men i know who worked there: Andy Maclean, Tony Khan and Howard Leighton who I heard has recently sadly died
_________________
Don’t forget Davey Miiler & the late Kenny Bowkett.
truckerash:
heres a “funny looking” Mack with dust cart cab.
Presumably, these were used on UK work? Wonder if this ones come all the way back from Turkey
(
Whether anybody used them or not Ash I have no idea, but I well remember the publicity when their proposed importation was first announced.
I also remember thinking that someone was taking the mick thinking they could bring anything here if it had a glamour name and expect the ‘natives’ to fall over themselves wanting to buy/drive it.
Does anyone remember seeing them in action?
[quote=“harry”
Don’t forget Davey Miiler & the late Kenny Bowkett.[/quote]
Of course Harry… David Miller. He worked for Grangewood too and then Frigco. Think he’s living and working in Spain now.
truckerash:
3 men i know who worked there: Andy Maclean, Tony Khan and Howard Leighton who I heard has recently sadly died
Tony Khan I knew well,and Howard Leighton I knew very well when he worked for Jenkinsons from Manchester.Jenkinsons sort of half heartedly took on some of us former Chapman and Ball drivers when they were on the skids,but it never worked out and I finished after a couple of weeks with no money.
My one abiding memory of Howard was when a gang of us were in the National in Belgrade one night,having the usual mixed grill with side salad and a couple of Pivo’s,(thank you George).
As usual,there was a mix of nationalities,including a Finnish driver who was a little disfigured with a hump.He was sat on his own eating his meal,when a couple of local Yugo’s came in demanding,“Pivo!”
George could see they’d had a skinfull so he told them the bar was closed.They decided it would kill some time if they took the ■■■■ out of someone,so they picked on this lone driver,minding his own business,eating his meal.This pair started shouting,“Oi,Quasimodo!”.After a couple of minutes of this,the Finnish guy would not be drawn,so Howard shouted across to the Yugo’s,"Oi,leave him alone!"The bigger of the two give Howard a mouthful back in Serbo-Croat,to which Howard replied,“Right,you and me,outside,now!”
The smaller of the two made a run for the door to get outside first,on seeing this,Howard said,“OK,we’ll do it here”,and give this Yugo such a smack.The guy who’d made for the door came back in again and that was it,all the tables were in the air and everyone went to kick the ■■■■ out of this pair.
Howard and this big guy crashed through the swing doors into the kitchen,and a couple of minutes later came out dusting his hands,and said,“That’s that”
Thirty seconds later,big fella crashed back out of the kitchen with a huge knife and made for Howard!
Howard at this point thought he’d be better off outside so was out of the door followed by this knife wielding Yugo.Howard later told me,they were playing cat and mouse round the truck park,and he managed to get to his trailer and took a lump of heavy chain out and waited at the back of the trailer until this Yugo stuck his head round,then Howard wacked him.Howard was worried he’d hit this bloke so hard he may have killed him!No chance,the Yugo shook his head and kept coming!Howard decided it may be better inside after all,so we saw him come back in followed closely by Godzilla!
The place was in uproar,tables and chairs overturned,pot plants smashed,all with about 6 truckers kicking the ■■■■ out of these two blokes.They obviously were short on brain power,every time they were kicked to the ground,they just got up again and came back for some more!They were as hard as nails,not that they could fight,but they just kept taking the punishment.Me?I know when I’ve had enough,if you’ve ANY sense,you stay down,don’t you?The only thing that stopped it was when two Yugo cops came in and pulled their guns!These two nutters knew the cops mean busines in that part of the world when they pull a gun on you,they immediately put their hands up!
All credit to George,he told the cops it was the two nutters that had caused all the trouble and the truckers were trying to keep order.The pair were marched off,and George started serving Pivo again as if nothing had happened!
Howard finished up with nothing more than a fat lip,but it could have been worse.We said later,it seemed as if the only way to stop these blokes was to kill them!
Howard was good fun,a good mate and I mourn his passing.It was guys like Howard that made the M/E job what it was.He worked hard,played hard and was a barrel of laughs,but you could always depend on him.
Pull over trucker,your journy’s over.RIP
Good story Ian, but if you need $ubterfuge to beat the censor you gotta know it ain’t gonna work. 
D.
Cheers Bestbooties. I enjoyed that tale. I learnt a lot in the National from all the lads passing through. The Georges were amazing and knew where their bread was buttered 
It reminds me of an evening I spent in the Cheb Hotel with another mate.
We were having a fair session and joined by a Dutch tanker driver and the pivo was flowing.
Shortly afterwards the local Czech Mafia came in, all fancy suits and token girls. They took umbrage at us lowly truckers getting all the attention and started an argument. The waiter kept bringing us beer and ignoring them.
One of them decided that he would drink my beer and took my glass. I decided he could have the rest and poured the bottle over his head and over his designer suit.
Then the fun started, the other mafia guys pushed over a table and came charging towards us. The Dutchman, my mate Sharpy and me were just stood punching anyone close. I think even the waiter got a swing at these local guys.
