Hi Dave,there are 2 bus companys in the UK and SYDNEY run 4 times a year from Victoria/London to SYDNEY/ Australia.The companys are called OZBUS and the other is BUS2OZ, if you google them you can see routes and up to date info,interesting mate
davemackie:
Hi Colin If this is who you are referring to I knew him as Mark, He worked for Gilders.
Dave.
Hi Phil, that is some trip, now if only someone would pay me to take a wagon on a trip like that, heaven. 
Dave
Ps. I am still waiting for your photo’s.
V8Lenny:
There’s still a company in Finland who was the pioneer of CIS countries
Do you mean R.Pynnonen Oy? I have a nice book here presented to me by their then MD back in 2003, all about the company from 1948-1998 and some cracking photos - unfortunately all text is in Finnish which is fairly impenetrable to me, apart from “beer” “customs” “police” and “city centre” 
Was that Kari Puynonnen ? Somewhere I still have a letter written by him , explaining to the depot staff that I was British, and to allow me wander around at will. That was in 1991 or 1992 when I spent weeks stuck at the Valimar border. My one word of Finnish ? Kitos.
jj72:
V8Lenny:
There’s still a company in Finland who was the pioneer of CIS countriesDo you mean R.Pynnonen Oy? I have a nice book here presented to me by their then MD back in 2003, all about the company from 1948-1998 and some cracking photos - unfortunately all text is in Finnish which is fairly impenetrable to me, apart from “beer” “customs” “police” and “city centre”
Yes, but they went bust and changed name, it’s now Pynnönen International. I heard they use a lot of russian subbies, not many Finns driving for them anymore.
Yes Mick Jones that’s the man, very nice chap - he did around 60 tilt loads for me for one job (our men did the wide loads) back in 2002 and I met him in Finland.
No doubt you’re right V8Lenny, Valimaa must be 99% Russian and other CIS motors now, hardly any Finns or Europeans apart from a few abnormal loads and exhibition/concert stuff 
jj72:
No doubt you’re right V8Lenny, Valimaa must be 99% Russian and other CIS motors now, hardly any Finns or Europeans apart from a few abnormal loads and exhibition/concert stuff
I blame our Traffic Ministerium (or whatever it is). They give russians as many land permits as they want even if Finns are not using russian permits hardly at all. The idea behind the permits was originally to share the traffic 50/50 between us and them. Russians can also import full tanks of diesel but EU members are limited to 400 litres.
V8Lenny:
I blame our Traffic Ministerium (or whatever it is). They give russians as many land permits as they want even if Finns are not using russian permits hardly at all. The idea behind the permits was originally to share the traffic 50/50 between us and them. Russians can also import full tanks of diesel but EU members are limited to 400 litres.
A good mate of mine in Finland still in the game always reckons the Finnish ministry, and government in general always bend over at the slightest bullying from the Big Bear across the border? That includes not checking enough of them on the road, especially for mechanical issues apparently
[quote="jj72
A good mate of mine in Finland still in the game always reckons the Finnish ministry, and government in general always bend over at the slightest bullying from the Big Bear across the border? That includes not checking enough of them on the road, especially for mechanical issues apparently[/quote]
Yes, I don’t know if they are just russian a** lickers or are they paid/bribed for doing that? Some free girls and vodka does wonders…
Finnish police has “language problem” with foreign trucks, they can’t fine them because they don’t understand. I wonder why french gendarmerie doesn’t have a problem giving a fine to me even if I don’t speak french?
start it up again? come on guys pics please
brenics77:
start it up again? come on guys pics please
Hi brenics77
Here is a paper cutting from a breakdown in Kazakhstan. Was a very interesting fortnight for me and the boss!!
Come on Colin, where is page 2 column 6, I would like to see the rest of that article.
I hope that you and Frank are both well.
Regards Steve.
mushroomman:
Come on Colin, where is page 2 column 6, I would like to see the rest of that article.
I hope that you and Frank are both well.Regards Steve.
Hi Steve
This is the other half of the article
We are both well thanks and just poodling along making a crust
Best Reg Colin
what part of the country did you break down in?..was it right out in the boonys or close to a town/check point?
Richardjw1:
what part of the country did you break down in?..was it right out in the boonys or close to a town/check point?
Hi Richard
We were having problems the whole trip and done many running repairs. Our major problem was the truck was running on full air suspension all round and the front air bags split once we reached Kazak on the return which led to the the truck grinding down on the oil filter. Due to the road conditions it was impossible for us to keep going as no matter how many filters we would have had we would have had the same problem every other day so we finally gave up the ghost near to the town of Atbasar north of Akmola in between a roadside clearance with a little cafe and a police post. On the first night i never slept a wink and kept thinking of when iveco would arrive to rescue us!! It was only a few days before we had strapped the diesel tank on and made a temp repair to the step which had the excellerator cable attached to it leaving us with no power when it fell off. It was comical when iveco finally did arrive though as one mechanic came from the urals two days drive away in a tipper truck with the wrong air bags and no oil filters!! To say i was shocked and dissapointed would be a very big understatement 
.
Reg colin
cheers for that, i love the tales about the bad lands even more than the middle east ( i do like the stories about that too) Im a trucker but when russia opened up i had a young family so no chance to do it at the time and now of course its all gone. Any more tales or pics would be great and thanks for that story about Frank White. Willie Mr Hoggs and Patrick J A Whites guys must have some tales too! come on guys dont be shy.
Like all tales the longer they are from it happening the bigger they get .Dont they dave?
Hi Bob nice of you to join us!!
Heres a photo that you might remember on a trip you had with mr diamond
Good to see you on here and would be good if you could put up some stories of your trips and some photos aswell
TONY EX RICHARD DEACONmy biggest regret was not going to kasakhstan when i was offered a trip there,at the time i was working for richard deacon who was a subbie for gilder the main driver who used to go was a lad called tony he used to drive a black fh with like a blue and yellow flash on the doors(dont suppose anyone has got a pic of that).he used to have a few tales of his trips
Thanks for the pic, was the Daf pulling the Volvo out of the ditch? Do any of you guys remember a Light green Volvo F16 and tilt? all one colour no sign writing looked like a heavy duty home made bull bar. Parked up in the sevices M1 Nottingham south back in the day. Very good looking truck and you could just tell it did more than just go to France!
