Norman Ingram:
Vic, I only went where they paid top dollar, last firm working for Carlsberg I was 22/23 years.
hiya,
Norm i must be covered in whiskers i’ve worked for peanuts in the past on the odd occasion anyway.
thanks harry long retired.
v7victor:
Dennis, i think i proved my worth by staying with same company for 39 years , no room for slapdash in that time, or as you say i would of been out of a job.Did any of your drivers stay with you for this long?vic.
I wasn’t “at it” that long Vic but we did have a lot that were with us until retirement and our average length of service was considered high for the industry as we had a very low driver turnover,we just grew and grew and kept our staff! cheers Dennis.
Well I looked on it like this Harry Dennis & Vic, I was away from my wife & children, I wanted to provide a good living, I was prepared to do the work for good pay, not as some was happy to do, twice the hours for half the pay, I know it varied by the region you lived, but if the money was so poor, I would travel to a job that was a lot better, if they told me to break the law, I would say it is my licence, and I am not losing it, but if he was a good boss, I would always push myself to get the job done.
Norman Ingram:
Well I looked on it like this Harry Dennis & Vic, I was away from my wife & children, I wanted to provide a good living, I was prepared to do the work for good pay, not as some was happy to do, twice the hours for half the pay, I know it varied by the region you lived, but if the money was so poor, I would travel to a job that was a lot better, if they told me to break the law, I would say it is my licence, and I am not losing it, but if he was a good boss, I would always push myself to get the job done.
Thanks for the answers , they were hard times but you just got on wth it…interesting subject enjoyed talking to every one involved thanks Vic.
Bewick:
v7victor:
Dennis, i think i proved my worth by staying with same company for 39 years , no room for slapdash in that time, or as you say i would of been out of a job.Did any of your drivers stay with you for this long?vic.I wasn’t “at it” that long Vic but we did have a lot that were with us until retirement and our average length of service was considered high for the industry as we had a very low driver turnover,we just grew and grew and kept our staff! cheers Dennis.
Good to here, not many can say that .Vic.
Just thought of a couple more pubs well used in the London area. The Well and Bucket in Bethnall Green was the first place I saw Mike Reed from Eastenders. At the time he was the filthiest comic I had ever heard. Also The Montagu at New Cross had a great entertainer, a blind lad called Jonny London he had a great voice and could also crack a gag. I later saw him on that telly show “the comedians” along with Mike Reid. The main problem around New Cross was getting parked,I dont suppose it’s got any better now.
kevmac47:
Just thought of a couple more pubs well used in the London area. The Well and Bucket in Bethnall Green was the first place I saw Mike Reed from Eastenders. At the time he was the filthiest comic I had ever heard. Also The Montagu at New Cross had a great entertainer, a blind lad called Jonny London he had a great voice and could also crack a gag. I later saw him on that telly show “the comedians” along with Mike Reid. The main problem around New Cross was getting parked,I dont suppose it’s got any better now.
i used the Montagu on the old kent road in the early 70s,i stayed at thompsons cafe in Catford, we used to catch the local bus up to the pub,more often than not it was stripper’s on the bill. Vic.
When I was a trailer mate at Brady’s in the mid 60s The Silvertown Motel was a regular digs,and next door was a boozer we used to frequent(can’t just re-call the name,was it Denmark or something?)and they always had a few strippers on but in a cage so the punters couldn’t get involved!!! I wonder if it was because “H” and his cronies were regulars! Us lads from further up north just sat quiet with our gill of warm cockney beer!!! and clapped politely!! Cheers Dennis
Bewick:
When I was a trailer mate at Brady’s in the mid 60s The Silvertown Motel was a regular digs,and next door was a boozer we used to frequent(can’t just re-call the name,was it Denmark or something?)and they always had a few strippers on but in a cage so the punters couldn’t get involved!!! I wonder if it was because “H” and his cronies were regulars! Us lads from further up north just sat quiet with our gill of warm cockney beer!!! and clapped politely!! Cheers Dennis
I bet your eye’s were popping out of your head Dennis 
.
Cheers Dave.
i spent ( misspent ? ) quite a few evenings in the montague arms at new cross . always a comic , strippers and a group on . we some times went up to the adam and eve at peckham when mike read was on . i always stayed at taylors on the old kent road , near the railway bridge , the back streets over the road were being demolished , so plenty of parking . this would be in 1972/3 . got in bother when they put a program on telly about london pubs , and the wife spotted me on the front row !! that taylors was a firetrap though , if you’ve been there uou know what i mean , cheers , dave
rigsby:
i spent ( misspent ? ) quite a few evenings in the montague arms at new cross . always a comic , strippers and a group on . we some times went up to the adam and eve at peckham when mike read was on . i always stayed at taylors on the old kent road , near the railway bridge , the back streets over the road were being demolished , so plenty of parking . this would be in 1972/3 . got in bother when they put a program on telly about london pubs , and the wife spotted me on the front row !! that taylors was a firetrap though , if you’ve been there uou know what i mean , cheers , dave
hiya,
Most of the London digs was fire traps “rigsby” i overnighted at Brays once well patronised and always a pre-warmed bed courtesy of a departing Suttons night trunker was actually in private digs a short walk from there when that place went up with loss of life, being a Northener i prefrered digging round North London handier for the road out and when on for Bowkers we had our depot near the Holloway nick.
thanks harry long retired.
harry_gill:
rigsby:
i spent ( misspent ? ) quite a few evenings in the montague arms at new cross . always a comic , strippers and a group on . we some times went up to the adam and eve at peckham when mike read was on . i always stayed at taylors on the old kent road , near the railway bridge , the back streets over the road were being demolished , so plenty of parking . this would be in 1972/3 . got in bother when they put a program on telly about london pubs , and the wife spotted me on the front row !! that taylors was a firetrap though , if you’ve been there uou know what i mean , cheers , davehiya,
Most of the London digs was fire traps “rigsby” i overnighted at Brays once well patronised and always a pre-warmed bed courtesy of a departing Suttons night trunker was actually in private digs a short walk from there when that place went up with loss of life, being a Northener i prefrered digging round North London handier for the road out and when on for Bowkers we had our depot near the Holloway nick.
thanks harry long retired.