Eventually the police were called and they knew these guys but obviously thought we were a better business for the hotel so they arrested the locals and we ended up paying for the beer for the police and the girls
I still have a broken finger and my mate said “dont mess with Malc’s beer when he is ■■■■■■■ 
Ian: a great story about Howard.
When I went to see him, he was living on a boat in Macclesfield.
He’d had an accident at work and fallen badly off a trailer.
It was probably 3 years ago now when I met him and talked to him about “the book”.
He was so helpful and told many tales of his days on Jenkys, Concorde and OHS.
The book WILL get done now, with or without Nick!
RIP Howard Leighton…
dieseldog6:
Anyone got any photo’s of this company? I would like to see some of there Macks. come on Ash you always come up trumps!!
How about a LHD Seddon Atki 400 Series in OHS livery (blue/white), featured in the brochure for the “Seddon Atkinson 400 Series International” range?? I wonder if OHS ever ran it, or at least beyond Dover! I’m still unpacking from our house move, but I’ll find it soon!
truckerash:
Ian: a great story about Howard.
When I went to see him, he was living on a boat in Macclesfield.
He’d had an accident at work and fallen badly off a trailer.
It was probably 3 years ago now when I met him and talked to him about “the book”.
He was so helpful and told many tales of his days on Jenkys, Concorde and OHS.The book WILL get done now, with or without Nick!
RIP Howard Leighton…
Thanks for the picture of my mate Ash,I must admit I shed a tear.He’s just as I remember him.This book should be dedicated to the memory of people like Howard,who helped make the M/E run the legend that it now is,you won’t see the like of him again.
Another mate who died quite young considering he was as hard as nails but the nicest bloke you could meet,that was Jeff Ruggins,a legend in his own lifetime.He was the man who would make the now famed “Camion stew”,with curry,so hot that even Tony Khan could not eat it!
240 Gardner:
How about a LHD Seddon Atki 400 Series in OHS livery (blue/white), featured in the brochure for the “Seddon Atkinson 400 Series International” range?? I wonder if OHS ever ran it, or at least beyond Dover! I’m still unpacking from our house move, but I’ll find it soon!
they sure did run them…
This thread has turned into a bit of an obituary so I will use it as such.
Does anyone remember the bloke from Teesside who ran an old Daf 2800 on Whittle and Landcrabs who was electrocuted with his steam cleaner?
He was known as a bit of a doom and gloom merchant but was always there if anyone needed repairs or help at the road side.
bestbooties:
Thanks for the picture of my mate Ash,I must admit I shed a tear.He’s just as I remember him.This book should be dedicated to the memory of people like Howard,who helped make the M/E run the legend that it now is,you won’t see the like of him again.
Another mate who died quite young considering he was as hard as nails but the nicest bloke you could meet,that was Jeff Ruggins,a legend in his own lifetime.He was the man who would make the now famed “Camion stew”,with curry,so hot that even Tony Khan could not eat it!
ive heard of Jeff but got no pics.
Another name to throw at you is Les Higgins, drove for Jenkys and mate of Howards.
Tony Khan lives in Slough area, works nights for air freight co.
Was Lez Higgins an old bloke,I.m talking old 30 years ago,not now.The last time I saw him,if it’s the same bloke we’re talking about,he was driving for some firm out of Northwich,but I.talking over 20 years ago now.
I think Harry should have a new user name of Picasso
truckerash:
240 Gardner:
How about a LHD Seddon Atki 400 Series in OHS livery (blue/white), featured in the brochure for the “Seddon Atkinson 400 Series International” range?? I wonder if OHS ever ran it, or at least beyond Dover! I’m still unpacking from our house move, but I’ll find it soon!they sure did run them…
Blimey, they were brave, weren’t they? Seddon hub reduction axles and all… I wonder how long those wagons lasted.
And another cracking pic, Ash - thank you!
Wheel Nut It’ll cost yer… 
if its the les higgins your on about comes from cannock and drives for bowmers, also dont for get tony yates (yata) another legend of m/e, have done a bit with him myself in the late 80s, i see yata every sunday and he as not changed 1 bit. daz
is this howard the one who was doing russian work early 90s with a magnum? dunno who he worked for but if it is we had a monumental ■■■■ up at riders motel one weekend ably assisted by him - well it must’ve been as i woke up in the long grass round the back sunday morning 
in any case RIP
Spardo:
truckerash:
heres a “funny looking” Mack with dust cart cab.
Presumably, these were used on UK work? Wonder if this ones come all the way back from Turkey
(Whether anybody used them or not Ash I have no idea, but I well remember the publicity when their proposed importation was first announced.
I also remember thinking that someone was taking the mick thinking they could bring anything here if it had a glamour name and expect the ‘natives’ to fall over themselves wanting to buy/drive it.
Does anyone remember seeing them in action?
Ruttle’s Plant Hire in Chorley ran one with that can for several years, a 6 x 4 rigid tipper.
As far as I can remember, and there was an article in Truck magazine about the dust cart Macks, at the time, they were used to pull trailers from Dover that were abit on the heavy side for the twin screw F700’s in the UK. That was just what I’ve read, and if anyone knows any different, I would like to here it.