bullitt:
Its great to see so many posts, pics and memories of the Middle East runs, I was just wondering if there are any lads on here who can do the same with North Africa…Morrocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya maybe even Egypt!!!.
Going by his posts Harry has done it with Breda and the Swiss, has anyone else done it and has some pics, memories and tales to Share!!
Hi i worked for a company called Tentraco in 1981 i went to Algeria a place called El Asnam there had been an earthquake there an i was doing internal runs from El Asnam to Oran docks with portable houses from guildway homes at guildford.I returned in jan 83 this time running containers for Alfa lavell they were loaded with parts to make supermarket fridges for the algerian army.We went all over but the worst journey was algers to tammanrasset near Niger.We had clapped out F10,s an an old daf2800.we drove across the sahara which was really hard on the trucks as the sand is like driving on a corugated road,spring shaccle pins were breaking quicker than we could put them in the trucks were just falling apart.Their was another firm out there they had light blue F10,s with big white letters on the front LINK and some had SLATER on the front i think they came from darlington way.They just ran along the coast we did all the desert stuff.Ive got lots of photos of the trips i will have to get someone to put them on for me as im not very good with computers.Hope this is of interest to you.martin.
boyzee:
[.They just ran along the coast we did all the desert stuff.Ive got lots of photos of the trips i will have to get someone to put them on for me as im not very good with computers.Hope this is of interest to you.martin.
It certainly is, so get yourself good, or find a man who can. And welcome again, experiences like yours coupled to a memory like yours is a valuable resource. And photos too.
[Nquote=“mr ken”]tenraco that name rings a bell were they at rainham
[/quote]
Their office was at charlton near the 102 woolwich turn off,they also own a trailer hire firm called brittainnia trailer hire it was in cunis trading estate.The two brothers that own it were ron and john popely.I loaded about 80+containers over a 2 month period at northfleet at a firm called baxter fell then they went to sheerness and was loaded on a hired ship onto algers.Some of the trailers went to marseille then over on the ferry.Varios owner drivers did this run to the south of france including a firm called kb motors from battersea i remember the driver micky bashford the popelys bought kb,s scania at marseille docks an micky went over to algers for a number of months.I did a lot of runs to the south of france for them and on some accasions s j selfe lorrys took some of the trailers an we always ran back solo.I now work for s j selfe we are in billy humpfreys yard in north woolwich near tate an lyle.PS if anyone is local to me that can put my photos on here i will deliver them.thanks martin
Martin, thanks for dragging this post up again. Look forward to seeing some of your North Africa pics…there are some guys on here who can take you through,step by step, how to post some pics on here, I havent got a clue.
KB motors, are they anything to do with KBM who used to park off the Purley Way in Croydon, had some knackered DAFs and used to do Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal in the 80`s?
Keep posting the memories…there`s plenty on here who will listen.
I did Boston to Algar with swingin’ beef for a UK firm . We used to get the ferry from Marsielles to Algar & only have to drive 10 ks to the abbotior ,fill up the belly tanks ,& back to the docks. We waited sometimes a week for a boat back So the trailer parties would sometimes get a little out of hand,The reload was usually Murcia area. It was ,of course,trip money so therefor ,a glorified hobby. There was a regular boat from Algar to Alicante but because we arrived from Marseilles we had to return there then run 1000 kms empty ;lovely!
bullitt:
Martin, thanks for dragging this post up again. Look forward to seeing some of your North Africa pics…there are some guys on here who can take you through,step by step, how to post some pics on here, I havent got a clue.
KB motors, are they anything to do with KBM who used to park off the Purley Way in Croydon, had some knackered DAFs and used to do Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal in the 80`s?
Keep posting the memories…there`s plenty on here who will listen.
Cheers, bullitt.
The kb motors trucks were painted mettalic green with kb motors on the headboard,i know they had scanias an daf,s.cheers.
Sounds like the same outfit boyzee…KB stood for the owners name Kenny or Ken somebody…as you say,a couple of dafs and scanias, mettalic green, think later on he picked up a couple of Space cabs which were ex “fruitex” or someone like that.
martin that is the same firm made me smile when i read it thanks for some good posts remember going to cunis to see him for something no electric no water and rats like cats
mrken:
martin that is the same firm made me smile when i read it thanks for some good posts remember going to cunis to see him for something no electric no water and rats like cats
Was your uncle Terry Murry or Joe paul? these two were in algers with me.Tentraco bought an old N88 of off roy saul lorry sales at barking it had been used on rubbish bulker.Joe drove the lorry down to marsaille with a load flat trailer i took my sgh 140 he caught the ferry over to algers i dropped my trailer and came back solo. Then i flew at later.When joe got over the volvo broke down and they towed it with out taking the prop off,the gearbox seized up and as far as i know it was returned to england by boat.Terry Murry had previosly work in saudi he was driving an old sgh 111 out there,he was a right laugh proper eastender i did a lot of trips with him he was always washing the lorry an tried to keep it clean but it was a waste of time out there.On one trip we went to laguate about 8 hrs south off algers he got a from wheel blowout,we had no jack so i made a ramp an drove the lorry up it then put some blocks under the axle let the truck roll back wards so the wheel was off the floor an we manage to get out of trouble.we had no map an he decided we would go back to camp another way,about 11 that night it started snowing in the middle of the dessert!this was january but we didnt expect snow there.We got back the next night after a 20hour drive.The scania was no good on the long runs as the springs couldnt take the pounding and it didnt have good traction on the rough going.Another driver was John Forser who i see years later driving for S&S with a fridge he came from wandsworth.Terry and myself phone home after being away 4 months it was our sons birthday,when i spoke to my boy who was only7 it broke my heart and i knew id had enough a few weeks later i flew home never to return.
Can’t believe that after all this time being a member on here I bumped into this topic.
Isn’t that Ken Lane standing behind Barry Dilly? Steve May to the right but I can’t remember the name of the guy in the DTS sweatshirt in the background.
This brings back some memories. I used to work out of Morocco for periods of time running the office during the era these pictures were taken.
Can’t believe that after all this time being a member on here I bumped into this topic.
Isn’t that Ken Lane standing behind Barry Dilly? Steve May to the right but I can’t remember the name of the guy in the DTS sweatshirt in the background.
This brings back some memories. I used to work out of Morocco for periods of time running the office during the era these pictures were taken.
Mark
Hi don’t think it is Ken Lane is it possibly Tony Hilton?? Steve May did a couple of trips for me!
Update on the Maroc shift. There was a reunion last weekend in Derby.Breda ,Manno’s,DTS , etc. Steve May has been cured & has got his licence back & driving again.Georgie Wales is still living & driving in France;Johnny Chivers is with Tesco now; Lob-on Lane didn’t show; About 50 drivers showed up & it was a terrific craik.Got to the hotel Saturday afternoon & left Sunday morning.I had forgotton what a great set of lads I had spent most of my working life with.All scallwags with hearts of gold .( Sounds like an obit )
Anyone remember a guy called stuart used to do marrocco with a old scania with a high roof conversion on it lives bordeaux way.Think the truck may have belonged to steve may at some point.
Captain Gadget ,was going out with Maureen from Breda in Tangiers while his wife was pregnant.Smashing chap! :But then, when he was away the lovely Maureen entertained her trucky fan club. Loverley days ! o l:
And welcome again, experiences like yours coupled to a memory like yours is a valuable resource. And photos too. 
