Hi guys this is my first post on here and am hoping for some good advice. Stopped driving 11years ago and bought a pub, cut a long story short, someone wants to buy my pub and I want to get back into international haulage. Spent 6 years doing Middle East, Doha Dubai Saudi Abu Dhabi etc etc, and spent 10 years on fridges, tilts etc to Spain Benelux and a bit of Scandinavia. Sitting my CPC next week and am awaiting tacho card.
I know things have changed a lot so I’m hoping somebody might point me in the right direction of decent companies who still run Europe. I’m based Manchester, Preston, Liverpool area and I’m looking for tramp work (hopefully).
51 years of age with bags of experience over the water (including the tools, to a point!!)
Would really appreciate any direction from you guys who might be able to help.
Many many thanks
Well things have definitely changed in the last 10 years, 285 views and not one single reply!!
Giles1967:
Hi guys this is my first post on here and am hoping for some good advice. Stopped driving 11years ago and bought a pub, cut a long story short, someone wants to buy my pub and I want to get back into international haulage. Spent 6 years doing Middle East, Doha Dubai Saudi Abu Dhabi etc etc, and spent 10 years on fridges, tilts etc to Spain Benelux and a bit of Scandinavia. Sitting my CPC next week and am awaiting tacho card.
I know things have changed a lot so I’m hoping somebody might point me in the right direction of decent companies who still run Europe. I’m based Manchester, Preston, Liverpool area and I’m looking for tramp work (hopefully).
51 years of age with bags of experience over the water (including the tools, to a point!!)
Would really appreciate any direction from you guys who might be able to help.
Many many thanks
Stopped reading here
There’s been a few threads recently about who does Euro work, so a quick search or scroll through might help.
There’s certainly not as much as there was, the East EU companies can do the work a lot cheaper.
Good luck with your search.
Giles1967:
Well things have definitely changed in the last 10 years, 285 views and not one single reply!!
Well that’s every UK based international driver reading your post twice then!
I read it three times, and wrote and deleted, a reply. Didn’t let it stand as I don’t what to depress anyone.
It ain’t what it was ten years ago. Still a few OK jobs around, but not too many.
Don’t limit yourself to your home area and you’ll have a better chance of summat that will suit you.
Good luck.
Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Many thanks guys for your reply’s, will definitely be looking further afield from the north west, I have nothing at all against uk tramping just that I spent all my driving career over the water and it’s what I do best. Hopefully the industry will get a boost after brexit and British drivers will get the money we deserve and proper international work will be available for those that want it rather than a Lithuanian driver earning peanuts for what he does and taking our industry away from us… fingers crossed anyway, and if the haulage fairy pays us a proper visit ISIS & and Assad in Syria will get topped and the Middle East will be on again !!! Nothing wrong with dreaming is there !!!
Thanks again
theres always the option of any of the major irish companies doing europe though lots of them use the taliban with wages to suit.
for someone with your experience and ability to tramp away then they should be biting your hand off to start you and itl be easy enough to start and end you at birkenhead ect when your home.
there will be a more than likely chance that having a somewhat cavalier attitude regarding running to the letter of the law would help.
you wont make better wages than an english firm,but you should be able to have a choice of who to work for with a full tang spec truck to spend your time in,plus a limiter set to 100k instead of 90 or less,( when its on). 
Many thanks indeed dogg999, I had thought about looking ant the Irish companies but don’t really know any now except Carna O’riley etc etc.
I used to to turkey/Syria for Falcongates in the early 90’s at Wallasey and that was no big deal commuting, if you have a couple of suggestions regarding current companies I would be really appreciative, but if not many thanks for your advice, it does make a lot of sense for what I’d like to do ! Cheers again mate
If you’re interested in Irish companies O’Toole or Dixon would be a good bet both Dublin based, fancy 3 months out at a time doing Spain then Coragh from the Wexford area could be your answer 
Contact Brian Yeardley.
Woodside & Bowker are by you & do European work. No harm giving them a ring.
SouthEastCashew:
Woodside & Bowker are by you & do European work. No harm giving them a ring.
As far as I’m aware Woodside don’t do Europe any more
Mazzer2:
SouthEastCashew:
Woodside & Bowker are by you & do European work. No harm giving them a ring.As far as I’m aware Woodside don’t do Europe any more
Oh right right I thought they were running over there.
SouthEastCashew:
Mazzer2:
SouthEastCashew:
Woodside & Bowker are by you & do European work. No harm giving them a ring.As far as I’m aware Woodside don’t do Europe any more
Oh right right I thought they were running over there.
Not seen a Woodside in Europe since around 2005/6
not to divert your job search but as far as im aware the mc lernons and the other usual suspects in armagh have put the trip money for uk/ni up now to £1400 clear per 2 weeks.
3 trips week 1,and 2 on week 2 .
usually 3 drops each trip out and flat to the mat would be the operative word.
if your a bit of a hooligan then its certainly more rewarding than trunking or roaming england at 52mph in your fleet spec plobber.
hannons flower work is paying 140 quid per day inc nights out also if thats your bag.
mazzer would prob know more details than me though.
Doggy,
As a matter of interest, are McLernons and the like primarily drawing our products (i.e. Butter, Beef & Black Bush) out to GB or primarily drawing GB food + tat back to us, or have they found a happy balance between the two ? (or indeed, is it primarily internal GB work with the GB-NI trade a little sweetener for when the drivers want to do inconvenient things like ‘come home’) ?
Sorry for the numpty questions… just curious !
Anglo-Nubian:
Doggy,As a matter of interest, are McLernons and the like primarily drawing our products (i.e. Butter, Beef & Black Bush) out to GB or primarily drawing GB food + tat back to us, or have they found a happy balance between the two ? (or indeed, is it primarily internal GB work with the GB-NI trade a little sweetener for when the drivers want to do inconvenient things like ‘come home’) ?
Sorry for the numpty questions… just curious !
From Ireland it is meat etc out then back in for the likes of Tesco in the majority if you are based out of Lurgan it will be full time Ireland - GB -Ireland
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what mazzer said… 
Would really like to thank all you guys who have
Responded to my post. Got a few irons in fires and am really looking
Forward to getting back behind the wheel in the near
Future.
Once again cheers & thanks
Curries of Dumfries were advertising for Uk and Euro trampers last month from all their depots. They have one in Warrington, not the best of wages however would get your backside back in the saddle.