There was a cafe / digs at Kidlington, Oxford on the A34 heading to Banbury, think it was nick-named Paraffin Lil’s can’t remember its real name…It was a dump.
This happened in the early '70’s. One night, 3 of our drivers stopped there for digs, when they went to go to bed one of them pulled back the sheets and found them filthy, and the last guy had ■■■■■■ the bed. They threw all the bedding, off all of the beds, chucked them out the windows, got some diesel rags, and set fire to the lot. The owner called the old Bill, but nothing was ever done about it. Our company was banned from going in there, but that really didn’t bother us…
Chris Webb:
sammyopisite:
Chris Webb:
I stayed in some digs in Kings Lynn,February,early 70s.You got picked up in a van from the lorry park just outside the town centre.I have never been so cold in my life in that room,there were three Worksop BRS lads in the same room as me and we all slept in our boiler suits.I got up at about 0200 and walked to the wagon and away to Scunthorpe,it was warmer in an AEC MK5 and that’s saying summat.What are you a man or mouse I didn’t realise you were such delicate human being, your problem was you did not have enough alcohol inside you.
ANON.A mouse,in fact a church mouse,I was skint so couldn’t get any ale that night.I wasn’t a rich Pickfords driver like you,and in them days you Pickfords lads could keep warm round them lamps that you surrounded your wagons with in lay-bys.
anon 2
You tell em Chris, is that when you started tekin a flask and a couple of cheese butties wiv thee 
.
I stopped quite a few times in the 70s/80’s in that big lay-by next to Barton aerodrome on the A57 where that long caravan/ portacabin used to be. A couple of girls worked in there and one afternoon at about half past three my mate Brian was passing in a Transit van so he called in for a brew. There weren’t any drivers in there and there was nobody behind the counter but Brian could hear what sounded like a bucket being filled with water. He pulled a chair out thinking somebody will be back in a minute and a girl sprung up from behind the counter with a very embarrased look on her face just as the sound of running water stopped. He said that he walked out saying that he had left his wallet in the cab and drove off, he never stopped there again and niether did I after he told me this.
mushroomman:
You tell em Chris, is that when you started tekin a flask and a couple of cheese butties wiv theeI stopped quite a few times in the 70s/80’s in that big lay-by next to Barton aerodrome on the A57 where that long caravan/ portacabin used to be. A couple of girls worked in there and one afternoon at about half past three my mate Brian was passing in a Transit van so he called in for a brew. There weren’t any drivers in there and there was nobody behind the counter but Brian could hear what sounded like a bucket being filled with water. He pulled a chair out thinking somebody will be back in a minute and a girl sprung up from behind the counter with a very embarrased look on her face just as the sound of running water stopped. He said that he walked out saying that he had left his wallet in the cab and drove off, he never stopped there again and niether did I after he told me this.
I remember that portacabin Steve,in that lay-by after what was then the M63.I had a few dodgy nights out there as it was easy to get a lift into Manchester and home.I only ever used the cafe once and that was enough,I preferred the wooden hut further on, t’other side of Cadishead on the r/h side. And I did sometimes take a flask and some sandwiches when I was on local work which weren’t very often. 
Chris Webb:
mushroomman:
You tell em Chris, is that when you started tekin a flask and a couple of cheese butties wiv theeI stopped quite a few times in the 70s/80’s in that big lay-by next to Barton aerodrome on the A57 where that long caravan/ portacabin used to be. A couple of girls worked in there and one afternoon at about half past three my mate Brian was passing in a Transit van so he called in for a brew. There weren’t any drivers in there and there was nobody behind the counter but Brian could hear what sounded like a bucket being filled with water. He pulled a chair out thinking somebody will be back in a minute and a girl sprung up from behind the counter with a very embarrased look on her face just as the sound of running water stopped. He said that he walked out saying that he had left his wallet in the cab and drove off, he never stopped there again and niether did I after he told me this.
I remember that portacabin Steve,in that lay-by after what was then the M63.I had a few dodgy nights out there as it was easy to get a lift into Manchester and home.I only ever used the cafe once and that was enough,I preferred the wooden hut further on, t’other side of Cadishead on the r/h side. And I did sometimes take a flask and some sandwiches when I was on local work which weren’t very often.
Hiya chris…i went along the A57 couple of months back. remember the rough cafe in the old bit of road where the cobbles
was along with the constant flood it had iron bars on the windows and painted all black inside well its finally been knocked down…or it may have just walked off on its own
John
3300John:
I remember that portacabin Steve,in that lay-by after what was then the M63.I had a few dodgy nights out there as it was easy to get a lift into Manchester and home.I only ever used the cafe once and that was enough,I preferred the wooden hut further on, t’other side of Cadishead on the r/h side. And I did sometimes take a flask and some sandwiches when I was on local work which weren’t very often.
