Big Al,
great pictures of Shap etc. Heading south from the summit, doesn’t it look so peaceful.
Do you remember this place?
Can you put a name to this one? Both pics are from about 25 years ago ( I think ) 
Ray
Big Al:
Just about a mile further east in the village of Althorpe opposit the Dolphin pub was a transport cafe whose name eludes me, but i
think the lady who owned it was called Mrs Mack ? Anyone else out there remember ? regards Big Al
Hi Al.The cafe at Althorpe was called the Welcome and further west was the Two Rivers which was eventually used by Thompsons of Crowle.If you wanted a quick pint and a sandwich,the Jolly Sailor pub t’other side of Keadby Bridge on the R/H side was a good bet.I’ve got a photo of it somewhere.
Found it. 
And here’s one of Keadby Bridge.
Do you remember a cafe between Blyton and Kirton Lindsey? If you turned right in Blyton after Frame,Duncan and Reid’s yard a few miles further on there was a cafe on the right,on a bend IIRC.I can’t recall the name but I used it sometimes when running Staveley - Immingham,it made a change from the A18.there was a cafe in Kirton Lindsey as well,quite popular it was and the snap was good.
Chris Webb:
Big Al:
Just about a mile further east in the village of Althorpe opposit the Dolphin pub was a transport cafe whose name eludes me, but i
think the lady who owned it was called Mrs Mack ? Anyone else out there remember ? regards Big AlHi Al.The cafe at Althorpe was called the Welcome and further west was the Two Rivers which was eventually used by Thompsons of Crowle.If you wanted a quick pint and a sandwich the Jolly Sailor pub t’other side of Keadby Bridge on the R/H side was a good bet.I’ve got a photo of it somewhere.
Of course The Welcome, thanks Chris. I had forgotten the one at Two Rivers when I had my own lorries it was Godfrey & Evans ? i think,
then Judges bought it later to become Judge Transport then as you say Thompson’s of Crowle. I remember when they ran a fleet of tin
cab AEC 8 wheelers loading steel out of Scunthorpe, Bill Fretwell used to drive for them and Don (Foxy) Fowler. I also remember The Ironstone
and The Jolly Sailor in Gunness just over the bridge (I can still remember the Old Keadby bridge lifting, it took for ever to go up and down) regards Big Al
Hi Al.If you go back to my post I’ve edited it and put some pics on.I think W.H.Martin from Brigg took Thompson over or maybe it was Reeds.I remember Thompsons running MK3 “tin front” AECS as I used to drive one myself for A E Evans,Sheffield.
And Keadby Bridge was handy for trainspotting and also it was a challenge when H and L Workington and North Lincs Haulage were carrying that plate overhanging the trailer,bit of rag flapping and a mucky old marker board somewhere.They both went into CLS I think.
Chris Webb:
Hi Al.If you go back to my post I’ve edited it and put some pics on.I think W.H.Martin from Brigg took Thompson over or maybe it was Reeds.I remember Thompsons running MK3 “tin front” AECS as I used to drive one myself for A E Evans,Sheffield.
And Keadby Bridge was handy for trainspotting and also it was a challenge when H and L Workington and North Lincs Haulage were carrying that plate overhanging the trailer,bit of rag flapping and a mucky old marker board somewhere.They both went into CLS I think.
Yes I remember North Lincs Haulage with their Guys, I think they were Guy dealers. I always remember meeting Cracker Jack Lindley who
drove for CLS up near Aberdeen one morning about 40 year ago and enquiring of him if he was staying at Jane Laings that night in Montrose
to which he replied with a grin “no chance lad i’ve me beasts to feed” regards Big Al
Chris Webb:
Hi Al.If you go back to my post I’ve edited it and put some pics on.I think W.H.Martin from Brigg took Thompson over or maybe it was Reeds.I remember Thompsons running MK3 “tin front” AECS as I used to drive one myself for A E Evans,Sheffield.
