Hi any body remember the old Couttance ferry sailed out of Poole Cherbourg,this ferry belonged to the French farmers coop to carry fruit ex France to uk. Now called Brittany Ferries.
We use to ship Poole Cherbourg Sunday Night Hanging Meat, on this flat bottomed hell hole,they had a lift on this thing that took about hour to get you on to the top decks,when you got to drivers lounge for your evening dinner the Kermit’s had closed up and gone to bed,bunk beds were available but you took that at your own peril! new drivers would get heads down in the cabins. And wake up in the morning with a dose of the deep see nippers, explain that one to your missus, when this tub was on you bunged other drivers to catch it, any body been on it, like to hear your comments . And have you been on it
Coutance and Purbeck wern,t the first ,nor was Normandie Shipper, before them was Kerisnel and Benodet. We used to ship out most Sundays at 16.00 on either Coutance ,Purbeck or N.S
locker line 32 ton in the box sayboy 142 forer plus peter piper 35 ton
^^^wtf^^^
A five and a half yr thread revival by a cat walking across a keyboard 
Willie Roadstar:
Wheel Nut:
Willie Roadstar:
Wheel Nut:
I remember being sat in Oktay parking in Istanbul with another driver, he was waiting for his agent to arrange a ferry across the Bosphoros because he was carrying new empty oxygen cylinders. The ferry didn’t want to take him, the agent was arguing and I think eventually the truck was going over with just a fire engine on board, and the company had to pay for the whole ferry and the fire service.True story or myth■■?
That must be a myth - I don’t think empty oxygen cylinders are flammable !!!
Regards
AntThat must be a myth - I don’t think empty oxygen cylinders are flammable !!!
That was the problem apparently, trying to convince Abi of it was more difficult
Was this true then, they really shipped one truck and a fire engine ■■
Ant
If he is still there Malc tell him to use The Bridge. 
I once went to Dover with groupage, with some hazardous on, P&O wouldnt take me, Stena wouldnt take me, so turned round stopped in dual carriageway layby, ripped stickers off and went on train.
I remember when my dad worked for BET on tanks some times he would have to go on the Schiaffino, and one day we were going on a day trip with Sally and it was moored next to use . OMG i would have not liked to sail on that old looking tub we were going out of Ramsgate
Recently was chatting to a guy in van in germany
Loaded explosives in middle of france (military work)
Going back to bristol only ferry that would ship him was from cuxhaven in germany
Showed me cmr/pwork as well to prove he wasnt talking crap
gettin-on:
Recently was chatting to a guy in van in germanyLoaded explosives in middle of france (military work)
Going back to bristol only ferry that would ship him was from cuxhaven in germany
Showed me cmr/pwork as well to prove he wasnt talking crap
Strange. When I drove for Ridgeway Int. who specialised in the carriage of explosives we used Truckline most of the time when taking class 1,2,3,4 explosives between France and the UK.
Truckline/brittany have got rid of the new freighter now ron
Stena have it now but not operating in uk
gettin-on:
Truckline/brittany have got rid of the new freighter now ron
Stena have it now but not operating in uk
Only on a years lease to Stena with an option to buy it.
I suppose it’s all changed these days. I am talking about 20 years ago.
Even stranger though was saying that he took explosives from France and transited Germany to Cuxhaven. To get a permit to carry explosives through Germany was extremely difficult to obtain. The Germans just didn’t like explosives on their roads…or has that all changed too?
Not sure ron but apparanrly they use cuxhaven alot
Know a few low loader firms use that way alot to bit delivering /loading in germany and easier
Than permite for france and benelux
rondavies:
I suppose it’s all changed these days. I am talking about 20 years ago.Even stranger though was saying that he took explosives from France and transited Germany to Cuxhaven. To get a permit to carry explosives through Germany was extremely difficult to obtain. The Germans just didn’t like explosives on their roads…or has that all changed too?
I know that the Germans didnt like explosives on their roads especially when they were dropped by Lancaster bombers! Sorry to ■■■■ in on this excellent thread but I couldnt resist it.Regards Charlie
charlie one:
rondavies:
I suppose it’s all changed these days. I am talking about 20 years ago.Even stranger though was saying that he took explosives from France and transited Germany to Cuxhaven. To get a permit to carry explosives through Germany was extremely difficult to obtain. The Germans just didn’t like explosives on their roads…or has that all changed too?
