charlie one:
Yes indeed that was the old route from the ferry at Calais.As I was looking at the picture I was reminded of the fact that everything used to groan and crack as you went round a corner.As you older guys know,everything was on steel. No air suspension.
You’re not kidding, look at the way he’s holding on with a vice-like grip to the steering wheel. 
Yes Shortly after that bend,he had to pull in a lay by and change his slacks.
240 Gardner:
charlie one:
Who remembers May’s Motors from Elstead in Surrey.Best company I ever worked for.Only payed the rate but we were guaranteed 11 hours a day plus we always worked a Saturday morning.If there was no loading to do he had us in washing down or tarting our motors up.Good fleet of motors.Mostly Atkis.I’ve got a Comical Motor from about 1978, with a feature about May’s rebuilding a Mk.1 Atki into a Mk.2 - brand new cab, new chassis frame, new drive axle - only the engine and box left from the original. They seemed to think it was worth it! Somewhere else, I’ve a pic of a sleeper-cabbed May’s Borderer pulling a tilt.
I’ll try and find them both
As promised, eventually…
Many thanks for that 240 Gardner. will read that with great interest.
I agree with Charlie one, May’s Motors was the best firm i ever worked for. I started with them in 1988 when I had the dubious honour of driving their last Seddon Atki tractor for over two years, it was a post registered 400 with Gardner 180, david Brown Gearbox and 2 speed axle complete with a 401 grille to make it look like it’s D reg plate!! I then progressed to a six wheel Scania P92 brick lorry running out of Redland’s Bexhill Brickworks. I eventually moved upto a Scania R112 Intercooler (Ex ECE of Leighton Buzzard) and started pulling STS trailers to Swiss and Italy. At the time Andrew May was in charge, although Peter was always there!! During the recession Andrew had to sell the yard in Elstead and the company split- Andrew kept a couple of Brick lorries together with the Boots contract and his brother in law, Trevor Duke took over the general haulage side operating from Kingsley Haulage’s yard in Bordon, I left at this time to become an owner driver pulling for Euro-PSL out of Portsmouth. I have since heard that Trevor moved to Cornwall and has now sadly passed away and I am not sure what Andrew is upto now.
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Now then Truckertim When did Bob McKerlie pack it in.He was a first class gentleman.I was in hospital for a few months in 1976 and he visited me every week. A really great guy.
If my memory serves me correctly he retired about 1994, about a year before they split, however he still had one Westerman wagon and drag running driven by a guy called Jim although I can’t remember his surname. Drivers you might remember from your time there and into my era would be Mick Channel, Tim Marshall, Ray Thorne, Mick Reeves, Fred Aldred and Digger - a massive bloke who drove a Reliant Robin. You are right about Bob, he was a great bloke- once you got the right side of him!!
Now then Tim Knew em all except Digger.Chesty Reeves.Ugly swine.Used to hide his sandwiches in his beard.Ray Thorne About 15 kids.Think he was a Catholic.Fred Aldred.In his younger days he was known as Super Stud.Bobs driver on the Westermann drag was Jim Moody.I called him Chrisma.Was I right?
Spot On!! When i was with them (88-95) Mick Reeves was on nights for Boots and the trick was if you were back in the afternoon to get back as late as possible so he didn’t get your truck otherwise you would get in the following morning to find tomato pips all over the inside of the windscreen! Ray Thorne was on nights as well up ‘till 91 when he went onto one of the Westermanns’. Mick Channel sadly died of Phneumonia in 93, he was a great bloke and taught me everything about continental. Fred had a massive accident after the split- he went with Andrew doing a night run to Thetford for boots- he blacked out and hit a Ferrymasters’ tilt parked in a lay by. Luckily he survived with a few cuts and bruises but the truck (scania R113) was unrecognisable. Tim Marshal retired but came back shortly after to drive a van for them and died a year later- another good bloke.
Sorr to hear about Mick.Good lad.Do you remember Steve Murphy.Saw him on Hayling Island a couple of years ago.Put the fear of God up me.He was sober.Not a pretty sight.
Am afraid I don’t remember Steve Murphy, Charlie 1 - He must have been before my time, although someone else you may remember was Peter’s brother who worked in the workshop, I think his name was Bob but cannot be sure.
Little Bob May was the best mechanic (not fitter) I’ve ever come across. If he couldn’t find a replacement piece,he used to make it.When I worked there he used to do up old cars.I remember he made up a 1936 ford eight almost from scratch.The don’t make mechs like that anymore.