Hope you don’t mind me posting this one Ian. Not quite an “Ancient” Brit, but well worthy of this thread I think.
Hi all.I’m not sure if it’s the same truck that’s mentioned on here but in about 1977 i was on my way to Afghanistan for a Dutch co.I just turned right at Horosan and started to climb the road up to tahir village.After about 2kms i stopped for 1 of Taffy Davies which was lying at about 45degrees in a ditch.It was an old Atkinson.We spent most of the day trying to pull it out,to no avail.Late in the afternoon a dolmus[taxi]stopped and about 20 Turks climbed out to be nosy.One old guy came to us and pointed to my truck.I pointed at myself and immediately the old boy began speaking to me in fluent Dutch.It turned out he had worked for many years in Holland.Straight away he began to organise things for us.He arranged a crane for the next day,got labourers arranged to unload and reload the truck,fixed a customs man and Jandarma to guard the truck.He arranged all the costs for the people and stayed about 3 days helping.When everything was done we asked him what his costs would be.He refused to take any money saying that it was a repayment for the kindness he had been shown while living in Holland.We pressed him and he said if we wanted to do something for him,we could buy a set of copper bottomed cooking pots for his wife.
I duly arranged this with Taffys driver who gave me some money.On my next trip i took a set of pots to Horasan and duly presented them to the old boy.He was over the moon at such a wonderful gift,and needless to say the day got cancelled as i had to wait while[to me it seemed]the whole of Horasan came to view the '‘special’'pots.
When i think back on what it COULD have cost,if not for the old Turk it really shows there were some good people about and even in the most obscure place you can be lucky.Mike
John McVey:
240 Gardner:
NZ JAMIE:
Taffy Davis also ran a 240 horse Borderer with a sleeper cab on overland work,there must be some photos of it somewhere?
Yes, there is a picture of it in a book, being dragged out of a ditch in, I think, Turkey. It became this:
TBR737R
I guess this is the one you’ve all been waiting for…so here she is in all her glory!
I got a few pics of this “incident” from Ted Hannant. There was some confusion as to exactly how many trucks were at the scene “trying to help”. In the photos I’ve got I can count; 2 Davies F88’s. 2 Davies Merc’s. 1 Frank White DAF. 1 Turkish lowloader. 1 Turkish wrecker.
These are the best of the pics;
And finally, after a lot of pulling…up she came. Mind you that trailer looks a “tadge” precarious !!!
hutpik:
Hi all.I’m not sure if it’s the same truck that’s mentioned on here but in about 1977 i was on my way to Afghanistan for a Dutch co.I just turned right at Horosan and started to climb the road up to tahir village.After about 2kms i stopped for 1 of Taffy Davies which was lying at about 45degrees in a ditch.It was an old Atkinson.
In fact, it was nearly new in 1977! From DVLA:
The vehicle details for TBR 737R are:
Date of Liability 01 01 1998
Date of First Registration 01 09 1976
The last Atkinson was built in the Spring of 1975, so it must have hung around somewhere before being registered.
John McVey:
Wow look at those leaf springs and no cab suspension, what luxury! How they spoiled us at Pandoro
Pampered, in fact!
Hi 240.My apologies for denigrating the ‘‘old’’ Atki.After having been fortunate enough to drive Volvos and,at that time,being in charge of a new 2800 Daf 6wheel double drive my feelings toward english vehicles was a little negative.
It was maybe a little unjust as my first ‘own’ truck was a ‘really’ old ERF.
The main point of the tale was more that many,many drivers had good reason to be grateful to the Turkish people in general.
We all had problems in Turkey as it was known as the most difficult transit land to the M.E.What happened to the Atki was an everyday occurence together with other sorts of mishap.But i think that at least 90percent of loads were delivered and the trucks returned to the UK.
We had a lot of help from the Turks in what was quite a primitive environement.Mike
About the nearest I got to doing ME was talking to Taffy Davies on the phone for half an hr. Be about 1975/6 I had witnesed a car running up the arse end of plain brown 110 or 141 cant remember, it was where the north circular joined the A1 the moter had a north East reg I couldnt stop so I made it known I had seen it & would stop up the road, anyway gave him my details & about 6mths later got this phone call & it was Taffy he had been working internal some where east & was catching up with his paperwork & the moter that had the bump was one of his.Anyway the price of Diesel & putting the world to rights for half an hour he told me to go down & see him if I fancied a crack (which I did).But leaving the misses & two little ankle biters for a couple of months didnt go down to well so it never happened (never mind can read about it on here) 
Great pics Ash mate,good one thanks. And thanks for the info 240 mate,I’d forgotten that Jonh Killingbeck ended up with it,jeese the old girl must have done some miles over the years. Who owns it now at what’s happening with it mate?
You got to wonder what happened in those pics and how she ended up in the ditch,it seems to be a fair way around the bend and climbing up the rise,maybe there was another motor coming down the hill,lost it and forced the Atki over? Or did it loose traction on the climb and end up siding over onto it’s side?.
hutpik:
Hi all.Does anyone remember the Turkish Cypriot lad from London who ran 2 ford d1000’s regularly to Turkey in the 70s with his father.
Booties.What was the reg of Goldies Ford.I sat for 5 days at Gurbulak with him but can’t see the reg in the pic i have.It’s quite a nice pic with Goldies Ford with a gigantic[for the time]supercube trlr,me with Simons F89 road train and Chapman and Ball also with a supercube.All big stuff.
Just to see how clever your memory is who.Who drove FTU 568N,it’s not a Ford[i know]but wonder if you do
As Goldy left Carmans before I did,(He ran off to Australia with some bird he picked up who told him daddy had a trucking company!),It must have been Dave Prosser’s motor as Carmans only had the pair,and Goldy was based in Trowbridge as was Dave.