Hiya chris…i went along the A57 couple of months back. remember the rough cafe in the old bit of road where the cobbles
was along with the constant flood it had iron bars on the windows and painted all black inside well its finally been knocked down…or it may have just walked off on its own
John
[/quote]
I reckon it walked off on it’s own John,what a grotty hole it was.I forgot about the cobbles and the water!
Fergie47:
There was a cafe / digs at Kidlington, Oxford on the A34 heading to Banbury, think it was nick-named Paraffin Lil’s can’t remember its real name…It was a dump.
This happened in the early '70’s. One night, 3 of our drivers stopped there for digs, when they went to go to bed one of them pulled back the sheets and found them filthy, and the last guy had ■■■■■■ the bed. They threw all the bedding, off all of the beds, chucked them out the windows, got some diesel rags, and set fire to the lot. The owner called the old Bill, but nothing was ever done about it. Our company was banned from going in there, but that really didn’t bother us…
If my tired old memory serves me right It was called Bobs but we always called it Paraffin Lils as you said Fergie.Dirty hole
Regards Charlie.
charlie one:
[If my tired old memory serves me right It was called Bobs but we always called it Paraffin Lils as you said Fergie.Dirty hole
Regards Charlie.
Charlie, I think I only went in once for a cup of tea, and never ever stayed there, preferred Abingdon for digs. As you said, dirty place…Is it still there, or long gone ?
Fergie47:
charlie one:
[If my tired old memory serves me right It was called Bobs but we always called it Paraffin Lils as you said Fergie.Dirty hole
Regards Charlie.Charlie, I think I only went in once for a cup of tea, and never ever stayed there, preferred Abingdon for digs. As you said, dirty place…Is it still there, or long gone ?
Blimey Fergie,you are making my little grey cells work tonight.As far as I can remember its long gone,
Bin a long time since I was up through Kidlington though.Hope I,m right.Regards Charlie
Hiya …i’ve been in afew s…holes for brekkie the airport at derby when running out of nestles
the coranation on the A5. i was the last person served at a dodgy place across from Kays trucks
at mackworth ( comeon lads what was that place called) the quernow cafe why there…it fitted in
with the running time not to soon not to far away BUT can i say they was all better than the
little chef / indian restarunt /car show room /or massive house thet replaced them.I.ve come round
many of bend gagging for a brew (even the airport) only to fine a pile of rocks across the entrance.
It was a very welcome site to get of the M6 at jct 20 to be gretted with the OLD pops(god it was rough
in there)but an egg buttie and a jar of tea was spot on after leaving belshill and having a 1 hit to the pops.
20 ton of steel and a throbbing 180 to bring you home…
The comerardry in the place was second to none…i was in the new pops in January for oldtime sake
one driver at each table no one spoke it was like a mourge (spell) …in the old pops you could’nt hear youself
speak…pool balls clattering around the table, philmac lads cheering whoever there was playing pool
always some guy asking for a lift to 60 miles away on a dodgy. not to bad some of the old cafes.
well at least i lived to retire no more klicks for me
John
charlie one:
Fergie47:
charlie one:
[If my tired old memory serves me right It was called Bobs but we always called it Paraffin Lils as you said Fergie.Dirty hole
Regards Charlie.Charlie, I think I only went in once for a cup of tea, and never ever stayed there, preferred Abingdon for digs. As you said, dirty place…Is it still there, or long gone ?
Blimey Fergie,you are making my little grey cells work tonight.As far as I can remember its long gone,
Bin a long time since I was up through Kidlington though.Hope I,m right.Regards Charlie
Bob’s was on the left going out of Kidlington towards Banbury, Red brick place, big parking space, but if it was on the right just as you got into Kidlington, smaller, old building, that was Ma Truby’s. That one had a bit of a reputation many years ago by all accounts! 
I mentioned it on here somewhere, a long time back, but don’t think anyone could remember it. 
hi BigG unit .I remember Truby"s in Kidlington what a dump i stayed there a couple of times in the late fifties,there was a big piece who lived in who would spread em for 5/- [real money],always a queue,and no i was not in the queue,when it closed it became a motor bike sales.Long time ago.Cheers Ted.
Yeah! I don’t think she was on her own there! It was common knowledge locally when I was a youngster and I seem to remember something in the local paper about them being done for it. Think they cleaned it up a bit after that, or at least didn’t get caught again! My dad used to say about it but he never went in, well not when I rode with him! 
toxic gas man:
hi BigG unit .I remember Truby"s in Kidlington what a dump i stayed there a couple of times in the late fifties,there was a big piece who lived in who would spread em for 5/- [real money],always a queue,and no i was not in the queue,when it closed it became a motor bike sales.Long time ago.Cheers Ted.
Five shillings! Bit dear wasn,t she? Obviously a classy piece.Regards Charlie