I used to pull for Norfolk Line in the '80s, and while we were waiting for trailers in Gt Yarmouth the ministry men (now VOSA) used to come round and look at our tachos etc.
A frequent comment they made was ‘I didn’t know the M47 was open yet, but going on your recorded speeds it must be!’
I posted some stuff on this thread previously:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=61462
From 1967 I was with a company called Superior International who ran conventional ships into Gt. Yarmouth from Holland. They imported mainly fruit and veg. and ran a smart fleet of two-stroke Commers for market distribution. In early 1968 the trucks were sent to the new distribution depot near Huntingdon and Norfolk Line took over the shipping and transport. We were transferred to their payroll so I suppose I can say I was one of the first employees at Norfolk Line in this country. I left in 1969 after being offered a job at LG Perfect Haulage and and stayed there for the next 37 years till they packed up. Regards to all, Haddy.
Must have missed this thread. We used to use Norfolk Line aprox 1970-73 transporting horses and ponies to Holland, Belgium, Germany and Danemark. I was a regular passenger on Duke of Holland, which sailed out of Gt Yarmouth at midnight, not so often on Duke of Norfolk which sailed at 1200. Most of the freight was unnacompanied Norfolk Line trailers, which to get to the topdeck requires a pull from a rope on a capstan, as the ford powered tugmasters (complete with cab that could move from side to side) struggled. There were 12 berths for accompanied traffic, which was mainly Dutch and a few Swiss trucks, even sometimes the occasional Dutch private car. I well remember one of the cooks was called “King Alfred” because everything was burnt. One of the few regular UK users was T Price & Sons of Hay on Wye, engaged on similar work to ourselves, Trevor Price spent so much time in GT Yarmouth he even married a Yarmouth girl.
Another regular form of traffic was cattle, These were carried in special cattle pens below the main vehicle deck, these were transported fomr the lairage by W C Lanham & Sons of Gt Ormesby, Walter ran a large fleet of Perkins powered Bedford TK artics with Scammell coupling trailers, which collected cattle from markets all over the country, as well as using sided trailers for sugar beet. He also has some Volvo F86’s and acouple of Rolls powered Seddons, these were used for traction work for Norfolk Line, as well as pulling a couple of 40’ cattle trailers down to the ferry at night. I do not know if Lanhams still have trucks, the last I heard, Walter’s son George had turned the depot “Decoy Farm” into a wildlife park.
I have fond memories of Norfolk Line, even if the 8 hour crossing was sometimes a little longer, but in the early seventies Devon to Gt Ormesby was a very long way on a Sunday night.
Peter
Hello Peter, Lanhams are certainly still going. They do agricultural work such as sugar beet and corn and I think they still have some motors on Norfolk Line out of Felixtowe. The units are mostly seccond hand Daf 85s and to be honest not exactly one of the smartest fleets around.
As you say, in the early days at Norfolk Line cattle was loaded below the waterline under the bottom trailer deck. Walter Lanham did the buying and selling as well as the transport. If Walter had to “ring” a bull it would be me who he would call on for a helping hand and I would go in the lairage pen with him to hold the animal still with the aid of a halter wrapped around a post. I always hated the noise the ringing gadget made when it crunched through the nose bone. Also I was young and could move pretty quick in those days and I always got a “drink”.
Before the Ro Ro ferries we used to backload cattle in convential ships and, although this operation normally went quite well, there was the odd drama. One night some of the beasts made a bid for freedom and it took ages to round them up. Then one day a bullock went into the river,the tide was running out and it was thrashing around in the water heading for the harbour’s mouth and out to sea but luckily it was eventually dragged ashore on the opposite side of the river, loaded onto a waiting cattle float and brought three miles back to the ship apparently unscathed. Happy days, Regards, Haddy.
I had 3 months of Norfolk Line in the summer of 1989 ,i hated every minute of it,too much waiting around ,used to park up outside the dock at Yarmouth on the pavement facing the road,there was a pub opposite
Hi TruckerGeek,
Are you a Boston lad born and bred?
