Harry is the road north green & clean good buddy. 
Not comming just asking. 
Now back to this thread. Bagdad Bill, my mate Bill Thomas who I have help many times, got his daughter to phone me up at home, hello Karen what can I do for you, Dad is in Australia in Brisbane Hospital broke his hip and he wants your mobile number so you can text each other for he is feeling sorry for himself, and he knows your quick wit will give him a lift.
More to follow
More from Bagdad Bill, he text me to tell me he was in a boxing match with a Kangeroo, he was holding his own when he was giving a side swipe with the roo leg and broke his hip. He flew to Abbi Dabba then to Sydney for a cruise around Australia then several islands then Japan on a 21 day cruise, which he only completed 4 Days. I told him by text I had heard on the scuttlebuck ( Grapevine) thats for those with no knolledge of naval terms. That he was down by the river showing off his judo kicks and fell and broke his hip. He texted his answer, Sandman you know me so well, I was going on a river boat trip, and walking down the boardwalk and tripped and fell and broke my hip and had it bolted together in Brisbane hospital he was there 35 days . A nurse flew from UK to Brisbane and picked up Bill flew to Hong Kong, five hour stop over then to Heathrow, mercedes car back to his house paid by his insurance. He phoned me from his home straight after he got in , he told me he played his daughter up after she told him off, to take more care of himself and act his age of 83, Karen darling I have booked my next cruise! he had not but he told me my continue texting kept him sane. Well a mate in need is a bloody nuisence, but I just can’t say no. 
hi norman its steve john blands cousin would that be the bill john worked with he spoke to me few times of a guy bill if so hes doing well i think he sent john and his mum xmas cards still u can tell him johns mum still alive 96yrs old going to see her today as im back in uk for while
Hiya,
Where’s Norman ■■?.
thanks harry, long retired.
Yeah - C’mon Norman. We miss you mate. Jim. 
Have had bad news, my brother Reg was told his brain tumour has started to grow back, and the hospital can do no more for him. But I have gone back into my memory and a trip to Bagdad, I had travelled on ferry to Zeebrugge. Having quite a few hours of daylight, I passed through Belgium into Germany at Aachen then as the light was fading I pasted Koln and pulled up in a rest area. After a shower and cooking a meal I went to sleep.few hours later a knock on the cab door I drew the curtain and standing there was two fair hair girls about twenty year old. What can I do you two Dreamboats, are you going to Saudia they asked. No I am going to Iraq, but I can take you to Istanbul or Ankara. Which is the best, well you may get a lift at Londra camping or the pudding shop in Istanbul which is famous for travellers getting lifts, it’s correct name is the Lale restaurant. Yes can we come with ■■? Norman is the name, get in. More later!
Norman,Terrible news about your brother Reg, and my sincerest sympathies, as we get older, good news gets scarcer, so all the best of wishes to you and your family.
Now. Without comprimising your obvious good relations with her indoors - more about those dollies please. If you were in that Marathon, then you had to visit every lay-by in Europe. I know, cos I’ve worked on them, and reliable, they weren’t. (Marathons that is) But THREESOMES! Pushes Jazandy and his Yanktank well into the shade. Jim.
Hiya,
Nice to hear from you Norm, but not good news about Reg awful things those
brain tumours I lost my brother Barry to the self same thing about 18 months
ago and him being younger than me was very hard to take, I know what you
are going through mate not a pleasant and yourself as was my case living way
apart doesn’t make things any easier my heart goes out to you Mate.
thanks harry, long retired.
Thank you both, he has not improved much since he had two years ago in July a brain opp he cannot do much for himself, but he is sharp. He went a week or more for a check up and told it was growing back, and they could do no more for him, for his body is too weak.
Now back to my trip, I let the girls in and went back to sleep,woke early to travel pass Stuttgart, Frankfurt before pulling up outside Nuremberg and cooking breakfast, the girls were amazed by amount of food I carried with me, fed and a few cups of tea. Ready now for maybe another two hundred miles at least I wanted to get out of Germany and into Czechoslovakia, knew a few places to take the girls who were nurses who wanted to see about getting a job in a hospital in Saudi. I ask if they got much sleep, they said alittle, so I told them to get on the bed and rest while I drive, I wake them up before the border.
Norman Ingram:
Thank you both, he has not improved much since he had two years ago in July a brain opp he cannot do much for himself, but he is sharp. He went a week or more for a check up and told it was growing back, and they could do no more for him, for his body is too weak.
