hi desert rat steve jones here john bland was my uncle i went with him on a short one when i was about 13 in the marathon as a kid that was me hooked now at 58 yrs old just back from a run to west virginia .tks to joihn passed my class1 5wks after my 21st bday /then spent 21yrs euro work 2yrs on morrocco then came to canada 2005 .been back uk a few times .i remember 1st tip on that run was carpets to ghent then onto nurenberg.then reload beer hops from hof to worcester /i remember john letting me get behind the wheel giving me my 1st lesson lol he was a great guy we ran together on spanish work years later sadly he passed away 2004 cancer .but great memories 
hi deanb just spotted that what a beast tks for that
Desert Rat:
“DEANB”Great read John !
Thats an expensive hobby chap going through 4 wives !!!
Ha ha DeanB spot on mate
It was mainly waterpumps, drive belts and air-con. I tried to explain to BRS Overland that the Marathon was not up to job and when I lived in London I drove a new Middle East spec Volvo F12 and did regular Saudi and Doha and sometimes Pakistan and driving the Middle East spec Leyand Marathon came as bit of a shock. I can remember my truck was in for a new gearbox and BRS rented a new Middle East spec Daf 2800 for me to do a Ryiad and it was like driving a Rolls Royce and did everthing a Midde Eastern truck should do. The manager explained that BRS was a nationalised company so we must drive a truck made by a nationalised company… British Leyland, no matter they where rubbish and the Volvo’s, Scania’s and Daf’s were far superior and reliable, we had to drive 'em !!
As an aside does anyone know if ex-Overland Norman Ingram is still on here and what his username is. We messaged a lot and then he just disappeared and I wondered if I had upset him x
Sounds like it was a shock John after the F12 & 2800 !! You certainly got about doing Pakistan as well.
Glad you liked the pic of your old truck will see if there are any more. 
Talking about pics would be great to
see any you have of your middle east trips. If you do have any and they are not about the Marathon then probably best to
pop them on the Middle East - Not Astran thread. Look forward to reading about some of your adventures.
stevejones:
hi deanb just spotted that what a beast tks for that
When i can i will scan this brochure which is the best Marathon brochure i have seen but its in Belguim /French not English
which is a shame.
stevejones:
hi desert rat steve jones here john bland was my uncle i went with him on a short one when i was about 13 in the marathon as a kid that was me hooked now at 58 yrs old just back from a run to west virginia .tks to joihn passed my class1 5wks after my 21st bday /then spent 21yrs euro work 2yrs on morrocco then came to canada 2005 .been back uk a few times .i remember 1st tip on that run was carpets to ghent then onto nurenberg.then reload beer hops from hof to worcester /i remember john letting me get behind the wheel giving me my 1st lesson lol he was a great guy we ran together on spanish work years later sadly he passed away 2004 cancer .but great memories
Yes I thought you were his nephew Steve. Me and John has some great nights in Northampton between trips and he sure liked his drink, although he could lose it sometimes.
Do you remember his big Jaguar MK 10. We were in the Windmill nightclub in Abington Square and he was parked outside. When we left the club, the worse for wear I’m afraid, a guy, also the worse the wear, kept asking John if he would sell him his car. We were sitting the car by this time on the way to a curry, and of course John said no, it’s not for sale.
Well that should have been the end of it but he kept badgering John and not only was he getting abusive but he was stopping us from driving away. So John out and promptly punched him and put him on the floor, not realising that he a load of mates who then set upon. Of course I had to step in and it ended up a big brawl, but we came out on top and it all finished. The only problem was that John was always impeccably dressed in a suit as was I, and both suits were more or less shredded. He looked at me with that grin of his and said, still hungry John. I said ‘yup’ and he said come on boy, and off we went for our curry
A lovely, lovely man and a true gentleman, and I can still hear that Northampton burr of his to this day.
