Hello Dave, would that be Stevie Goulash who was originally from Zseged, he was a nice quite fellow who escaped from Hungary during the 1956 uprising.
Cowboy, (the original one) was Billy McDonald R.I.P. he used to work for Chapman and Ball in the 70’s.
Regards Steve. (certainly not the Budapest one hitter, but I did do Manchester to Toddington once). 
mushroomman:
Hello Dave, would that be Stevie Goulash who was originally from Zseged, he was a nice quite fellow who escaped from Hungary during the 1956 uprising.
Hi Steve,
I’m guessing that Stevie Goulash wasn’t the same guy I’m thinking of, because the “Steve” I have in mind was about the same age as myself ( mid to late 20s) at the time I met him, and no trace of a foreign accent. Even at this time of night, my dodgy maths is telling me that Stevie Goulash would have been a bit older??
(Maths isn’t my strongest point though. 
)
mushroomman:
Cowboy, (the original one) was Billy McDonald R.I.P. he used to work for Chapman and Ball in the 70’s.
I think this is the guy I met, cos he did mention Chapman and Ball. I didn’t know he’d passed on though. R.I.P. to him.
mushroomman:
Regards Steve. (certainly not the Budapest one hitter, but I did do Manchester to Toddington once).
The Steve I met had dark brown or black hair at the time, if that’s any help.
Cheers,
Dave.
used to meet a lot of the guys either in the tank wash at GRUBER
or the restaurant and at Hüls Marl , also now and again
else where on the road, great bunch of guys just like P Blakes
Drivers,were.,.,
Hi Dave, not wishing to hijack this Norman Lewis thread but the only other Steve who I can think of from the 70’s was an owner driver from Merseyside called Stevie Nicks (could of been Nickleson). Somebody did ask me about him sometime ago and I can’t remember who it was so I posted a picture of Stevie on the Astran/Middle East thread on page 77, Stevie is the one on the right. One hit to Budapest does seem a bit O.T.T. although I am not saying that it was never done but in the 70’s a fair days work used to be from Zeebrugge to Weiskirchen Services near Frankfurt or if you had a really good run just past Wurtsberg. I did do a one hit to Budapest once when I doubled up with Lennie Frost to collect my motor which I had parked up at the Taurus Tyre factory after I had flown home one Christmas. That took us over two and a half days due to the weather and It wasn’t a trip that I would like to do again.
Regards Steve.
artic monkey:
line up
Unusual to see so many parked up together, must have been a mild Christmas. But Norman would have inspected them all on a Sunday morning and checked for dirty wheel nuts or damage
whitegold:
Attempting to put this thread back on topic - here’s another couple of my Photos that are new to the web:
A348MAT as 9511 - must be a good while ago, small yard & no washbay.
Above image is quite rare, the only NLT unit in AGA UK Livery. Early in 1993. at Bardon, near Leicester.
There are more to come, time permitting!
Hey Simon - didn’t that head board on the AGA unit cause some discussion !!!
A couple of more recent yard shots, not sure of the date
They must have been about 91/92 going by the strange numbering on the chassis and the 4x2 unit
Originally Normans motors were all numbered 95**
Then we had a new Dutch manager who got easily confused, so the 9602 meant it was supposed to run with six axles and the 9202 meant it was a two axle unit, or something equally obscure.
I also seem to remember there were repercussions from above about that.
It is the small yard and the Friday fish shop van still looks like it may be in service.
I was in Belgium at the time and they had rented a Central Trailer Rentco skelly with an ADR certificate for me.
My first red chassis was a new Clayton that I picked up from Burscough with Barry Lewis
noticed a post earlier in the thread mentioning Joe Craven.
For those unaware Joe passed away about 3 years ago.
del949:
noticed a post earlier in the thread mentioning Joe Craven.
For those unaware Joe passed away about 3 years ago.
Bloody hell, that comes as a bit of a shock.
How is Keith Mitchell , mmm eh?
Sorry, can’t help with anyone else.
I knew Joe when he was doing ME for Panalpina.
del949:
Sorry, can’t help with anyone else.
I knew Joe when he was doing ME for Panalpina.
