yes the silver Link cafe & digs were on the left befor u went over Kincardine Bridge,lovely digs good food, When i was driving for a haulier called Harris & miners of Devon doing scotch runs,always stopped the nite,2 brothers ran it,one brother was Stan,both were genuine people, They both lived next Door,Nice Pub down the road,always a game of dominos on the go,lovely b/fast too,Beans,double egg,sausages,2 toast,free tea,its gone now, Norman Croad,Torquay…
6LX:
yes the silver Link cafe & digs were on the left befor u went over Kincardine Bridge,lovely digs good food, When i was driving for a haulier called Harris & miners of Devon doing scotch runs,always stopped the nite,2 brothers ran it,one brother was Stan,both were genuine people,Pub down the road,always a game of dominos on the go,lovely b/fast too,Beans,double egg,sausages,2 toast,free tea,its gone now, Norman croad,Torquay,Devon.
Hiya,
Is’nt the cafe building still standing just adjacent to the where the old bridge stood
if I’m not mistaken what was the cafe buildings (and I stayed there many times) is
now a plumbers merchant / bathroom showroom.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hiya,u got it mate,if u were coming over the bridge from fife ,turn right, past the pub & u could park n the Road,i dont care wat anyone ses,the best food there,always clean,Norman croad,Torquay.
Hi, I stay in the village of Airth and you are all correct the silver Link is now a kitchen showroom. I used to stop there often for a cuppa. I used to deliver fuel to the petrol station next to the cafe ,the petrol station closed years ago and is still fenced off. The pub that was down the road was called Higgins nueke,this has been demolished and a house built in its place. The place was always busy with lorry drivers when you came out to the road end you went over Kincardine bridge to Fife or through Kincardine and turned left for Kinross Perth etc,There are photos of the silver link in its heyday,if I can find them I will post them.
matt watson:
Hi, I stay in the village of Airth and you are all correct the silver Link is now a kitchen showroom. I used to stop there often for a cuppa. I used to deliver fuel to the petrol station next to the cafe ,the petrol station closed years ago and is still fenced off. The pub that was down the road was called Higgins nueke,this has been demolished and a house built in its place.
check out "bob alloa "site picture of silverlink cafe on there go further back on site to brs site and erf originally pollock in the car park
Yes boballoa is a friend of mine and he has some great photos of BRS. This is the old Kincardine bridge and it’s still going strong,when the. New Clackmannan bridge closes due to bad weather etc the traffic gets diverted over the old bridge.the other cafe just before the silver link was called the pine and oak whitch was also a busy place for drivers , This place has also been closed for years and the lay by it was situated in is now a favourite place for vosa to pull you in.
Who Remembers!!Wen stopping the nite at Silver Link,there was always a cup of Tea & cake for u to help yrself to Wen u come back from the Pub,You had to go in the back to let yrself in…Norman Croad,Torquay…
I know this is a long shot but here goes - i am researching my family history and many years ago my departed father was a lorry driver and used to use the silver link cafe at or near stirling.I think the name of the haulage company was Armstrongs and could of come from the Inverness or Banff area.I would realy be gratefull if anyone has any old photos or can tell any stories of the silver link or any information of the company.Thanks in advance.
shuggy:
I know this is a long shot but here goes - i am researching my family history and many years ago my departed father was a lorry driver and used to use the silver link cafe at or near stirling.I think the name of the haulage company was Armstrongs and could of come from the Inverness or Banff area.I would realy be gratefull if anyone has any old photos or can tell any stories of the silver link or any information of the company.Thanks in advance.
Hi shuggy i am pretty sure that the Silverlinks cafe was on the south side of the Kinkardine bridge used to park there overnight on a tuesday before going to load at Johnnie Walkers at Markinch.
Thats the one i am on about.Would that be johnnie walkers whisky (my present employer) ? I kind of know my dad used to deliver to somewhere in grangemouth.
shuggy:
I know this is a long shot but here goes - i am researching my family history and many years ago my departed father was a lorry driver and used to use the silver link cafe at or near stirling.I think the name of the haulage company was Armstrongs and could of come from the Inverness or Banff area.I would realy be gratefull if anyone has any old photos or can tell any stories of the silver link or any information of the company.Thanks in advance.
I think the Silverlink is now a kitchen showroom now but I used to park a wee bit further down the lane and frequent Mr’s Miggins imbibing saloon 
a very small bar on the old road which was probably still a new road when your Dad was driving. 
3 pints of 70 shilling and a couple of wee halves I could be late for any delivery
The Silver Link Cafe was on the south bank of the River Forth at Kincardine. The building is still there and is now a showroom of some sort.
