Robert and John; OK but rented or hired Astran / Asian Transport still operated them. We also had an Avis F88 on Eileen Ellingham - just Avis thought it was only gone for 7 days 
David
Hi David.Still snowing but itās warmer now [-5 ish].
Just looked at that video again,iām not so up on āāold timersāā but is the NEDU truck not possibly a Krupp diesel,or is it a Hanomag.[someone with more knowledge will say]I know John bought a couple of old 50ās trucks when he started.At that time it was very hard driving in Holland\Germany as there were not many good roads,and in Holland a lot of little ferrys via all the polders.I remember John saying that Munchen was 6 Days return from Den Haag.NEDU-Nederland\Duitsland.
Just as an irrelevant aside.When they split up Piet Van Ess went on to start Estron\Getron with Cees van Noord who later left and bought out Nico Nijman which later became Niman\Zeetank.Mike
PS Loved looking at all the āāold boysāā,everyone looked so happy doing the job
David Miller:
Robert and John; OK but rented or hired Astran / Asian Transport still operated them. We also had an Avis F88 on Eileen Ellingham - just Avis thought it was only gone for 7 daysDavid
Hi David,
Yes I was agreeing with you, hired, rented, leased or bought - you were operating it! The ones on the Calendar are in Asian Transport/Astran colours and sign written.
How many Salford Van Hire units were hired for āa few daysā - next thing they knew, they were in Ankara with a clutch problem!
The video brought back some names, Centrum, and Stouff.
When you look at all the wrecks and count up all your near misses - how lucky are we to get to retirement!
John
Morning Mike. I was guessing the Nedu truck as a Hanomag but Iām really not sure. Someone will tell us.
Glad itās getting springlike with you. Iām also glad that Iām not in Goteborg any more - that shooting was not far from where work was. Itās turning into the Wild West!
You are right John, how did we survive? But I was thinking last night that when we did our first trips, and I mean everybody, nothing whatever had prepared us for Eastern Turkey, never mind Eastern Turkey in winter, however smart we thought we were. It really was a case of crack-on and work it out as you went. Oh well, were still here so we must have got something right. But there are pictures there of some spectacular mistakes! 
David
David Miller:
Morning Mike. I was guessing the Nedu truck as a Hanomag but Iām really not sure. Someone will tell us.
Glad itās getting springlike with you. Iām also glad that Iām not in Goteborg any more - that shooting was not far from where work was. Itās turning into the Wild West!You are right John, how did we survive? But I was thinking last night that when we did our first trips, and I mean everybody, nothing whatever had prepared us for Eastern Turkey, never mind Eastern Turkey in winter, however smart we thought we were. It really was a case of crack-on and work it out as you went. Oh well, were still here so we must have got something right. But there are pictures there of some spectacular mistakes!
David
Yes you are right what did we expectā ā ?
This Merc 1924 never let us down once.Or the 1418 that was on france germany etc,
GUESTY44
Not great pics, but used to see these all over the place 
. Are they still going or have they merged with someone else? Regards Chris
John West:
Having said that, I couldnāt reverse a double.The attached picture must have been winter, the Saviem wouldnāt get into top gear without overheating in summer with one trailer, never mind 2!
I spent ages in the yard trying to get that back trailer to go where I wanted it to, but couldnāt.
How about you Australian road train guys, can you drive them backwards?
John
0Just seen the fastening of the containers to the trailers! One chain & ādwangā over each!
We did later buy a load of twist locks from the U.S. & fit them to every trailer.