OK cheers. I know they were “mates” sort of and both worked at Harold Woods together
hiya nigel , i started on those old fodens in 1963 , and they were hard work , but we had to drive them properly . freezing in winter , boiling in summer, but as lorries got better we found them quite cushy while the younger drivers moaned about them . i finished in 2004 on a foden alpha , and it was like driving my car in comparison . i wouldn’t wish the old lorries on anyone , but we didn’ t have tachos , speed cameras or vosa , so some things were better , regards , dave
sorry chaps , funny fingeritis , dropped that on the wrong thread , rigsby
ovlov:
Another here Wheel Nut a 142 this time, was this Keiths?
This was my dad’s truck, you probably all know him as Ginger!!! I remember him letting me sit with him and let me ‘drive’ it when i was a little girl,probably around 12years old!!!
Wheel Nut:
Cheers mate.Unfortunately I dont remember any of those particular trucks, The 112 pictured is RHD and I only remember us having left ■■■■■■ Scanias. The first time I took one to Castleford, it frightened me to death
The V8’s had all gone by then too and the first new F90’s were being delivered.
There are a few more pictured in Dover on Ash’s thread and a couple more that found their way across the desert.
I know Keith and Ginger both had V8,s but they were already at Bertschi when I started on a B reg 331
ovlov, did you work there when HC Wilson had an office in the yard?
Ginger is my dad!!! Anyone got any pics i can blackmail him with■■? Hahahaha!!
ovlov:
I didn’t work there mate I worked for Dawson Freight but knew most of Normans drivers from Ludwigshafen. I still see Keith every now and then he still works part time at Batley tankwash, as for ginger he was a good friend but I’ve not seen him for years he eventually retired and as far as I know he’s still in BlackpoolI saw more of ginger when he left Normans the first time and went for TankTrans at Tyldesley Manchester though that didn’t last long and he went back to Normans and took Johnny Hope with him now sadly deceased I believe.
In answer to your query as to what happened to Ginger i can assure you my Dad is well and living in Burscough, near Southport. He retired from Bertschi’s 6 years ago but has pics of most of his trucks, including my favourite, his Norman Lewis ‘Duggie’ - DUG 877Y, which he remembers with great fondness. He unfortunately has never mastered the old tinternet but can be contacted through me and i will be showing him all these posts and pics that will most surely bring a big grin to his face!!!
Wheel Nut:
ovlov:
I didn’t work there mate I worked for Dawson Freight but knew most of Normans drivers from Ludwigshafen. I still see Keith every now and then he still works part time at Batley tankwash, as for ginger he was a good friend but I’ve not seen him for years he eventually retired and as far as I know he’s still in BlackpoolHiya ovlov. It is Keith Grimshaw you see at LPG. Keith Simpson was from Balderton nr Newark and had his own complicated rules for 5’s & 3’s
Keith, (Simmo) is still doing a bit of relief for Bertschi, but he is retired too. Ginger retired and didnt want to see another lorry
I also believe Steve Shearer has retired through ill health although I saw him a couple of years ago going into Swiss.
Was Tanktrans mixed up with Danny Williams?
If my Dad (Ginger) said he never wanted to see another truck then he’s a lying so and so, cos after he retired we had to hide his HGV licence to stop him going back to cover the holidays, cos at nearly 70 we said he was too old!!! hahahaha. Still happy and healthy i am very very glad to report!!
ladyjayne:
ovlov:
Another here Wheel Nut a 142 this time, was this Keiths?
This was my dad’s truck, you probably all know him as Ginger!!! I remember him letting me sit with him and let me ‘drive’ it when i was a little girl,probably around 12years old!!!
Or hang on was my dad FUGY?? OMG!! My memory is not what it used to be!! Might have to ask old Ginge bout that one!!!
LadyJayne,
I can guarantee you this is your Dad’s ole machine
I got it from him when he got the F90 (F290 or 291 HTT) he got one, Blue got the other.
He took the Jumbo behind his and I kept 9532 behind DUG 877Y
I can understand him bing confused about the rego, as earlier in it’s life the ole girl was known to have an identity crisis occasionally (Ginger will fill you in on the details, can’t put in print) there were reasons why certain trucks never caught the same ship…
Tell the ole gugga to keep well, he should have a look into Queensland sometime
Really good to hear that the ole bugga is still about, there’s not too many Gentlemen about these days !!!
Hey - let him know that Simon Harris is on here too - although he’s probably worked that out
