the black scania certainly looks like billy potters but he had WP illuminated on the grill used to do ferrymasters with my dad on ipswich west bank late 80s and remember a lot of potters down there smart trucks no wages!
peterq5422:
the black scania certainly looks like billy potters but he had WP illuminated on the grill used to do ferrymasters with my dad on ipswich west bank late 80s and remember a lot of potters down there smart trucks no wages!
although i’ve never even clapped eyes on the bloke, my sister was best mates with his daughter at school - heard through the grapevine a while back he’d had a nervous breakdown 
This was a weekend spent in Prato, near Florence a good few years ago. There were a group of us there from Friday until Monday because it was the first weekend in August when the whole of Italy goes on holiday and trucks are banned from driving.
Look Mal, a Seddon.
All getting together for a joint cook up, check out the dining table and kitchen. 
Heading up towards the Mont Blanc tunnel on the way home.
Parked at the top just before the entrance to the tunnel.
This was a delivery to the Masonic Lodge HQ in Berlin before the wall came down and you had to transit East Germany to get there.
Parked in the street to make the delivery
Road works and contra flow on an East German motorway, note the lack of protection.
An East german motorway. The lanes were very rough and bumpy but the middle was very smooth. There is no Armco for a reason because in the event of it kicking off with the West they could use it as a runway for their airforce.
This was a trip to Czechoslovakia to deliver equipment to the state telephone company.
Queuing at the border for entry into the country
En route to Prague.
Making the delivery.
This was a double manned trip to Andorra to deliver computer equipment to a bank.
The road up to Andorra from France.
This was were we were supposed to get the truck to in order to off load. 
Instead we ended up parked here the big concrete wall in front is the side of a multi storey car park and the bank is the building to the right of the wall. We unloaded from here then used the lifts in the car park to get the equipment up to the level of the bank.
We then had to wheel the cabinets across here, past people wining and dining.
And build a ramp down those steps behind my colleague before we got to the door of the bank at the bottom of the steps on the left as you look at the picture. This was a fun day I can tell you. 
This one was to Stockholm airport to deliver a flight simulator.
They hadn’t got a bigger fork lift so we had to struggle by with this one.
The building on the right in the 3rd picture is the place where they train Swedish air hostesses.
On the road to catch the ferry in Trelleborg after unloading.
This is a freight only ferry but is very, very comfortable.
A couple of trucks we saw in the docks while waiting for the ferry, check out the Volvo unit with the small tilt in front of the fifth wheel so it can carry pallets into places you can’t get a trailer.
Brilliant pics Neil!
That Volvo fork lift,we had one the same at Onsala,used it for lifting pallets in and out of some refrigerated containers in the yard.Then in the winter we had a snow plough fitted to the front to clear the yard.
The Nils Dacke,good boat,along with it’s sister ship the Robin Hood.As you say,very comfortable and good food.Just had to get used to having dinner at 02.30 in the morning before it sailed! 
Great photos Neil, a real interesting selection.
Craig
Thanks Craig and Keith, sorting through them this afternoon brought back some memories.
WOW, Great Experience!!! Seen ur pictures, you stay and parking in Italy for long weekend due lorry driving ban, you cook the food with other drivers but other drivers are british or other countries ? I like to know how do you use communacation with them ?
The other drivers were British and although there were some communication problems, I’m from Scotland some of them were from Yorkshire, we managed OK.
cracking pics neil. walkers of tuxford in the background at prato, one of the few remaining long established firms doing italy
Can’t remember the drivers name from Walkers but he was a real nice bloke, that’s him in the second and third pic from the top standing near the plates. Those pictures are from August 1990 as far as I remember. The bloke sitting in the tilt sorting the grub was a good bloke as well and played the trumpet, which he had with him, and entertained us with.