I have lived in Spain now nearly 25 years.
hi desert that was great to read the big blue mk10 jag he used to run me home in it sometimes and slip me bit of pocket money after he finished m/e work he moved down to his mums villa in javea for about 6yrs then came back started doing spain me and him on same company sometimes .his last job on m/e was for funstons royston guy called biffo lived and drove for spanish mob in the nineties myself .as for the windmill club knew it well lol few rumbles in there myself lol and im a jag fanatic its johns fault lol ive got a 20yr old v8 parked in npton now .he had a volvo 89 on funstons course iwas clambering allover that whenever he was home .tks for memories m8 stay well
Desert Rat:
DEANB:
Desert Rat:
You’re welcome mate, and it’s so good to talk about it after all these years and I’m 76 now and have had four wives since then.
When I said eight drivers,there was probably less, the drivers who were there when I was on Overland was Norman Ingram, who I know is on here but we lost contact a long time ago and Iand when I find his username I’ll post it . There was Bill Thomas, Keith Shirley, Terry Taylor ( deceased) the great John Bland but my memory fails me on the others.Great read John !
Thats an expensive hobby chap going through 4 wives !!!
Ha ha DeanB spot on mate
It was mainly waterpumps, drive belts and air-con. I tried to explain to BRS Overland that the Marathon was not up to job and when I lived in London I drove a new Middle East spec Volvo F12 and did regular Saudi and Doha and sometimes Pakistan and driving the Middle East spec Leyand Marathon came as bit of a shock. I can remember my truck was in for a new gearbox and BRS rented a new Middle East spec Daf 2800 for me to do a Ryiad and it was like driving a Rolls Royce and did everthing a Midde Eastern truck should do. The manager explained that BRS was a nationalised company so we must drive a truck made by a nationalised company… British Leyland, no matter they where rubbish and the Volvo’s, Scania’s and Daf’s were far superior and reliable, we had to drive 'em !!
As an aside does anyone know if ex-Overland Norman Ingram is still on here and what his username is. We messaged a lot and then he just disappeared and I wondered if I had upset him x
BRS were buying Volvo’s and Scania’s before the Marathon was available so your manager was being “economical with the truth”. Whilst they would have taken advantage of bulk purchasing, by and large, each group had their own purchasing policy. Fleet purchases would be more down to initial cost as opposed to value for money long term and driver comfort.
stevejones:
hi desert that was great to read the big blue mk10 jag he used to run me home in it sometimes and slip me bit of pocket money after he finished m/e work he moved down to his mums villa in javea for about 6yrs then came back started doing spain me and him on same company sometimes .his last job on m/e was for funstons royston guy called biffo lived and drove for spanish mob in the nineties myself .as for the windmill club knew it well lol few rumbles in there myself lol and im a jag fanatic its johns fault lol ive got a 20yr old v8 parked in npton now .he had a volvo 89 on funstons course iwas clambering allover that whenever he was home .tks for memories m8 stay well
You’re welcome mate. As you probably know, when BRS Overland packed some of the other drivers went off and I could have found work going out to Jeddah but I was having problems with the wife being away from home for so long and I did suspect somethinhg was going on, so Carlsberg was expanding and looking for drivers so a few of us went on there . Not long after after that left me witht he kids and went to London. Women eh !!
But I stayed on Carlsberg for nearly thirty years. I lost contact with John and I lost all contact details but I knew his mum had a villa in Javea.
Can I ask what sort cancer did he pass away Steve. I remember him as very heavy smoker …oh and can I ask you where in Northampton did you live. John.
hi m8 yeah he had throat cancer .basically grew up in eastfields broadmead ave.then upto briar hill when it was nice place lol john mentioned his friends had gone onto carlsberg that was a job to have if i remember .when he and brenda split think it upset him more than he let on .so of he went to javea i spent many hols down there with him.everyone a blast
stevejones:
hi m8 yeah he had throat cancer .basically grew up in eastfields broadmead ave.then upto briar hill when it was nice place lol john mentioned his friends had gone onto carlsberg that was a job to have if i remember .when he and brenda split think it upset him more than he let on .so of he went to javea i spent many hols down there with him.everyone a blast
`
This is turning into a Messenger chat, hope Admin don’t mind… You on Facebook. I’ve tried looking for a Steve Jones, but only get one who’s a musician !!
