Yes the video is good watching. It must have taken you patience to put it together. I like the 8 wheeled wagon and 6 wheel drag coming out of the pipe just before minute 6. Thanks for the memories!
This post has woken a few long dormant grey cells and I have come up with a list of Comart drivers 1975-1978. It’s not complete and I may have mixed a few names with other drivers I have known. But it may interest someone out there.
I’ll try a fleet list next!
Regards
PTT
Garage Staff
Alan Morrison
Kevin Jones
Ian Jackson
Jeff Machin
Paul Harding
Eric (Fridge Fitter)
Ziggy Manis
Hope I’ve got these right
Regards
Ant
Ziggy Manis is really Philip Zikmanis, aka Ziggy or the One and Only one Eye>He works at ATE at Wolverhampton now. We used to work at TIP Chemical Lane years ago Ant when you used to call in. He still enjoys a quiet drink. Adrian
friday afternoon and I’m waiting to load in Purfleet again !!!
No probs on high jacking the thread, its good that your interested, take it in any direction you want.
PTT, nice to put a face and a name to you, wondered how you knew so much info
I remember the landrover, Kevin Jones used to have it a lot, he lived in Sneyd Green at the time not far from us and it was parked there a lot.
Notice your living in France now, what ever made you move there and leave the delights of Stoke behind
Aid, sorry I got Ziggy name wrong, my apologies, was I on with Lee or in Sales when I used to call ■■ had to many jobs to remember
Will repost the brochures has I dont think you can read it, also will post some more stuff over the weekend.
Hopefully going to gaydon tomorrow to see some real trucks
Regards
Ant
I have often been in Purfleet on a Friday. Usually leaving Proctor & Gamble at about five for the run back to Crick. Via the crawl on the M25, through the roadworks and then on up through the never ending contra flow on the M1. I sometimes miss driving the trucks; but the traffic…
After Comart I moved to Bristol, then Oslo, then London, then Bristol (always in the office). In 2000 I got a job with Wincanton trying to manage the road kill which was Rokold in Bicester/Milton Keynes after Wincanton took them over and the main guys left to set up SDM (shades of Moorlock). At Wincanton/ Rokold I worked with Simon McCann (we subbed a lot of Spanish work to him) and Phil Sutton who was at Comart after I left.
It only lasted about 9 months (I see Wincanton have now got out of international for the third time) so they gave me a job as transport manager in one of the supermarkets DCs. It really wasn’t my style so I managed to buy a house in France and started doing what I had aways wanted to do, driving a truck! Since then I have spent half the year in France and half the year working in the UK. For the last 6 years I had a contract with Stobart at Crick.
It used to be really weird, after spending 3 hours in the drivers room at Sainsbury Stoke to drive past what was left of the old yard off the A50, imagining the line of fridges all fired up on a Sunday morning. And then I found your post/thread in tribute to your Dad which really blew me away. I never thought I would see those guys or trucks again! Emotional or what!
friday afternoon and I’m waiting to load in Purfleet again !!!
No probs on high jacking the thread, its good that your interested, take it in any direction you want.
PTT, nice to put a face and a name to you, wondered how you knew so much info
I remember the landrover, Kevin Jones used to have it a lot, he lived in Sneyd Green at the time not far from us and it was parked there a lot.
Notice your living in France now, what ever made you move there and leave the delights of Stoke behind
Aid, sorry I got Ziggy name wrong, my apologies, was I on with Lee or in Sales when I used to call ■■ had to many jobs to remember
Will repost the brochures has I dont think you can read it, also will post some more stuff over the weekend.
Hopefully going to gaydon tomorrow to see some real trucks
Regards
Ant
I think it was after Lee D Ant, Brendan Henvey, Qualcast and something to do with Sales for Iveco possibly spring to mind?. Adrian
Tough Life this International Driving Lark !! - Not Sure of the 1st Guy - Billy McCall - Alan Holmes
Ant the first guy is Roy Buxton worked with Roy a long time ago now last time i bumped in to him he was on ANC
Yes the video is good watching. It must have taken you patience to put it together. I like the 8 wheeled wagon and 6 wheel drag coming out of the pipe just before minute 6. Thanks for the memories!
This post has woken a few long dormant grey cells and I have come up with a list of Comart drivers 1975-1978. It’s not complete and I may have mixed a few names with other drivers I have known. But it may interest someone out there.
