Hi Electriclips, welcome aboard the thread, very interesting reading, as previously mentioned by Ash I too hope that you have some interesting pic’s to post on here and perhaps some more interesting stories, cheers mate, Fred
germangeezer my name is John Hancock, I was at Hopetown St and Mare Street and electriclips was given to me by Jonny Holland (Astran) it was in the Mocamp Istanbull, it was my first trip and I wanted to know every thing, the roads, H4, the oil drumbs and the fort on H4, eventually Jonny Holland got fed up with me and said “will you shut up electriclips” that was it, the name stuck, at the time I hated it but now anyone who knows me by that name has a good number of miles under his belt.
We used to have smart alec drivers on the scene as well, like drivers when approaching Dogubayazit, where the road went round in a horse shoe, the children would be stood at the side of the road motioning that the wanted cigarettes, these driverd thought it funny to throw out an empty packet not realising the kids only had to walk across the field and were in position long before we made it then the driver got a brick or two.
Moral: two or three cigs was cheaper than a wind screen.
Due to moving a few times and two wives behind me all the old photos have been lost but I would like to put more stories on here as and when
Long distance truckers…‘ex-wives& hemorrhoids!’ Old saying. 
GS OVERLAND:
truckerash:
Richardjw1:
Here’s a couple more Mercs that were travelling thru Central Asia recently…
These old Mercs are timeless and just keep going and going… Did you take the pic? Where did you see them?
Hi Ash
They look like Iranian reg…Happy New Year mate.
When’s part 2 coming out ■■ have you checked out my latest aquisition ? gibbsbayinn.com special TIR rates apply. But you have to have been past Suben !!
GS
They are not Iranian Reg GS because all their international trucks start with TEH. electriclips
electriclips:
They are not Iranian Reg GS because all their international trucks start with TEH. electriclips
well, they are Iranian, these are the new plates
electriclips:
germangeezer my name is John Hancock, I was at Hopetown St and Mare Street and electriclips was given to me by Jonny Holland (Astran) it was in the Mocamp Istanbull, it was my first trip and I wanted to know every thing, the roads, H4, the oil drumbs and the fort on H4, eventually Jonny Holland got fed up with me and said “will you shut up electriclips” that was it, the name stuck, at the time I hated it but now anyone who knows me by that name has a good number of miles under his belt.
We used to have smart alec drivers on the scene as well, like drivers when approaching Dogubayazit, where the road went round in a horse shoe, the children would be stood at the side of the road motioning that the wanted cigarettes, these driverd thought it funny to throw out an empty packet not realising the kids only had to walk across the field and were in position long before we made it then the driver got a brick or two.
Moral: two or three cigs was cheaper than a wind screen.
Due to moving a few times and two wives behind me all the old photos have been lost but I would like to put more stories on here as and when
freshir wrote :- I was working with johnie Holland on Grangewood’s, wonder what happened to him ? - Not to be confused with the other JH on Cantrell’s Fred
Indeed! The twin plate system has transfered to Arabic on both plates, with digits indicating regional zones.
The Ayatollahs like to make it bloody difficult. I dare say that they will change it again soon, in exchange
for another hand out of hard currency, the alternatively moralled religious, upstanding honest citizens…
freshir:
electriclips:
germangeezer my name is John Hancock, I was at Hopetown St and Mare Street and electriclips was given to me by Jonny Holland (Astran) it was in the Mocamp Istanbull, it was my first trip and I wanted to know every thing, the roads, H4, the oil drumbs and the fort on H4, eventually Jonny Holland got fed up with me and said “will you shut up electriclips” that was it, the name stuck, at the time I hated it but now anyone who knows me by that name has a good number of miles under his belt.freshir wrote :- I was working with johnie Holland on Grangewood’s, wonder what happened to him ? - Not to be confused with the other JH on Cantrell’s Fred
I tried to locate Johnny Holland when I was writing The Long Haul Pioneers. He is…or was…in Australia driving roadtrains. But its a big place to find someone so I gave up after a few months of trying 
If anyone knows any different, or better still where he is now, please let me (us) know.