We parked in the brs parcels depot just the other side of the bridge to Taylors.vic.
harry_gill:
rigsby:
i spent ( misspent ? ) quite a few evenings in the montague arms at new cross . always a comic , strippers and a group on . we some times went up to the adam and eve at peckham when mike read was on . i always stayed at taylors on the old kent road , near the railway bridge , the back streets over the road were being demolished , so plenty of parking . this would be in 1972/3 . got in bother when they put a program on telly about london pubs , and the wife spotted me on the front row !! that taylors was a firetrap though , if you’ve been there uou know what i mean , cheers , davehiya,
Most of the London digs was fire traps “rigsby” i overnighted at Brays once well patronised and always a pre-warmed bed courtesy of a departing Suttons night trunker was actually in private digs a short walk from there when that place went up with loss of life, being a Northener i prefrered digging round North London handier for the road out and when on for Bowkers we had our depot near the Holloway nick.
thanks harry long retired.
We used to stop at a Greek cafe/kehbab house on the roundabout in Aldgate,it was a lot better than Bray’s.The old “bubble” that ran the cafe was a “reet decent bloke” come to think of it I think he was a Cypriot! Cheers Dennis.
Dave the Renegade:
Bewick:
When I was a trailer mate at Brady’s in the mid 60s The Silvertown Motel was a regular digs,and next door was a boozer we used to frequent(can’t just re-call the name,was it Denmark or something?)and they always had a few strippers on but in a cage so the punters couldn’t get involved!!! I wonder if it was because “H” and his cronies were regulars! Us lads from further up north just sat quiet with our gill of warm cockney beer!!! and clapped politely!! Cheers Dennis
I bet your eye’s were popping out of your head Dennis .
Cheers Dave.[/quote Used to wear an eye patch Dave!!! never watched with both eyes but didn’t mind chancing one!!,anyway when some of them birds started swinging 'em about they could have had your eyes out if you’d got too close to the cage!!! Cheers Dennis.
they were good days . breakfast at 7am , set off about 7-30 , straight over tower bridge and away . hardly any holdups through london then . it was hard going with an a series erf with a 180 gardner , it took about 10 hours london to glasgow ( with appropriate brew and kip stops ) but as long as we got there in one piece and got tipped the gaffer was happy enough , cheers , dave
It was after digs in Carlisle in the cafe on London road, and a few times in Bray’s in Liverpool street London, I made up my sleeping equipment for my lorry, I considered them places worst than doss houses, Salvation Army I used at few times, specially at South Shields. I prefered Savoy, Ritz, Dorchester, 
but then again I had very good taste, two of my hotels I stopped at regular was Gretna Green Hotel, and Central Hotel at Annan. 
Norman Ingram:
It was after digs in Carlisle in the cafe on London road, and a few times in Bray’s in Liverpool street London, I made up my sleeping equipment for my lorry, I considered them places worst than doss houses, Salvation Army I used at few times, specially at South Shields. I prefered Savoy, Ritz, Dorchester,
When I worked for Crows 71 on night trunk I used to “dig” at Brays but I don’t think I ever slept a wink. I used to leave early next night and kip on the way home. regards kevmac47.
Did anyone on here besides me use the digs in Ipswich called Transport House.The address was in that little red book that we kept years ago.You had your own room complete with wash basin,you had to hang your overalls up in the hall,you had to take your shoes/boots off when you went in and were given a pair of slippers to wear.No evening meal but the breakfast was superb,served up by a French woman.IIRC the place was owned by an ex USAF officer.It was near the football ground and the last time I used it was 1970.Bet it’s been long gone.
Chris Webb:
Did anyone on here besides me use the digs in Ipswich called Transport House.The address was in that little red book that we kept years ago.You had your own room complete with wash basin,you had to hang your overalls up in the hall,you had to take your shoes/boots off when you went in and were given a pair of slippers to wear.No evening meal but the breakfast was superb,served up by a French woman.IIRC the place was owned by an ex USAF officer.It was near the football ground and the last time I used it was 1970.Bet it’s been long gone.
Yes Chris I used to stay there,on the way into Ipswitch it was on the left just before the football ground.
Chris Webb:
Did anyone on here besides me use the digs in Ipswich called Transport House.The address was in that little red book that we kept years ago.You had your own room complete with wash basin,you had to hang your overalls up in the hall,you had to take your shoes/boots off when you went in and were given a pair of slippers to wear.No evening meal but the breakfast was superb,served up by a French woman.IIRC the place was owned by an ex USAF officer.It was near the football ground and the last time I used it was 1970.Bet it’s been long gone.
hiya,
Thats the one Chris, the local BRS used to book their “overworked” drivers into when you requested they book your digs for you, quick pie and a pint before going to get washed and changed, as you say Chris no evening meal but a cracking brekkie, you was’nt the guy in the next room who snored a bit was you,
thanks harry long retired…