I’ll try a fleet list next!
Regards
PTT
Alan Davey
Alan Goldstraw
Alan Holmes
Alan Nicklin (Petal)
Alf Jung
Alfie Williams (Wheeler)
Arthur Johnson
Barry Tomlinson (Shirley Temple)
Bill Baggeley
Bill Brindley
Bill McCall
Bill Smith
Brian Hanley
Dave Arrowsmith
Derek Birch
Derek Goldstraw
Eddie Walker
George Thorley
Gordon Mace (Macey)
Graham Sinnott
Graham Wright
Jake Smith
Jeff Stevens
Jock Hope
John McCann
John Meredith
John Wilkinson (Wink)
Malcolm Gibson
Pete McCutcheon
Phil Darlington
Ray Pointon
Rod Johnson
Roy Corbett (Sooty)
Steve Baddeley
Terry Smith
Tom Askey
PTT, good list of the drivers some names I remember, some I don,t, checked with Mum and she has come up with some more. Some before your time and some after I think.
Jonnie Davis
Eddie Deville
Charlie Walker (Eddies Brother)
Stan King
Terry Lewis
Don Graham
Ron Bates
Graham Newton (Clogger)
John Oldacre (Popeye) worked with Pop on Frans Maas
Dave Kettrick (went on to drive for Mark Young)
Tony Bird (Budgie)
Tony Hayes
John Masterson
Pete Davis
Malcolm Knight
Barry Dimmock (Yard Man)
Roy Reece
Gill Merrick
Garage Staff
Alan Morrison
Kevin Jones
Ian Jackson
Jeff Machin
Paul Harding
Eric (Fridge Fitter)
Ziggy Manis
Hope I’ve got these right
PTT we must know or at least have met one another then.
If you were at Bicester after Wincanton bought Rokold I was still on for Simon then (I was with him from '92 to '01). I had the wee F12 then two 3 series topliners then two FH12’s whilst with Simon.
We always did Rokold in the summer & a fair bit of their Spanish & also those multi-drop Paris bread runs out of Gravesend (now that was a s@*t job!! ) I had one of the two left ■■■■■■ XL FH’s about the time Rokold sold up (what was his name? It’s on the tip of my tongue & doing my head in I think last night’s red wine virus is still attacking the human computer )
As a further aide memoir you may recall young Steve Bell (junior) being weekended for his first time at Victors? Well I confess it was me that introduced him to the CIU affiliated club nextdoor I remember him totally reviewing his opinion of Spain that weekend & asking the office for as much Spanish work as he could get the craic was going round your yard for weeks with him,even his dad was on the windup with him!
I had glasses,long blonde hair (often mistaken for a cloggy) & a moustache;strangely I still have the glasses
We also had Johnny (shag) Moorcroft, Dennis Slater,Steve Cashmoore & Ian (hard hat) Gutteridge with us plus another two or three short stayers about that time. Eventually I was the only one left & I came back to UK work in jan '01.
As I’ve mentioned earlier in this thread old John McCann told us many a tale of Comart days whilst sat in restaurants & routiers across France & Spain & I wish I had been at it in those days instead of at school. He always had a glint in his eye .
Something I haven’t seen mentioned yet but I’m sure I recall John saying he piloted a Hino for a while at Comarts he reckoned it was a pig to live in but would jusy keep going for ever & ever, ring any bells?
Sorry to go on & all for now & may I just say once more RIP John McCann it was a pleasure & privelidge to have known him & counted him as a friend.
Regards, Flip
The name you are looking for, I think, is Robin East. He set Rokold up in the late seventies, whilst I was still at Comart. He worked at Bejam at the time, which is where I tried (or maybe suceeded?) to get import work off him. I met him once in 2000 at Bicester.
The Hino was before my time, although one is pictured on this thread.
I joined Rokold at Bicester in January 2000. We moved the whole lot to Wincanton at Bletchley and just kept cutting the fleet and the costs until I had to go too in September 2000. The whole lot was rather forgettable, including I am afraid most of the drivers’ names and faces.
I remember the bread job though. It was about the only bit of export work we did. It was a nightmare. Most mornings I got a billicking off the French (Anton) for it being late before I got in to the office. The guys did their best but the schedule left no room for error.
Yes the video is good watching. It must have taken you patience to put it together. I like the 8 wheeled wagon and 6 wheel drag coming out of the pipe just before minute 6. Thanks for the memories!