truckerash:
freshir:
electriclips:
germangeezer my name is John Hancock, I was at Hopetown St and Mare Street and electriclips was given to me by Jonny Holland (Astran) it was in the Mocamp Istanbull, it was my first trip and I wanted to know every thing, the roads, H4, the oil drumbs and the fort on H4, eventually Jonny Holland got fed up with me and said “will you shut up electriclips” that was it, the name stuck, at the time I hated it but now anyone who knows me by that name has a good number of miles under his belt.freshir wrote :- I was working with johnie Holland on Grangewood’s, wonder what happened to him ? - Not to be confused with the other JH on Cantrell’s Fred
I tried to locate Johnny Holland when I was writing The Long Haul Pioneers. He is…or was…in Australia driving roadtrains. But its a big place to find someone so I gave up after a few months of trying
If anyone knows any different, or better still where he is now, please let me (us) know.
Hi Ash
Fred mentioned Grangewood… what ever happened to Bernie the bolt or better known as Zwei meter Funf?
■■■■ Snow was another ledgendary name on Astran.
I don’t know this story to be true but it sounds about right
■■■■ was on his way outbound on an autobahn in Germany when he feels the need for a dump,
by the time he gets to the next services this dump is becoming desperate, tortoise head,
■■■■ races into the services and downstairs into the toilet, 20 pfenneck in the toilet door and he’s in…
no paper… out of the toilet… 20 pfennick into the paper machine… turns around and the toilet door is shut
F************* No more pfennick, he races upstairs to the Kassa and there is a queue, now things are really desperate. ■■■■ runs (That was a sight as ■■■■ was not a small man) out to his truck and has a spread axle.
As ■■■■ comes out from under his trailer, adjusting his trousers, his worst night mare comes true…
a green and white pulls up, two German cops got out, they were enormous, with guns, even made ■■■■ look small, they pointed at this dump which, I hasten to add was a mountain, you would of needed snow chains and a JCB to get over it… One cop points at this dump and say’s “vos is louse” ■■■■ replies in his best German “it was ein grosser hound”
The cop comes back with perfect English “In Germany the dogs are very clever but we do not yet teach them to use paper”
That dump cost ■■■■ 50DM
Absolute Class
welcome to the forum john, if u have 5 minutes have a look through the simon international thread ive posted a few pics of the yard in mare street on there you will probably remember most of the names,faces and lorries, cheers paul.
germangeezer:
welcome to the forum john, if u have 5 minutes have a look through the simon international thread ive posted a few pics of the yard in mare street on there you will probably remember most of the names,faces and lorries, cheers paul.
I can’t find it Paul Sat nav has packed up 
electriclips:
truckerash:
freshir:
electriclips:
germangeezer my name is John Hancock, I was at Hopetown St and Mare Street and electriclips was given to me by Jonny Holland (Astran) it was in the Mocamp Istanbull, it was my first trip and I wanted to know every thing, the roads, H4, the oil drumbs and the fort on H4, eventually Jonny Holland got fed up with me and said “will you shut up electriclips” that was it, the name stuck, at the time I hated it but now anyone who knows me by that name has a good number of miles under his belt.freshir wrote :- I was working with johnie Holland on Grangewood’s, wonder what happened to him ? - Not to be confused with the other JH on Cantrell’s Fred
I tried to locate Johnny Holland when I was writing The Long Haul Pioneers. He is…or was…in Australia driving roadtrains. But its a big place to find someone so I gave up after a few months of trying
If anyone knows any different, or better still where he is now, please let me (us) know.Hi Ash
Fred mentioned Grangewood… what ever happened to Bernie the bolt or better known as Zwei meter Funf?
Hi John. Don’t think we ever met. I was on for Jeffrey in '75/76. You asked after Bernie…I have read on this forum somewhere that he died a while back.
