Remember parking in the long layby under the hill just before the Hockley lights early one morning coming home from Covent Garden market just for a quick nap, every truck that whistled by you vibrated the cab. I was due to load fruit for the following night in 105 berth in Southampton docks but alas I was more knackered than I thought, when I came round and pulled the curtains the sun was streaming in and it were just past 1pm in the afternoon, must have needed that but they was worried I had not turned up to load and no mobiles back then and it was the quickest I ever got fruit on a truck as all the docker’s were on job and knock and I was the last load, Mary Hopkins right there,cheers Buzzer.
Spardo:
pete smith:
Hi Chris/Buzzer,
I put a couple of photos of the Winchester bypass on Davis International thread, they are at the bottom of page 298, it states 1933 the first by pass opened! And yes those lights at Hockley was a pain,Bloody hell, 1933? You must be a helluva lot older than me Chris if you had to go through the town.
I well remember those lights, bombing along on what you thought was a modern road and then…those
lights.
Aye I’m an owd chuff David.It would be 1968 when I first went into Winchester on me way to a wholesaler in S’oton with a load of Bassetts spice from Sheffield.I think it was Reece-Blatchford or summat?
The little boy jelly babies were loaded seperate from the little girl jelly babies cos they used to fall out en route… 
Just done a little research into the Winchester bypass which was opened on the 1st of February 1940 and it was one of the first duel carriageway bypasses in the country, also do you remember the Spitfire bridge so called as it was said some fine chap flew under it in a spitfire but not sure if that is true, Buzzer.
I’m a bit confused now then Buzzer,if the by pass opened in 1940 why would I be going through the town?
Of course it could have been closed due to an accident or something.
Chris Webb:
I’m a bit confused now then Buzzer,if the by pass opened in 1940 why would I be going through the town?
Of course it could have been closed due to an accident or something.
The original Winchester by-pass went through the Spitfire bridge past Winnal and ended at Kingsworthy, continuing onto the A30 for Basingstoke
& London.
To travel Southampton to the North you had to go through Winchester City centre, out past the cattle market to Sutton Scotney, Whitchurch & Newbury , then on to Abingdon & Oxford, right through the centre and out to Kidlington. When I started driving in 1957 Southampton to Hull market was a ten hour trip, and to Manchester 8hours approx, Happy days.
Stroker 156 DOT:
Chris Webb:
I’m a bit confused now then Buzzer,if the by pass opened in 1940 why would I be going through the town?
Of course it could have been closed due to an accident or something.The original Winchester by-pass went through the Spitfire bridge past Winnal and ended at Kingsworthy, continuing onto the A30 for Basingstoke
& London.To travel Southampton to the North you had to go through Winchester City centre, out past the cattle market to Sutton Scotney, Whitchurch & Newbury , then on to Abingdon & Oxford, right through the centre and out to Kidlington. When I started driving in 1957 Southampton to Hull market was a ten hour trip, and to Manchester 8hours approx, Happy days.
Thanks Stroker,that’s cleared my query up.
As a matter of interest, when did it become possible to avoid the centre? I started in 1960 but I don’t suppose I went from Nottingham to Southampton for a few years after that. But I don’t ever remember going through the centre.
Spardo:
As a matter of interest, when did it become possible to avoid the centre? I started in 1960 but I don’t suppose I went from Nottingham to Southampton for a few years after that. But I don’t ever remember going through the centre.
I think it was mid sixties.
Stroker 156 DOT:
Spardo:
As a matter of interest, when did it become possible to avoid the centre? I started in 1960 but I don’t suppose I went from Nottingham to Southampton for a few years after that. But I don’t ever remember going through the centre.I think it was mid sixties.
Thanks, that would explain it then, my regular trips to Southampton with containers was later than that. Although having lived in Swaythling as a child there were numerous family trips to visit close relatives, but at that age I obviously didn’t notice.
One small correction to my previous post, I’ve made myself too old 
, I passed my car test at the age of 21, beginning of '64 and, of course, without the necessity of a further test, started driving lorries the next day.
While I’m here, although I have read this thread for years I rarely contribute but perhaps could ask if anyone remembers a haulier called George Bunce. He was my Dad’s best friend as a boy (Dad was brought up in Chandlers Ford) and lost his fleet to BRS during nationalisation but declined to regain it and eventually retired as manager of IoW depot.
Just a thought, I was a friend of his son when I lived down there, and always called him and his wife Peggy, Uncle and Auntie.
Spardo:
Stroker 156 DOT:
Spardo:
As a matter of interest, when did it become possible to avoid the centre? I started in 1960 but I don’t suppose I went from Nottingham to Southampton for a few years after that. But I don’t ever remember going through the centre.I think it was mid sixties.
Thanks, that would explain it then, my regular trips to Southampton with containers was later than that. Although having lived in Swaythling as a child there were numerous family trips to visit close relatives, but at that age I obviously didn’t notice.
