I haven’t a clue where this job took place or who the clients were. It may have been a road show as Little Dave and Bob would almost certainly have driven lorries to the venue. Looking at the architecture and electric wiring in the group photo it could be anywhere from Portugal to Greece. In the group photo there is a guy on the right with a bow tie on. I have some pictures somewhere of Promotors Micky Packham wearing one during an event we staged in the uk involving three linked show trailers. Will try and find them.
sandway:
I haven’t a clue where this job took place or who the clients were. It may have been a road show as Little Dave and Bob would almost certainly have driven lorries to the venue. Looking at the architecture and electric wiring in the group photo it could be anywhere from Portugal to Greece. In the group photo there is a guy on the right with a bow tie on. I have some pictures somewhere of Promotors Micky Packham wearing one during an event we staged in the uk involving three linked show trailers. Will try and find them.
I think theres a very good chance the event took place in Spain. In one of the previous pictures a bottle of “Fonsana” can be seen. That is a Spanish mineral water.
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Yes. Bobby Keen. I was trying to recall his name when we were talking about Stevie Smith. They were very big friends with one another. Both of them were very good blokes.
Beside the dynamic duo, Steve and Bobby there was also Ronny Hart and Buggsy Bertram. Before I joined Pro-Motor I used to meet Ronny and Buggsy in Dover, on regular occasions. They always seemed to be running together. I later figured out that it was the management (or lack of it) who sent them out together so that Ronny could keep an eye on Buggsy and hopefully keep him out of trouble. However, Ronny was not always successful.
My very first trip for Pro’s, I had to fly out to Bucharest and bring Keith Reynolds truck back to the U.K. Keith had pneumonia and had to fly home for treatment. I took over his truck at the exhibition ground.
Also there were Buggsy and Ronny and we left Bucharest together and ran as far as Bratislava. I carried on, but they wanted to take time out. After I had left they went into town and had a few sherberts. Buggsy then got off with a local lady who took him back to her flat. Ronny managed to get hold of Buggsy’s passport but not his wallet. In the early hours of the morning Ronny was woken up by the Czecho’ old bill, who chucked Buggsy onto the ground, from the back of their Ulaz jeep. It appeared that having got back to the lady’s flat, they were interrupted by her so called boyfriend, who beat Buggsy to a pulp and took his wallet, as compensation for him being in bed with the Czecho’s girlfriend.
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Yes. Bobby Keen. I was trying to recall his name when we were talking about Stevie Smith. They were very big friends with one another. Both of them were very good blokes.Beside the dynamic duo, Steve and Bobby there was also Ronny Hart and Buggsy Bertram. Before I joined Pro-Motor I used to meet Ronny and Buggsy in Dover, on regular occasions. They always seemed to be running together. I later figured out that it was the management (or lack of it) who sent them out together so that Ronny could keep an eye on Buggsy and hopefully keep him out of trouble. However, Ronny was not always successful.
My very first trip for Pro’s, I had to fly out to Bucharest and bring Keith Reynolds truck back to the U.K. Keith had pneumonia and had to fly home for treatment. I took over his truck at the exhibition ground.
Also there were Buggsy and Ronny and we left Bucharest together and ran as far as Bratislava. I carried on, but they wanted to take time out. After I had left they went into town and had a few sherberts. Buggsy then got off with a local lady who took him back to her flat. Ronny managed to get hold of Buggsy’s passport but not his wallet. In the early hours of the morning Ronny was woken up by the Czecho’ old bill, who chucked Buggsy onto the ground, from the back of their Ulaz jeep. It appeared that having got back to the lady’s flat, they were interrupted by her so called boyfriend, who beat Buggsy to a pulp and took his wallet, as compensation for him being in bed with the Czecho’s girlfriend.
Yes Micky T, I had completely forgotten that little escapade of Blue’s. I remember him telling me about it. Seems he ended up on the grass outside this apartment block. He hadn’t a clue where he was. He’d been knocked about and couldn’t walk properly so he crawled across the pavement to a door which he proceeded to hammer on until it opened. A woman came to the door, no doubt looked down to this jibbering drunken wreck on the doorstep speaking some unintelligible language and promptly called the police. Old Blue certainly knew how to have fun!!!
sandway:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Yes. Bobby Keen. I was trying to recall his name when we were talking about Stevie Smith. They were very big friends with one another. Both of them were very good blokes.Beside the dynamic duo, Steve and Bobby there was also Ronny Hart and Buggsy Bertram. Before I joined Pro-Motor I used to meet Ronny and Buggsy in Dover, on regular occasions. They always seemed to be running together. I later figured out that it was the management (or lack of it) who sent them out together so that Ronny could keep an eye on Buggsy and hopefully keep him out of trouble. However, Ronny was not always successful.