Sorry but I can’t put a name to every truck on the fleet,I knew a lot of the lads from Stoke,even the T form Charlies,but not thewir reg numbers.The only other guy I remember who also came from Trowbridge was Jimmy Withers who drove an old F88 road train.Someone posted a pic of him on one of these threads not so long ago.
truckerash:
Hope you don’t mind me posting this one Ian. Not quite an “Ancient” Brit, but well worthy of this thread I think.
That was the last one of three brand new Crusaders that shipped out on the Felixstowe-Hamburg ferry with me.
Two piled up in Yugo and this one got as far as eastern Turkey.
Hi Ian.Thats interesting to know,that Goldy went to OZ.
As to the reg,it was Jimmy Withers motor.Nice guy,we ran together a couple of times.It may have been me that posted a pic of his motor some time ago on here.Mike
[/quote]
Found a couple more clearer pics of “crashed” Atki with cab door still in tact. Looking very much like it is the very same one.
Trailer looks alomst brand new!
How could this thread not include this fine example?
New to Asian Transport in Oct 1966, Gordon Pearce and Bob Paul shared it for almost 2 years sharing the driving between London and Tehran!
Pictured above is Cyril (Bunty) Parlane posing for an article by Revellie Magazine in 1968. AEC shown loaded and ready to roll at Baxter’s warehouse London.
And here loading the Triumph spares bound for Tehran.
Brother’s Bunty and Eddie Parlane shared the AEC after Gordon moved onto a new Vabis!
Here the brother’s pose for Revellie Magazine.
Although the sleeper was “grafted” on professionally, it was Mike Woodman and Bob Paul who finished the interior and fitted it out.
Just look at that cab!!!
And some of Gordon Pearce’s photos “on the road” to Iran 1967.
It’s unclear what happened to the AEC after Bob Paul part ex’d it for a new Scania. Nevertheless, some years later it appeared in Oldhams livery.
Stunning,stunning,stunning!Thanks for the great pictures.What truly remarkable men they were.
truckerash:
Found a couple more clearer pics of “crashed” Atki with cab door still in tact. Looking very much like it is the very same one.
Trailer looks alomst brand new!
[/quote]
Thanks for the extra pics Ash - in fact, I’m fairly sure it’s not the same one after all, as I think the crashed one is actually a Mk.1
You can see the ally radiator (not a GRP cover) and also the varnished wooden frames on the interior of the cab door, not to mention the Mk.1 roof. Also, the signwriting on the door is different.
John McVey:
240 Gardner:
NZ JAMIE:
Taffy Davis also ran a 240 horse Borderer with a sleeper cab on overland work,there must be some photos of it somewhere?Yes, there is a picture of it in a book, being dragged out of a ditch in, I think, Turkey.
It became this:
TBR737R-A Versatile Borderer by ekawrecker, on Flickrand now:
Atkinson borderer tbr737r by richfergi.t21, on FlickrWow look at those leaf springs and no cab suspension, what luxury! How they spoiled us at Pandoro
When Taffy got the motor i fitted shock absorbers to it. Although Atkis’ did not fit them the chassis had the holes in for the brackets and the springs had the eyes to take them, and they supplied them.I made the sleeper myself (not from a kit). Looks like the side skirts are missing now,made the bed plate and fitted the turntable, fitted autolube,extra diesel tank.Ted Hannon painted and did the signwriting. There was very little damage to repair when it came home. I think Davy Stores was driving it.Taffy also ran a 250 ■■■■■■■■ Atki on the M/E witch i did the same to.
Ken
240 Gardner:
truckerash:
Found a couple more clearer pics of “crashed” Atki with cab door still in tact. Looking very much like it is the very same one.
Thanks for the extra pics Ash - in fact, I’m fairly sure it’s not the same one after all, as I think the crashed one is actually a Mk.1
You can see the ally radiator (not a GRP cover) and also the varnished wooden frames on the interior of the cab door, not to mention the Mk.1 roof. Also, the signwriting on the door is different.
I did notice the signwriting, but the overall livery looks the same. Only you would notice the “little details” like the rad and door frames 
Well spotted that man 
kennyjohnson:
John McVey:
240 Gardner:
NZ JAMIE:
Wow look at those leaf springs and no cab suspension, what luxury! How they spoiled us at PandoroWhen Taffy got the motor i fitted shock absorbers to it. Although Atkis’ did not fit them the chassis had the holes in for the brackets and the springs had the eyes to take them, and they supplied them.I made the sleeper myself (not from a kit). Looks like the side skirts are missing now,made the bed plate and fitted the turntable, fitted autolube,extra diesel tank.Ted Hannon painted and did the signwriting. There was very little damage to repair when it came home. I think Davy Stores was driving it.Taffy also ran a 250 ■■■■■■■■ Atki on the M/E witch i did the same to. Ken
Thas great Ken! Thanks. Do you have any photos we can see? Now you have mentioned Davy, I do remember being told it was him driving but never knew “how” he managed to end up in the ditch. Do you know? Cheers Ash.
Its amazing to think these guys were away for weeks in these trucks and you go on the main page here and you have people saying things like Renault premiums and daf cfs awe two small to be away all week in the uk.
I’m sure everyone has seen this photo on T’internet at some point. Its photographed with a French truck and a few people around it.
I think this snap shot is better as it clearly shows the reg EWU 204M (or H?) and we can see it was fitted with a ■■■■■■■■
Quite why it got covered up, I don’t know and I love the Traffic Management 
Didn’t think Highways Agency had a depot in Turkey
Anyone know anything about this Ancient Brit?