DEANB:
Desert Rat:
“DEANB”Great read John !
Thats an expensive hobby chap going through 4 wives !!!
Ha ha DeanB spot on mate
It was mainly waterpumps, drive belts and air-con. I tried to explain to BRS Overland that the Marathon was not up to job and when I lived in London I drove a new Middle East spec Volvo F12 and did regular Saudi and Doha and sometimes Pakistan and driving the Middle East spec Leyand Marathon came as bit of a shock. I can remember my truck was in for a new gearbox and BRS rented a new Middle East spec Daf 2800 for me to do a Ryiad and it was like driving a Rolls Royce and did everthing a Midde Eastern truck should do. The manager explained that BRS was a nationalised company so we must drive a truck made by a nationalised company… British Leyland, no matter they where rubbish and the Volvo’s, Scania’s and Daf’s were far superior and reliable, we had to drive 'em !!
As an aside does anyone know if ex-Overland Norman Ingram is still on here and what his username is. We messaged a lot and then he just disappeared and I wondered if I had upset him xSounds like it was a shock John after the F12 & 2800 !!
Glad you liked the pic of your old truck will see if there are any more.
see any you have of your middle east trips. If you do have any and they are not about the Marathon then probably best to
pop them on the Middle East - Not Astran thread. Look forward to reading about some of your adventures.stevejones:
hi deanb just spotted that what a beast tks for that
When i can i will scan this brochure which is the best Marathon brochure i have seen but its in Belguim /French not English
which is a shame.0
´
Unfortunately when we moved to Spain in 2000, the removal company we used from Grantham lost or mislaid a large box, which contained, among other importanthings, nearly all my Middle East memorabilia including the diaries that I kept for the three years I was on Overland. Nearly twenty years of my life simply vanished and they never ever found it. Luckily they never lost the the photos.
yeah sorry m8 not on f/book bit old style lol
Dennis Javelin:
Desert Rat:
DEANB:
Desert Rat:
You’re welcome mate, and it’s so good to talk about it after all these years and I’m 76 now and have had four wives since then.
When I said eight drivers,there was probably less, the drivers who were there when I was on Overland was Norman Ingram, who I know is on here but we lost contact a long time ago and Iand when I find his username I’ll post it . There was Bill Thomas, Keith Shirley, Terry Taylor ( deceased) the great John Bland but my memory fails me on the others.Great read John !
Thats an expensive hobby chap going through 4 wives !!!
Ha ha DeanB spot on mate
It was mainly waterpumps, drive belts and air-con. I tried to explain to BRS Overland that the Marathon was not up to job and when I lived in London I drove a new Middle East spec Volvo F12 and did regular Saudi and Doha and sometimes Pakistan and driving the Middle East spec Leyand Marathon came as bit of a shock. I can remember my truck was in for a new gearbox and BRS rented a new Middle East spec Daf 2800 for me to do a Ryiad and it was like driving a Rolls Royce and did everthing a Midde Eastern truck should do. The manager explained that BRS was a nationalised company so we must drive a truck made by a nationalised company… British Leyland, no matter they where rubbish and the Volvo’s, Scania’s and Daf’s were far superior and reliable, we had to drive 'em !!
As an aside does anyone know if ex-Overland Norman Ingram is still on here and what his username is. We messaged a lot and then he just disappeared and I wondered if I had upset him xBRS were buying Volvo’s and Scania’s before the Marathon was available so your manager was being “economical with the truth”. Whilst they would have taken advantage of bulk purchasing, by and large, each group had their own purchasing policy. Fleet purchases would be more down to initial cost as opposed to value for money long term and driver comfort.
