I’m not sure how long the Official Secrets Act stays relevant for so I’d better just say that these pictures were taken in 1978 and the yellow plate on the front of the truck says EXPLOSIVE. The guys in uniform are from The Royal Danish Air Force who escorted us throughout the journey, with additional escorts from the Caribinieri in Italy and Polizei in Germany and both the Police National and the Army in France.
L to Right Tony? & Alex, Brian and the driver of German rigid in the convoy whose name was Fritz I think. The Dane that Alex is leaning on was Frank and he invited Brian and I to his home in the centre of Copenhagen over the week end and his wife cooked us a meal, how friendly is that?
Me and me DAF. Check out the wheels on the back end of the trailer, try getting that round the steps on the Mont Cenis!
We were hauling for NATO and we were running from southern Italy to Copenhagen in Denmark, parking up in military establishments overnight
It was just like our own little version of Wages of Fear and I felt just like Yves Montand (only joking). My mate Brian and I were driving for PIE and I think the drivers of the two Radclive Transport of Farringdon trucks were Alex and Tony. PIE had recently acquired LandA Express Freight Carriers who had the original contract for this work. Brian and I had originally driven for LandA and moved over to PIE with the takeover. Leaving the Train Ferry on the last leg of the trip to Copenhagen
On this occasion we made two round trips which, with the general load out to Italy and return load home from Denmark, took five weeks. This picture was taken in the Piazza Di Porta Maggiore in Rome and was where Brian and I week ended on the way back to Southern Italy to do the second trip. I doubt whether you’d be allowed to park there all week end now! I was used to parking there though, we used to take antiques to Rome when I drove for Howells and Reavell, we cleared customs in the Dogana Di San Lorenzo just around the corner and regularly stayed in the Hotel Porta Maggiore for the week end. Does anyone remember the Falcon Pub and Continental Club in Rome? I’ve supped some Birra Pironi in there I can tell you. (not to mention Zambucca, Grappa Etc.etc.)…………… I SAID NOT TO MENTION THE ZAMBUCCA….!
That trip must have been interesting Dave. No chance of a “flyer” home on that one.
Hotel Porta Maggiore? Was that the one set on a sort of roundabout or was it some sort of intersection? Had a bit of a barney with an Australian tourist in there. Nearly got chucked out with my suitcase. It was only because I lied and told the manager that the Aussie had started it all that he relented. We used to sit outside drinking coffee and watch the traffic. During rush hour, the rozzers used to give up trying to direct it, and come and sit with us.
The Falcon Pub? Was that the recognised English drinking place in Rome?
I don’t know for sure but I presume Porta Maggiore was one of the major entrances into the old roman town. I think you have the right place Steve, there was a major tram stop just to the left on the picture and I don’t know how I took the picture without any traffic on there, 'cos it was usually manic, even at 3 in the morning! You didn’t need a ■■■ with your morning coffee, just sit outside the hotel and breathe in the traffic fumes
I remember that a lot of the drivers that took antiques down to Rome used to frequent the Falcon for a bit of R&R. I was introduced to it by a Presto driver but I can’t think of his name at the moment. I remember reading in a Sunday paper in the early 80’s though, that he had been arrested in Rome for kissing in the street! Vannic International were another firm that were heavily involved with the antique trade to Italy.
Thanks for the compliment’s lads, they were pretty cool those old Daf’s for their day. They had a stove and sink with running (pumped) tap water with about 15 gallons of water all fitted under the bunk, aircon and cab heater, and best of all they were all LHD which was a real boon when you spent most of your time in Europe (and/or the Middle East).
PIE wasn’t just in England, Bluejaysfan, they had trucks based in Malmo in Sweden, they also had small operators or owner drivers running under PIE colours all over Europe with 3 or 4 depots in most countries.
I took this picture in PIE’s depot in Oslo, Norway (circa 1977) Judging by the colour scheme of the cab it was probably on contract to PIE and although it says Finland on the Visor it looks very much like it has a Swedish Licence Plate. (with apologies for the poor picture quality)
Yeah, rock on Dave, who needs eyesight anyway! I used to get into the basildon tractor plant bay blind, just stick the side rail on the lhs wall, and give the engine some therapy!
Dave,
You are quiet right in saying ‘How friendly is that’ when a complete stranger invites you into his home for a meal when you are away from your home, I have been in a similar situation when I was invited into someones home for a meal with the family, very much appreciated,
I seem to remember that when PIE came to the UK (They were a USA outfit ) they advertised for a manager & chose an ex-SCA driver. he was a Scot & lived in Bedford. He told me they were only interested in M/E work. But he realised they had no idea they had to have permits ect. I asked why he chose DAFS? he told me that PIE wanted 30 trucks off the shelf & DAF was the only company that had them in stock. They took on any driver that would run for them. They used to give the driver about £400 cash for ex`s at the start of the trip. They took on a lot of guys that had never done M/E .Many of them took the cash in London then did a runner in Dover. I believe the Managers name was Jock Hastings…?
I vaguely remember Jock Hasty Harry, but he had gone before I started there. We used to do trips occasionaly for PIE when I drove for LANDA, and by the time PIE bought LANDA Jocky was gone. The manager was an American Robert Haddad, but the job was run by John Thomas, Colin Chalkie White and a few other guys the names of who slip my mind at the moment. JT had been a director of Howells and Reavell and I think Chalkie was ex Ryder Truck Rental.
Can’t think that what you said about the DAF’s can be right though Harry, they were hardly ‘off the shelf’. They were all left hookers for a start, and they only had a single (raised) bunk because the cooker, sink, fridge and water storage was under the bunk. They all had air con and cab heaters too, which wasn’t that common in the mid 70’s. PIE certainly had plenty of dosh though, well it was owned by Bank of America I believe. There wasn’t an over abundance of drivers who had done M.E. then either and those who had, already had reasonable jobs with the likes of Astran and Topcapi etc.
I wasnt knocking the DAFs but Jock was a Scania man so I was curios to know why he chose them. Probably DAFs were the only people that could handle the order with full M/E spec. The DAFs were good trucks. I leased a 3200 myselfYeah,youre right about the money. Jock told me that PIE were prepared to lose a million pounds to get it all up & running. Youre also right about Jock. He didnt last all that long. Hasty by name… But he was OK.
But surely PIE had more than 30 trucks when you started…?
No, I reckon they only had about 30 or so trucks when i started which was in 1976 I think. I don’t think Jock chose them. As far as I know all that sort of stuff was organised long before they had many people working for them and then they had to wait quite a few months for the DAF’s to arrive. They weren’t all that reliable either, not the ones I drove anyway. Because they had air con they had a compressor running on the fan belt which meant it had to be a lot longer and so when it was really hot, and the viscious fan cut-in, it would often snap the fan belts. I remember one trip I made to Malta via Reggio Calabrio, the belts broke 5 times and you had to fit new ones yourself. No problem the first time and nothing you can’t handle the second time, but tilting the cab on the hard shoulder in about 30 degrees 5 times…, and in any case, I only had one set of spares so I had a hellava problem getting replacements 'cos they weren’t standard size. HAPPY DAYS…NOT! God knows how the boys on ME runs got on when it really warmed up.
At least when you did finally arrive home there was a real sense of achievement and a feeling of ‘what the **** am I doing this for’.
Leaving the Train Ferry on the last leg of the trip to Copenhagen
Vannic International were another firm that were heavily involved with the antique trade to Italy.
. I can barely see the door 
.
I used to get into the basildon tractor plant bay blind, just stick the side rail on the lhs wall, and give the engine some therapy!
