hi paul, im out on tour, finish this one in september, then maybe a holiday. before romantiek im not sure what it was to be honest.
i got that impression of pete when i met him and asked if he would come along to the reunion, he said it wasnt his sort of thing, im hoping to sort another gathering as soon as i can
Hi Paul
Good to see you on here,I could read your anecdotes and tales all day,it’s nice to hear how things went on the M/E run with Trans UK,I’m always wondering exactly how Bob started it,and what year?
I remember someone,may have been Micky Coombes,telling me that Bob sometimes used to join the trip in his car,now I know it’s true,and what car it was.
Did he ever have any problems getting through borders with the Humber?
And can you re-tell the tale about Tim (was it Smith?) who never took any clothes with him,anywhere,and just used to buy a new leather jacket in Istanbul,along with a pair of jeans!
I seem to remember him always having a guitar with him too.
It’s a shame that Nick Garlick isn’t interested in getting that book sorted,that was the main reason for getting as many of the old M/E driver’s together for the reunion,not just Trans UK driver’s,he got loads of pics and anecdotes from lots of others too.
I have a great deal of respect for Bob,he put me through my class one back in '79 and gave me a start in this business.
Keith
Hello Keith, Thanks for that,How Bob got started on Le Moyen Orient, not totally sure how the mind set went, but I do know Bob was very much an independently minded guy who was up for any challenge, and he had employed Tony Waugh and John scott, Tony was M/E manager and I think had the contacts, I’m sure you are aware that the Middle East overland work started in europe in a big way at the end of 1973 beginning of 1974 due to the effects of the oil crisis of 1973 in the middle east when Opec decided they had been ripped off for to long by western countries and added a huge hike to the cost of a barrel of oil. the m/e countries were flooded with money because of this and immediately started spending it by the billion on anything and everything, we carted everything from oil pipeline machinery to egg cartons ( they were the best loads, no weight ) What happened was the ports such as they were were chock ablock by 1974 and ships were standing off the ports for up to 6 months waiting to be discharged. The m/e countries started a massive expansion of their ports, but this of course took time.
Enter the overland trip to the middle east. This is a sort of potted history and I’m sure someone else could give you a more definitive explanation. But then you most probably know all this K W.
Getting back to Bob Carter, he decided to join the bandwagon and had relevant contacts through Tony. By this time the money was good about £4200 per trip… Bob had only british spec vehicles F86’s a 6 wheel Atki and an F88. 230 ELU922J.
I had been working for Bob for a while ( In fact before there was even a Trans Uk I was subbying for him through George Thorpe on a Bedford KM 6 wheeler tag axle) when he first went solo, before he had any vehicles at all and ran his business from the boot of his car)
I digress, Having decided on the M/E venture, I was desperate to go, but Lenny had the only feasible truck (above), so Bob said go and work for Mitchell Rowlands who was at that time subbying for Bob and w’ell offer M/E work to him. All I wanted to do was drive, the further the better, so I jumped at the chance. We all loaded up in London with Machinery at the end of April 1975,
Me with Mitchell Rowlands, Lenny with Trans UK. Terry Blakesley owner driver(thankyou for that Mattie) and Bob Crofton-Sleigh owner driver. Back at Felixstowe Bob and Tony had decided to come on the first trip (there’s one or two stories there) so they filled the boot and put a large roof rack on top and ran down under TIR Carnet like us. Early May 1975 we left Felixstowe. You’ve seen the photo’s outside the Hanger opposite Boomers cafe.
Sorry if its to boring but thats how I remember it, never been more excited at the prospect.
Best Regards Paul
I Did Take A Test, I was made Too
When the M/E job suddenly mushroomed,i’m sure there was a lot of us would have gone with whatever sort of wheels we were offered for the first trip.
I like many others jumped at the chance,and the first trip was a steep learning curve for us all.
However,after that first trip,one know what was really needed in the way of wheels,not that everyone got what they wanted.far from it.Some guys were doing the job for years in the sort of truck I wouldn’t use as a yard shunter.
As one German trucker was reputed to have said,“No wonder you English won the war,you’ve got to be tough to drive trucks like that!”
I did my first trip with a truck that had already done its share of European work,and it wasn’t until I almost lost the lot while travelling over Mardin and I found the diff lock did not work,that sobered me up.
This was taken in Austria on the way out first time.
AEH 534H
Volvo F88 240,8 speed 'box.
NO diff lock.