My very first trip for Pro’s, I had to fly out to Bucharest and bring Keith Reynolds truck back to the U.K. Keith had pneumonia and had to fly home for treatment. I took over his truck at the exhibition ground.
Also there were Buggsy and Ronny and we left Bucharest together and ran as far as Bratislava. I carried on, but they wanted to take time out. After I had left they went into town and had a few sherberts. Buggsy then got off with a local lady who took him back to her flat. Ronny managed to get hold of Buggsy’s passport but not his wallet. In the early hours of the morning Ronny was woken up by the Czecho’ old bill, who chucked Buggsy onto the ground, from the back of their Ulaz jeep. It appeared that having got back to the lady’s flat, they were interrupted by her so called boyfriend, who beat Buggsy to a pulp and took his wallet, as compensation for him being in bed with the Czecho’s girlfriend.Yes Micky T, I had completely forgotten that little escapade of Blue’s. I remember him telling me about it. Seems he ended up on the grass outside this apartment block. He hadn’t a clue where he was. He’d been knocked about and couldn’t walk properly so he crawled across the pavement to a door which he proceeded to hammer on until it opened. A woman came to the door, no doubt looked down to this jibbering drunken wreck on the doorstep speaking some unintelligible language and promptly called the police. Old Blue certainly knew how to have fun!!!
He certainly did Sandway. I remember Ronny telling me about a trip to Nurnburg. There was him, Buggsy and George Fardell. They had just pulled up at the show site and a very good looking young German lady turned up, in a cabrolet and spirited Buggsy away for the night. I don’t know how he did it.
Graham could always be relied upon to relate previous escapades even if it sometimes made him to appear a right wally. Well just look at the photo! It didn’t take much doing. A great bloke though and one of the most inoffensive drivers on the road.
Micky T. You mentioned the Nurnberg job and the lady in the cabriolet and Blue aka Buggsy. That job was a Ford Clinic and I am sure there were five of us drivers on it.
I outlined in a much earlier post my first meeting with Graham Bertram where he backed into the lay-by off the autobahn at seven in the morning because he had seen me parked there. We were both on our way to Nurnberg with vans for the clinic. For those who do not know what a clinic is, its purely an appraisal of Transits and similar vans from other manufacturers by, I think, Ford dealers or other people in the trade. It was by invite only. When we had all unloaded and set up the vehicles in the hall our job was done for a few days until we did the pullout. We all parked up together in a fairly quiet corner of the huge area in Nurnberg used by the ■■■■ party for its torchlight processions in the 30’s. There was Ronnie Hart, George Fardell, Graham, myself and I am sure someone else. I thought the other person was Nottsnortherner, he will no doubt confirm or deny that later. Now, as I said before my “little grey cells” are not what they were but I am sure its soon after we were all parked up together that this lady with cabriolet turned up, chose Graham, and whisked him away. There was another incident whilst we were there and thats when George got up onto the platform where Hitler stood to salute the torchlight procession and started to do his impression of Hitler with shouts of Sieg Hail and giving the ■■■■ salute. We had to move fast to shut him up before we were lynched. I am sure I had a very bad photo of him with his arm outstretched but can’t find it now. Maybe it was so bad I threw it away. I remember George could often be an embarrassment. On one occasion there were three of us Promotor men parked up for the weekend by Lake Balaton in Hungary. It was hot and we joined the locals for a dip. George brought his bottle of shampoo, sat down in the shallow water and proceeded to wash not only his hair but the rest of his body as well. That also didn’t go down to well with the locals.
Back to Graham to conclude this little anecdote. A year or so later six of us found ourselves in Regensburg (I think) on another Ford clinic. The photo of Graham sitting on the grass in the above post was from there. Anyway, after a couple of days of boredom I was sitting in my cab when I looked across to Grahams lorry. In it, drinking coffee was a quite stunning young lady. I asked him how and where he had found her. “I didn’t Blue” he said. I opened my window and she was just standing there so I invited her in for coffee. She stayed till we left. Graham had that something that the female of the species can spot at considerable distance and they used to home in on him oblivious to the rest of us. Jealous, moi, never. (well sometimes).
