Iran Container Company (ICC)

I used to go down to Graz and then out empty into Italy, so it’s the same place and firm, was late 80s when I used to get down that way :wink:

Was it as chaotic as I was told?

Yep :laughing: It was a mess, lorries everywhere, crates of stuff all over the yard, you can picture the scene I’m sure :wink:

That backs up what I thought.

The only way they sorted it out was by allowing private hauliers to buy IRIT manifests which they could then use to transport goods to Iran and the IRIT base in Austria was cleared out and closed.

Did ICC operate any ships or use any railroads, or was it all over the road container work? If so, why not just use trailers?

I think the company was set up initially to transport the Hillman Hunter parts for the Peykan factory in Tehran. Initially I think quite a number of Ctrs. were shipped by sea but it was taking so long that they decided to transport overland so bought a fleet of Crane Fruehauf skeletals and Mack tractors.

At the start he trucks went all the way through from UK to Tehran but they then decided to split the journey at Salzburg with about 90 trucks operating from there to Tehran and 20 trucks with European drivers tipping and reloading. there were also two Guy Big J’s in the Uk for shunting between Coventry and Felixstowe.

Thought we needed another photograph. This is a Mack that didn’t make it. Crashed on the Ho Chi Minh trail in Austria.

The guy leaning against it is Abbas the ICC crane driver.

Sorry that previous photo was of Hassan not Abbas. Abbas was the young lad who worked in the yard as Hassan’s assistant. I have a photo of him somewhere which I will post in the interests of historical accuracy.

I’ve also got a photo of Bob Hadkinson who was the yard boss. Does anybody have a photo of Mr. Riahi who worked in the office or of the great Gerd Behrends who was our local boss in Salzburg?

jazzandy, dont worry! keep posting, talking!

Here’s a picture of my Mackdog mascot. I wish i’d removed, it like most of the drivers did, when I left the company!

Interesting story about the Mack brightwork.

When we picked the trucks up brand new in Europort all the chrome was protected by a wax compound. All the other drivers cleaned theirs off and sparkled them up. I didn’t as I reasoned that the wax was doing the chrome good and anyway life is too short to clean cars/trucks!

One night I was parked up with Mike Phillips in the Doubs valley in Northeastern France. He was a stickler for keeping his truck in a pristine condition. When I woke and popped out for a pea and a stretch, therre was all my bright work stripped and polished.

Mike couldn’t understand why I was so mad at him!

Left and right views of the mighty Mack Thermodyne engine developing all of 240BHP!

Did anyone drive a non Mack truck with a Mack engine?

I understand that Renault fitted them in the higher powered Magnums at one time.

Regarding the picture of Jazzandy’s Mackdog mascot,I remember reading somewhere that Macks with the Mack engine had a gold coloured Mackdog.■■■■■■■ powered ones had the silver one.This is obviously wrong :cry: .Did Mack supply vehicles with another manufacturer’s engine fitted?

I believe trucks with full Mack components including engine, etc had the gold bulldog—not the least of which was a limited number of the very last of the R Series produced, in the early 2000s I believe. I think I have a brochure tucked away somewhere explaining it.

For those of you who have pictures and information on ICC—this is all very interesting! If anyone has any more images or basic facts on when the company started and ended and what its activities were beyond what has been posted, please add them.

Jazzandy:
Did anyone drive a non Mack truck with a Mack engine?

I understand that Renault fitted them in the higher powered Magnums at one time.

Complete Magnum history here:
camions.histoireetcollections.co … ve-10.html

In summary, the Mk1 had Berliet 6cyl or Mack V8, Mk2 or 3 switched to Mack 6cyl, then Volvo replaced all the original engines.

This is Bob Hadkinson our dapper yard boss.

Great guy who really looked after the drivers like a mother hen.

I’m hoping that some more of the old drivers will get in touch on this thread. there were so many!

We used to regularly leave Salzburg, tip and load in various parts of Europe, and get back into Salzburg by Friday night and in that time drivers had often joined the company, panicked or screwed up and left so quite a number we never met!

One charmer made a dreadful mess in his bed at the Pension Feninger and instead of doing what any decent guy would do, I.e. clean it up, he simply upped and left. Unfortunately the mass of good Bris suffered in reputation because of the acts of the few. T’was ever thus I suppose.

By the way if you’re one of ‘them’ please don’t bother to respond!!!

Left the ICC compound one morning with a load of footballs which had come from Pakistan overland. Needless to say Schwarzbach Autobhan customs insisted on Gros Konrrol complete with the hash hounds.

This took all day as they insisted on completely offloading the truck. I spent most of the day in the border restaurant drinking coffees and cokes, and eating gulaschsuppes, very warming in the snowy winter.

On returning to my truck the customs chief came up to me with the clearance papers. “you bring this from Pakistan” he asked. “No just from Salzburg,” I replied. “ah, you are English?” he said. “yes,” I said.

He thought for a minute then handed me the paperwork " God shave the Queen!" he chortled.

Jazzandy:
Left the ICC compound one morning with a load of footballs which had come from Pakistan overland. Needless to say Schwarzbach Autobhan customs insisted on Gros Konrrol complete with the hash hounds.

This took all day as they insisted on completely offloading the truck. I spent most of the day in the border restaurant drinking coffees and cokes, and eating gulaschsuppes, very warming in the snowy winter.

On returning to my truck the customs chief came up to me with the clearance papers. “you bring this from Pakistan” he asked. “No just from Salzburg,” I replied. “ah, you are English?” he said. “yes,” I said.

He thought for a minute then handed me the paperwork " God shave the Queen!" he chortled.

Did you have to kick 'em all back in, Andy, one by one? :laughing:

The Chief’s malapropism recalls something I heard on the radio yesterday. Quoting (he thought) Barack Obama, the presenter twice said ‘Yes, we can’t’. :laughing: