Hi just started to look in at UCC from Brentwood (looks like I’m a bit late!!!) and thought that it would be good to put up a few photo’s I have from when I was a kid going to work with my dad, George Curtis.
This is me (dad says it’s France)
Mitcham, notice my dads green viva behind
Me in Italy
question for mr sparrow were you still at UCC when they cut the scania,s down to 4x2 and were also running MERCEDES 1418
Great pics Dan you look taller in the last one than you do now bet your love that trailer bit off G6 on it
Nice to hear from you Dan,how old are you now?dont know where Bill Sparrow is .Ray Smith text me from Australia,visiting,give my regards to George. Terry
Hi Truckspark , did you get my reply that we never had any Merc’s on UCC, although I do remember one being on hire for a short time. Dan, try and get George to come on this site, it would be good to hear from him, I have a snap of him in Basle. Your uncle Eddie was a nice bloke who finished up on the busses as inspector and knew my sister who was a clippie on the 25s. Now for Mr Ken, do I remember you as working in the office with Ray Smith?. That’ll do for now, Regards from Bill S.
Hello bill its Dave Townsend,I have tried to get George onto here for some time now he may do it eventually he is still about and healthy.I did ask Alan ■■■■■■ if he had the internet and did not get an answer perhaps when i send him a christmas card i will ask again.Nice to read about terry is still around another character aint to many left.Small world that your sister worked on the buses with Blakey eddie curtis.Di d the Yank go on them as well?? More later.Dave.
Greetings to any old UCC men looking in:-
Went to George Curtis’s Birthday party today and took these. Any one remember them? It’s good to know that there are still some of the old school are still around.It was great to be there and just natter about the old days. Regards to all,900X20. 
Hi, 900x20. I can recognise you in the blue jacket and George in his sweater, but just who were those kids you picked up on the way?. The bloke that we never seem to hear of is Joe Lingwood, any ideas?. Bill S.
Greetings,Bill. The top photo is Dave,Alan ■■■■■■ and George.The bottom photo is of myself and Alan.It was good to see them after all those years.Nothing has changed,they’re the same blokes.Re. Joe Lingwood,the memory dims so I can’t give you any info on him. Regards,900x20.
Hi 900x20, I recognise Dave now that you told us. However Alan the ex guardsman was much taller as I remember, with a favourite saying “Dear Boy”, but always a friendly likeable chap. The Keating has given up driving but I bet he still wears that mac. I have a picture of him trying to sell dirty pictures to Dougie Hannant and myself at Hamburg . Bill.
What ho Bill. Dead right about Alan.He’s not changed at all,neither has George or Dave.Seemed like we were still there. Terry has turned it in? He must be getting old.We’d like to see the photo if poss. Keep looking in Bill.Regards,900x20. 
Yes I am still about,not driving anymore,trying to put a shower in my bathroom,in my old log cabbin in Holbeach,it taken me 12 years so far,the wifes begining to smell a bit,so got to finish it,got 2 cars in the garage im repairing.Those old men in photos are looking well,dont think they could do a smithfield run, let alone a Kuwait,well I can talk like that being so young,coming up to 70.I was at a wedding near you Bill last week in Hornchurch,dancing all night and rapping,you have to keep up with the latest trends.Dont understand how they have kept there grey hair,all I have left is 5 hairs and a nit,ha,ha.Well Ive got to go now the dogs just ■■■■■■,and it stinks,■■■. Speak soon Terry
Greetings,Tel.Good to hear from you again.We’re still O.K. down here in West Sussex, and haven’t met any of Filthy Luker’s “friends”.Retirement ain’t bad,all you need is a screwdriver to unscrew the alarm in the bedside clock—you don’t need it any more! The photos I took were at George Curtis’s 80th.birthday and I’ve put one on of Dave and George having a natter (probably about the old days) Tel,keep looking in,all the best from 900X20.
for the old timers of UCC, we have been loking for Sam Mc Auley for years. I have just spent a couple of days with him in San Miguel de Salinas and he has been looking in at our postings for a while. My grandson and I stayed at a house adjoining his owned by a very nice young lady named Jan. Mac is looking good and well. We spent most of our time discussing our old workmates, and were laughing all the time. He didnt know that we have now alerted his neighbour to this site and she will try to get him to log on. So this is one more to our dwindling numbers. And for Terry K “NO” she doesn’t have an oil heater so chuck your parrafin can away. Mac has a birthday on 11th of this month. TTfn Bill S.
For the oldies of UCC, we have been looking for Sam Mc Auley for a long time, well I have just spent a couple of days with him in San Miguel De Salinas. We stayed at the home of his next door neighbour, a stunning little bird who really looked after my grandson and me. But for Terry Keats, she doesn’t have an oil heater, so you wont be needed. Mac is fit and well and has been reading some of our posts via another neighbour. What we didn’t tell him is that his neighbour Jan now knows how he can get on to this site, so will be another to our dwindling number. He has a birthday coming up on tne 11th of this month and I believe that some sort of meal will be planned with his ex pat neighbours. Bill. S.
Hi, I was 70 on the 5th feb,a small donation to me for a drink would be nice,I can imagine two old ■■■■■ sitting together in the sun,talking about how me and others were doing all the the work on union,ha,ha,nice to hear that Sam is ok,quite interested in this lady Jan,sounds Dutch,I have not changed,we used to pick up oranges in Murcia,was all orange groves in those days.I used to breakdown in Benidorn for a few days,park on the beach road 1 hotel then,can you imagine it today,glad it was not with Mickey Piccard,it would have been a few weeks,ha,ha,is Mac still in the 208 branch,as I think I am behind with my dues.Well I have to go now speak soon Terry
Enjoyed all the stories so far.
I worked for Fridged Freight for a short while, but not as a driver. About 1972 a bunch of UCC guys and some of us FF guys were on a “ferry” that ran from Waterford to Cherbourg. Some sort of German tin can that had to shelter off Cornwall because of bad weather. The UCC fridges were diesels and had to be bled as they all ran out of fuel, so the car deck was awash with the stuff. I was going round the cars syphoning petrol for ours. We were all on beef for the American camps as I recall.
The UCC drivers were a great bunch and we drank the bloody tub dry. The ferry shared the linkspan with Townsends boat which had priority,so the tide level was too low when we came off and the FF wagons took a right pounding but I think the UCC motors were ok. All Scania 110s and very tidy too.
Hope this jogs memories. Mine are good ones. Jim McCluskey jnr.
LB76:
0Here’s that one from the Kent show,cleaned it up a bit, needs harry to work a bit of magic on it .
Late… or never?
Magical Harry, looks a million dollars now!
