Keith, No problem, it was just another days work for me, my mates were shook up, but when I shouted at them, they soon came out of it, They thought I was dead, they could not believe I was still the same cheerful chappy, with no shock, picture of me in a blue shirt sitting in Londra Camp the next day, without a care in the world. Only once I let my feelings out, when travelling back through Yugo, a kami- Karsi coach driver over took me in a dangerious position, I thought it will not be long before you will kill yourself mate, 15 minutes later he had wiped out 3cars, I went to a mercedes estate car, and attended to a beautiful young turkish girl 14/15 years old, I held her in my arms, washed the blood out of her eyes, muttie, vater, ( mom, father), I told her they was ok, they travelled from Hamburg to Istanbul, a family of eight, they was all dead, I could see them being loaded into coffins, she smiled at me, and then was dead in my arms. That upset me more than my accident ever did. Sandman Norman
Hi
One thing that made me think was when i saw a dead man lying on the side of the road out side the Mo camp with just a news papier put on his head. that was bad enouth but he was still there when we went past on the next trip two and a half weeks later. It just made you realise how much value they put on life. Anyway on a more cherfull note.
I never came accross Aydin but he sounded like a good chap to know. Does anyone know if hes still around? The so called tyre fitters also had their work cut out. I have seen then bolt a patch on the inside of a blown out tyre, the nuts on the outside, just to get a little more life out of it. It used to amuse me to see the Turks just carrying spare tyres and if they had a flat would make the wheel up on site, then if there was no life left in the old tyre would burn it. And use a piece of wood on an angle and move the truck until the wood was uprite lifting it up at the same time.We used to have a thing called a jack 
It is funny how things come back to you when you start thinking. like the red light on the sump facing forward,which made driving at night interesting espesally when they drove with no other lights on.You did not know wether they were coming or going. And how about overloading I remember seeing a tonker 4wheeler with single tyre tag with a Cat 6 wheel road grader in the back. He had got the twin axle engine end in the body,the blade was hanging accross the back,with the two steering wheels running on the road behind. I am realy sorry that i did not take a camera with me in those early days that one would have been a gem.
Regards Keith.
Norman Ingram:
Steve & colnel, Adin was not only a brillant mechanic, he was a very nice man, and he went out of his way to help people, even though he was getting paid, he would not worry about the money. in 1977 he was at a big yard ten minutes up the road on the oppersite side of the road from Londra Camping, I think he said he used to be near the camp. Sandman Norman
At the time I used to visit him,his place was a few k’s away in the direction of Kapic,set back off the road on the right.
I believe he had relatives in England.
This is what always’s fascinates me about the Trucknet website, if anybody mentions words like Aydin or Turkish air horns for example my mind starts thinking of things that happened nearly thirty years ago and over that period of time I probably haven’t thought about some of these things more than three or four times altogether.
Yes Norman, Aydin was indeed a very,very nice man but I can remember the only time that I ever saw him loose his temper.
I had a bit of trouble with the electrics on the trailer going around The Sofia Ring road, you will remember what it was like half cobbles and half pot holes. I had a feeling that it was a bad earth some where but I knew Aydin would be able to sort it out so I decided to carry on.
They had been building the new road outside Aydins place for about six months, which I.I.R.C. was about six kilometres west of The Londra Camp on London Road. As I arrived outside his place I was surprised to find out that they had opened this new streach of road and I couldn’t turn left into his yard as there was a small wall running along the centre reservation. So I had to carry on until I found a gap where I could do a U turn and double back on myself. I found a gap big enough to turn around and there was nothing saying that you couldn’t do a U turn, the two cars in front of me had no problem doing the same manoeuvre but as I turned I could see the policeman sat parked in his car.
He started following me and I knew straight away that this was going to cost me something, as I pulled into Aydins yard the cop followed me in.