Good day John
The secret to backing a double or a triple is to be in the middle of nowhere on your own and no problem a piece of pistorious but the more watching especially other truck drivers the harder it is and the more shunts it takes .lol
Cheers Dig
Iāve written another story based on memories of overland and internals. Itās posted on Kindle
amazon.co.uk/Cargo-John-West ā¦ t+trucking
If anyone doesnāt have Kindle, or just wants a free copy, please email me on johnantonywest@gmail.com and Iāll send it as a .doc attachment with pleasure
John
Guesty44
Looks very much like Crossley House Penwortham, Preston. A Lathams GUY car transporter lurking in the backgroundā¦
tankerian:
Guesty44Looks very much like Crossley House Penwortham, Preston. A Lathams GUY car transporter lurking in the backgroundā¦
Hiya tankerian yes you are dead right L.A.B International belonged to Michael Latham.I was at Transporters and Went over to
L.A.B when he first started with 2x 1418 Mercs .We sub contracted of SKI International.at the begining.So you must know that
knowing the layout of the yard.And no doubt we will of come across each other.
GUESTY44
Guesty44:
tankerian:
Guesty44Looks very much like Crossley House Penwortham, Preston. A Lathams GUY car transporter lurking in the backgroundā¦
Hiya tankerian yes you are dead right L.A.B International belonged to Michael Latham.I was at Transporters and Went over to
L.A.B when he first started with 2x 1418 Mercs .We sub contracted of SKI International.at the begining.So you must know that
knowing the layout of the yard.And no doubt we will of come across each other.
GUESTY44
Guesty44:
Guesty44:
tankerian:
Guesty44Looks very much like Crossley House Penwortham, Preston. A Lathams GUY car transporter lurking in the backgroundā¦
Hiya tankerian yes you are dead right L.A.B International belonged to Michael Latham.I was at Transporters and Went over to
L.A.B when he first started with 2x 1418 Mercs .We sub contracted of SKI International.at the begining.So you must know that
knowing the layout of the yard.And no doubt we will of come across each other.
GUESTY44
Weekended at Concerezzo.
GUESTY44
Guesty44:
Guesty44:
Guesty44:
tankerian:
Guesty44Looks very much like Crossley House Penwortham, Preston. A Lathams GUY car transporter lurking in the backgroundā¦
Hiya tankerian yes you are dead right L.A.B International belonged to Michael Latham.I was at Transporters and Went over to
L.A.B when he first started with 2x 1418 Mercs .We sub contracted of SKI International.at the begining.So you must know that
knowing the layout of the yard.And no doubt we will of come across each other.
GUESTY44Weekended at Concerezzo.
GUESTY44
I used to work for Atkinsons Haulage around 1979 ish, my brother worked at Ramsdens and i believe my dad drove for Lathamsā¦
Apologies if this has already been flagged up, but I found good website created by a bloke who emigrated to Oz but still has his old manās Middle-East pictures and documents from his days with Radclive. Hereās the link:
stevecoates.com.au/random/en ā¦ uck-1970s/
Robert
While looking for old photos of the Caravan operation (which I still havenāt found - youād like them Robert, more of the ERFs!) I came across some odds and sods.
Juergen Becker, Peter Davies, Ted Thomas and John west in the driverās flat in Dammam. Circa 1981
Me ready for a fancy dress party circa 1981- must have been at the siddiqi already!
Brother Andyās transcon between two other over landers. Must be Dammam or Khobar, but I canāt place it. About 1983 or 84.
Also a silver anniversary Medal from the Riyadh bank which Sheik Ali gave me - Iād forgotten I had it. How much is silver worth nowā¦
John
As we move comparatively freely on UK roads we might spare a thought for Iraqi lorry drivers who ply the dangerous route from Irbil to Baghdad and Basra. Interesting piece on todayās Aljezeera news. Robert
Hereās the link:
Intresting article Robert,sounds dangerous without the mafia !
Does anyone know if Cadwalladers went to the Middle East ā ā
DEANB:
Intresting article Robert,sounds dangerous without the mafia !Does anyone know if Cadwalladers went to the Middle East ā ā
They certainly did Turkey because I got a lift from Dover with one in the '70s - an F89 returning from Turkey with poppy seed, would you believe! No wonder budgies act dinlo in their cages! 
Robert