KW, yes tim smith!! i tracked him down, he was all up for the reunion, then close to the time changed his mind, and stated that he was looking at doing a book of his own so didnt want to share any of his exploits, he was working for magnus at ipswich but i dont think it was direct, no idea where he is now
PROWLANDS:
Hello young Matthew,
No work then, no aged rockers playing abroad!! What was Romantiek called before they became Romantiek, began with B ? did it. Very Intereting site, certainly moved some of my rusty old memory sticks. Pete was a bit of a loner really, not a good socializer, in the early days of TUK he ran with Steve (Hercules) quite a bit, can’t remember his surname, but eventually they sort of fell out. In those Tuk photosof the 4trucks in romania with Pete stuffing his face, I’d broken down near Sebes, water pump seized. Steve towed me to Sibiu, it was about -15C. We found a hotel in the town, ‘that was another story’ communism was at it’s most oppressive. anyway Pete wasn’t for hanging about, costing him money. so he persuaded Steve to go on with him and poor old Taffy ‘rest his sole’ stayed with me. it took 2 weeks for the parts to be sent out in a diplomatic bag to the British embassy in Bucharest and poor old Taff had to keep running me back and forward to Bucharest in the middle of winter in his unit, snow chains on snow chains off, snow chains on snow chains off. Eventually we were up and running, I think it was summertime !!!
All the best Paul
Romantiek BVBA were originally Mendlesham Group Haulage, see the following thread:
http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22678
As for Mr Ransome, the story I heard was that he ended up doing the cross-channel run for Romantiek (without trailer), and back in early 2006 was apprehended by a VOSA van on the A12 when returning home. He supposedly managed to shake them off somewhere near Ipswich, and abandoned the truck in some back street, but got caught by Dover customs a couple of weeks later doing the same thing.
I think he had been done in the past while working at Romantiek, hours or something, and as a result of all this lost his licence for good in 2006, whether he appealed or not I dunno.
You could be right there the last time i saw him to speak to was at welford and he was driving a 71/2 tonner.
Hi chorch,
Where abouts in Mendlesham were they based Mendlesham Group Haulage?
Paul
Tim Smith,
Another loner really, Interesting guy, started with TUK around end of '75. In fact he was the first tripper to Pakistan (Islamabad). Funnily enough I met him again when I was running the drivers desk at an agency and he did a few jobs for me in between driving continental for a firm at Blakenham, forget the name.This was 10 years ago and he reckoned on writing a book back then, hope he does, sure he’ll have a few stories to tell.
Concerning the stories of his personal hygiene, it’s not for me to say! he did travel very very light and yes, did buy the occasional leather jacket or waistcoat
from the leather shop close by the Pig Shop. Then on a trip down to Arak, Iran
we heard via telex in the Mo-camp that he had broken down between Sivas and Refahiye I think it was. I believe I was running with Leudar-Smith the old bugger or maybe Grimbly.I already new of Tims aversion to water and warned Smudge to beware if and when we came across his wagon. Apparently he had been broken down for the best part of a week, middle of summer and all that entails!!. We were to tell him a truck was on the way down with a spare part. And we did come across Tim parked up outside a few dwellings up in the hills. what I do remember was there was a stand pipe in the vicinity. the doors were shut and when I opened it to say hello I physically reeled back as the, what can I say, words can’t describe it, it was was almost a visual experience and certainly not life enhancing, made good its escape and embraced me, followed by Tim
Smudge cracked up as he was out of range and pleaded a bad leg and double pneumonia and therefore was unable to get out of his truck.
When you live on your own for weeks at a time your own ■■■■■ smell great as you well know guys,and as for your personal odour who cares other than the odd passing Kurd who just wants a ■■■ or two or three!!!
Bestbooties,
I remember seeing Brit European many times, obviously around at the same time, did you stop at the Londra or across at the Harem, If you stopped at the londra you most probably stayed in the dance hall a few times when they put on shows,lot of the drivers did and occasionally bus loads of New zealand or Oz girls would turn up doing their Asian trek which was the thing back then, those were good nights, anyway do you remember the photographer who came round with flash taking pics and then selling them in cardboard Londra Camping frames. I’ve got quite a few and it might be good to put some on site to try and recognise a driver or two when they looked young and virile!!!
PROWLANDS:
Bestbooties,
I remember seeing Brit European many times, obviously around at the same time, did you stop at the Londra or across at the Harem, If you stopped at the londra you most probably stayed in the dance hall a few times when they put on shows,lot of the drivers did and occasionally bus loads of New zealand or Oz girls would turn up doing their Asian trek which was the thing back then, those were good nights, anyway do you remember the photographer who came round with flash taking pics and then selling them in cardboard Londra Camping frames. I’ve got quite a few and it might be good to put some on site to try and recognise a driver or two when they looked young and virile!!!
Stopped at the Londra on the first trip as everyone did,then got to hear about the Harem.
I’ve got my pic taken at the Londra on my first trip,I’ll look it out tomorrow and post it.
PROWLANDS:
Hi chorch,
Where abouts in Mendlesham were they based Mendlesham Group Haulage?
Paul
The old airfield, off the A140 up a lane behind Taylor Barnards. (Park Green I think the area is called?), across the field which has the taller of the two masts in it.
Seven Refrigeration use the yard now, which is empty except for a load of old skeletal trailers.
On another thread Blissy remembers them to have had plain dark blue motors, it was a father then son operation and the son lost his ‘o’ licence back in about 2000 I think.
Here you go,snapped in the Mocamp on my first trip.Baghdad.
