Now come on some of you Lads, look at this photo carefully, Who is it ? A very well known man amongst us in the Day.
Who will get it right ? I wonder. 
I was just thinking looking at this picture, he never did smile or look happy did he.
d c
mat man:
d c
Yes, that’s right. You can just recall him standing outside the Workshop, with his hands behind his back, surveying all the Motors in the Yard, with that same expression on his face, can’t you. 
Give us the name then Archie
quote=“cartran”]Give us the name then Archie
[/quote]
Mat man has already given you the name. He was there from start to finish. You must have met him at some time.
KEV READS PHOTO
I was surprised when I stumbled on this forum when I was googling something totally unrelated. Reading the names mentioned in many of the posts brought memories of my late husband back especially the one quoted below. He was “Little Freddie” from Peterborough and he drove for MAT from the mid 70s until they folded. Tragically he died on 8th November 2012 of Mesothelioma. We had been married for 47 years. Sometime in the previous 40-50 years he had unknowingly breathed in a fibre of asbestos that caused the rare cancer called Mesothelioma that is only related to asbestos. He was diagnosed in May 2012.
The mystery of where and when he breathed in the fatal fibre haunts us as Freddie and I brought up our grandson and the first thing he would do when he got home was pick up his grandson. Now I’m haunted by the fact that his overalls may have been contaminated with asbestos fibres. He remembered picking up some machinery to be shipped abroad from a factory that had closed down. He thought that it had lagging enclosed in wire mesh which is almost certainly asbestos but he couldn’t remember where or when this was.
I was wondering if anybody has any information regarding asbestos contamination while working for MAT. If I had more information I might be able to make a claim but i only have a few months left to do so. Had his diagnosis been 25th July 2012 or later he would have received automatic compensation of £123,000. He could have enjoyed the short time he had before he grew too weak and life wouldn’t be the struggle that it is for my grandson and me.
Re- Patsy and Geoff mentioned below, Freddie would have regular phonecalls to and from them until sadly Patsy died in Dec 2007. Geoff was fit and well when he attended Freddie’s funeral in Dec 2012.
Geoff Scott also lived thereabouts, I reckon he retired going on 8/9 years ago.
I also knew Little Freddie for many years but the one thing that escapes me
at the moment is his surname. He ran a scruffy old Scania from memory,
working for MAT Dover, running out of P’boro.
A great bunch - I may have said earlier that Patsy called into my office on
the day he retired and by that time I had known him around 33 years or so
not many around like him now, thats for sure.
Regards
K
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little Freddies surname was Dowland,one of life’s gentlemen,i last saw him at MAT Greys about 6 years ago
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Archie Paice:
Hullo Harry,
I like your story, I can just imagine that happening
p.s. I don’t know what happened to Jean. They moved from Hull down to Milton Keynes when MAT moved down there.
jean is still living in Milton Keynes.
I have been following this forum from time to time over the past couple of years.
I’m no truck driver, but more recently worked for Brinks based in Arnold house. I was interested in the history of the building etc as it like a time warp in there! I no longer work for them but it was an experience indeed!
MAT,s container service was a train from Cowley to Harwich PQ/ Zeebrugge for British Leylands KD Belgium plant.
Tried to find a photo of head office with the MAT sign spelt vertically down the building but can’t. This is from Gt Eastern st.
Brinks entrance out of shot to the right in Holywell Lane.
Ref the Marathon pic, anyone remember Jim Stevens from Cowley depot? He left Cowley & went to MAT middle east. He had a bad accident in Jordan, almost lost his legs. MAT flew him back to the JR hostpital,Oxford. He returned to Cowley a couple of years later.
I’m sure I remember Jim Stevens from the Oxford depot. I can’t visualise him, it’s just the name seems to ring a bell.