Spot on Les, Membury with rubber and of course other destinations but if you were loading the stuff for export then it would be Membury. What an awkward place to get to but now when you look its just behind the services. Know the driver your on about but could not tell you his name at this moment.
Do you remember the little weighbridge at Membury.They used to double weigh you,weighing the front and then pull forward and weigh the back half.Then putting a chalk mark on the trailerlevel with the end of the weighbridge.Being young and foolish I used to rub out the mark and move it forward a foot. Utter chaos.Had a written warning for that.However it was only on paper!
I remember Summerfields wagons running out of ISR at Hythe,and yep they were green and always looked well.
ISR was one of the best places I went in for tipping and reloading and can never remember having any hassle.I think it was American owned.I was on tankers then (70’s) and you could tip/reload in less than two hours.
There were some digs on the main road,can’t remember the name,but more like a small hotel and a bit expensive but the place was clean and the food ok.
I have stayed there when the place at Millbrook?? near the Freightliner/Calor depot was full.
I suppose they’ve both gone now.
Interoutes main depot though was at Thame as I went there on more than one occasion.
TIR.
Do you remember Eddie Rogers who was on Interoute (he lived in Poole ) ?
Yes Kerbut of course I remember Eddie and of course others like Mick Hennessy etc. Have known these chaps for years. I think you’ll find that I also know you and thats one to keep you guessing. St Malo used to be my favourite port and I had known Edward the cheif customs officer for some twenty years.
He actually came from Le Havre but long retired now. Just think British International.
Thanks again TIR.Those Fodens always looked grand, seemed so much better than my Guy Big J.
Incidentally was it dock gate 57?Was there such a place?
I seem to remember there being lots of Norman Offer trucks around that area.
TIR
Yes I knew alot of the BI boys when I was on GBE, Talking of customs officers the cheif man in Cherbourg was married to a Scot.
TIR
People like Mick Hennersay I have not seen for years,didnt he go on for R&G Maratime once with Mick (or was it Tony ) Holland. One character I will never forget is George Eames who did traction for Interoute ,you could see the full weeks menu down the front of his tee shirt !!
Yes Kerbut, Mick Hennessy did go on for R & G. I used to run Portugal with him and many others. Portugal then being the last place to run in Europe with old fashioned principles. When I say that I mean that if you were in trouble then the first to stop would not always be an Engishman. I remember on one occasion having a blowout just the other side of Salamanca, whilst on route to Lisbon. The first to stop was a Swede,the second a Frenchman and the third a German and I dont believe I touched as much as a wheelnut. My job was to by the beers at the next bar. Portugal was a great run because everybody knew each other because it was the same companies and the same drivers there each week and we all became great friends. Bet it ain’t the same now though 'cause you aint got the old Alverca and Matosinhos, you just go and deliver and meet nobody. By the way the chief customs bloke Edward was at St. Malo not Cherbourg, that was my least favourite port.
Yes Chris I did see your thread on summerfields and yes ISR was a good company to tip and load from. No matter wether a tanker , flat or tilt. One of my younger brothers used to do a night trunk, I think to Maket Drayton or near to collect salt for the manufacturing process. I dont know if anyone can remember the company it was Reeves of Manchester and this was in the 60’s. They had a depot in Southampton and although they ran a fleet of Fodens they had 2 Scania 110’s with tri-axle tipping trailers ( completely unheard of back then). They did a nightly trunk for the salt back to ISR. By the way Chris the digs you mentioned near ISR was called I think The Pines or something similar. It was an ultra modern transport cafe, which looked like a small motel. When you left the gate at ISR and reached the main Southampton road, if you turned left it was just 100 yards or so on the right.
That’s the place,Pines or Pinewood, whatever,quite posh for a driver. 
I used to love it when I was sent into ISR.We did Benzene into there from BP Baglan Bay,from Canvey Island and Staveley Chemicals.The reload was always for Staveley so we could get some dodgy nights out running back.I know it’s different now but the route was Winchester,Newbury,Oxford ring road and past Silverstone and Weston -on the Green to Towcester and then was it Weedon? and through a narrow little village called Flore onto the M1 near Northants.
I’d still go that way,bugger the gaffer and his motorways. 
Do you remember the cafe/digs at Millbrook near Freightliner depot.?
I once ran from Baglan Bay loaded for ISR and was on the A36 between Bath and Salisbury running out of hours.I stopped in Warminster and a feller told me there was cafe/digs further on at Codford St Mary next to a garage.I got there about 8 pm and two oldish women ran the place who made me a meal and gave me a bed even though they were closed for the night.At the side of Salisbury plain it was and a bit spooky - I could have sworn the place was haunted. 
TIR
I wonder if those 2 blue F10,s are still parked up in Alverca behind the fence, they were done for ■■■■.