I worked at BRS Gateshead 1970 - 72 and there was at least three Scania’s in the fleet before I left.
Tyneside
Desert Rat:
“DEANB”Glad you liked the pic of your old truck will see if there are any more.
see any you have of your middle east trips. If you do have any and they are not about the Marathon then probably best to
pop them on the Middle East - Not Astran thread. Look forward to reading about some of your adventures.Unfortunately when we moved to Spain in 2000, the removal company we used from Grantham lost or mislaid a large box, which contained, among other importanthings, nearly all my Middle East memorabilia including the diaries that I kept for the three years I was on Overland. Nearly twenty years of my life simply vanished and they never ever found it. Luckily they never lost the the photos.
Thats a shame they lost your stuff,all that history gone. Glad they never lost the pics and look forward to seeing some with some
comments about your trips.
DEANB:
Desert Rat:
“DEANB”Great read John !
Thats an expensive hobby chap going through 4 wives !!!
Ha ha DeanB spot on mate
It was mainly waterpumps, drive belts and air-con. I tried to explain to BRS Overland that the Marathon was not up to job and when I lived in London I drove a new Middle East spec Volvo F12 and did regular Saudi and Doha and sometimes Pakistan and driving the Middle East spec Leyand Marathon came as bit of a shock. I can remember my truck was in for a new gearbox and BRS rented a new Middle East spec Daf 2800 for me to do a Ryiad and it was like driving a Rolls Royce and did everthing a Midde Eastern truck should do. The manager explained that BRS was a nationalised company so we must drive a truck made by a nationalised company… British Leyland, no matter they where rubbish and the Volvo’s, Scania’s and Daf’s were far superior and reliable, we had to drive 'em !!
As an aside does anyone know if ex-Overland Norman Ingram is still on here and what his username is. We messaged a lot and then he just disappeared and I wondered if I had upset him xSounds like it was a shock John after the F12 & 2800 !!
Glad you liked the pic of your old truck will see if there are any more.
see any you have of your middle east trips. If you do have any and they are not about the Marathon then probably best to
pop them on the Middle East - Not Astran thread. Look forward to reading about some of your adventures.stevejones:
hi deanb just spotted that what a beast tks for that
When i can i will scan this brochure which is the best Marathon brochure i have seen but its in Belguim /French not English
which is a shame.0
Those front tyres look a bit flat Dean!
David
stevejones:
yeah sorry m8 not on f/book bit old style lol
Nothing to stop you from PM-ing (private messaging) each other . Just go to the top left-hand corner of the page and click on messages
I can remember maylens of gillingham having a nice fleet running paper and pulp … also there was a firm in milton pipes who had some painted in there colours 
ERF-NGC-European:
stevejones:
yeah sorry m8 not on f/book bit old style lolNothing to stop you from PM-ing (private messaging) each other
Some don’t do PM`s either
Desert Rat:
DEANB:
Desert Rat:
You’re welcome mate, and it’s so good to talk about it after all these years and I’m 76 now and have had four wives since then.
When I said eight drivers,there was probably less, the drivers who were there when I was on Overland was Norman Ingram, who I know is on here but we lost contact a long time ago and Iand when I find his username I’ll post it . There was Bill Thomas, Keith Shirley, Terry Taylor ( deceased) the great John Bland but my memory fails me on the others.
Norman Ingrams handle was sandman
robthedog:
Desert Rat:
DEANB:
Desert Rat:
You’re welcome mate, and it’s so good to talk about it after all these years and I’m 76 now and have had four wives since then.
When I said eight drivers,there was probably less, the drivers who were there when I was on Overland was Norman Ingram, who I know is on here but we lost contact a long time ago and Iand when I find his username I’ll post it . There was Bill Thomas, Keith Shirley, Terry Taylor ( deceased) the great John Bland but my memory fails me on the others.Norman Ingrams handle was sandman