He wanted 100 Turk lira off me which I paid as I knew that I didn’t have a leg to stand on. Aydin had been watching this and walked over to see what was happening, when the cop explained why I had been done Aydin went ballistic. He ended up after about ten minutes shouting and waving his arms about and I think that the cop had got the message and left looking quite sheepish.
I asked Aydin why he was so upset and what he had said to the policeman. The T.I.R. drivers bring me plenty of work he said, I don’t know who that new policeman is but he is going to be in big trouble, the police are always coming in here for a new bulb or to have small jobs done, I never charge them and now they are trying to ruin my business he said. I know who the Chief of Police is I have done work on his car and I am going to phone him.
I explained to Aydin about my electrical problem and while he was trying to fix it the same police car arrived and this time he had a passenger. The passenger got out and he was also wearing a police uniform but he had enough scrambled egg on his hat to make a large omelette.
Aydin crawled out from underneath the trailer and spoke to the two cop’s then they all went inside for a glass of chei. About ten minutes later they came out and they all seemed friendly enough, the two cop’s got back into their car and drove off, Aydin came over to my cab and gave me my 100 Turkish lira back. It turned out that the cop was new to the area and he had been assured by the Chief that it would not happen again.
I also remember that Aydin had his young nephew working with him as his appentice and I wonder if he now runs the business. I must admit that his yard was always clean and tidy and he used to let British drivers park securely up there for the night.
Did anybody ever see that Bullworker muscle builder that was always outside the office ? I am sure that his nephew said that a British driver had given it to him.
And talking of Turkish air horns and red light’s under the sump, does anybody remember those Whoopee horns that made a screaming noise ?.
Regards Steve.
Steve
I know exactly what you mean about the memory thing. I have spent all day trucking around with my mind 33 years ago in Turkey.Did anyone ever have their steering wheel or gear knob covered in the multi colored plastic ? . Also I was thinking of a trip over Tyhir when we came across two young lads, one older than the other but no older than about ten. They had in their charge a donkey loaded down with snow chains, and beckoned us to buy them off them. We stopped and tried to ask how much. We could not understand so the eldest brought out his wallet to show us how much they wanted, it was full of money. The people in this area seemed so poor and yet he had all this in his wallet. We settled on less than half of what they wanted and the eldest helped me lift the chains onto the chassis of the unit. As he swung back he hit his head on the side of the trailer. His brother came to him, rubbed and kissed his wound and everything was ok again. And off we went everyone happy. It was not until later that we discovered that a small piece of chain was missing. What the lads had done was to chisel the links of the chain off a truck that had gone off the road and had been abandoned leaving a piece under the wheel. It must have taken them ages.You just have to admire them.
Regards Keith.
Steve, its nice to hear your tale about Adin, and as a ex- M/e driver, I know it is true, for the way he treated me the times I called in to see him , even if I had no work for him, any time I saw scrap or motor part, I would pick them up , and save them for Adin, and drop them off, because he was a person who was a honest man, and he got very angery when he knew I was having problems with the customs, because a crate that came out of my trailer went missing, I suspected the breakdown man the police got. I wanted Adin, but they had already got this bloke, while I was at the police station. He was told to take my unit and my cab, plus the crate to Londra camping, but the lazy so-in so, just took the unit, and chucked my cab down the embankment, I asked him where my crate was, and he shrudded his shoulders, it was full of phospher bronze fittings. In court they asked me where the case was, I told them it was stolen, who stole it they asked, if I knew that, I would thump them, and get it back. The judge & police laughted, I would still be there now, but for the help of the chief of Police, he told my agent, that I was a very brave & funny man, and he would find a villian, who had committed a crime, and say you took the crate from this truck, and with a gentle persuasion, he would sign a confession, which was taken to court, and the customs would release my trailer. I was in Londra camping over ten weeks, and saw a lot of Adin, he repaired my trailer, and when it made it to Bagdad, back at Adins yard, we broke down two trailers, put the crashed unit up against the back board, and the other trailer on top, and chained it down, and returned to UK, with my mate wink, but again we had problems with the alternater, and took the one off my damaged unit, and back on the road to England. Sandman Norman
