Have just seen these photos on a F/B site. They are courtesy of Gavin Smith. A few years back I told a story on Trucknet which revolved around the place names seen here. On this occasion I had flown into Baghdad but when my passport was looked at, the Iraqi Immigration officer asked where my lorry was. It was then I knew I had a problem. Especially as he personally escorted me outside the terminal and pointed to the steps of the BA Tristar that I had just left. The problem arose because I had a lorry drivers visa upon which it said this man must enter Iraq with a lorry. A couple of days later I was on another plane to southern Turkey but was unable to land at the usual airport as the runway was being resurfaced so we were diverted to Batman, a Turkish Airforce Base. Here I got a taxi to take me down to Kiziltepe which was on the route to Habur and Iraq. On the way down, it was in the evening and dark, I noticed the taxi driver had a gun in his belt. I pointed to it and he waved his arms around and said bandits. Yes I thought and are you the biggest of them all. Anyway we got to the lorry park in Kizeltepe ok and I lugged my heavy suitcase into the cafe hoping to find a friendly driver to take me to Baghdad. Sure enough there was a Brit who said no probs and a few hours later I entered Iraq at Habur/Zahko onboard a lorry.
Just look at the modern roads in the area now. Tarmac and motorways everywhere and not a pothole in sight.
Just noticed on one of the photos the town of Mardin is mentioned. That’s where I ended up in court on another trip. Told the story on here years ago but may retell it sometime.
A few more photos from Gavin Smith. This time they’re from Aksaray. I remember arriving in town from the direction of Ankara and one of the first building you came to was a bakery on the right selling delicious ekmek bread straight out of the oven. From there I would drive down a bit farther where there was a parking area on the left where I had my lunch.
Was atop the Port de Bales in the Pyrenees yesterday and saw this wagon loading up with sheep. He loaded at some pens at the very top, 1755m or 5,757ft. He then proceeded down the mountain in what seemed to be the lowest gear he had at his disposal. Definitely a clenched b-m job that one.
I was coming down from the ski station at Piau-Engaly in the high Pyrenees to a t-junction with the road up to the Beilsa tunnel and Spain. At the junction was this Scanfor lorry which I believe was from Belgium. He had just turned himself around as the road up to the tunnel was closed. Now I don’t know who routed him this way but, as I passed the lorry I saw the driver at the rear of his trailer taking photos of the barrier, no doubt to prove to his boss he was going to be a day or two late delivering his load.
Photos courtesy of Promotor driver Frank Gough. A day out to Goodwood with a couple of Ford’s finest. Funny to think we were trundling these cars or very similar to events 40 years ago.
This photo courtesy of Robert Steven is what I assume is a homemade fold down bed for an AEC. Must admit it’s far grander than I had and it certainly looks more comfortable than the boards laid across from the window to the centre cowling that I used.
Also have the powers to be changed the rules on here. This is now the fifth posting I’ve put on without being blocked.
Saw this impressive bit of kit up at the ski station at Piau-Engaly in the high Pyrenees. Not long been delivered by the looks of it. Not sure if it was to be used to shift snow or to be used on the building site there.
Bob Anderson drove an eight wheeler Coles crane from the Uk to Baghdad in the early 80’s. I’ve told the story and shown a few photos in the past but Bob has now provided new info and photos. It seems he left the UK together with Paul Linscott who was driving a similar crane. They got as far as Germany where Paul, allegedly, fell asleep on the autobahn and ended up with his crane in a field. He was well stuck and after Bob hung around for 11 hours Paul told him to push on. This Bob did and in Turkey he bumped into Ramsey Patterson, who was also on his way to the Baghdad Fair. Chick Steadman and I were already in Baghdad and met them both when they arrived. The cranes were parked up opposite the fairground in the football stadium. Bob’s job was then done and Promotor had provided him with money to buy his return flight home but instead he hung around for a few days until he found a lift, which got him to within 25 miles of his home. it took him 15 days to trundle the crane to Baghdad and 22 to return home. I will post all the photos even though some have been seen before. As for Paul’s crane he got almost to the Iraqi border before he had more problems and then sat there until Chick and I rescued him.
Just seen this photo on the web. Never seen it before. It was Roger Oakley’s old lorry and I think could have been at the RAC Lombard Rally. Was trying to identify some of the other cars parked nearby to help with location but photo is not clear enough.
FKE 218V was bought to replace the lorry shown above loaded with the Escorts. It was driven by Roger Oakley normally but on this occasion Stephen Lacey was the driver. He had loaded in Spain and stopped in Andorra to take the photo.
Had to add this as an edit as not allowed to post more the 5 consecutive posts. I suppose thats better than the three we were allowed. Not sure how this is going to turn out but here goes. Its some information on the three Escorts in the RAC Rally and its been dated by Gary Wood as 1977.
I thought I would put these photos of Andy Maclean on this Promotor thread as during the exhibitions in Baghdad and Tehran we were in each others pockets most of the time. This photo has Andy, on the right, together with our Chick Steadman on the left and Andy’s subbie Bill Kitt about to give Chick a kiss. Bill’s second lorry had broken down on the approach to the fairground and Bill sent the driver home in his Volvo whilst we employed Bill to work with Chick whilst the fair was on and the second lorry was being repaired.
Some more photos of the late Andy Maclean. They’ve been posted before but at this sad time I see no reason not to show them again. They were taken at the Baghdad Fair in the early 80’s. In the first photo we have Promotors Chick Steadman on the left then Peter Calderwood and myself second from right. On the right is the diminutive figure of Andy.
Here’s a great shot of Andy Maclean when he still worked for F G Hammond. It was taken at the Baghdad Fair in the early 80’s. The lorry belongs to Bill Kitt, who is in the back of the trailer, and was one of Andy’s regular subbies.
Yes that’s Bill Kitt’s lorry. He obviously had to get a new tilt when Andy Maclean started up Orient Transport Services in 85 as Bill stayed loyal to Andy at that time.
I’ve added a couple of photos I took in Cherbourg as I passed through last weekend. It shows some of the hundred or so Irish units waiting for un-accompanied trailers to be shipped over. I have never seen so many parked up there. If there’s an Irish pub in town it must be doing mega business.
Airforce Base. Here I got a taxi to take me down to Kiziltepe which was on the route to Habur and Iraq. On the way down, it was in the evening and dark, I noticed the taxi driver had a gun in his belt. I pointed to it and he waved his arms around and said bandits. Yes I thought and are you the biggest of them all. Anyway we got to the lorry park in Kizeltepe ok and I lugged my heavy suitcase into the cafe hoping to find a friendly driver to take me to Baghdad. Sure enough there was a Brit who said no probs and a few hours later I entered Iraq at Habur/Zahko onboard a lorry.
