquay,Devon.
red7jase:
Salt box is still there but a bit more directed as general diners as apossed to Lorry drivers. My dad tells me drivers used used to make big detours to go there back in the day!!!
Going past the junc.at the saltbox,what was the café called set back from the rd on the left,been shut yrs.
Juddian:
Yes, sad loss the old Granada services transport cafes, i was a regular at the Hilton Park one till it shut, not so long ago either…i wrote a stiff letter of protest to Moto boss about the closures but don’t recall a reply.
The old Lymm transport cafe stands out in my mind as a young 21/22 year old driver, Dennis the now long dead and much missed chap who taught me about lorrying on my first artic job took me in there, good breakfast and very good looking girl behind the counter in seamed stockings, those really were the best days in lorry driving.
seamed stockings,OH YES [on women only though,lol]
6LX:
yes i remember goin with my father in the wagon wen i was youngster,thames trader 6 wheeler rigid,long distance,no heaters,army coat over me wrapped up,the best lorry my father had was a ERF 8 wheller rigid 150 gardner mainly china clay from ponts mill st,Blazey cornwall to Hull,& return load of fertilizer to Devon area,all i lived on wen goin in transport caffs were sausage sandwhiches,my father tried to pick the good digs for the nite,“,anyone remember Pats cafe at Plympton,nr Plymouth.i remember we had alot of drops in the cornwall area,we ran out of time to load the china clay at st,Blazy,so we stopped at Tom"s Redruth for the nite.next mornin up early for our load of china clay on route to Hull.” Norman croad,Torquay"
reckon that’s where my love of classic lorries came from,all the old wagons my dad used to drive,my favourites were D series ford ,K series dodge [with the back to front gearbox,apparently]but the k series dodge with I think the perkins V8,very nice,
My old dad used to take me into Mays Café on the A12 @ Mountnessing,
I remember the big hole in the middle of the car park where all the trailer wheels used to scrub around,
Used The Tree at Alrewas occasionally to kill time, that wasn’t bad.