When talking to my old mate Bagdad Bill, he was saying about the jobs he done to France for Marks & spencers, but it made me use my old grey matter, and when filling in between M/E, I did quite afew trips of groupage for Baxter & hoares to Germany, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Kolne, dropping off, and collections, anyone remember them, and are they still going. Sandman Norman
Being a old coger of nearly 72 years, I had a memory flash, of when I crossed over from Bulgaria to Kapicular, an d was waiting for young turk to do our paperwork, we had been waitng several days, and we had been going to the old cafe, and we had a few beers, and I had a few hard boiled eggs in my pocket, and I began to juggle them, the turks thought I had taken them from the fresh ones on the counter in a basket, High in the air I threw them, and sometimes catching them behind my back, they clapped, and cheered, then I gave one to my mate and he threw it across the otherside of the cafe to me, and one of the turks, wanted me to throw it to him, which I did, but they never noticed I had switched it for a fresh one, he caught it but it went all over the place, again the turks was in a fit of giggles. So I put one i in my mouth, and told my mate to smack my cheeks, then cought the egg out intact, you guessed it, a turk wanted to do it , but once again, I switched eggs, he put it in his mouth, and his brother slapped his cheeks, of course he got a mouthful of raw eggs, again I was applauded. After they calmed down, I got four egg cups, put them on a table with my eggs in put a tray balanced on top of them, them jumped upon the table, then in my socks, I gentle stepped on the tray with the four eggs underneath, just standing on one leg, and I did a little hop, they went wild, we had a meal & drinks given to us free. We had a great time and a good laugh, I put the eggs in my mates pocket, when I was about to leave, this policeman came over to me, and patted my jacket pocket, then he took eggs out of the basket and put them in to the egg cups, I nodded to my mate to leave, and we went, but we peeked through the window as we was walking away, he stepped on the tray, balanced on one foot, the tray held, then he done a hop, crash bang, slip off the table, the table tip over, the eggs was all over the policeman head, as he was sat on his backside, we was gone, and back in our units. To this day I have always wondered if he was applauded like I was ? Sandman Norman
Where are all the comments, specially from the red & rust brigade
hiya,
never danced on eggs norm but tried tap dancing at one time, fell in the sink and broke my ankle never tried it again.
thanks harry long retired.
Harry, what shall we do with you, I think you must be yoking, I know the best thing for water on the brain, is a tap on the head, ha ha ha. When you can think back, some of the stupid things we did, but the Turks loved to laugh, it is a pity, that a part from the army, you never drove from UK to the Middle East. Sandman Norman
M&CJamie, where are you, still waiting to hear about that other tale you was going to tell me about old ■■■■ of bartons, whats a scot doing in taffy land ha ha ha, by the way, your photo was very much appreciated, and brings back memories of times and things we done, that now seem a distance dream. Sandman Norman
hiya,
well norm talk about me driving to the middle east, i’d never find my way iv’e been known to get lost in london on the odd occasion and i did the uk and ireland north and south all my driving career, i had the offer of international driving in the mid 60s i said i would think about it and i’m still thinking about it, have driven in america but only a car, i suppose in this day and age what with sat nav and google maps it’s nigh impossible to get lost, i found driving stateside very easy but everything crawls along, silly speed limits i thought, i never bothered sticking to the limit over there and everybody said i was lucky not to get pulled.
thanks harry long retired. 
