edinburghnews.scotsman.com/n … -1-3279601
Does anybody have any more information about this? Was speaking to Frank tonight when he told me about this story in the evening news and he says he had never heard of anything about it or any rumours. The year is wrong for the revolution but maybe it’s a typing error.
The Iranian revolution was in 1979, I was in Iran in 1976 and the Shah was still in power,great time then.
As for visiting Mount Ararat,I’m surprised they could find the time if it took as long to get through Barzagan as was normal!
For most of us,this was all we needed to see of Ararat.
I was only in Iran twice,the second time being in 1983 when the headbanger was in power,then it was dangerous and not the place to be,so it’s not surprising that someone was smuggled out,bet he wasn’t the only one.
Orange Daf and Orange F88. Ask Bll Robins.
Jeff…
Jelliot:
Orange Daf and Orange F88. Ask Bll Robins.Jeff…
Hi Jeff, where did the Orange Daf and the Orange F88 come into the story and who is Bill Robins?
There were a few of Frank Whites Orange Dafs as well as Orange F12’s out in Iran in 1978/9 as I was one of the drivers out there, before and at the start of the revolution. It was possibly a couple of Franks drivers , that were involved, but which ones is the mistery.
Regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the Valley’s.
It doesn’t say anything about Frank or his trucks. I heard this story a few times from various sourcies, and always thought it to be the usual kind of M/E B/S
One day I was talking with Bob Carter ( Trans UK ) and he gave me a rough version as he had heard it, as I’d asked him about the Tea set story. The another version I heard was from an engineer that worked at a local textile machine making factory, but that was back in the 80’s and I cant remember to many details, and again I thought it was just B/S any way.
Cargo International and Eskside used to do work for DT and all ran orange/red trucks. I have a photo that Bill Robins took of all of them at Gurbulak just before the revolution.
It would help if the guy could remember a bit more about the trucks, or drivers.
One point I don’t get; Smuggling someone out of Iran would have been a life threatening thing for all involved, why would you stop a few k’s up the road and climb Mt Arrarat.
The other thing you have to take into account is that it’s written in a news paper, and often what the person said and what’s reported are sometimes not the same thing. The story is written badly any way, first it says he got a flight to Rome then it says the drivers dropped him of 10 days later back in Edinburgh.
I do beleive the story to be true, but the reporting’s a bit rubbish
Jeff…
Hi Jeff
Like you say more info might narrow it down. It does say that he managed to get his family a flight to Rome and then left later with the two drivers. I know it was difficult for Frank and his drivers to get out of Iran after they decided to fly back in and retrieve the trucks he had parked up in Davis turners yard
Reg Colin
Hi Jeff, Cargo International were a Dutch company and ceased trading in the mid seventies. Eskside international also stopped running to Iran around 77 and started on fridge work to north africa. So at the time of the Revolution the only company from the Edinburgh area that went to Iran was Frank White. Although he worked with several Freight forwarders, including Astran,Davies Turner,Redferns, Zust and Bachmires, included. the trucks would normaly park in Davies Turners Compound in Teheran whilst awaiting customs clearance. Also although you could see Mount Ararat from the Turkish Iran border at Gurbalak it was quite a few miles away and I dont think that there was even a road that went anywhere near it, so also i think it was only something added by the journalist that they went there. The other point is that it is not a truck drivers tale, but a pensioner who is trying to contact the drivers so that he can thank them for rescuing him. So once again who were they??.
Regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the valley’s.
Reading back through the article, perhaps he was trying to get out in 75 as it said, and didn’t leave at the 79 revoution. If the Trans UK driver didn’t manage to get a Tea set though then I can’t see them missing a bloke in the cab.
I thought that Cargo International was operating after that, but could be wrong.
Bill Robins was on for HG Brown in an F88 from London and like Cargo and many other was using DT for clearing, and sometimes sub work.
Another couple of names that come to mind are George Thompson although he was from Stirling, Duncan Mc Crae had a few trucks, George (Dod) Scott, and Davie Diog.
The more folk we can knock of the more it can be narrowed down.
I’m sure if someone got to talk to Alan Johnson for a few minutes it would be fairly easy to work out who the drivers were, after all there weren’t that many drivers from Edinburgh doing the job back then.
