Hullo Diadogs,
That bloke Len, who as you say was a right miserable SOB, was in actual fact a real nice guy. He was the Union Rep, that’s correct. He was the Rep for the Continental Drivers, the UNION rep for the UK Drivers was Alec Shand, who was himself an ex Continental Driver. He ( Len ) came from Sheffield and his name was Len Terry. During my time subbing for MAT Len always had a F89 from The old FrigoMat side of the Company. The DAFs came after I had moved on, when I was with them it was all Scania’s. Plus a few Crusaders at Oxford, and an old Foden for Harry to shunt trailers from King George Dock to the Yard. Good old Days!
Just reread your post 
I am amazed that you sat all weekend without having a shower, maybe that’s what put Len off In Carisio, either at the Garonne or over the bridge at the Paladini, you could always get a shower, there was no charge at either of these Restaraunts. There must of been lots of Drivers at the Garonne, not too many at the Paladini, just a few MAT Drivers and maybe another two or three others. You took a good picture of Len though.
imposter 
Archie Paice:
Hullo Harry,
Yes Angus Suttie, there are a few people on here who will remember him. As you say he was on MAT for a good few years. When MAT decided to leave Hull and open up in Milton Keynes, Angus went down there with them. The last time I actually saw him was on a Ferry a few years afterwards, he was on for a Fridge firm, I forget which one, but he looked terrible. Probably going from the good life at MAT to having to work all hours, not doing his health any favours. Then later I heard that he had passed away. A good bloke was Angus. (R.I.P.).
Cheers, Archie.
Hope you dont mind me butting in on your topic guys.
Angus moved next door when Mat closed down their milton keynes yard.
He started working for Carfax, who were literally next door to Mat’s yard. He plodded around on a little 3 car wagon and drag delivering and dropping off mostly around the london area. My mate is married to his daughter.
And as you rightly said, he did pass away many years back, but was still a steady guy until he retired.
All the best
TC
Archie Paice:
Hullo Diadogs,
That bloke Len, who as you say was a right miserable SOB, was in actual fact a real nice guy. He was the Union Rep, that’s correct. He was the Rep for the Continental Drivers, the UNION rep for the UK Drivers was Alec Shand, who was himself an ex Continental Driver. He ( Len ) came from Sheffield and his name was Len Terry. During my time subbing for MAT Len always had a F89 from The old FrigoMat side of the Company. The DAFs came after I had moved on, when I was with them it was all Scania’s. Plus a few Crusaders at Oxford, and an old Foden for Harry to shunt trailers from King George Dock to the Yard. Good old Days!
Just reread your post
I didn’t know showers were free! Was the food? I will always remember that weekend, probably the worst in 35 years driving. I am still going here in France, but no weekends now (Reserved for Polish and Roms, who are paid anything upwards of 170 euros a month) and I only work 6 months a year (Farming the rest of the time). I am 57 and in France long distance drivers retire after 25 years service! I am partially retired and will get the full one when I am 61. Maybe Len was good for you, you worked with him, I never saw him again. I know that Cardiff asked why he didn’t help, but I never heard anymore after. Still all good character forming stuff, what?
I didn’t know showers were free! Was the food? I will always remember that weekend, probably the worst in 35 years driving. I am still going here in France, but no weekends now (Reserved for Polish and Roms, who are paid anything upwards of 170 euros a month) and I only work 6 months a year (Farming the rest of the time). I am 57 and in France long distance drivers retire after 25 years service! I am partially retired and will get the full one when I am 61. Maybe Len was good for you, you worked with him, I never saw him again. I know that Cardiff asked why he didn’t help, but I never heard anymore after. Still all good character forming stuff, what?
[/quote]
Hullo again,
I was a sub-Contracter working for MAT Hull. What I can’t understand is why you had to pay for Repairs, or big repairs as yours seems to have been. I don’t know how much exactly running money Company Drivers carried, I had to supply my own. But Breakdowns / Repairs were reported to the Offices at Hull, they were sanctioned by Mr. Dave Clark ( he who walks on water ) the Fleet Engineer and were then paid for on Account. There should have been no reason why you were left so destitute. You would have been far better to sit where you were until the job had been sorted out. Meanwhile feeding yourself and showering and generally enjoying life. As I say I had to fund myself although I did use the services of the Company myself a couple of times.
Archie Paice:
I didn’t know showers were free! Was the food? I will always remember that weekend, probably the worst in 35 years driving. I am still going here in France, but no weekends now (Reserved for Polish and Roms, who are paid anything upwards of 170 euros a month) and I only work 6 months a year (Farming the rest of the time). I am 57 and in France long distance drivers retire after 25 years service! I am partially retired and will get the full one when I am 61. Maybe Len was good for you, you worked with him, I never saw him again. I know that Cardiff asked why he didn’t help, but I never heard anymore after. Still all good character forming stuff, what?
Hullo again,
I was a sub-Contracter working for MAT Hull. What I can’t understand is why you had to pay for Repairs, or big repairs as yours seems to have been. I don’t know how much exactly running money Company Drivers carried, I had to supply my own. But Breakdowns / Repairs were reported to the Offices at Hull, they were sanctioned by Mr. Dave Clark ( he who walks on water ) the Fleet Engineer and were then paid for on Account. There should have been no reason why you were left so destitute. You would have been far better to sit where you were until the job had been sorted out. Meanwhile feeding yourself and showering and generally enjoying life. As I say I had to fund myself although I did use the services of the Company myself a couple of times.
