When i started on the lorries, i recall they had a rather old fleet ,second hand Mandators iirc - must have been one of the last firms to use them.Have heard rumours that they gave the M/E run a go . . .any truth in that ?
Read an article about them in truck & driver, or one of the other mags a few years ago. It was sent in by one of their old drivers with pics, mainly from the sixties. Perhaps someone else has a better memory than me.
As you said Suedehead " a rather old fleet " I think M/E may have been pushing a bit for some of them 
but who knows old kit did run out there years ago. I new a bloke who worked for them, and he said they were OK to work for.
there is a book available about spiers from start to finish really good read and it didnt mention middle east but the firm did some continental work with the mandators all day cabs!book available at nynehead books
I think Spiers and Hartwell did the M/E, not Spiers of Melksham
Definitely the middle and east of Manchester,nights spent under the Mancunian Way but definitely not the Middle East runs. Two good lads who did ME when they left Spiers were Jonny Mudd and Mickie Reynolds. Have seen a photo of John on Bestbooties photos. Have not seen Micks name mentioned anywhere on the ME threads though. Myself I had three good years there in the early seventies and great memories when everyone helped everyone. All the best, Great Site.
Wheel Nut:
I think Spiers and Hartwell did the M/E, not Spiers of Melksham
They did some M/E.The only driver I got to know was Tony Perkins.Spent a few days at Ramtha with him.
Hi bestbooties, just to confirm , Spiers and Hartwell did and Spiers of Melksham did not do middle east would that be right.? Also have you heard from Jonny Mudd at all and how did you get on with him? You also mentioned Maurice Sigsworth awhile back but you never said why, just wondered if you have located him at all? All the best Ed.
Bulwark:
Hi bestbooties, just to confirm , Spiers and Hartwell did and Spiers of Melksham did not do middle east would that be right.? Also have you heard from Jonny Mudd at all and how did you get on with him? You also mentioned Maurice Sigsworth awhile back but you never said why, just wondered if you have located him at all? All the best Ed.
Yes Ed,it was Spiers and Hartwell that did m/e.
On my very first m/e trip to Baghdad,I had two blokes running with me,Bob Matthews and Johnny Mudd.
It was a steep learning curve for all of us.Whereas Bob was laid back and a pleasure to run with,Johnny Mudd was a pain in the proverbial.He was always the tough guy,wanted to stick one on anybody that looked at him the wrong way,and always arguing with the ■■■■■■■■■
When we got back,Bob and I refused to travel with him again as he was likely to get himself and anyone running with him in gaol.Becaue I had an old F88 240 that struggled on the trip,Bob and Muddy had new 290’s.Bob and I did about 3 more trips together,me in Muddy’s 290.
Never saw Muddy again after that.
I’ve just related on another thread that I met Maurice Sigsworth in Hungary one trip on his way home and he told me his firm was likely to fold when he landed.I told him to ring Brit European,which he did and the next time I saw him was in Cyprus on a container job we were doing,loading containers in Limmasol and tipping them in Saudi or Kuwait.
Nice bloke,haven’t seen him since.
Thanks for your input Ian. I worked with Muddy in the early seventies on Spiers and he was a good lad to have around on a night out in some of the places we parked up. Some great pubs visited in Liverpool, Manchester etc. Muddy wouldn’t stand any nonsense and he was very quick off the mark.
The problem with a 3 week maybe longer trip running together, you all have to get on, so the odd night out spent with someone you don’t get on with, running around England , you can live with or park up in the next town.
Bob Matthews ,a real nice guy who helped me alot when I was on Carmans. Not much he didn’t know about running to Italy. His 290 would fly, what a machine. I just think we were so lucky to have driven these trucks.
And Maurice, I haven’t seen since I ran to Germany with him all that time ago. Yes nice lad too.
All the best mate, Ed.
Good old traditional haulage firm Spiers. Used to graft sleeper cabs onto their Mandators! Remember passing their yard frequently back in the 70s, always had plenty of old scrappers parked up for canibalising, very often ex Amoco petrol wagons I heard. You can laugh at Mandator sleepers if you want, but anyone out there who has slept in a Volvo FL7/FL10 “Wendy House” will tell you there is not much difference!!!