Hello Everyone, Just been speaking to Terry Tott (ex Middle East) and he asked if I could put on a post on here to see if any of you remember or know where Mick Chinnick is. Mick drove for Onyx Freight of the Middle East during the 70’s and he was a bit of a character. The last thing Terry heard about him was that he was in Turkey and had problems with the police over there - this was about 20 years ago. Terry and his wife Carol would like to get in touch with him, so any news good or bad would be very much appreciated.
An utter and total lunatic…chinnock got banged up in turkey for double crossing the turk mafia…he smuggled drugs into the uk and tried to sell them on instead of passing them over.
he was fitted up and spent six years in the hell hole
last i heard was he was up north staying with or close to joe 90…he owes me big time and i particularly never want to hear from him again…
mmnnnn
Micky Chinnock and Terry Tot names from the depths of time dont know where they are now.
Roger haywood
after getting out of the big house in istanbull he was doin a bit of europe got banged up again in france then the last i heard he got cancer thay let him back to uk and thats the last i heard of him regards graham 
Mickey Chinnock seen last in Matosinhos about 20 yrs ago.O/D 'ing .He was living with a girl in B’ham.
Hi Roger, this is Terry. I see that you remember me from ‘the depths of time’. Re-jog my memory as to where it was as your name sounds pretty familiar too. Thanks Terry
Mick died of cancer sometime back, I heard ex Funston driver
Hi Biffo, Just been speaking to Terry and he asked if you are the same Biffo as the gaffa from Funstons as Terry had a short spell with Funstons after he left Astrans and he remembers that everyone always called Tony (the gaffa) Biffo. Other drivers there also had nicknames of Magpie, Mr Machine (because he always used to be cleaning his lorry), and you can guess why the other one got called Magpie. Terry’s nickname was Totty or Jellytot. He seems to recall that Mr Machine went to Murfitts in the offices but does not know where Magpie went. If anyone is still in contact with Tony at Funstons can they please give him Terry’s kind regards.
I was engaged to Mickey (the rogue) for a while and stood by him all the way thro his days in the Turkish prisons , I clothed him, fed him and fought for his release for the 6 years he served, his actual sentence was 8 years with a £60,000 customs fine, I sold everything to get his fine paid and with the help of my euro MP I got his fine reduced and as Mickey had at that time prostate cancer I finally got him back to the UK. On his release he came to my home and had his treatments for various health problems sorted out. Un fortunately his attidude was far from good and as ever he thought he was able to con people. Our friends in Leicester (Stevie Pigeon) and other friends were let down by him. Due to his violence against me on more than one time I had to ask him to leave my home, he lived in the town for a while, took up with an Eckersly firm and was travelling abroad again and I did hear he was back in a French prison for smuggling again and he was not so well. I am sorry that he has passed away if that is the case, who can be sure?? but he was a character and many will remember him, he was one of the first of the middle east drivers and is mentiotruckstop beyondned in the book, Cola Cowboys, he was the one who was the bank robber, hey once a rogue etc. I just hope he finds peace in the great truckstop beyond if that is where he is now. It was because of his arrest in Turkey and the arrest of Steve Bryant in Morocco that I set up The Driver & Families Help Line, I have helped many drivers and their families over the years , getting funds to pay fines and paying a contribution towards food for the prisoner and help for the families when social security refuses to pay them. I have gone to banks/building societies to plead that the wife and kids can keep the home etc. This help line is still very active but how long I can carry on is beyond me as funding is so hard to get in now . I will help where and when I can for as long as I can.
If anyone wants any further knowledge about Mickey you can contact me on a PM. Danneke
Dannekke: Was it you who was living with him at the time he staged a burglary in his own home? he put the tv etc; in the attic & called the police who gave him a crime number & then he claimed on the insurance. His girl friend came home from work & cried when she saw what was missing then Mickey went up into the loft & handed everything down to her. I remember him telling me that one Sunday afternoon in the bar near the light house in Porto.