AHA! Mr. Sandway! you,ve just confirmed my suspicions as to who you are! I will not reveal your identity should you want to yourself! It has been puzzling me for a while and whilst you have been inadvertantly dropping hints in your posts it wasn,t until I spoke on the phone last night with one David Boulding that together we confirmed your ID. Yes, I was the 5th driver on that Nuremberg clinic but there is a more comical or heartless episode to the Bugsy story depending on which way you want to look at it. Most of your description of what took place is correct except that when we initially parked up Graham and myself chose to park side by side at the rear of the column( actually I thought there was as many as seven of us but I could be thinking of another occasion, there were so many!) Anyway no sooner had we shut down I looked across only to see Bugsy having a strip wash and preening that immaculate hairstyle! On went the grey suit so I shouted"what you up to?" …“In to town Blue, on the pull!” Bearing in mind he was supposed to be happily married with kids! Anyway I put the kettle on and Graham gets out of the truck, puts on his jacket and then pulls out the pocket flaps to finish off the preening process only to discover a letter from his wife in one of the pockets telling him that the marraige was over, he,d been sussed!.. For the next 10 minutes he was a broken man, weeping on my shoulder etc.,etc., but then after the emotion had settled he wiped away the tears and started to spruce himself up so I said “what you going to do then, try and get home?”…“No way blue, I,m off into town, shame to waste the suit innit blue!” That was Graham, morally bankrupt but a character. Actually, I,m sure David Boulding won,t mind me saying this but he is closer to Graham than all of us, he lives opposite Biddenden cemetry!!!
Nottsnortherner:
AHA! Mr. Sandway! you,ve just confirmed my suspicions as to who you are! I will not reveal your identity should you want to yourself! It has been puzzling me for a while and whilst you have been inadvertantly dropping hints in your posts it wasn,t until I spoke on the phone last night with one David Boulding that together we confirmed your ID. Yes, I was the 5th driver on that Nuremberg clinic but there is a more comical or heartless episode to the Bugsy story depending on which way you want to look at it. Most of your description of what took place is correct except that when we initially parked up Graham and myself chose to park side by side at the rear of the column( actually I thought there was as many as seven of us but I could be thinking of another occasion, there were so many!) Anyway no sooner had we shut down I looked across only to see Bugsy having a strip wash and preening that immaculate hairstyle! On went the grey suit so I shouted"what you up to?" …“In to town Blue, on the pull!” Bearing in mind he was supposed to be happily married with kids! Anyway I put the kettle on and Graham gets out of the truck, puts on his jacket and then pulls out the pocket flaps to finish off the preening process only to discover a letter from his wife in one of the pockets telling him that the marraige was over, he,d been sussed!.. For the next 10 minutes he was a broken man, weeping on my shoulder etc.,etc., but then after the emotion had settled he wiped away the tears and started to spruce himself up so I said “what you going to do then, try and get home?”…“No way blue, I,m off into town, shame to waste the suit innit blue!” That was Graham, morally bankrupt but a character. Actually, I,m sure David Boulding won,t mind me saying this but he is closer to Graham than all of us, he lives opposite Biddenden cemetry!!!
I think that what finally caused the break up of Buggsy’s marriage was when he came home and gave his wife a dose of clap. She, having had enough of Buggsy by then was having an affair with the landlord of the local pub. She gave him the clap and apparently he passed it on to another lady that he was also seeing at the time. It then spread around Biddenden. The landlord, or friends of his, beat Buggsy to a pulp. (Something that he was obviously getting used to ). A gang of us, including Stevie Smith were going to go to Biddenden and teach the landlord the error of his ways, but Buggsy stopped us. I believe that Buggsy’s wife moved in with the landlord. I am not sure whether they got married, but Buggsy later married a Philipino lady. (And there, is another story ). Regarding David Boulding, I am sure that he and Buggsy worked together before Pro-Motor and they were always great mates. If you speak to David. T.G. give him my regards.
Graham looking really chuffed that the evil one, sitting in Ramsey’s chair, was nothing to do with him!! Another picture of boredom at a Ford clinic. Regensburg 1980 ish.
Micky T., sorry to disapoint but Dave says before Pro,s he was at National Carriers and before that he drove Maidstone&District buses. He says he never worked with Bugsy before Promotor and he never worked with him at Promotor because he was bone idle!!