This post has woken a few long dormant grey cells and I have come up with a list of Comart drivers 1975-1978. It’s not complete and I may have mixed a few names with other drivers I have known. But it may interest someone out there.
I’ll try a fleet list next!
Regards
PTT
Alan Davey
Alan Goldstraw
Alan Holmes
Alan Nicklin (Petal)
Alf Jung
Alfie Williams (Wheeler)
Arthur Johnson
Barry Tomlinson (Shirley Temple)
Bill Baggeley
Bill Brindley
Bill McCall
Bill Smith
Brian Hanley
Dave Arrowsmith
Derek Birch
Derek Goldstraw
Eddie Walker
George Thorley
Gordon Mace (Macey)
Graham Sinnott
Graham Wright
Jake Smith
Jeff Stevens
Jock Hope
John McCann
John Meredith
John Wilkinson (Wink)
Malcolm Gibson
Pete McCutcheon
Phil Darlington
Ray Pointon
Rod Johnson
Roy Corbett (Sooty)
Steve Baddeley
Terry Smith
Tom Askey
PTT, good list of the drivers some names I remember, some I don,t, checked with Mum and she has come up with some more. Some before your time and some after I think.
Jonnie Davis
Eddie Deville
Charlie Walker (Eddies Brother)
Stan King
Terry Lewis
Don Graham
Ron Bates
Graham Newton (Clogger)
John Oldacre (Popeye) worked with Pop on Frans Maas
Dave Kettrick (went on to drive for Mark Young)
Tony Bird (Budgie)
Tony Hayes
John Masterson
Pete Davis
Malcolm Knight
Barry Dimmock (Yard Man)
Roy Reece
Gill Merrick
Garage Staff
Alan Morrison
Kevin Jones
Ian Jackson
Jeff Machin
Paul Harding
Eric (Fridge Fitter)
Ziggy Manis
Hope I’ve got these right
Regards
Ant
you forgot Ray Gould, Phil Bunch Alan Rigby
Who could forget them,thanks for puttin them on Jeff, have you managed to beg any more photos from anywhere yet ■■
Has Terry Lewis got any ■■
Regards
Ant
Yes the video is good watching. It must have taken you patience to put it together. I like the 8 wheeled wagon and 6 wheel drag coming out of the pipe just before minute 6. Thanks for the memories!
This post has woken a few long dormant grey cells and I have come up with a list of Comart drivers 1975-1978. It’s not complete and I may have mixed a few names with other drivers I have known. But it may interest someone out there.
I’ll try a fleet list next!
Regards
PTT
Alan Davey
Alan Goldstraw
Alan Holmes
Alan Nicklin (Petal)
Alf Jung
Alfie Williams (Wheeler)
Arthur Johnson
Barry Tomlinson (Shirley Temple)
Bill Baggeley
Bill Brindley
Bill McCall
Bill Smith
Brian Hanley
Dave Arrowsmith
Derek Birch
Derek Goldstraw
Eddie Walker
George Thorley
Gordon Mace (Macey)
Graham Sinnott
Graham Wright
Jake Smith
Jeff Stevens
Jock Hope
John McCann
John Meredith
John Wilkinson (Wink)
Malcolm Gibson
Pete McCutcheon
Phil Darlington
Ray Pointon
Rod Johnson
Roy Corbett (Sooty)
Steve Baddeley
Terry Smith
Tom Askey
PTT, good list of the drivers some names I remember, some I don,t, checked with Mum and she has come up with some more. Some before your time and some after I think.
Jonnie Davis
Eddie Deville
Charlie Walker (Eddies Brother)
Stan King
Terry Lewis
Don Graham
Ron Bates
Graham Newton (Clogger)
John Oldacre (Popeye) worked with Pop on Frans Maas
Dave Kettrick (went on to drive for Mark Young)
Tony Bird (Budgie)
Tony Hayes
John Masterson
Pete Davis
Malcolm Knight
Barry Dimmock (Yard Man)
Roy Reece
Gill Merrick
Garage Staff
Alan Morrison
Kevin Jones
Ian Jackson
Jeff Machin
Paul Harding
Eric (Fridge Fitter)
Ziggy Manis
Hope I’ve got these right
Regards
Ant
you forgot Ray Gould, Phil Bunch Alan Rigby
Who could forget them,thanks for puttin them on Jeff, have you managed to beg any more photos from anywhere yet ■■
Has Terry Lewis got any ■■
Regards
Ant
Ant i think i have posted all of terry’s pics earlier on . Roy Buxton ain’t changed much over the years from that photo . he was suffering with his health last time i spoke to him
The name you are looking for, I think, is Robin East. He set Rokold up in the late seventies, whilst I was still at Comart. He worked at Bejam at the time, which is where I tried (or maybe suceeded?) to get import work off him. I met him once in 2000 at Bicester.
