This is the 1st time I’ve logged on here but have previously looked through various topics.I am pleased to see so many familiar names and places from the 70’s and 80’s on European work in general and Italian runs in particular. I spent some years with Lacey’s and was sad to read that big Dave had died. I spent a weekend locked up with him in East Berlin whilst trying to deliver, getting lost and driving too close to the wall on the wrong side ! We used a pizzeria in Milan near to Crowe’s yard and he would start with a pizza, then have 3 course meal followed by another pizza within an hour…respect : 
I went to work for Guiggiani in Firenze in 1979 pulling for Gondrand, we got £1400 net a month in ‘79, mind you we were doing 3 trips a fortnight from Firenze to Burton and Keighley in 141’s. Moved about a bit from then via Gillman (numero uno per gasolio rosso),Spedimec, Brian Yeardley and finally Dockspeed, but by then the buzz had gone, all motorway, no one taking a bung ,credit cards and cab phones
Still we can all look back and enjoy the memories, good and bad cos’ I wouldn’t have wanted to change jobs for anything else… not really !! 
Who wants to walk round B&Q on a Sunday when you could be legless in Concorezzo
Chris Kirk
captain11111:
We used a pizzeria in Milan near to Crowe’s yard and he would start with a pizza, then have 3 course meal followed by another pizza within an hour…respect :
I got knocked off the dock at Crowe’s by a fork truck travelling at warp speed in reverse. 
Fortunately I used to bounce quite well in those days. 
Know what you mean about the pizza’s, first time at Umberto’s in Savona I ordered one which turned out to be a giant - then along came the main course. 
, I thought that was the main course. 
Welcome to TN Chris.