Don’t know much about the history of Norfolk Line - I do remember standing in my Dad’s garden on the old A17 at Sutterton as a young boy watching all the Subbies pulling for Norfolk Line going past. I seem to remember a company from Sheffield having a couple of F10’s with the names ‘Chrome Dome’ and ‘Trucker One’ on the front, someone may recall who they were?
Anyway - one day a F88 belonging to Murfitts when they used to be Yellow ran into the back of a stationary coal lorry right outside our house. The Norfolk Line trailer he had on was full of crushed cockle shells which went everywere. They can still be seen in the mud of the verge some 30years later!! I have a picture of it somewhere I’ll try and dig it out.
I remember Roffes from Sutton Bridge used to pull a lot for them too.
Rgds - Simon.
SRichardson:
Hi TruckerGeek,Are you a Boston lad born and bred?
Don’t know much about the history of Norfolk Line - I do remember standing in my Dad’s garden on the old A17 at Sutterton as a young boy watching all the Subbies pulling for Norfolk Line going past. I seem to remember a company from Sheffield having a couple of F10’s with the names ‘Chrome Dome’ and ‘Trucker One’ on the front, someone may recall who they were?
Anyway - one day a F88 belonging to Murfitts when they used to be Yellow ran into the back of a stationary coal lorry right outside our house. The Norfolk Line trailer he had on was full of crushed cockle shells which went everywere. They can still be seen in the mud of the verge some 30years later!! I have a picture of it somewhere I’ll try and dig it out.
I remember Roffes from Sutton Bridge used to pull a lot for them too.
Rgds - Simon.
The Sheffield F10s belonged to Hepplestones, I knew Chrome Dome and some others, also Ken Swallow from Dinnington had some motors on there. I ran a 6x2 Scammell Roadtrain on there in the 80s - will post some photos when I dig them out.
Steve,
That’s right - It was Hepplestones. The buggers used to be on the CB on Am and always interfered with my Mum’s telly when she was watching Corrie. I can still hear her moaning about it now. Ha ha ha.
Rgds,
I seem to remember Norfolk Line buying a Dutch forwarding company (in Dordrecht) called Laros Shipping and Forwarding BV.
IIRC, Laros was run by several brothers and their Dad?
I remember the names John, Peter, Harry and Dirk from that time and that we used UTA tickets to get fuel.
I did fridge work for a subbie of Laros around 1982ish, mostly UK-NL-UK. At the time, there were loads that went ‘on tour’ eg. Rotterdam to Dover, then to Paris and/or Brussels before being unloaded somewhere nearby where you’d originally loaded. IIRC, that was something to do with exporters claiming EEC subsidies .
We also did proper loads sometimes. 
dieseldave:
I seem to remember Norfolk Line buying a Dutch forwarding company (in Dordrecht) called Laros Shipping and Forwarding BV.
IIRC, Laros was run by several brothers and their Dad?
I remember the names John, Peter, Harry and Dirk from that time and that we used UTA tickets to get fuel.I did fridge work for a subbie of Laros around 1982ish, mostly UK-NL-UK. At the time, there were loads that went ‘on tour’ eg. Rotterdam to Dover, then to Paris and/or Brussels before being unloaded somewhere nearby where you’d originally loaded. IIRC, that was something to do with exporters claiming EEC subsidies .
We also did proper loads sometimes.
Just had a look in an old diary…Laros, Dordrecht 078 186444 ask for Baz…1982
haddy:
Hello Peter, Lanhams are certainly still going. They do agricultural work such as sugar beet and corn and I think they still have some motors on Norfolk Line out of Felixtowe. The units are mostly seccond hand Daf 85s and to be honest not exactly one of the smartest fleets around.
As you say, in the early days at Norfolk Line cattle was loaded below the waterline under the bottom trailer deck. Walter Lanham did the buying and selling as well as the transport. If Walter had to “ring” a bull it would be me who he would call on for a helping hand and I would go in the lairage pen with him to hold the animal still with the aid of a halter wrapped around a post. I always hated the noise the ringing gadget made when it crunched through the nose bone. Also I was young and could move pretty quick in those days and I always got a “drink”.