By the way, the ‘Simon International’ thread is currently back on page 34.
rgds Ron
r slicker:
I think i can shed some light on that beast. i will need to make alot of calls and seek out people ive not spoken to for ages. im 99% certain its uk built and know the person who built it. just need to get my facts right first i will report back
I wish could see the reg., but it has every look of one that was built new with the steel dumper-type cab, hence the ally rad, amongst other features. An example would be the unit operated by Walsh’s of Darwen, and later worked by Kaye Goodfellow, though several such machines were built. The reg would tell all! The bogie gives it away as a heavy haulage machine in the 75 to 100 ton bracket though.
electriclips:
truckerash:
freshir:
electriclips:
germangeezer my name is John Hancock, I was at Hopetown St and Mare Street and electriclips was given to me by Jonny Holland (Astran) it was in the Mocamp Istanbull, it was my first trip and I wanted to know every thing, the roads, H4, the oil drumbs and the fort on H4, eventually Jonny Holland got fed up with me and said “will you shut up electriclips” that was it, the name stuck, at the time I hated it but now anyone who knows me by that name has a good number of miles under his belt.freshir wrote :- I was working with johnie Holland on Grangewood’s, wonder what happened to him ? - Not to be confused with the other JH on Cantrell’s Fred
I tried to locate Johnny Holland when I was writing The Long Haul Pioneers. He is…or was…in Australia driving roadtrains. But its a big place to find someone so I gave up after a few months of trying
If anyone knows any different, or better still where he is now, please let me (us) know.Hi Ash
Fred mentioned Grangewood… what ever happened to Bernie the bolt or better known as Zwei meter Funf?
Bernie (RIP) passed on some years back with testicular cancer, I have been retired to Sussex 12 years so that may give you some idea as it was long before that, Good story about Snowy, don’t know if it is true but it is acceptable, regards Fred
Oh so true ■■■■ did have a dump on a German service station ,good old ■■■■,also did one under my trailer at Ramtha(not his own trailer u may read) then proceded to wash his arse under my water barrel ,then used my towel that was hanging on the side of my trailer to dry that fat arse ,as u can imagine ,I gave him the towel ,later that day we ran out of water ■■■■ had left the Tap dripping 
Roger Haywood
Hi all,
Seems a shame that Astran (Asian Transport originally before they went bust), get so much publicity you’d think they were the main British Middle East haulier. Not so, they were not even the first. That honour probably goes to meat haulier Union Transport who ran fridges out to Tehran. Astran however were a very well run organisation and had a crew of very professional drivers. But don’t forget the expat drivers on ICC (Iran Container Company) and Pars International Containers. I drove for both these companies plus UK Europe Express, Freightlanes, and was one of the first drivers on OHS where I came off the road and became transport manager. Then I was with FG Hammond International as sales manager and then started Orient Transport Services in 1985 from which I retired six years ago.
Also don’t forget Oryx which grew out of JTT?, Promotor and countless others.
I’d love to hear from any of my old mates on these companies. Happy days on the road with no responsibilities, then I got married!!!
1 Like
Does anyone remember Billy Butter Bum… apparantly he had a boy friend in nearly every country in Europe
Great guy and a top class driver… never came on to anyone who was straight
Jazzand mentioned bothe Oryx Transport and Promotor
Things that come to mind with these two companies is the with Oryx the BP Garage at Adana which was known as Oryx garage still has photos on the wall, well faded now though.
Promotor was the only company that I knew who could leave half a load on H4 and still get a clean signature.
Hence Promotor Roundabout
Jazzandy, Just a small point Asian/Astran never went bust ,if they had they would no longer exist ,they may have had the receiver in but thats not the same,And why the same old run down of Astrans ,does it matter who was first to get there ,we all know there were other freight hauliers going to the ME this type of story is so boring now, think of something else ,not pitting one haulier against the other.U can if u wish pit driver V driver ,would a modern day driver cope with what the drivers did in the early days,who knows no one, as the tech has changed ,everything is now controlled by the littleman behind a desk and a PC,who as I have found out isnt interested in the Driver as a Driver just a means of steering the vehicle like a robot to the destination ,I still have a passion for truck driving but I know I will never drive again.
Roger Haywood