And Keadby Bridge was handy for trainspotting and also it was a challenge when H and L Workington and North Lincs Haulage were carrying that plate overhanging the trailer,bit of rag flapping and a mucky old marker board somewhere.They both went into CLS I think.
Just had a quick look at the picture of Keadby bridge, it looks pre Gunness Wharfe days ? regards Big Al
Big Al, : May I thank you for taking the time out to collect the pictures of the old Shap and post them on here as it brought back memories of long ago. On the rare occasions I am likely to get up that far now I would no doubt be whisked up the Motorway to reach my destination as quickly as possible and only on my return feel sadly, of the opportunity I had missed to take a nostalgic trip on an old road to somewhere. The last time I can remember coming that way was the first week in April 1966, returning from Glasgow on a Friday night, a buddy and I were in a Jag 3.8 towing a trailer with two motorcycles on. I remember it clearly because we had a late snowfall and when we got to I think, Penrith, the Police had a road stop set up and informed us the road was blocked over Shap, so we were diverted left (forget the name of the road) to get on to the A1. Now, it wasn’t the best of roads and we soon encountered some traffic struggling to spin there way up the hills. We soon found ourselves in the same boat, having to stop we couldn’t get grip again. I tried pushing the car but to no avail, then I found if I pushed on the trailer it had the desired effect and my mate could slowly spin his way along. I would then have to try to run along the inside through the snow on jump into the slowly moving vehicle. 
All our efforts were lost though as a wagon had slewed agross the road and both ways came to a standstill. We walked to a lighted building we could see in the distance, by now in the early hours, and found it to be a pub, which raised our spirits a bit, but on entering a jam packed bar we were told by the gaffer he had not a drop of drink or a crum of food left! We returned to the car and tried to sleep, very cold and wet, through a night that seemed to last forever! At first light the wreckers and snow ploughs were out and eventually we were on our way. Once on the A1 there was no sign of snow, a stop for breakfast, and back to the West Midlands for about lunch time. A bath, short kip and out on the evening to our local haunt. When I walked into the bar my mate was already in supping his first pint, he looked at me , grinned and said " we must be bleeding mad! I also remember, in the '70s, chaps in the Birmingham area, talking of struggling up Shap at night in their old Commers and such like and a Scotish firm (can’t recall the name) who ran powerfull Aki’s with a steel girder frame on the front, would shove 'em up! Don’t know if this was true or not but I heard it told serveral times. Anyone know! 
flishflunk:
Big Al,
great pictures of Shap etc. Heading south from the summit, doesn’t it look so peaceful.Do you remember this place?
Can you put a name to this one? Both pics are from about 25 years ago ( I think )
Ray
This one goes from strength to strength. A favourite for F1 teams and Police motorcycle trainers
Big Al:
Chris Webb:
Hi Al.If you go back to my post I’ve edited it and put some pics on.I think W.H.Martin from Brigg took Thompson over or maybe it was Reeds.I remember Thompsons running MK3 “tin front” AECS as I used to drive one myself for A E Evans,Sheffield.
And Keadby Bridge was handy for trainspotting and also it was a challenge when H and L Workington and North Lincs Haulage were carrying that plate overhanging the trailer,bit of rag flapping and a mucky old marker board somewhere.They both went into CLS I think.Just had a quick look at the picture of Keadby bridge, it looks pre Gunness Wharfe days ? regards Big Al
Hi Al.
I’m not sure when that photo was taken.Do you remember the cafe in Kirton Lindsey and the one between Blyton and Kirton Lindsey?
Al I think you inadvertantly do a small injustice to yourself and all the rest of us who toiled up that incline and terrified ourselves down it.
Read the inscription again, it is principally dedicated to us, the drivers who maintained the link between north and south. The lower paragraph rightly includes the builders and locals.
Just a small point and I don’t want to belittle your efforts to bring us welcome memories of those days.
Does anyone go over there these days in a modern highpowered, electronically/engine-braked wagon and wonder just what all those old geezers were banging on about? 
Big Al:
I stopped at the layby on Shap summit and read the memorial to the men and
women who had helped build the road and keep it open during bad weather.