TIr
Another one,do you remember when "Gorgeous George " died in his cab in the restaurant between Salamanca and the IP 5,they had a tin in Clauds for a collection for his widow ,I never knew his proper name
I have great memories of running out of Portsmouth to Le Havre and Caen in the late 90’s for Brintons Carpets. Anyone still doing that run to Spain and Porrtugal? I loved Portugal and it’s people. Miss driving my self now retired, but go out with hubby now and then in the UK.
Looks like I’ve got a few questions to answer here so strarting with you Les.
No mate ,there was no gate 57 at Southampton docks as they have never gone past gate 20. ( which is the container terminal gate). The one that you mean I’m sure would be dock gate 10, which used to be the main dock gate for many years. On the inside you had Ranks Hovis Flour Mills and on the outside at the top of the road was Norman Offers yard.
Next you Charlie. Yes I do remember the little weighbridge at Membury and for very good reason. Do you remember the little bit of rough grass and brambles in front of that little weighbtidge? Do you remember George the boss at Membury? Well I will fill you in later but not in the same way as I did him !!!
Well now on to Chris. Yes mate thanks for the reminder because I’d actually forgotten about that cafe and digs next to Freightliner. I forget who used to own it now though and for some reason I have this feeling that I should know. I dont know why but there was something about the owner and my brain just wont let me know what it is. ( this really is a senior moment) The other thing you mentioned was the “Codford Cafe”. This cafe is still going strong today and I pass it regularly. But yes it was run in the old days by two old ladies as it was when I went in there with my father. In the earlier days it was made of wood and I feel sure that it was when you used it. Now though its a new modern brick building and proper parking.
Lastly its you Kerbut. Yes I knew Gorgeous George but the I P 5 hadn’t been
built when I stopped doing Portugal. When I last went there as a driver we were still on a TIR Carnet and believe you me the routes were a lot different then ! I was still filling out an Alfendega paper at Vilar Formoso and they only had about 20 miles of motorway in the whole country which was north of Coimbra towards Oporto. I used Alverca for a while but before that the customs was down in the docks next to the container berth. That was really good because we would watch them load a 40’ container onto a six wheel rigid and chain it on the best they could. Anyone doing Portugal in the early days will know exactly what I’m on about. My mate had an accident once with a Ford Transit pickup that pulled out in front of him. the Transit was carrying 5 tons of blocks. I really could fill a book on you could expect to see as the norm
in Portugal and in fact if I thought there was enough people on here to make it a worthwhile topic, then I would start a thread.
As for Claudes at St. Genis, well have you read my comments on “The Bakehouse” ? The same applies to Claudes.
Hope this has helped all mentioned and Charlie will do Membury later.
Thanks for the reply TIR.
Aye correct,the Codford cafe was built of wood and I can picture it in me mind even now - 35 years hence.Bloody hell,is it that long ago. .
Did you ever do any work out of Poole Harbour as I went in there a couple of times with Styrene or Vinyl Acetate from Powell Duffryn at Barry Dock - next to Woodhams scrap yard where they stored all the old steam locos for disposal.
I can’t think of the name of the storage place at Poole but Corrals, who were fuel oil and coal distributors seems to be lurking in the back of my head.
TIR Original:
…in fact if I thought there was enough people on here to make it a worthwhile topic, then I would start a thread…
Do it TIR…Im sure there are enough people interested in the topic 
Portugal, Greece, anywhere thats different and from the pre “open border” days!!
And if you have any old pics from the time then post them up to!!
Cheers, bullitt.
Go for it TIR.I’m really interested in everything that you have to say on this subject.You are a fasinating and entertaining man.also your knowledge of international haulage is second to none.Your linguist skills are legendary so please get to it.I can hardly wait. Please get the cheque in the post as promised.
Right I’ve just found this forum so here are a few names for you to conjure with all of who regularly went to Europe Out Of Southampton Poole or Portsmouth!!
Wally Hawkins RIP, Pat Scorey, Jim Copley(or Cokely)RIP,
Frank EvansRIP,Denny (penelope) HumeRIP, Barry Stafford, Kevin Connelly, Larry Fizgerald, Dave Tutt,
Danny Moss,Barry Barnes, JohnPike,Ken Parke,Bob Newman,Gary Burton, John Davies, John Shaw, Brian Young,Pete Clue(Cluey),Ian Lawson, Mick Leech, BingoRIP, Micky MathewsRIP, Jerry WhelanRIP, Eddie & Ronnie Huntley, Jim ChandlerRIP,
Some companies: SearouteFerry,JamesonEuropa,Skillbeech,SS&T,Eurohaul,RK Crisp, Springroad,Mamouth.Cabmont,British International,Roba,BTC, Phillips, Trans Oman Freight, Henry Tyrer,TTRH,PBC,Rijba,Kingswood,
That’s just a start I will probably remember a whole lot more once I get the grey matter working again!
Regards
Welcome toTN Ainacs, I’m sure your list will jog a few memories.