theres a few pics of this firms f88 drawbars in a book ive got and it says they were middle east specialist but ive not seen anyone mention them so has anyone got any storys or pics of this firm in the m/e
Carl:
theres a few pics of this firms f88 drawbars in a book ive got and it says they were middle east specialist but ive not seen anyone mention them so has anyone got any storys or pics of this firm in the m/e
i think if you read it again carl they didn’t do ME, some of their old motors were bought by people doing ME - although I stand to be corrected, of course 
When I was working for Simon International,Jeff Litwin bought a second hand F12 road train that was in a brown livery,the registration number was OWL something,I’m almost certain it was a Radclive motor.Didn’t they come from Reading?It was driven by John Hunt,(Black John),and he was on his way to the ice cream factory in Baghdad,when he ran out of Ferodo coming down the drop towards Damascus and as he tried to take the slip road off at the bottom of the hill to head for the Iraq border,the trailer went over.As he had a TIR carnet for the truck and one for the trailer,he left the trailer and just delivered the truck load on one carnet.He picked the trailer up on the way home and brought it in piggy back.
Hi Carl:
heres a photo showing Radclives did do the M/E.
the F88 is pictured parked up at Amman, Jordan.
If anyone has anymore Radclive pics, please post them!
They had a good few trucks including an old F88 240 drawbar which was also owned by Van Hee at some point. Anyone have photos of Van Hee trucks?
v
the 2 pics in the book are f88 drawbars.i,ll post em next weekend as the books in my truck
and i shall stand corrected 
funny ian but from what you always heard about them, simon don’t sound like the sort of firm you’d have worked for? presume you knew “diplomatic” bill arnold then? 
jj72:
and i shall stand corrected
PM for you.
Bill Arnold, now thats a familiar name, He used to talk about when he went to Pakistan for PIE.
I used to work on Smithys ( Eurotrans) out of Rainham, and Bill was there then, driving one of the old Irish 141’s. He was always so miserable, I remember one trip he was coming back from Swiss loaded with clocks and a fellow in a Shogun fell asleep at the wheel, and ran up Bills arse, shot the trailer and the clocks all over the road, I seem to remember it was somewhere in Belgium in the Ardennes! He did not stop moaning, I think Jimmy Ellis went out empty to recover the clocks.
GS
GS OVERLAND:
Bill Arnold, now thats a familiar name, He used to talk about when he went to Pakistan for PIE.
I used to work on Smithys ( Eurotrans) out of Rainham, and Bill was there then, driving one of the old Irish 141’s. He was always so miserable
oh you definitely know him then! worked with him early 90s and he hadn’t changed at all - although it was a BIT of an act, I used to take great pleasure in making his face crack, not often but it was great when it happened 
these 3 pics are scanned from a book called f88 and f89 at work and were taken by or property of adrian cypher
perhaps a spot “off-topic” ish, but, they do say “what comes around, goes around” (something like that anyhow) I notice the logo on the doors.
That’s very present-day stuff. Ahead of their time maybe?
the logo on the doors resembles a plant. Radclives were nurserymen.
Hi JJ
I remember when Bill used to crack a little smile, but you had to be quick. I think he usedto make out to be so serious, Ive had some good drinks with Bill, many years ago, when we were on some oddball jobs for Smithy. He always wore those red sweatshirts, ( or that red sweatshirt!!) maybe there was only one. Where is Bill now??
GS
last saw him 95 when i worked with him, and gordon macmillan who used to be on for expo, who ian has mentioned before - no idea where he is now but know he lived down at hastings
IIRC he was on simon international for quite a while in the early days too
the last i knew bill arnold was working for croomes in kent and was still moaning,he would be amazed to read all postings from GS overland and realise that he eventually became a PROPER LORRY DRIVER.regards jimmy
Eh Jeeemyyyy…Wheres my awful wine and f&*^ing cheese.
Merd Rouge!!!
Regards
GS
jj72:
Carl:
theres a few pics of this firms f88 drawbars in a book ive got and it says they were middle east specialist but ive not seen anyone mention them so has anyone got any storys or pics of this firm in the m/ei think if you read it again carl they didn’t do ME, some of their old motors were bought by people doing ME - although I stand to be corrected, of course
I think you will find that they most definatley did do ME if that means middle east (you’l have to excuse me im only a girly!) but i do know that my dad JSK and his running wife Rod saddler we amoungst the first to do the run!
cheers !
Radclive did a lot of ME work, and a lot to Turkey as well, the ME was a lot of loads from Emerson ■■? from Swindon, and destined for hospitals etc in Saudi- UPS equipment, and we carried axles to Turkey, I think from the Wrexham area. JSK, Rod Sadler and Alex Christie did most I think. We also had some subbies who also worked ME for us. I have a vague recollection of £7.5k for a full load to Saudi. I may be well off the mark. Many other stories to tell some other time. However, Radclive continued to operate as a direct result of its drivers and workshop teams, without them it would have expired long before it did.
Ray(Taffy)