The bond at Markinch is also still there but no longer a whisky bond. It was Haig’s of Markinch.
Johniie Walkers is at Kilmarnock, the bond at Shieldhall Glasgow adjacent to the M8 used to also be Walkers’s but is now Bells due to the break up of the DCL and Diagio taking on different brands.
Alex
hi,
i don’t know if it’s the same cafe?but there is a colour photo of a kenworth cabover parked outside the silverlink cafe,on one of the american truck threads on here.hope this helps 
.
regards andrew
shuggy:
I know this is a long shot but here goes - i am researching my family history and many years ago my departed father was a lorry driver and used to use the silver link cafe at or near stirling.I think the name of the haulage company was Armstrongs and could of come from the Inverness or Banff area.I would realy be gratefull if anyone has any old photos or can tell any stories of the silver link or any information of the company.Thanks in advance.
I used the Silverlink in the 60’s, it used to be run by two brothers then. It had about 20 beds in a dormitry
it was a bit basic but the food was good. I remember the phone exchange was Airth but cannot remember
the number. regards Big Al
.
stravaiger:
Absolute trivia but I suppose everybody knows the name came from the 1936 bridge. The Silver Link bridge. 'course you knew thatA regular port of call for me, except on days when the farmer opposite spread that stuff from the rear end of a pig
If that’s organic I’ll settle for GM
I stayed there a couple of times in the 70s and it was ok.
A bit more trivia.“Silver Link” was also the name of a LNER/BR class A4 Pacific loco that ran between Kings Cross and Edinburgh.Built at Doncaster 1935 and scrapped at Darlington 1963.It was 2509 in LNER days and 60014 in BR days.Saw it at Peterborough in the early 50s in me spotting days.
Anorak off and away… 
Gee Chris,You are a little mine of information.Total recall eh? I remember in the early sixties in the Silver Link if you spoke with a southern accent,there was suddenly no bacon left.After a while I managed to cultivate a Highland accent to ask for my breakfast.All went well until the day another Mays Motors came in and gave the game away.I slunk out and never went back.Regards Charlie
charlie one:
Gee Chris,You are a little mine of information.Total recall eh? I remember in the early sixties in the Silver Link if you spoke with a southern accent,there was suddenly no bacon left.After a while I managed to cultivate a Highland accent to ask for my breakfast.All went well until the day another Mays Motors came in and gave the game away.I slunk out and never went back.Regards Charlie
Charlie I had a broad Yorkshire accent and got large portions, but I was on rather good terms
with one particular waitress who’s name shall remain a secret, in case her very large husband
ever joins trucknet regards Big Al
charlie one:
Gee Chris,You are a little mine of information.Total recall eh? I remember in the early sixties in the Silver Link if you spoke with a southern accent,there was suddenly no bacon left.After a while I managed to cultivate a Highland accent to ask for my breakfast.All went well until the day another Mays Motors came in and gave the game away.I slunk out and never went back.Regards Charlie
Total recall - correct Charlie.Underlined it in me Ian Allan spotter’s book as it went trundling through P’boro North station.
The cafe had a dormitory IIRC and all the beds had ex Royal Navy bedspreads on 'em,anchors lined up.The bedspreads were probably pre-ordered by the caff owner and brought up to the Silver Link via a Southampton driver who called in some Pompey backstreet to pick 'em up.
First time I did a Scottish run the weighman told me that his mate had gone for his “piece”. I thought he’d gone for a p*** until some kind person informed me that “piece” was the equivalent of “snap” in Sheffield area.When I was asked for my “lines” I told 'em I hadn’t brought bloody lines but steel bars.Once again I was informed that “lines” meant delivery notes and I also learnt the expression “shut yer puss” and GTF,which I still use in t’pub when my Scottish friends gang up on Sheffielders. 
Chris Webb:
stravaiger:
Absolute trivia but I suppose everybody knows the name came from the 1936 bridge. The Silver Link bridge. 'course you knew that
I stayed there a couple of times in the 70s and it was ok.
A bit more trivia.“Silver Link” was also the name of a LNER/BR class A4 Pacific loco that ran between Kings Cross and Edinburgh.Built at Doncaster 1935 and scrapped at Darlington 1963.It was 2509 in LNER days and 60014 in BR days.Saw it at Peterborough in the early 50s in me spotting days.
Anorak off and away…
hiya,
Anorak, bobble, hat, notepad and pencil all safely stowed on t’isle i dare bet.
thanks harry long retired.