Harry, I must be candid, I enjoyed doing the M/E work, but only did it, because I earnt good money, some of them did it for peanuts, and some firms, where worst than bandits, and if they was anywhere around, you had to guard your rig, night & day, others was just on the cadge all of the time, because they was just on trip money, and if they got held up, they was poorly paid. One time in Iran,a couple of chaps who’s firm went bust, had no wages paid into their bank for months, sold their rigs and flew home. When everything went right, drivers were ok, but if they had problems, one after another, I have seen grown men cry, and said they would never do another trip, the old timers, were like nomads always on the go, trip after trip, I did the same, but, I just saw pound after pound going into my bank account. 1964 I chopped my right hand in half, I hit the hard times, I swore that I would never be without money again, and I never was, and that is the main reason I put my name forward to do the job, for I had believe in myself, and my army training, was a great help, and I always got myself out of trouble & problems, I liked company, but I would go on my own, it never worried me. Sandman Norman
hiya,
where’s norm?, not taken up m/e work again i trust ,tell you what if you do it i’ll do it so long as you keep me in your mirrors i’m too old to start getting lost again i might panic and turn back then i’d miss your cabaret act in turkoland,
thanks harry long retired.
No Harry my old mucker, I have not gone back on the M/E, but have been a bit potty lately, well over a 1000 plants in my greenhouse, soon when I think they are strong enough, I will be putting some of them in my front garden. Also yesterday I kept getting, " Whoops your link is broken " everytime I tried to get on the trucknet. One of my bowling mates, who is 89, had someone hit him up the rear of his car, a few weeks ago, it shook him up, and affected one eye, but now he has been ill for two weeks, dam he has the big “C” all over his body, the jolt must have set it off, it is only a matter of days, he was put in a special department near to where I live, I went to see him thursday, he was about 4/5 stones, and only whisper, I only stayed 15 minutes, I could see in his eyes, he knew he was on the way out. When you are in a club with elderly members, you see them dropping like flies. Sorry I have no good news to tell you, but I hope you are feeling better, me and my wife are OK, have you heard from Frenchy?, catch you when I can. Sandman norman
Hi Norman
Very sorry to hear about your mate. I lost my father to leukemia a few years back. he went from 25 stone to next to nothing in 12 months very upsetting. He was 57 worked hard all his life and just coming time for him to take things easy and enjoy life then bang 
It sounds as if you are enjoying your retirement with your bowling and gardening,keep busy, long may you rain.
Regards Keith.
Hya Keith, nice to hear you on here again, sorry about your dad, I lost mine when I was 8 years old, he was 48, yes I am doing well, 72 this Sept, when you are young, you think you are invincible ,in my case it seems it was true, I have been close to death several times, but I am still the happy go lucky idiot, I do not know about the boxer, played by Paul Newman, " But someone up there, likes me, and I am very glad they doooo ?. This is the old Sandman Norman
Hi Norm
Less of the old Sandman. Just on that subject I know all you BRS overland lads all had “Sandman” handles but have only heard you use yours, who were the others and how many. And how many are still around ? that will get your mind working…In the early years you would meet people on the road,flash and wave but never really got to know anyone personly especilly if you were a OD not part of a large firm. looking at some of the photos that have been posted on here there are drivers that look familier some more than others. And names that you have not heard for 30 odd years.
Regards Keith.
hiya,
sorry about your old pal norm, every time my brother phones from the north west where i orignate from and spent half my life there’s always somebody i went to school or worked with has just passed away it’s all about getting old my friend, tell you what i’m deterimined to get a couple of M/Es under the belt (yes there’s still room) before it’s too late, i’d need somebody to show me the ropes though, oh to hell with it i’ll not bother i’d get lost and haven’t the strength to change the wheels i was an expert at blowing tyres off my last gaffer reckoned i drove wearing divers boots, looks like your garden’s going to be bonnie norm i have a greenhouse myself but only grow tomato’s the price of plants is astronomical but a pal opposite grows loads of stuff and fills my pots and planters i’m not much use in the garden in fact i’ve just had mine gravelled so it’s just pots and planters to water and no grass to cut i hated that job, enough for now mate look after youself and keep over to the left.
thanks harry long retired.