I know that the Germans didn
t like explosives on their roads especially when they were dropped by Lancaster bombers! Sorry to ■■■■ in on this excellent thread but I couldnt resist it.Regards Charlie
Funny as ■■■■
When I worked for Fred Archer in the late eighties one of his return loads from Czech was shotgun cartridges, which were classed as explosives. On one outward trip to Hungary he told me that he had a return load organised for me out of Czech and that i would need to take a couple of big fire extinguishers with me. I asked him where I was going to get these and he replied, take a couple out of the workshop. When I told him that they were all empty, he said it did not matter as no one ever checked them. I duly turned up at the factory and loaded all these small wooden boxes with steel bands around them, each box being about eighteen inches tall and covering most of the floor of the tilt. Although the load was classed as explosives the paperwork stated that it was incapable of mass explosion, however this did not satisfy the German customs at Waidhaus, where they insisted on a complete search of the load. As it was below a specific tonnage (I cant remember how much) they allowed me to transit. The only channel ferry that would allow explosives on board was one which carried railway wagons out of Dunkirk and i had to wait three days to get one which had compatable loads to mine. On reaching the UK I decided to ask at the check point at dartford tunnel which was the best route to take north, Knowing that i was not allowed through the tunnel, They referred me to a police demonstration that was taking place in the car park there and there the fun started. After numerous phone calls to the met they told me that the only route with explosives was through the city of london. Bearing in mind that this was during the troubles in Northern Ireland and the Bombings in England I asked if I needed an ■■■■■■ and was told that it was not necessary and to go on my own. Needless to say I arrived in Macclesfield and tipped without further incident complete with my empty fire extinguisers. The strokes that Fred Pulled!! Regards Jamie.
Strange. When I drove for Ridgeway Int. who specialised in the carriage of explosives we used Truckline most of the time when taking class 1,2,3,4 explosives between France and the UK.
Hi to the Ridgway driver. I did a few runs for ridgway as & when casual work. On one trip we had ejector seat rockets from near Oxford, they had all ready moved several loads with no problem, but on this day we had to go via newhaven / Diepp. Well the customs in Diepp were having a training day or something but they were going by the book. The paper work stated that the cargo was “Humanitarian” hence no “War material permit” of which only so many are issued by each country, we were going to Switzerland. So the French customs boss decided that we needed a war permit, The makers said No. The customs said How many 747’s have ejector seats,■■? Long & short of it we were parked on an old derilict steeel works with a cordon of bollards placed at 100m around us and a 24hr police guard for 7 days !!! They took us one at a time to a cafe to wash and eat. The most boring week ever. Eventualy they shipped us back to the UK, but if i remember correctly we had to wait a further couple of days as now the ferry were arguing they can not carry War Material !!!
This picture is the Zeebruge to Tilbury ferry, early 80’s when i worked for a dutch company. This ferry ran out of the canal in Zeebruge, turn right at lights before the dock gates, then a mile further turn right alongside the canal. It carried 12 accompanied trucks the rest were trailers only. I once had dinner with the owner of Thorsen , that of Townsend - Thoresen. He was driving a nice Merc. The food was great and it was a 13 hour crossing, no hassel with customs and could be in London before others had gone the normal route to dover & the long wait for customs in Dover. Those were the days !!
saxonhorse:
Strange. When I drove for Ridgeway Int. who specialised in the carriage of explosives we used Truckline most of the time when taking class 1,2,3,4 explosives between France and the UK.Hi to the Ridgway driver. I did a few runs for ridgway as & when casual work. On one trip we had ejector seat rockets from near Oxford, they had all ready moved several loads with no problem, but on this day we had to go via newhaven / Diepp. Well the customs in Diepp were having a training day or something but they were going by the book. The paper work stated that the cargo was “Humanitarian” hence no “War material permit” of which only so many are issued by each country, we were going to Switzerland. So the French customs boss decided that we needed a war permit, The makers said No. The customs said How many 747’s have ejector seats,■■? Long & short of it we were parked on an old derilict steeel works with a cordon of bollards placed at 100m around us and a 24hr police guard for 7 days !!! They took us one at a time to a cafe to wash and eat. The most boring week ever. Eventualy they shipped us back to the UK, but if i remember correctly we had to wait a further couple of days as now the ferry were arguing they can not carry War Material !!!
Hi saxonhorse,
Yes I used to transport quite a lot of ejector seat rockets when on for Ridgeways. The company was Martin Baker. Loaded mostly for France & Italy.
rondavies:
saxonhorse:
Strange. When I drove for Ridgeway Int. who specialised in the carriage of explosives we used Truckline most of the time when taking class 1,2,3,4 explosives between France and the UK.Hi to the Ridgway driver. I did a few runs for ridgway as & when casual work. On one trip we had ejector seat rockets from near Oxford, they had all ready moved several loads with no problem, but on this day we had to go via newhaven / Diepp. Well the customs in Diepp were having a training day or something but they were going by the book. The paper work stated that the cargo was “Humanitarian” hence no “War material permit” of which only so many are issued by each country, we were going to Switzerland. So the French customs boss decided that we needed a war permit, The makers said No. The customs said How many 747’s have ejector seats,■■? Long & short of it we were parked on an old derilict steeel works with a cordon of bollards placed at 100m around us and a 24hr police guard for 7 days !!! They took us one at a time to a cafe to wash and eat. The most boring week ever. Eventualy they shipped us back to the UK, but if i remember correctly we had to wait a further couple of days as now the ferry were arguing they can not carry War Material !!!
Hi saxonhorse,
Yes I used to transport quite a lot of ejector seat rockets when on for Ridgeways. The company was Martin Baker. Loaded mostly for France & Italy.
I used to deliver brass bar to Martin Baker aircraft at Chalgrove nr. Oxford to make the rocket cartridges, it was interesting watching them test ejector seats on the runway and having them explain exactly how they worked.