Hi Archie and Fly Sheet, if it was’nt for Skype I woild’nt be able to speak to you Archie and I packed in doing Greece at the same month you started Fly Sheet and sold theTranscon to Dennis the Rat (whatever happened to him). Was it Les Phillips 
who ran Intersped out of Erith, always smoked a pipe, did a lot for them in the late 80’s, one of the best payers on the greek job, he phoned me up a couple of years later to see if I was interested in getting a truck again and going back on for him.
Hullo All,
I had a message last night from Kieth the Thief to say that Russell Emptage had died on Saturday Morning. Many of us that were going to Greece in the '80’s will of course remember Russell. I heard from Kieth a few months ago that Russell was’nt in too good health. But now he’s made his last trip. R.I.P. Russell. Condolences go to Ray Emptage and the rest of the Family.
Archie.
Very sad news indeed Archie, Russell did a couple of trips for me at the end of the eighties and was a good lad, I remember meeting him on the Italian/Yugo border in the winter and his heater had packed in on his Transcon, nothing we did would induce the hot water to flow through the matrix and he drove all the way to Piraeus with no heater, jumping into my Transcon for a warm up every time we stopped. How old was he, late 50’s early 60’s, no age at all these days, Keith please give my sympathies to Ray and family.
Charlie.
Its very sad Ive known He wasnt well for a while but its still.a rotten shock. I drove for Russell for a while & subbed loads off him too, he spoke passable greek too & the melon/orange men liked him. I can remember the last load I did was a load of currants from Kouniottis in Patras back to Tescos in Daventry overland.
Yeah a real good craic was Russell & Im sure it will be a good send off later this week.
RIP Fella
Thats sad news when,s the funeral seem to be going to a lot just latley R.I.P Russell thoughts to family and friends
Roger Haywood
I spoke with Ray yesterday He seemed OK Russell was 58 its no poxy age is it. He did tell Me when the funeral was but I’ve forgot, I thought He said on the 24th & I take it it will be in Bracknell. He mentinoed The Admiral pub too so I expect thats where the drinking will be held.
fly sheet:
I spoke with Ray yesterday He seemed OK Russell was 58 its no poxy age is it. He did tell Me when the funeral was but I’ve forgot, I thought He said on the 24th & I take it it will be in Bracknell. He mentinoed The Admiral pub too so I expect thats where the drinking will be held.
Hullo fly sheet,
Does anybody know when and where then ?
Cheers, Archie.
To put the record straight: John Pettit was just one of a number of shareholder/directors of Oasis Overland Express. It wasn’t John’s company. Certainly, Keith Taylor and Jay Tayler-Webb were two of the others. It is possible that Laurie Martin might have had a stake too.
John was a very likeable character, very experienced in middle east work as a driver, and great at getting work for the fleet (made up of trucks belonging to each of the directors). He was also a brilliant golfer. John would always give beginners a chance. His trust was seldom abused. The name “Oasis Overland Express” was his idea.
The Iranian revolution and regime Changes in Iraq made things difficult for the company. For example, contracts for much of the freight it carried to Iraq were originally directly between Oasis Overland Express and the shipper, but with the advent of the Iraqi “bond” this work had to go through Davis Turner, who took their cut as the middle man. The result was that previous fat margins from direct work were turned into negligible profits, or even losses on each trip.
Oasis Overland Express was never sold. It was put into voluntary liquidation.
Hi Archie this seems to have gone quiet for a while ,I’ve only recently learned how to drive these computers. You did pass comment about a picture of me on another site,it has been a long time no see.
Cliff luxton:
Hi Archie this seems to have gone quiet for a while ,I’ve only recently learned how to drive these computers. You did pass comment about a picture of me on another site,it has been a long time no see.
Hullo Cliff,
Good to hear from you, yes it is a few years now ain’t it. I am Retired now and spend half of each year on holidays, anywhere in the World, just as long as it’s nice and warm. Mostly Brasil. What are you doing with yourself these days ?
Hi Cliff, nice to see you on here, I seem to remember the last time I saw you was in Le Havre when I worked for the US air force back in 93/94, what are you up now. I am a resident of the USA in good ole Texas, like Archie I don’t like cold weather any more, still doing some driving, had a big Dodge Ram dual wheeled pickup with a 48 ft 3 axle enclosed 2 car trailer hauling classic and expensive stuff like Lambos and Ferraris around the states but had to give it up when I was diagnosed with Lymphatic cancer from which I am making a good recovery luckily but I shall probably start doing some short trips to Florida and California with a fridge company that i used to work for soon. Not ready for retirement yet.
Charlie Gethin
Nice to hear you two are doing okay Archie and Charlie no points for guessing where this is,think It must be my only visit there.
Cliff luxton:
Nice to hear you two are doing okay Archie and Charlie no points for guessing where this is,think It must be my only visit there.
Christ Cliff,
I never thought we’d see that place again. Many good nights out there were had by many lads in those days. Er, it is Lyme Regis ain’t it ?
Cliff luxton:
Here’s opposition Anglo greek
Looks a nice combination Cliff, when did you leave Axminster/Chard then, that’s what you were doing the last time we met, and when did you go on your own ? That wagon is certainly a credit to you. Are you still at it then, or what are you doing these days ?
Hi Archie
I left axminster in 1986 took insurance job at home it lasted 6 months ,did 8 months for George at Mondial ,and a couple of other firms started on my own in1990.Started with wine collections in France,then traction Spain and Italy .Then back to Greece bit of Turkey a lot of Morocco. Now publican in West Bay ,and part of the time in Spain. Cliff
Cliff luxton:
Hi Archie
I left axminster in 1986 took insurance job at home it lasted 6 months ,did 8 months for George at Mondial ,and a couple of other firms started on my own in1990.Started with wine collections in France,then traction Spain and Italy .Then back to Greece bit of Turkey a lot of Morocco. Now publican in West Bay ,and part of the time in Spain. Cliff
That sounds just about right Cliff. Time to enjoy life now. I spend a lot of my time travelling or living in Brasil nowadays. Charlie Gethin is over in the US of A, living in Texas. I haven’t spoken to him for a while but he was doing fine, although a bit of a health scare came up, but by the sound of it he is thankfully on the right side of it now. I tried to speak to him today but missed him. Where is West Bay ? I might just call in one day for Um Verre de Rouge in passing.
Hi Archie
West Bay is in Dorset it’s between Weymouth and Lyme regis. I would like to see you there one day. Cliff
