When i was doing M/E for Brit European,on the way home on one trip,I was in Hungary and met a bloke working for some firm I think from Camberley?.
His name was Maurice Sigsworth,and he told me he was looking for another M/E job as he was sure his firm was about to pack in.i advised him to try Brit European and thought no more about it.
A few months later,I was routed from Doha to Cyprus to investigate a container job,collecting containers from Limmasol for delivery to anywhere in the Middle East.
I did one job to Kuwait,and when I returned to Cyprus I was told there was another driver travelling overland from the UK via Piraeus to meet me in Limmasol and he would be doing the job with me.
Of course the guy who came out was Maurice Sigsworth.
We both left Limmasol with different desinations.When I got back to Latakia docks in Syria,I told the boss it was time I came home as I’d been out 3 months.I came home and shortly after I left Brits and started on for Chapman and Ball.I’ve never seen Maurice since,does anyone know him?
Hi, I worked for Carmans for awhile in 1977. I,m pretty sure Maurice lived in Swindon and drove a Transcontinental. I did a trip to Germany with him but like you haven’t seen him again. Great stories , must have known you but time fuddles the memory. All the best Ed Marshall
Bulwark:
Hi, I worked for Carmans for awhile in 1977. I,m pretty sure Maurice lived in Swindon and drove a Transcontinental. I did a trip to Germany with him but like you haven’t seen him again. Great stories , must have known you but time fuddles the memory. All the best Ed Marshall
When I got back off the Cyprus job I left maurice out there and I jacked in after a disagreement with the old man.Brit European only had 2 Transcons.I had one and Dave Prosser from the Trowbridge depot had the other.When I jacked there was an arse licker that couldn’t wait to get in my old truck,in fact I saw him in it a couple of weeks later when I was doing my first trip for Chapman and Ball.
Hi Ian , thanks for the contact. I recollect Goldy driving a M/E Transcon for the time I was in Trowbridge and Dave Prosser(did he live in Stroud?) a Daf 2800.
There was a young chap from Malmesbury who also did M/E in a Daf, can’t remember his name but remember he was thought highly of. Myself, well The Seddon Atkinson with a 240 Gardiner which was ADR’d and I was mainly on Tanker work to Europe. Cheers for now Ed Marshall
Bulwark:
Hi Ian , thanks for the contact. I recollect Goldy driving a M/E Transcon for the time I was in Trowbridge and Dave Prosser(did he live in Stroud?) a Daf 2800.
There was a young chap from Malmesbury who also did M/E in a Daf, can’t remember his name but remember he was thought highly of. Myself, well The Seddon Atkinson with a 240 Gardiner which was ADR’d and I was mainly on Tanker work to Europe. Cheers for now Ed Marshall
I only knew Goldy when he had an F88,and before I had known him long he was telling everyone that he had given a lift to an Australian bird who’s father had a trucking business in Oz and she wanted to take him back with her.Don’t know what the attraction was as Goldy was never too keen on the soap and water,and he could tell a convincing story.But I never saw him again so who knows?
I heard that Dave Prosser left Brits and was doing fridge work for Chivers.But this is all over 20 years ago.
There was a smashing young lad who worked out of Trowbridge doing M/E,had an F88 road train,name of Jimmy Withers.
Hi again, Goldy had been on Carmans along time before I arrived, infact I first met him in 1971 at Tilbury Docks container terminal , where I started driving for an East London 1man band, hauling United States Line containers. He was driving a Carmans Foden and he, I and a number of other drivers were drooling over a new 1418 Mercedes. I then met him again when I moved to Wiltshire and bumped into him loading in the Trowbridge vicinity and recalled Tilbury Docks. So did you start on Carmans before him ? You’re right he did drive M/E 88,s but he did have a Transcon after. Did he inherit yours perhaps? I,m pretty sure Jimmy Withers Started when I was there in 76-77 and there were two 88 and two 86 roadtrains, none of which did the M/E whilst I was there. They were all mainly on Italy if my memory serves me right. Is Mike Carless still around? Ed.
Bulwark:
Hi again, Goldy had been on Carmans along time before I arrived, infact I first met him in 1971 at Tilbury Docks container terminal , where I started driving for an East London 1man band, hauling United States Line containers. He was driving a Carmans Foden and he, I and a number of other drivers were drooling over a new 1418 Mercedes. I then met him again when I moved to Wiltshire and bumped into him loading in the Trowbridge vicinity and recalled Tilbury Docks. So did you start on Carmans before him ? You’re right he did drive M/E 88,s but he did have a Transcon after. Did he inherit yours perhaps? I,m pretty sure Jimmy Withers Started when I was there in 76-77 and there were two 88 and two 86 roadtrains, none of which did the M/E whilst I was there. They were all mainly on Italy if my memory serves me right. Is Mike Carless still around? Ed.
I started on Carmans in 1975 till 1977.I knew Goldy in the early days but I was under the impression he left before I did,maybe not.
Jimmy Withers did have an F88 Roadtrain,it would have been the old 240 model.I met him a couple of times, when we were going in opposit directions usually.