Nice cardigan did you also sing in a rocking chair 
Great stuff Paul,nice to know a thing or two about the history of ‘You Call-We Haul’.
I remember the pic of that Atki hanging up in Tony’s office in The Routemaster,with Ray sitting at the wheel.
Can never remember Ray’s surname,and even if I did I wouldn’t be able to pronounce it! Great bloke though,used to see him quite a bit when he was loading the paper trailers for Taylor Barnard.
So did all the driver’s that I remember do a trip or two?
Bugger,now I have to try and remember them,they were…
Ray
Mick Lillee
Micky Coombes (I know he did)
Smudger (I know he did)
Mick Prigg (I know he did)
Jordy
Mervyn Woolard
Roy Gilbey
Tim Smith (I know he did)
Brian Thompson
Gary ‘Dad’ North (I know he did) in fact I bumped into Gary one time on the ferry from Europoort when I was coming back from Poland,my first trip with Fred Archer,Gary had got his own F88 then and had been down to the M/E and had backloaded from the Ruhr.He had to climb under the truck on the car deck to start the old girl,the sloenoid had packed up on the starter!
I can remember when Taffy was killed too,or rather tragically died of a massive heart attack,and the story of the police trying to find the driver.Unfortunately,Taffy was apparently thrown out of the door and over the barrier on an elevated section of the M5 and they found him in a warehouse.He’d gone through the roof.
I remember his Maggie sitting at Capel for quite some time,minus the driver’s door,and Bob didn’t know what to do with it.He was going to get it repaired,there wasn’t that much wrong with it,but nobody wanted to drive it after what had happened.
There was always an old F88 240 that sat just inside the yard at Capel,I can’t remember the number,maybe that was ELU922J?
Anyway,I remember that when Gary’s 290 packed up,they took the 240 lump out of that one and stuck it in his.
I also remember Gary had an F10 demonstrator for a while too which Bob was trying.
There were also some there who just did containers,like me,but you probably don’t know them…
Christine ‘Muppet’ Pearce
John ‘Sadie’ Thompson
…Oh dear,the memory is such a fickle thing as age creeps on and on…
Of course I remember John Scott,and Geoff White and Phil,who’s surname escapes me,but went into business with Scotty.
Keith
Impressive Ian!!!
The genuine article
Waht are you doing meditating?
I’ve got a few more, I’ll try and get them on, but unlike you i’ll need assistance
best regards
paul
Hi Keith,
Ray also known as Arthur stayed at home would have loved to go on a trip but just could’nt pluck up the courage
Mick lillee also known as ‘cowboy’ only went as far as istanbul, if anyone sees him give him my regards
Jordy not sure , think he did europe
Mervyn wouldn’t leave Stowmarket, lived at home with his mum till he was 80!
Roy Gilbert also istanbul if I remember correctly, (he was also on Tolemans)
Derek Thommo Thomson another name to conjure with, never went abroad not enough fiddles !!!
Phil was Phil Greene, great lad used to play rugby for Felixtowe, was Fonzie the shunter when you were there.
Ray was one of his first ever drivers , started with Lenny Long.
I remember the old Atki well and used to drive it occasionally, In fact just before we started middle east Bob was offered a job delivering bricks to belgium and asked if I would do it in the Atki. I would have jumped at the chance but it all fell through.
Love Paul
What about noddy pete the fitter you must remember him last saw him working for a trailer hire company years ago now. We also have a couple of drivers at ours who worked there paddywhack(alan talyor) and ian feguson who still lives at capel.
PROWLANDS:
Mick lillee also known as ‘cowboy’ only went as far as istanbul, if anyone sees him give him my regardsLast time I saw Mick he was down at Ipswich docks picking up a ferry trailer,I was shipping North Sea Ferries to Europoort
Mervyn wouldn’t leave Stowmarket, lived at home with his mum till he was 80!
Mervyn’s always been 80 hasn’t he?
Roy Gilbert also istanbul if I remember correctly, (he was also on Tolemans)
I didn’t know Roy was on Tolemans,I remember he had his own motor,a Fiat,and used to park in Ancliff’s yard where I parked.
Derek Thommo Thomson another name to conjure with, never went abroad not enough fiddles !!!
That sounds about right for Tommo,another cowboy,literally,he used to dress up as a cowboy,complete with six-shooter,at a club in Ipswich.
was Fonzie the shunter when you were there.
No,don’t remember him,there was me,Jordy and some young Liverpool lad we all called Scouse!
aidey:
What about noddy pete the fitter you must remember him last saw him working for a trailer hire company years ago now. We also have a couple of drivers at ours who worked there paddywhack(alan talyor) and ian feguson who still lives at capel.
Yup,remember Pete,last saw him working at Collease.
There was another couple of fitters there too,can’t remember the names,but one was an older guy,not much hair and also lived at Capel.
Ian Ferguson I remember too,we used to call him Buzby,not sure why,but it was a bit confusing because when he worked at Tolemans he was known as Fergie,and there was another Tolemans driver who was called Buzz!
Ian had a Thai take-away bride too.