I’ve just finished reading a good book about the M/E job called Roadtrip Ramatuelle.
Its been written by Chris Arbon who was a driver on for Fred Archer from Ipswich in the early 80`s
Here`s a couple of links to order Roadtrip Ramatuelle a really enjoyable read and well worth the money
amazon.com/Roadtrip-Ramatuel … 1442111453
A nice couple of pics of the authors motors
Cheers for that, i’ll give it a read… 
Lol intresting i will have a read to. As my days on Archers consisted of dodgy permits etc lol. While Fred sat in his portakabin with his finger up his nose another salt of the earth haulier who has now passed on i believe RIP
The author of the above mentioned book also has a blog site going showing what he`s upto these days
tramping around North America in his Kenworth giving a good insight into the job out here.
Check it out throu the link below.
chrisarbon-roadtrips.blogspot.com/
Hope this is of interest to some of you.
Cheers
Neal
This book is a great read. Along with trucks, borders, paperwork, and brushes with
wildlife is some brilliant downtime at some of Europe’s beauty spots 
Another early christmas box for me i think
motionlotion:
Lol intresting i will have a read to. As my days on Archers consisted of dodgy permits etc lol. While Fred sat in his portakabin with his finger up his nose another salt of the earth haulier who has now passed on i believe RIP
Passed on? When was this then?
Fred was a slob,he’d sit there with his feet up on the desk drinking coffee and eating cakes all morning then off down the pub for a few pints and fish & chips.
Until,at the age of 34 he suffered a heart attack.That woke him up I can tell you
He was known as a rogue,and lived up to that reputation,and like most other bosses,he was always trying to fiddle you out of expenses.
But,he gave me a start on international and I spent nearly two years doing commie bloc and Greece.
RIP
I’ll bet the books good Chris is a real decent bloke & well travelled too.
As for Fred Archer, I met one of his drivers at The Winery Russe Bulgaria he’d tipped in Larrisa GR he’d loaded 20 ton of wine but could’nt do customs as his tilt cord was ■■■■■■, he’d been their 2 days by then & had’nt bothered to go & get a new 1, I gave him my spare 1 & he decided he’d tag along after me home as he did’nt really know what he was doing anyway long story short he was skint but had a fuel card for Germany so I bailed him out for fuel Rumo visa etc on the understanding he put the equivalent litres into me in Germany, it came about in Hungary that to avoid the weekend driving ban in Germany we’d have to run non-stop from Budapest which did’nt really appeal to me but FA insisted this clown did, he promised I’d get my money back but funnily enough I aint heard anything since, the slag even borrowed Manfred Manns greatest hits tape too 
you live & learn eh? A few trips before I’d bailed out one of Gary Haileys drivers who’d been robbed in Czech I got a cheque & a letter of thanks from him within 2 days of getting home.
Fly sheet
I was out with Chris last night for a few beers for his birthday,
he says the books are shipped from his publisher in California, so if anyones looking at them for a crimbo present it could be worth ordering over the next few weeks.
I enjoyed this read and thought that Chris’ dry sense of humour showed through in his writing, Thanks Chris for a good laugh and a good read, brought back some memories of my own
Sitting here with the author of this literary classic in the making. You should read it, for sure. He is still the holder of the record for the funniest thing I ever heard!!
Ordered the book from Amazon,should be here before xmas
just finished reading chris’s book, it was excellent i highly recomend you buy it
cheers
gaz
I’m reading this at the moment, very good stuff, it’s well worth a read I have to say
He comes across as Henry, the mild mannered janitor when you speak to him… then goes and publishes the unacceptable face of truck driving!!! 
KW:
Ordered the book from Amazon,should be here before xmas
Arrived today,so I’ll have to read it quick as I have Paul Rowlands book to read next week!
Just givin this a kick back to page 1 if you don`t mind
I borght this book and it is DISGUSTING ! Things like this will get lorry driving a bad name. It should be band.
RICO:
I borght this book and it is DISGUSTING ! Things like this will get lorry driving a bad name. It should be band.
Can’t think why, he was a professional grape picker and beach bum for all the fun bits 
That will sell a few more copies !