No Harry that was a woman he got tangled up with over in Halifax area I believe, but I was told that story also. In spite of everything, we stayed friends after I asked him to leave my home and the last news I had was that the firm in Ekersly was run by a woman who was drug dealing and had got caught . \i was glad he had moved away from my area, that was the time he got held in France, only this time I did not rush to help him. But for all that I wouldnt be at all surprised to hear him on the phone in his usual way saying “hello womble, hows my babe” in his cockney accent. Mickey had a daughter living in Canada with his ex-wife and had family who didnt really want to know him living in North London, they didn’t like his life style. For those who Mickey owed anything to , I am sorry, but I was owed thousands of pounds and taken in totally, one thing he never got his hands on was my truck altho he tried.
adrian gray:
Hi Biffo, Just been speaking to Terry and he asked if you are the same Biffo as the gaffa from Funstons as Terry had a short spell with Funstons after he left Astrans and he remembers that everyone always called Tony (the gaffa) Biffo. Other drivers there also had nicknames of Magpie, Mr Machine (because he always used to be cleaning his lorry), and you can guess why the other one got called Magpie. Terry’s nickname was Totty or Jellytot. He seems to recall that Mr Machine went to Murfitts in the offices but does not know where Magpie went. If anyone is still in contact with Tony at Funstons can they please give him Terry’s kind regards.
Hi Biffo, Are you Tony then■■?
adrian gray:
Hello Everyone, Just been speaking to Terry Tott (ex Middle East) and he asked if I could put on a post on here to see if any of you remember or know where Mick Chinnick is. Mick drove for Onyx Freight of the Middle East during the 70’s and he was a bit of a character. The last thing Terry heard about him was that he was in Turkey and had problems with the police over there - this was about 20 years ago. Terry and his wife Carol would like to get in touch with him, so any news good or bad would be very much appreciated.
Wasnt Colin Berry on for Onyx Frright.
thought colin berry was on for busby davies ■■. had to retire because of his eyes. i last saw him in simbas 10 yrs ago or more 
Hi both, I will ask Terry if he can remember Colin Berry. He may have met up with him on his travels, who knows■■? Or, does anyone else know of him?
r slicker:
thought colin berry was on for busby davies ■■. had to retire because of his eyes. i last saw him in simbas 10 yrs ago or more
Hi
Col died Nov 07. I spoke to Emy Jan 08. i do know they are on the same landline and address.
He was a great mate to me worked for my Dad between 76-78, i knew he was on Oryx as i knew he did Middle - East just before he started with Dad (MICK MARTIN).
he was the last one to take out VGF891M Scanny 110 as they were taking parts of the production line for the new Fiesta in Valencia.
He left and went on for Smith Van lines, LST (Lamberhurst),Solstor and Davies were i knew he finished.
Great guy no time for pratts or hopefuls. Sorry for bad news
Cheers Tim
TIMBO:
r slicker:
thought colin berry was on for busby davies ■■. had to retire because of his eyes. i last saw him in simbas 10 yrs ago or moreHi
Col died Nov 07. I spoke to Emy Jan 08. i do know they are on the same landline and address.
He was a great mate to me worked for my Dad between 76-78, i knew he was on Oryx as i knew he did Middle - East just before he started with Dad (MICK MARTIN).
he was the last one to take out VGF891M Scanny 110 as they were taking parts of the production line for the new Fiesta in Valencia.
He left and went on for Smith Van lines, LST (Lamberhurst),Solstor and Davies were i knew he finished.
Great guy no time for pratts or hopefuls. Sorry for bad news
Cheers Tim
I first met Colin on a Sally Line boat on the weekend of the Euro 88 finals, I bumped into him many times over the years & was on Solstor when he joined from LST, what a character, I have some pics of him somewhere & will post them when I find them. A great bloke, RIP
a very sad loss indeed. as i said i knew colin from his davis days and solstor. colin first introduced me to the original freds on the n1 along time ago. a true gentleman who will be very much missed.
rest in peace colin.
adrian gray:
Hi Biffo, Are you Tony then■■?
no i am not tony i worked for him from 1976 on m/east with noel who was called magpie because he liked to collect things my name is hughie i got called mr sheen i remember totty very well as tony wouldnt employ any body without our say so terry went to mervyn king mc trans after he left funstons mick chinnock also worked for funstons for a while before he went over the top he thought the world was against him