One small correction to my previous post, I’ve made myself too old
While I’m here, although I have read this thread for years I rarely contribute but perhaps could ask if anyone remembers a haulier called George Bunce. He was my Dad’s best friend as a boy (Dad was brought up in Chandlers Ford) and lost his fleet to BRS during nationalisation but declined to regain it and eventually retired as manager of IoW depot.
Just a thought, I was a friend of his son when I lived down there, and always called him and his wife Peggy, Uncle and Auntie.
I had to go through the centre of Winchester in 1968 David.
Chris Webb:
Spardo:
Stroker 156 DOT:
Spardo:
As a matter of interest, when did it become possible to avoid the centre? I started in 1960 but I don’t suppose I went from Nottingham to Southampton for a few years after that. But I don’t ever remember going through the centre.I think it was mid sixties.
Thanks, that would explain it then, my regular trips to Southampton with containers was later than that. Although having lived in Swaythling as a child there were numerous family trips to visit close relatives, but at that age I obviously didn’t notice.
One small correction to my previous post, I’ve made myself too old
While I’m here, although I have read this thread for years I rarely contribute but perhaps could ask if anyone remembers a haulier called George Bunce. He was my Dad’s best friend as a boy (Dad was brought up in Chandlers Ford) and lost his fleet to BRS during nationalisation but declined to regain it and eventually retired as manager of IoW depot.
Just a thought, I was a friend of his son when I lived down there, and always called him and his wife Peggy, Uncle and Auntie.
I had to go through the centre of Winchester in 1968 David.
As late as that? I suppose it may well have been the early 70’s on Midland Storage when the containers really took off so that would explain it.
dailyecho.co.uk/news/5584779 … dge_stunt/
The Echo on the Spitfire incident. Seems there was an aircraft that flew under it (just!) but it was a Tomahawk.
The old Winchester bypass was tight when overtaking another truck.What was the name of the cafe
when you were past the bypass and heading up the A33 towards London.It was a single lane road back
in the 1970’s,before the motorway.
An old clipping.
Dean. It was called the Quarry Cafe if my poor old memory is working.
Regards Charlie
charlie one:
Dean. It was called the Quarry Cafe if my poor old memory is working.Regards Charlie
Charlie are you sure it was not you who piloted that plane under spitfire bridge as I have often heard you were on a bit of a flier, Cheers Buzzer.
charlie one:
Dean. It was called the Quarry Cafe if my poor old memory is working.Regards Charlie
Charlie, it was called the Pit cafe, and the one at Popham was the School cafe. At Bagshot it Was Bert’s Cafe.
Stroker 156 DOT:
charlie one:
Dean. It was called the Quarry Cafe if my poor old memory is working.Regards Charlie
Charlie, it was called the Pit cafe, and the one at Popham was the School cafe. At Bagshot it Was Bert’s Cafe.
Bloody hell you’re right. I’ve lost it! The Dolly Varden was just before Berts on the left hand side.
Buzzer. I was never a flyer. But a High Flyer Oh yes! Regards Charlie
charlie one:
Stroker 156 DOT:
charlie one:
Dean. It was called the Quarry Cafe if my poor old memory is working.Regards Charlie
Charlie, it was called the Pit cafe, and the one at Popham was the School cafe. At Bagshot it Was Bert’s Cafe.
Bloody hell you’re right. I’ve lost it! The Dolly Varden was just before Berts on the left hand side.
Buzzer. I was never a flyer. But a High Flyer Oh yes! Regards Charlie
Charlie, do you remember ■■■■’s at Sutton Scotney with chickens wandering about amongst the the tables. Not quite Michelin rated.
Stroker 156 DOT:
charlie one:
Stroker 156 DOT:
charlie one:
Dean. It was called the Quarry Cafe if my poor old memory is working.Regards Charlie
Charlie, it was called the Pit cafe, and the one at Popham was the School cafe. At Bagshot it Was Bert’s Cafe.
Bloody hell you’re right. I’ve lost it! The Dolly Varden was just before Berts on the left hand side.
Buzzer. I was never a flyer. But a High Flyer Oh yes! Regards Charlie
Charlie, do you remember ■■■■’s at Sutton Scotney with chickens wandering about amongst the the tables. Not quite Michelin rated.
Thanks charlie one and Stroker for the cafe name. 
Thats a cracker Stroker about the chickens, not Michelin rated !!!
Heres another oldie,from 1961.
Click on page once to view.
Hi all yes indeed the cafe just after kings worthy on the a33 ws the pit my mum worked in there would have been late 40’s. she lived at burntwood stud then if you look on the left off the a33 there are 2 entrances to the stud second entrance right at to of the lane is an old tin bungalow derelict know but that was where she was born and lived till she married and moved to fareham in 1953.also my grandad used to walk down to the pub then called the cart and horses at kingsworthy for a pint we have a picture of him about 1960 he had the first pint in there after it was rebuilt after it burnt down. 