The Hino was before my time, although one is pictured on this thread.
I joined Rokold at Bicester in January 2000. We moved the whole lot to Wincanton at Bletchley and just kept cutting the fleet and the costs until I had to go too in September 2000. The whole lot was rather forgettable, including I am afraid most of the drivers’ names and faces.
I remember the bread job though. It was about the only bit of export work we did. It was a nightmare. Most mornings I got a billicking off the French (Anton) for it being late before I got in to the office. The guys did their best but the schedule left no room for error.
Not Happy Days !
Robin East!!! How could I forget that?
Rokold were a great company in their heyday but how the mighty fall eh?
Yes I guess things must’ve been pretty dire by the time you were sent there. They had so much work both ways before the big “w” bought them from Robin & then it dissapeared overnight. Great shame especially for all those long serving drivers who helped build it up over the years.
Thanks for getting back to me anyway, back to Comart…
The name you are looking for, I think, is Robin East. He set Rokold up in the late seventies, whilst I was still at Comart. He worked at Bejam at the time, which is where I tried (or maybe suceeded?) to get import work off him. I met him once in 2000 at Bicester.
The Hino was before my time, although one is pictured on this thread.
I joined Rokold at Bicester in January 2000. We moved the whole lot to Wincanton at Bletchley and just kept cutting the fleet and the costs until I had to go too in September 2000. The whole lot was rather forgettable, including I am afraid most of the drivers’ names and faces.
I remember the bread job though. It was about the only bit of export work we did. It was a nightmare. Most mornings I got a billicking off the French (Anton) for it being late before I got in to the office. The guys did their best but the schedule left no room for error.
Not Happy Days !
Robin East!!! How could I forget that?
Rokold were a great company in their heyday but how the mighty fall eh?
Yes I guess things must’ve been pretty dire by the time you were sent there. They had so much work both ways before the big “w” bought them from Robin & then it dissapeared overnight. Great shame especially for all those long serving drivers who helped build it up over the years.
Thanks for getting back to me anyway, back to Comart…
The name you are looking for, I think, is Robin East. He set Rokold up in the late seventies, whilst I was still at Comart. He worked at Bejam at the time, which is where I tried (or maybe suceeded?) to get import work off him. I met him once in 2000 at Bicester.
The Hino was before my time, although one is pictured on this thread.
I joined Rokold at Bicester in January 2000. We moved the whole lot to Wincanton at Bletchley and just kept cutting the fleet and the costs until I had to go too in September 2000. The whole lot was rather forgettable, including I am afraid most of the drivers’ names and faces.
I remember the bread job though. It was about the only bit of export work we did. It was a nightmare. Most mornings I got a billicking off the French (Anton) for it being late before I got in to the office. The guys did their best but the schedule left no room for error.
Not Happy Days !
Robin East!!! How could I forget that?
Rokold were a great company in their heyday but how the mighty fall eh?
Yes I guess things must’ve been pretty dire by the time you were sent there. They had so much work both ways before the big “w” bought them from Robin & then it dissapeared overnight. Great shame especially for all those long serving drivers who helped build it up over the years.
Thanks for getting back to me anyway, back to Comart…
Flip,
Here you are, it’s one flying foden posted I think of Terry lewis’s, not a good photo, but I thinlk the only one there is, according to Steve Baddeley, who was made to have one for a week, they had Gardner 180’s in them and were as much use as a f**t in a colander along with a 8inch bunk
Ant i think i have posted all of terry’s pics earlier on . Roy Buxton ain’t changed much over the years from that photo . he was suffering with his health last time i spoke to him
Roy Buxton I believe was made redundant from ANC,but was working part time for them through the agency but haven’t seen him since FedEx took over.
Alan Morrison is working in the garage on nights at FedEx.He was at the reunion we had a couple of years ago at the Moat House.
)
I remember him totally reviewing his opinion of Spain that weekend & asking the office for as much Spanish work as he could get 