With a little help from a relative I,ve managed to put these 3 pics on here for you! First is my father posing in front of SUC 19 N. My old Dad was really envious when he realised I drove to Europe because he fought in Italy for a long time during the war and always wanted to re-visit so one trip I took him. We are at the Blanc having done customs. We were en-route to Zagreb to do one drop but he got more than he bargained for because the office sent me down to Bucharest for my backload out of one of the trade fairs. Problem was he didn,t have a Romanian visa! Neither did he have any current transit stamps in his passport! We,d just been waved through at all the western crossing points. We had a load of agro trying to get the romanians to let us in! This was 1976.
The second photo is 1981 at the Nurburgring with John Barclay and Geof Gardner in attendance for the face-lift launch of the Mk 2 Ford Granada. One of the Ford guys turned up in this Fiesta XR2 pre production prototype, you can see it was registered on a “W” plate when officially it came out on an “X”
The third photo is the best! 1976 at the Mokamp,Istanbul from left to right Stevie Smith, Carl Denhardt, Billy Heath and yours truly. We were all taking second hand farm tractors to Istanbul docks but once tipped we split up,Steve and Billy going to Italy to re load and Carl and myself going to Split,…great times!
Sandway, you mentioned earlier the two distinct paint schemes. In fact there was four, my photo of SUC was the second in which they introduced the waistline white stripe and prior to that it was plain metalic green with no stripe and yes it was a Ford colour, Fern Green metalic I think.
Nottsnortherner:
Micky T., sorry to disapoint but Dave says before Pro,s he was at National Carriers and before that he drove Maidstone&District buses. He says he never worked with Bugsy before Promotor and he never worked with him at Promotor because he was bone idle!!
Strange T.G… I was under the impression that they had worked together. Still it is 30 odd years ago. Yes, I always had Buggsy down as a matinee idol.
I know there are a few lads on here who went through this tunnel lots of times so who can remember where it is. 
mushroomman:
I know there are a few lads on here who went through this tunnel lots of times so who can remember where it is.
Lets narrow it down to;—err Bulgaria, perhaps!
Nottsnortherner:
Sandway, you mentioned earlier the two distinct paint schemes. In fact there was four, my photo of SUC was the second in which they introduced the waistline white stripe and prior to that it was plain metalic green with no stripe and yes it was a Ford colour, Fern Green metalic I think.
I believe the Afro Camion colour scheme was around for 4 years or so. Albeit only one unit painted up. Seen a picture of it on TNUK some time back.
Doesn,t count!! Failed attempt at a spin off that never happened. Thats the tractor I took to Tel Aviv in 81 but it was back to green by then! 
Thought its about time we had a picture of our Mr Promotor, Peter Calderwood. The picture shows him helping out at the Baghdad Fair early 80’s. Before you say it, he flew out, not shipped in the wooden crate overland. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet is “Promotor Travel Services” our own Travel Agency ran by the very capable Suzie Patterson who was later joined by Angela Buss and then later on again by Karen. Three very formidable ladies who it was best to stay on the right side of.
Dave Boulding has been mentioned. I liked Dave. When you first met him, with his well educated voice and not being the largest of men you could be forgiven for wondering what he was doing there as a lorry driver. But his fluent French and German came in very useful at times and I always thought he should have been working for the Promotor Exhibition side of the business more. Nottsnortherner mentioned Dave lives in Biddenden, not far from where Graham Bertram is laid to rest. I didn’t go to Blue’s funeral but 18 months later my wife and I were in Kent and we went to the village and placed a wreath on his grave.
Great photos Nottsnortherner. Hope you have more as my own supply is not bottomless. I know Steve Lacy has some. Perhaps you could give him a gentle nudge to post them.
I’ve been thinking about the Ford Clinics Promotor did. We always ended up, whilst the event was on, hanging around as a group getting bored. I must admit it wasn’t my scene. The oft spouted definition of a lorry driver was/is “one who prefers his own company”. I suppose that applied to me but of course isn’t the case for the majority of drivers. You only have to look at the famous or infamous lorry stops, Carisio Italy. The National Belgrade. The Wally Stop Belgium or the Bakehouse in the Alps. There were many more. I rarely stopped, at these places. The National perhaps being the exception, Oh, and the beach at Kavala. Some of my trips to the M/E lasted almost three months. Sometimes a driver would be employed and sacked by the company before I even met him.
sandway:
Lets narrow it down to;—err Bulgaria, perhaps!
Bulgaria it is. Err, can you elaborate.