Jeff…
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=37316&hilit=alec+Scott
Have a look at the above topic ,quite a lot of info on Frank White.
The man that will know is Geordie Scott (teddy bear) from the borders, but not sure if he is still driving for Alec Scott, after his brother passed away.
Good pictures of Geordie on above topic as well
Jelliot:
It doesn’t say anything about Frank or his trucks. I heard this story a few times from various sourcies, and always thought it to be the usual kind of M/E B/S
One day I was talking with Bob Carter ( Trans UK ) and he gave me a rough version as he had heard it, as I’d asked him about the Tea set story. The another version I heard was from an engineer that worked at a local textile machine making factory, but that was back in the 80’s and I cant remember to many details, and again I thought it was just B/S any way.
Cargo International and Eskside used to do work for DT and all ran orange/red trucks. I have a photo that Bill Robins took of all of them at Gurbulak just before the revolution.
It would help if the guy could remember a bit more about the trucks, or drivers.One point I don’t get; Smuggling someone out of Iran would have been a life threatening thing for all involved, why would you stop a few k’s up the road and climb Mt Arrarat.
He put his wife & son on the plane to Rome from Tehran.
He might have been hiding in the broken truck they were hauling?The other thing you have to take into account is that it’s written in a news paper, and often what the person said and what’s reported are sometimes not the same thing. The story is written badly any way, first it says he got a flight to Rome then it says the drivers dropped him of 10 days later back in Edinburgh.
I do beleive the story to be true, but the reporting’s a bit rubbish
Jeff…
He put his wife & son on the plane to Rome.
He might have been hiding in the broken truck they were hauling?
I saw the BBC Scotland news report and the chap gave what I would say was a genuine request for help in finding the two drivers so he can thank them it would be nice to see it happen. Eddie.
I have just been speaking to my old buddy George Hope. Seen here in centre of photo with a bottle of whiskey, which was presented to us, by a german driver when we were having a cook up in the saudi desert, however I Digress. On asking George if he had heard or could remember anything about this story , he could not recall. The only other Frank White driver that he thought could throw some light on the matter was Davy Moffat, who now runs his own transport company in Australia.
George Scott was one of the drivers who was stuck out in Teheran during the revolution and flew home with the other drivers just before Christmas, leaving the trucks in Davies Turners compound under the care of one driver who volunteered to stay. There were others who made it back during the revolution because they were transiting from Kabul in Afgahnistan so maybe they were involved.
The plot thickens. regards jamie.
Hi Jamie
As I was speaking to Frank he was telling me about the lad who stayed behind to look after the trucks on his own but he couldn’t remember his name and was wondering if anybody on here knew who it was? Erfguy you wouldn’t have a link to that news report as I have had a troll through the net and cant seem to find anything only the newspaper article.
Regards Colin
Hi Colin sorry I don’t have a link but it was either wed or thurs night BBC Scotland news. Eddie.
colin.f.whitetrans:
Hi JamieAs I was speaking to Frank he was telling me about the lad who stayed behind to look after the trucks on his own but he couldn’t remember his name and was wondering if anybody on here knew who it was? Erfguy you wouldn’t have a link to that news report as I have had a troll through the net and cant seem to find anything only the newspaper article.
Regards Colin
Hi all just been reading about this story, now an old driver friend of mine told me a story about the time the Shah did a runner and he was parked up in a compound his name is Steve Cherrett, I can’t remember who he drove for but he missed his wedding ! Being stuck in this compound for quite a while, I’ll give him a call see what he says ! I do remember him telling me the 89’s windscreen he was driving was all held in with gaffer tape from vandalism !!
Regards Jimski
Hi ColinFwhitetrans / Jamie I spoke with Steve Cherrett on Sat evening he said he was on for Dave Duxbury from Leyland Lancashire, pulling for Davies Turner, Steve said he was in the Davies Turner compound and was there for nearly 3 months he and another fella called Jerry stayed there looking after some of the trucks, he said there was some Scots drivers there but they all went home early, there was also some polish, and Hungarocamion drivers too, I told him of the Scottish fella trying to thank the drivers who smuggled him out but he didn’t know anything about it !
The guy who stayed behind that you couldn’t remember his name may have been Steve or Jerry ■■
Regards Jimski
By the way Steve said once he get used to his computor he’ll be on here ! 
R Jimmer