Now back to my trip, I let the girls in and went back to sleep,woke early to travel pass Stuttgart, Frankfurt before pulling up outside Nuremberg and cooking breakfast, the girls were amazed by amount of food I carried with me, fed and a few cups of tea. Ready now for maybe another two hundred miles at least I wanted to get out of Germany and into Czechoslovakia, knew a few places to take the girls who were nurses who wanted to see about getting a job in a hospital in Saudi. I ask if they got much sleep, they said alittle, so I told them to get on the bed and rest while I drive, I wake them up before the border.
Hiya,
Norm three in a shed you randy little devil.
thanks harry, long retired.
After about three hours driving I came close to the German border,dropped the girls off with their backpacks. Not usually so careful, but I was had up in court due to a cork tip in the tacho which we never used, but it was someone else lorry. I was fined 200DM and told it would have been £200 if I had put it there. I did question the judges ruling, how could we be in breach of breaking the law, when we was not signed up to use them, we had logbooks. The European law was all new LKVs must have tacho’s fitted and in working order. The cigarette was a obstruction breaking the law of the tacho being in working order. I had pointed out I had no cigarettes in my cab I had cigars. I was asked how much money I had, I smiled and replied you tell me the cost of the fine, and I will say if I can pay. Well soon as I pulled up a officer was checking my tacho, I had a cigar and puffed abit of smoke his way with a smile on my face, thinking not this time mate. Cleared both sides and down the road was my passengers waiting with a smiles on their faces. We motored on and went by Plzen, the place where the famous beer is brewed, known as Pilsner. Skirted around Praha (Prague) as you know it, owing to it having so many low bridges with electric cables strung under them, TIR drivers nightmare, but once chatting to a local I was drew a map how to avoid the bridges, side roads with more bridges but a short trip down by the side of a forest across railway lines on a wooden level crossing to bring us back otherside of Praha on to the road that led to Hungary and pulled into a market square in Hanipolec I provided the girls with hot water and left them to search for a restaurant as usual ask if they took DMs for I knew it would cost than a fiver. Got back to my lorry and they was undressed, and got towels quickly. I said Ladies you have nothing I have not seen before, I have nothing you nurses have not seen before. Ice was broken and they both had a all over wash,they dressed up supperb. Then I stripped was and dressed and took them out.
Back in the “70” Old ■■■■ used to do trips the middle east for a nottingham bus firm, anyone remember him or the firm, only sent two wagons on trips.
SAndman Norman
Norman, was it Barton ?
Regards MaggieD
Yes it was Bartons.
I was in Teheran customs with a couple of Bartons lads for a week in 1976.
Thank you bestbooties & maggie D, you are dead correct, you jogged my memory. When I used to see him, I asked where snowy & jock were, because he was " ■■■■ Barton " special agent. Wonder if he is still alive, he must be about 20 years older than me , I am 71 now. Last time Isaw him was at londra camp, just after I had my accident in june 6th 1977, i was stuck there for 10 to 13 weeks, my unit was there with the cab missing, that was dumped 5kms down the road. later when I did a trip to turkey, I found that a turk had knocked the dents out, and was living in it??, well it did have a nice bed ha ha ha . I have found out that Londra camping is still going as a camping site
Norman Ingram:
Thank you bestbooties & maggie D, you are dead correct, you jogged my memory. When I used to see him, I asked where snowy & jock were, because he was " ■■■■ Barton " special agent. Wonder if he is still alive, he must be about 20 years older than me , I am 71 now. Last time Isaw him was at londra camp, just after I had my accident in june 6th 1976, i was stuck there for 10 to 13 weeks, my unit was there with the cab missing, that was dumped 5kms down the road. later when I did a trip to turkey, I found that a turk had knocked the dents out, and was living in it??, well it did have a nice bed ha ha ha .
Have you got any pics from those days you can share with us?
I for one would love to see them,especially the famous Leyland Marathons of BRS Overland.
Here you go chaps, if you`ve got anymore tucked away Norman please please get up on here 
great looking motors
Yes lads I have a few decent ones , some of the wreck, also old seddons, when on bulwalks, dafs when on wim bosmans, perhaps some of you have spoken to me on c/b, my handle was (Curlytop), had many friends when on the lager wagons ( probably the best in the world). Only been on the net 18 months, don’t use it a lot, only for holidays & emailing. my technical knowledge is limited. When my daughter comes by I will ask her how to install them on my laptop, and put them on this site. At my age even the phones send my head into a spin, only have one for emergency ha ha ha. The marathon was a good looking vehicle and was not a bad ride, but I never done a trip, without something breaking down■■?. bye for now Norman
We had one Marathon on Brit European and on its first M/E trip,so many bits fell off it was never sent out further than Europe after,and we never had any more!
bestbooties:
Yes it was Bartons.
I was in Teheran customs with a couple of Bartons lads for a week in 1976.
Here we are:
Ian, I can’t see the picture’s, is any body else having trouble ? 