Spardo:
Al I think you inadvertantly do a small injustice to yourself and all the rest of us who toiled up that incline and terrified ourselves down it.
Read the inscription again, it is principally dedicated to us, the drivers who maintained the link between north and south. The lower paragraph rightly includes the builders and locals.
Just a small point and I don’t want to belittle your efforts to bring us welcome memories of those days.
Does anyone go over there these days in a modern highpowered, electronically/engine-braked wagon and wonder just what all those old geezers were banging on about?Big Al:
I stopped at the layby on Shap summit and read the memorial to the men and
women who had helped build the road and keep it open during bad weather.
Road conditions on the A6 over Shap could have been improved long before the M6 was built…
In WW11 the U.S. army wanted to improve/rebuild that part of the A6 but for some reason this just never happened – application paperwork is still probably in some council office waiting to be passed !!
Chris Webb:
Yes Ray the Frodsham cafe was where the shops were.I never used the one on Long Hill but there was a cafe on the left between Whaley Bridge and Chapel,a bungalow type building.It would be a calling place before going over Rushup Edge and Mam Tor to Sheffield.
.
Hiya Chris, I’ve found some cuttings of cafes from years ago that I saved in case I ever needed them. Here’s two of them.
I think this was the one we were thinking of.
And this may have been the one you passed in the mornings. I think A55 is a printers error, would say it should be A51 or A54. This is the one where the tanker drivers parked up and waited for their lifts.
Wasn’t there another Cafe on the road to Chesterfield from Chapel, before you got to Baslow?
Ray
I last took a wagon from Kendal up to the M6 (heading homewards) about 6 years ago, fully freighted.
It’s still a fairly tough climb 
.
Down the hill in a good spec’ modern artic I still do the “so wheres the bad bits then ?”, but drop the specs to a cheap, fleet, 4 wheeler and you soon notice the “bad bits” 
Hi Ray,that’s the one the Santa Rosa - a rayt name for a cafe in Derbyshire .And that must be the one in Tarvin on the A51 or is it A54? i wonder if any drivers new to the area were swanning round North Wales on the A55 looking for it.
I’m trying to think of any cafes between Chapel and Baslow and I think there may have been one at Wardlow on the left towards Chesterfield,but I never used the road a lot so am unsure.There was one in Stoney Middleton called the Lovers Leap but you wouldn’t get a wagon parked anywhere near in that village.Nowadays,beyond Baslow there are a couple of caravans in lay-bys before you reach Crooked Spire country.
Can anyone remember the cafe on A626 Woodhead Pass just before the Dog & Partridge, I think they called it Robin Hood, I always have fond memories of the Oakamoor Cafe on the A38, also a mobile cafe on the A1 at Elkersley
first run by Dawn ( rising sun ) then by June ( super lady )
coca cola kid:
Can anyone remember the cafe on A626 Woodhead Pass just before the Dog & Partridge, I think they called it Robin Hood, I always have fond memories of the Oakamoor Cafe on the A38, also a mobile cafe on the A1 at Elkersley
first run by Dawn ( rising sun ) then by June ( super lady )
I remember the Robin Hood well Mel and the Oakamoor,I’ve had some dodgys on there in me time,also the Tree at Alrewas on the A38.
hiya,
Just a triviality Chris but was’nt the cafe at Alrewas known (pluralised) as the Trees or was it just me never reading the sign when using it and i did use it quite a lot multi years BC.
thanks harry long retired.
Hi Harry, I think at one time it was known as the big tree cafe, another on the A38 was the Airport cafe just south of Atkins depot, Cheers Mel
hiya,
thanks for that CCK just shows you can use a place regularly and not know it’s proper name, just used to say “see you at the Tree’s” and that was it, could’nt go wrong with the Airport though used it and that was easy to remember and both was quite good, any still going??.
thanks harry long retired.
The Tree was the best, you could always get a proper cooked dinner and pudding in there.
Both it and the Airport are long gone I think but the last time I passed the Oakamoor was still going.