Having just finished reading my copy of Coffee to Go,( excellent read Neil, well done !!). It brought back memories of my time working with Bullens, or Giltspur Bullens as it was formerly known for a spell in the late eighties out of Glasgow. Whilst reading the memories section of the book, I encountered the word STAIRCLIMBER, which brought all this back to me. Although I have never done european work, we used to get sent to a lot of, lets just say, less than ideal delivery points throughout the uk. We would deliver and install photo copiers, computers, cashline machines etc, but the least favourite being office removals. We could load as many as four 40fters, and spend a couple of weeks away at a time. As Neil points out, nothing ever fitted in the lifts, so it was up the stairs, sometimes 8 to 10 stories high. (Im out of breath just thinking about it). And we also used the magic STAIRCLIMBER. We had 2 types then, a manual one that consisted of 3 small wheels attached to either end of a metal barrow frame, and a more modern type which had rubber tank tracks, and was electrically operated through a small battery attached to the frame. A handy tool for taking heavy, expensive equipment up or down stairs. There was a mixture of trucks ranging from 2300 and 2100 Daf units, to 1900 Daf rigids and smaller TK Bedfords. They also had those Bedford vanplan rigids I think they were called. Huge removal vans with the cab and body all in one. Hated driving those things. Best shift was tramping around the uk alone delivering new furniture to all sorts of weird and wonderful places. I used to park up at our own depots sometimes in Hinckley, Milton Keynes and Greenford. I think they had quite a few depots in the southern areas. I used to hear some great stories from the older guys when they did the european work, although this work had stopped when I was there, or at least for the Scottish guys. I left after a couple of years to do containers and the the brewers. I think they become part of Exel, moving in beside the likes of Pickfords and Hoults. Quite sad not to see the green and white livered trucks on the road anymore. Great bunch of lads to work with, and too many naughty stories to be getting on with. Its amazing how one word in a book,(STAIRCLIMBER) can have me rabbling on a load of nonsense about my yester-years. Its all your fault Mr Hobbs !! 
. Anyway, I `ll stop boring you all now and hope you enjoyed.
Bullens did have an interest in a local company to me for a while. Hewson Brothers in Howden ran under the Giltspur badge for a while before turning into a tart and slepping with anyone. The Hewson Bros name went from that to Harrisons, George Allinson, Ellerpack and finally to Bellgate.