Yes, we must hv been met , the name of company in Yugo was Josıp Kras.
I hv left Uk in 1988, and have not heard sınce then what Ken is doıng ,
thru the gossıp I ve heard that he went into Jaıl for some reason that I do not know.
tHEY were runnıng a freıght forwardıng company wıth Barry Wıllıs at the tıme-1986/1987.
regards
nazmı
zulu1512:
Hello Nazmi
I have spoken and been to your office so we must have met but it was 30 years ago and the memory goes a little grey. I was working for a company called BR FRANKS Costal (Morissa confectionary) based in East London I worked with a guy called Chris. OHS, Astran and Leadhams did a lot of work for us back then bringing confectionary from Zagreb and taking other stuff out to Iraq for us. Met a lot of the drivers either here or in Yugo, Turkey and other european places. Still in contact with Chris he told me that Ken was in quite a bit of trouble but that was over 10 years ago no idea what he is doing now.
Ref. the Seddon Atki’s. I was involved in their purchase and Orhan Sertel wanted to run European tractors but with as much American spec. as possible hence the ■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Eaton line up. They were initially mainly for use in the U.K., but were also to be used on the Istanbul and Izmir runs.
The first one was driven by Roy Evett who was UK shunter driver for some time while I was there.
Nazmi
From what I understand Ken set up company doing haulage from southern Spain, but the company out there was a front for drug running, when it all went sour evryone ran away and Ken was left holding the baby Chris thinks he got 5 or 7 years, It was a long time ago and I guess he would be out now but have no idea where he is.
OHS Transport was formed back in 1975 (I was in Ä°zmir at the time) and gone into liqudaition in 1986.
Boss was Orhan Hakkı Sertel , Robert College Graduate ın Turkey and took MBA at Harvard/Usa.
Before the economıc crısıs ın Turkey, company was only operatıng to Uk-Tr-Uk traffıc,when the economıc crısıs arısed ın Turkey ın 1978-1979,then company started to operate to M/east(M/East Boom days) Iran/Iraq/Kuwaıt/Saud/AbuDhabıa/doha/Qatar/Dubaı…At fırst ıt was a small fleet of Macks trucks,maintenantce generally taken care of in Izmır or at Vanhove /Brussels.As th years go by, OHS purchased the transport side of PIE ınorder to operate ın EU Market, and from 1979-80 onwards due to market need, addıtıonal trucks been bought , and also ın addıtıon to thıs a german company Unıted’S’Transport Gmbh was formed based ın Munıch for ther German and EU Market.
So ın total group had 4 companıes.:
Ohs Transport Ltd/Pıe (Later Unıted Intl Carrıeers Ltd)/Unıted S TRansport Gmbh and Contex Sa/Tr.
Who were runnıng the Companıes.:
Ohs- Ken Johnson(1975) …Andy Maclean.1977-19780…after that time I came to Uk.,and started to run the truckıng sıde of the operatıon of Ohs and the group.
as a co-ordınator…in Munıch we had Vadım Bılak. and in Istanbul we had Ertan >okyay and late Ira Maslenıkof(Whıte Russıan Lady wıth 5 fluent languages-French-German-Russıan-English-Turkısh.)
In eraly 80 ies, we were doıng M/East runs, choclates&Confectıonery for Mars-Rowntree Mackıntosh(Now Nestle) to Kuwaıt&Saudı, 10-15 reefers per week, plus Hangıng meat ex Ireland to Iran (usıng Hungarcamıon Trucks & Ohs Trucks) 15 reeefers per week, and as Tılt loads BMc and General Motors goods to Istanbul&Izmır 20 tralers per week…,besıdes thıs we had a contract wıth Ege-Turk/Koln,sausages&salam to M/east,5 reefers a week…
Almost 40-50 departures per week (ıncludıng the German Market).
Those were the good days…I mıss the hastle&travel&beıng a trouble shooter.
workıng 14-16 hours a day, we were young, was only 30 at the tıme…that ıs 30 years ago.
WE’ll carry on the next epısode.
When I joined the company there was one other English driver, Ken Johnson’s office was off Oxford circus, and I was sent over to Antwerp to collect a spanking new GMC Astro and a Dorsey flatbed with the bogie right at the back. I took this over to Cooks at Rainham to convert into a tilt. Ken was a great guy. He left to start up the English office of another Turksih company Bergama. Anyone know where he is now?
The very fırst UK Regıstıred truck was a Mack, jyh326n and behınd a dorsey reefer 116029…Fırst trıp was for BMC ızmır, that was in 1975,and late Selahattın and a Brıtısh drıver were together ın the truck…No ıdea where Ken ıs now? Hıs brother George worked for a whıle…
Jazzandy:
When I joined the company there was one other English driver, Ken Johnson’s office was off Oxford circus, and I was sent over to Antwerp to collect a spanking new GMC Astro and a Dorsey flatbed with the bogie right at the back. I took this over to Cooks at Rainham to convert into a tilt. Ken was a great guy. He left to start up the English office of another Turksih company Bergama. Anyone know where he is now?
If you remember Nazmi JYH also had a Turkish plate and the switch was made for permit reasons somewhere in Europe on each trip. Do you remember who was the English driver?
as far as I remember was a young drıver, name do not remember…could ıt be Roy Wıllılams?
Jazzandy:
If you remember Nazmi JYH also had a Turkish plate and the switch was made for permit reasons somewhere in Europe on each trip. Do you remember who was the English driver?
Hi Jazzandy
I knew a driver from Hastings who was on for OHS Martin Griffiths (think thats the right name) met up with him in Hastings as he had just been over to Antwerp to pick up a new Mack unit. Was great to look over the Mack. Think he was pit stopping to load his gear before setting of. Does that name ring any bells with you ?
silver fox:
Hi Jazzandy
I knew a driver from Hastings who was on for OHS Martin Griffiths (think thats the right name) met up with him in Hastings as he had just been over to Antwerp to pick up a new Mack unit. Was great to look over the Mack. Think he was pit stopping to load his gear before setting of. Does that name ring any bells with you ?
The old memory is not so good these days but I would think it was about 1980 or so if thats of any help.
Hi silver fox ,
do you remember the year?
silver fox wrote:
Hi Jazzandy
I knew a driver from Hastings who was on for OHS Martin Griffiths (think thats the right name) met up with him in Hastings as he had just been over to Antwerp to pick up a new Mack unit. Was great to look over the Mack. Think he was pit stopping to load his gear before setting of. Does that name ring any bells with you ?
The old memory is not so good these days but I would think it was about 1980 or so if thats of any help.
Hi silver fox ,
do you remember the year?
silver fox wrote:
Hi Jazzandy
I knew a driver from Hastings who was on for OHS Martin Griffiths (think thats the right name) met up with him in Hastings as he had just been over to Antwerp to pick up a new Mack unit. Was great to look over the Mack. Think he was pit stopping to load his gear before setting of. Does that name ring any bells with you ?
Hı Big Leggy, do you remember me, Izmır Offıce Nazmi…Have you done BMC runs to Ä°zmir.?
It ıs just a rumour…The Boss imported Mack Trucks into Turkey (long nose B61 s) back in 1964
for petrol transport Batman to Iskenderun …
Late Mrs Alma Sertel was a true lady.
Big Leggy:
Jazzandy:
This is a photograph of Orhan Hakki Sertel the founder of Contex and OHS taken in 2008
I worked for OHS between 1977 to 1978 but until now never knew what the company founder looked like.
What is the truth behind the rumour/story that he was married to the daughter of the M.D. at Mack Trucks U.S.of A.?
