Ken,
With all respect in case your experience was not theirs…leave the negative stuff as time went by.
The majority of the people then involved now enjoy their retirement and no need to revenge…
Still enjoy your input when on facts and stories though!
Regards,
Alex (ex-Mack Europe)
If one is determined enough, it never ceases to amaze me how much obscure stuff can be found in corners of the internet. Look! I have found a picture of NFH 120P in the desert. It also ran in Richard Read colours for a while but is seen here in VIJORE livery, though the tilt trailer is probably a rental one. It was posted on FB Old TIR by Peter Smith in Canada. Another satisfying ‘find’ this week! Robert 
Some detail observations on this picture:
I have 12 images of this unit and it is clear that it started life in VIJORE livery and then acquired its Read livery. I reckon this picture was taken very early, possibly on its maiden voyage. It appears to be freshly painted; it appears to have 2 ■■■■■■■ badges (between the E & R & F); it has a plain blue bumper (later painted with diagonal stripes); the mirror backs are painted in livery (later pic shows it to have replaced mirrors, unpainted); it has no fog/spot lights (which it later acquired, complete with stone-guards - see pic below); and it has yet to acquire its list of destinations in Arabic script across the top of the radiator grille.
Also, I imagine that Peter Smith (who posted the picture) probably took the picture but the driver himself appears to be in the cab (rummaging on the bunk for something perhaps), having climbed in the passenger door - just a guess. Robert 
Also appears to be lacking the sun visor & rear mudguards are complete in top picture , as compared to second photo
Casual Observer:
Also appears to be lacking the sun visor & rear mudguards are complete in top picture , as compared to second photo
It was the sun-visor that caused me to write that post - and then I went and left it off the list (short-term memory on the blink)!! But your’e quite right. Your’e right about the mudguards too: I hadn’t noticed that! Robert
I did have to read your post several times , to check if you listed the visor 
Joint venture company between S Jones Investments, (Channel Islands), 28/34 Hill Street , Saint Hellier, Jersey, and Abdullah and Said MO, Binz Agr Co, PO Box209, Jeddah Saudi Arabia.
The accounts are somewhat “difficult” to analyse…
--------.but then David Hughes was a superb accountant!!!
Fascinating company…fascinating thread…
I will remember tose misty Belgian mornings so well, as I enjoy my nightcap Bollinger…
Cheerio for now.
[/quote]
[/quote]
Comment by Ken Broster. Director & G M of Trans Arabia 1976 onwards updated Oct 2014
Trust the Bollinger was good!?
There was No involvement by OCL in Trans Arabia creation etc P&O became a customer in 1978/9 on their leaving Saramat Trucking
David Hughes accounting - ask the S Jones pensioners about that - there pension funds were used inappropriately - I transferred 13years of previous company - gone - what a mistake
M e Jones was and is not amused by what went .
Evening all,
Ken, please read into my exclamation marks, my true feelings…perhaps I know quite a bit of, “behind the scenes”, activity in that area. It is the sort of activity that I personally abhor, it is not honest…but not criminal…but utterly distasteful.
Alex, (En Tour Age), is right, however we feel, it is history…as a matter of history I lost my “pension”, to two very slick South African Guys, (not 8LXB powered)…but real "barsteward"s!
Michael was like a “Rabbit in the headlights” with many of Davids schemes…the Aldridge one was a non starter. You pointed out quite succinctly, just how they only used the ERF Dealership for their own ends, NO, self respecting" major" Hire and Reward man would buy from them!..the same problem afflicted the bulk of the ERF Dealerships, but with ERFs limited production capability it did not matter, as the Dealership fleets, plus the direct account sales took up all of the production from the factory, and the small users took up the slack.
Have a look at OCLs published accounts, and you may see something of interest there…particularly if you look at the S Jones “Group” figures.
Did you ever come across Davids “pad” in the South of France?..he was telling me about it one day…a few days later coming up from Nice, I realisied that it was a static caravan!
But enough of the dirty washing, lets get back to the thread…the lorries are far more interesting to us, “old men”…
Yes the Bollingers fine…but occasionally I lapse to the Banks`s
Good luck, and cheerio for now.
I’ve just realised that I never scanned the photo of NFH 120P I have in my own collection for you: it is much clearer than the others on this thread and you can even read the Arab place names on the radiator grille! Here it is: enjoy! Robert
robert1952:
I’ve just realised that I never scanned the photo of NFH 120P I have in my own collection for you: it is much clearer than the others on this thread and you can even read the Arab place names on the radiator grille! Here it is: enjoy! Robert0
If you can read them all you’re a better man than I am Robert. Think I can see Iran and Saudi.
John
John West:
robert1952:
I’ve just realised that I never scanned the photo of NFH 120P I have in my own collection for you: it is much clearer than the others on this thread and you can even read the Arab place names on the radiator grille! Here it is: enjoy! Robert0
If you can read them all you’re a better man than I am Robert. Think I can see Iran and Saudi.
John
From right to left, I can make out Kuwait, blank, Iran, Jordan, blank. The blanks may well not be names of countries as they are not preceded by a definite article. Ma’alesh! We got some of it between us! Robert
The one on the left looks like saudia to me. I suspect the sign writer couldn’t read arabic!
John.
John West:
The one on the left looks like saudia to me. I suspect the sign writer couldn’t read arabic!John.
Funnily enough that thought occurred to me too! I have read Arabic inscriptions on European trucks that have clearly been applied by the local signwriter - dots in all the wrong places etc.
Another explanation is that the ERF was written on by a Farsi speaker in Iran or even an Urdu speaker in Pakistan: the script is more or less the same but grammar rules and diacritics differ. I’d go for that last theory because that’s probably how they write Saudi in Iran. Robert
Ah!
Your explanation’s better, maybe why the article is missing. I learned my written Arabic from the roadsigns and my spoken Arabic from selling empty containers! I had noticed that there are odd differences between Urdu and Arabic, but hadn’t realised the significance.
John.
Very slightly off-thread; but remember De Meulemeester’s ERF NGC from Pittem, that went to be cannibalised by John Simmonds? Sammyoppisite recently posted this nice picture of a Bussing and MAN from the same company (same livery). Robert
Les Courtants Bleus
Good name tiptop. In Spanish we called the same vehicle, the 4L, Quatro latas meaning 4 tin cans.
Great car in that they were indestructible.
David
tiptop495:
Hey, not at home here but an other Demeulemeester. maybe already shown here.Eric,
It’s gearbox is at home here Eric, and its pilot is a happy driver! Robert
David Miller:
Les Courtants Bleus
Good name tiptop. In Spanish we called the same vehicle, the 4L, Quatro latas meaning 4 tin cans.
Great car in that they were indestructible.
David
Hey, Panier à Salade, Renault Estafette des Courtants Bleues.
And don’t forget our Zwaantjes (motorcycle cop),
Eric,
