Hi havnt been long on this site but was wondering if there are any drivers who use to work for these 2 firms…we use to use the olau line ferry 99% of the time unless we missed it…anyone who used this ferry at that time would always remember the guy wiv the black leather jacket & the red berry…he always use to come out of the duty free wiv half the stock tucked up inside his jacket…lol…
I used to catch Olau line every Sunday out and back Tuesday back in 84-85 what year are we talking about here.? Can’t place those mind, and pic of trucks might jog the old memory box though.
im not sure of the years but sure it was in the 80s…i did do a search on the olau wen i think fist joined & remember some1 saying about a firm called alte express & a guy called dave who use to drive for verspack which was about the time wen i use to use it i remember dave use to drive a white transcon doing enevelopes to germany on a regular run…alte express use to have mercs wiv yellow tilts they was from wales somewere but cant remeber were the few drivers that i remember was a guy called tonka…jack(an ex hippie…probably living in india now…lol…as he was very layed back usual had his sandels on & had been out to india & wanted to go there again if i remember right…a guy who use to talk very fast & a bit gruff…dont think he was welsh…we use to ship out on saturday night wiv big john from southend(spectrums) & the 2 guys who use to work for bleckmans & use to double man up to denmark then ship back on monday night i think there was a guy from northhampton wiv a van use to do motorcycle spares i fink…i use to drive either for bussink(dutch firm) on the fridges or wen we started all becoming owner drivers…on fridges…once there was 5 of us(hanging meat loads out of an abbrotire in essex better not give the name) who caught the olau ferry on the tuesday 11am out of sheerness & didnt arrive in vlissingen till the wednesday afternoon cos of severe weather…
ive just found a pic of one of our old trucks its on this site…http:www.euro-wheels.com/gallery/smith08m its the daf wiv the blue & red stripe on the trailor & the bull horns on the top of the cab…
Sun Worshipper I remember Dave Smith off Versapak very well of the Alte guys I remember Eric Coventry,and Henk he drove the Crusader six legger another one from 20 Express was Stan, I drove a DAF 2800 for Bickenhill Transport Services part of the Richard Ford group from B/Ham, happy days,
I also remember the guy with the van from North’ts also Max, I think he was German living in the UK had something to do with importing all those Suzuki SJ 410 in to UK.
Bussink from Dinxperlo, would the TM be called John by any chance, only i did some work for him around europe back in the 70`s.
The guy in the leather jacket and the red beret who used to come out of the duty free shop with all the gear under his jacket was called Nigel Ellis. I was a regular on this ferry driving for Stute bringing the jams and juices from Germany.
Stuart (New Member)
yea spot on wellard…he was certainly well remembered on the Olau…i remember walking round the duty free wiv him & he would stop duck down unscrew the top of a litre bottle av a few swigs then put it back on the shelf…lol…yea i remember ur truck you had the wide cab blue merc wiv the curtain sider wiv all the jars of jam on the side if i remember right…was it organic jam??..yea i remember stan off 20 express think he ended up in the office though not sure…sure 1 of there drivers ended up living in holland married a dutch women i fink…not sure if that was the same john who was the transport manger in the 70s as im sure this was in the 80s & yea there was a john transport manager for the abbortire & he did have links wiv bussink & that was the time wen SAS use to load out of there & cadwallders but then they brought all there own trailors & we all became owner drivers…though they still used SAS & i think there was a guy wiv his own scania who use to do there french work…but we did all the german work…
Yeah right, i used to work for SAS…and when i worked for Astran, i did some work when John was the T/m…small world innit…
does 1 of ur ex drivers on SAS live in pitsea?..ive seen him a couple of times & thought i know that guy from sum were but coudnt place were but it came to me the other night im sure he was an ex SAS driver…i remember old john the polish driver i always use to give him a pair of gloves…he said SAS never gave him gloves doubt if that was true…& the tall lanky guy i think he was a bit gyspy related somewere down the line & a big guy…not sure of his name but always up to something…i use to drive 1 of the german registered mercks for bussink wen SAS & caddwallders was always in there thats before they got there own trailors…& ur right it is a small world…lol…
hello mr sw . my dad drove for modeswift( mccluskey) he had one of the 1633 mercs and if i remember a lad called dave drove the scania and another lad melvin drove the other merc.
wellard:
The guy in the leather jacket and the red beret who used to come out of the duty free shop with all the gear under his jacket was called Nigel Ellis. I was a regular on this ferry driving for Stute bringing the jams and juices from Germany.
Stuart (New Member)
Take it you are the Bald ugly one who I had the pleasure of many trips on Olau boat ?
hi i use to drive for bussink then modeswift for a long time before they packed up if anyone remembers me my name is mervyn john we where all well known on the olau line regards mervyn
sun worshiper what is your name i was on theat ferry on wesnday till thursday use to drive for bussink and then mode swift john jerwood was transport manager then my name is mervyn john the drivers on there at the time where willie, alan, mark. donald mcluscky. bryce,pat women driver,nigel,some more but i cant think of them at the mo as i said my name is mervyn john get in touch with me plz regards mervyn
truck boy do u remember me mervyn i was on for bussink and modeswift then whent on for masiecold regards mervyn