[/quote]
Quite right there was no reason and today, in the same situation, with 30 years + experience, I would sit tight and let others sort it out. This happened over 30 years ago (circa 83) and being young and stupid I tried to sort it myself. In Cardiff we were not MAT Fleet, but MAT Transport and autonomous, the set up was a bit wavy, limit of dodgy. We had very little running money, but enough. No plastic in those days, or cell phones, but we did have a DKV card. I asked permission to draw on that and it was refused. They kept me waiting for 2 days before finding me a garage (I was in the JURA, 45 kms from Besançon) and then I had to pay a deposit in cash, which they (the garage) paid back after getting paid. I wasn’t impressed by the set up and left just after. Bob, the boss, and Terry his sidekick, were pushy b*s and both were afraid to accept responsibility for anything that went wrong. One curious thing was that on some jobs they were really cool; one trip was Cardiff to Bordeaux, you shipped out Sunday afternoon, Poole - Cherbourg and delivered Thursday morning. The first time I did that job no-one told me and I tipped Monday afternoon. The other drivers were not impressed! The problem wasn’t major, some minor clutch problem, but I didn’t carry tools for everything. I just think that they didn’t give a fig for the drivers! They chap that replaced me fell asleep at the wheel and died up against a tree in the North of France (Six weeks later). Very few drivers lasted long in Cardiff, Tapper being the notable exception, but then he owed so much money to MAT, and everyone else, that they would probably have gone bust if he had left.
A rare Matdamar photo, I remember when they changed to this name for a short while but anyone know why?
cartran:
:roll: A rare Matdamar photo, I remember when they changed to this name for a short while but anyone know why?
hiya,
When on for Bowker’s years ago got round quite a few MAT’s depot’s and I recollect seeing
one or two motors written up as Matdamar, it never entered my head to ask why, will we
ever get to know, yea’ somebody on here will have the answer, won’t they ■■.
thanks harry, long retired.
hiya,
When on for Bowker’s years ago got round quite a few MAT’s depot’s and I recollect seeing
one or two motors written up as Matdamar, it never entered my head to ask why, will we
ever get to know, yea’ somebody on here will have the answer, won’t they ■■.
thanks harry, long retired.
[/quote]
Hullo Harry,
I would say that it was another way of the Kunzler Family, registered in Prateln CH. of Tax saving. There was quite a few different pieces of the company. Transport, Services, Fleet Services, etc. still a good company for me to sub for, especially with your old mate C.L. running the Transport part.
Archie Paice:
hiya,
When on for Bowker’s years ago got round quite a few MAT’s depot’s and I recollect seeing
one or two motors written up as Matdamar, it never entered my head to ask why, will we
ever get to know, yea’ somebody on here will have the answer, won’t they ■■.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hullo Harry,
I would say that it was another way of the Kunzler Family, registered in Prateln CH. of Tax saving. There was quite a few different pieces of the company. Transport, Services, Fleet Services, etc. still a good company for me to sub for, especially with your old mate C.L. running the Transport part.
[/quote]
hiya,
That’s the most likely answer Archie just never gave it a thought at the time,
they did have many irons in many fires.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hi All
Re MATDAMAR
It stood for MAT Distribution And Maintenance And Repair.
The name came about when it was decided to form a separate company to encompass those parts of the business apart from Freight Forwarding, which remained MAT Transport.
Matdamar came about in around 1975, after the closure of MAT Barking - as soon as the trucks were repainted, they were painted out again it seemed - largely due to everyone thinking the name sounded silly.
I worked in Arnold House on Traffic at the time and we took to answering the phone “MATDAMAR” in an Asian accent to make a point and we were told not to be so silly - still we were young and liked a laugh.
I think Cliff Leader had a hand in the renaming, I could be wrong but he was in overall charge of Transport at that time, having been promoted from Northern Area Executive - we had lost our Southern Area Executive in another shake up.
Good days though without doubt
Tony Myers
Hullo Tony, Thanks for that bit of information, very interesting, I feel very sure that not many people know that. I know I certainly didn’t. Aha! Now we know why B.J.M. Got all the subbing jobs eh ?
yeah, cheers Tony, sounds like you’ve cleared that one up mate 
Archie - my brother (BJM) was subbing for MAT whilst I was still there - it was allowed as long as his trucks were never under my control, mores the pity!
When I left in 1976, I became partners with my brother and put more trucks on for MAT - they remained one of our biggest clients for many years right up until the new regime went ■■■■ up - I did see it coming though and cut down almost to zero just before the big pop.
MAT remains in my heart and its where I learned my trade - great times with great people.
Its a big, big shame how that company ended up and the people that were responsible for its demise should hang their heads in shame - we know who they are of course.
Cheers
Tony
This was one of my most amazing drops ever. It is somewhere near Paris. To get the truck just to there was almost a Paul Daniel exploit, but the sign telling you that no trucks were allowed was the only entrance. There was loads of room once in, but to get in I had to get a householder across the road to open his garden gate and reverse in, once in I had to turn the truck around to tip.
It has always amazed me that it is so much easier to drive out. I dread to think how long it took me to get in! Only in France could a company get planning permission for a factory with access illegal for trucks!
Can anyone else beat this? I bet you can!!! 