Before the Ro Ro ferries we used to backload cattle in convential ships and, although this operation normally went quite well, there was the odd drama. One night some of the beasts made a bid for freedom and it took ages to round them up. Then one day a bullock went into the river,the tide was running out and it was thrashing around in the water heading for the harbour’s mouth and out to sea but luckily it was eventually dragged ashore on the opposite side of the river, loaded onto a waiting cattle float and brought three miles back to the ship apparently unscathed. Happy days, Regards, Haddy.
Haddy
i have had heard the same story regarding Stumpys wallet going in the river !!!
but i think he soon had it back out before it got past the pilot station!!
Hello Andy, Stumpy’s wallet would never float.Are you by any chance Andy (Wrangler) W****n?
As SRichardson mentions, Murfitts Worked with NorfolkLine for a long time, and still were early 90s although it had waned a bit by then. We used to get roped in to pull them if we were found hiding somewhere with a dual-height fifth wheel, Kodak at Hemel (tipping) and Platt & Hill at Oldham (loading) being two regular jobs I remember now
From photos I’ve seen H J Calver from Stradbroke must have been with them early too?
haddy:
Hello Andy, Stumpy’s wallet would never float.Are you by any chance Andy (Wrangler) W****n?
Haddy
No Andy at SBS GY.
Barney was telling me this morning about the cold store on Berth 7. i thought it was only used by the vets for import inspection,
Barney seems to think it was also used as a slughter house at some point.
As promised some pics of my days pulling for Norfolk Line:
andy66:
haddy:
Hello Andy, Stumpy’s wallet would never float.Are you by any chance Andy (Wrangler) W****n?Haddy
No Andy at SBS GY.
Barney was telling me this morning about the cold store on Berth 7. i thought it was only used by the vets for import inspection,
Barney seems to think it was also used as a slughter house at some point.
I think you are correct in what you say Andy, as far as I can remember it was purpose built for the inspection of imported carcases. There hasn’t been a slaughter house in Yarmouth since the '60s, it was off Middle Market Rd. (unless my memory is playing tricks). Regards to you all at SBS, Haddy.
Dieseldogsix:
dieseldave:
I seem to remember Norfolk Line buying a Dutch forwarding company (in Dordrecht) called Laros Shipping and Forwarding BV.
IIRC, Laros was run by several brothers and their Dad?
I remember the names John, Peter, Harry and Dirk from that time and that we used UTA tickets to get fuel.I did fridge work for a subbie of Laros around 1982ish, mostly UK-NL-UK. At the time, there were loads that went ‘on tour’ eg. Rotterdam to Dover, then to Paris and/or Brussels before being unloaded somewhere nearby where you’d originally loaded. IIRC, that was something to do with exporters claiming EEC subsidies .
We also did proper loads sometimes.
Just had a look in an old diary…Laros, Dordrecht 078 186444 ask for Baz…1982
Hi Dieseldogsix,
I don’t remember a “Baz” but I wouldn’t argue with an old diary either, cos I’m sure you’re right!!
Now I’ve had some time to ponder, I also remember quite a few Dutch fridge motors on a regular bacon contract for Laros (and even in Laros’ livery) and they were to be seen quite regularly awaiting clearance in Dover. They had a strange looking axle set-up on those trailers IIRC. I think two axles were where you’d expect for a tandem set-up, but wasn’t there an extra axle tacked on? (Were they called “De Jong” by any chance?)
haddy:
From 1967 I was with a company called Superior International who ran conventional ships into Gt. Yarmouth from Holland. They imported mainly fruit and veg. and ran a smart fleet of two-stroke Commers for market distribution. In early 1968 the trucks were sent to the new distribution depot near Huntingdon and Norfolk Line took over the shipping and transport. We were transferred to their payroll so I suppose I can say I was one of the first employees at Norfolk Line in this country. I left in 1969 after being offered a job at LG Perfect Haulage and and stayed there for the next 37 years till they packed up. Regards to all, Haddy.
Superior International used to park at Woodhouse Mill on the A57 going into Sheffield at night,maybe three or four green? Commer TS3s in the early 60s,outside - I think - Ken Swallow’s house.