Mike Carless was a diamond geezer, again,I get the feeling he left Carmans before I did,haven’t seen him in over 30 years.
HI lads,
just flicking thro’ old time pages and notice some old names and companies local to me.
I know a couple of ex-carman drivers, John Warburton and Dave Wood ring any bells with any of you??
John used to have an F88 wagon and drag and used to park weekends in Melksham quite often.
Dave worked at Spiers of Melksham with us.
Cheers Gazza 
Hi Gazza, not wishing to stand on ‘bestbooties’, it being his thread,
However how is Johny Warburton? The great roadtrain driver . Ran with him a few times, a real nice guy. Last I heard he was selling insurance.
I served my ’ time’ on Spiers in the early 70’s. great camaraderie . cheers Ed.
bestbooties:
Bulwark:
Hi again, Goldy had been on Carmans along time before I arrived, infact I first met him in 1971 at Tilbury Docks container terminal , where I started driving for an East London 1man band, hauling United States Line containers. He was driving a Carmans Foden and he, I and a number of other drivers were drooling over a new 1418 Mercedes. I then met him again when I moved to Wiltshire and bumped into him loading in the Trowbridge vicinity and recalled Tilbury Docks. So did you start on Carmans before him ? You’re right he did drive M/E 88,s but he did have a Transcon after. Did he inherit yours perhaps? I,m pretty sure Jimmy Withers Started when I was there in 76-77 and there were two 88 and two 86 roadtrains, none of which did the M/E whilst I was there. They were all mainly on Italy if my memory serves me right. Is Mike Carless still around? Ed.I started on Carmans in 1975 till 1977.I knew Goldy in the early days but I was under the impression he left before I did,maybe not.
Jimmy Withers did have an F88 Roadtrain,it would have been the old 240 model.I met him a couple of times, when we were going in opposit directions usually.
Mike Carless was a diamond geezer, again,I get the feeling he left Carmans before I did,haven’t seen him in over 30 years.
Hi Ian
I agree - Mike Calress was a real diamond. He ended up running the local pub to Carmans yard - the Travellers Rest just up the road.
I am not sure he is still there though - been 10 years since I left the UK
I did meet the little Scotsman - Jimmy Withers -once when I was with my dad - Arthur - in Trowbridge. He did have the F88 Wagon and drag.
He ran out of Xerox at Mitcheldean if I remember riight.
Steve
Hi Steve,
I see you address Jimmy Withers as “Scotsman”,I always thought he was from Wiltshire farming stock.
I don’t know if you’ve picked up from other threads on here,but due to requests from local people who know what I used to do for a living,I have been persuaded to write a monthly column of my time on the M/E in our local Parish magazine.For obvious reasons I have to keep it clean.It has gone down a bomb I’ve heard of elderly couples fighting over the Parish mag to read my column first,and requests to the editor to bring out the magazine weekly instead of monthly.
When I’ve finished the tales,I intend to edit it and fill it out with a bit more “Earthier” stuff to form ny book.
Surprise,surprise,I got a phone call a few weeks ago,from Ron Carman,the old man! Apparently his wife Jean died some while ago,and he has a girlfriend,he’s now in his 80’s,and she reads our Parish mag,and of course,with me putting pics of Brit European’s trucks in the mag,she thought he may be interested.
We had quite a chin wag for half an hour.He’s mellowed a lot in his old age,but there again,I think we all do.
bestbooties:
Hi Steve,
I see you address Jimmy Withers as “Scotsman”,I always thought he was from Wiltshire farming stock.
I don’t know if you’ve picked up from other threads on here,but due to requests from local people who know what I used to do for a living,I have been persuaded to write a monthly column of my time on the M/E in our local Parish magazine.For obvious reasons I have to keep it clean.It has gone down a bomb I’ve heard of elderly couples fighting over the Parish mag to read my column first,and requests to the editor to bring out the magazine weekly instead of monthly.
When I’ve finished the tales,I intend to edit it and fill it out with a bit more “Earthier” stuff to form ny book.
Surprise,surprise,I got a phone call a few weeks ago,from Ron Carman,the old man! Apparently his wife Jean died some while ago,and he has a girlfriend,he’s now in his 80’s,and she reads our Parish mag,and of course,with me putting pics of Brit European’s trucks in the mag,she thought he may be interested.
We had quite a chin wag for half an hour.He’s mellowed a lot in his old age,but there again,I think we all do.
Hi Ian
Well the memory I had was from 30 years ago - I was about 10 at the time - LOL !!!
I just had this picture he was a Scotsman - no idea where from - I will bow to your more greater memory on that one
I would love to read some of your writings and more of your memories from your time on the road.
One thing about Ron Carman as I recall - he was hard but fair. My dad alwasy got on very well with him.
Glad to see there is still life in the man too !!!
I have some pics of modern day Dubai, Al Khobar.Dammam , Riyadh and Jeddah somewhere.
I will see if I can post them.
Off there again in June so I will take my camera along and see what I can do for the modern scene.
Cheers
Steve