mushroomman:
Hi David, I actually bought a set of three ratchet straps about two years ago and like I said to The Mushroom Lady " you never know when we might need one ". She was right, they are still in the packaging unopened somewhere in the garage.
Getting back to The Windrush Cafe on the A40 near Burford. Chris if it wasn’t your J2 it must of been one that I had borrowed.
I can’t remember the parking area being covered in Tarmac, I thought that it was gravelled in the 60’s and that lorry at the back of the photo looks like one of Richard Read from Longhope ? although the writing on the headboard looks like Edwards.
I think that when we mentioned The Windrush some months back I tried to post this link that I don’t think quite worked, well it’s a good read and I am sure that The Bubbleman and Dave will remember seeing Black and White coaches when they were kids. They were seen everywhere in The South West especially on the A40 going to or coming back from London.
Black and White were to The South West what Yelloways were to The North West before National Coaches came along.Regards Steve.
Hi Steve,
I remember The Black and White coaches,from Cheltenham I think,they had a big changover place there for passengers,they had a run up through this way to Aberystwyth,ran through night and morning,always seemed to have a lot more power than most other coaches. In the 1963 winter,the A44 over Radnor Forest,was blocked for six weeks with snow drifts,the Black and White along with everything else,was diverted through the village where I live,they always stopped at Kington for a break,there was a cafe there that took bookings for them. I would imagine I’M older than Marc Bubbleman.
Cheers Dave aged 62 next month.
Big Leggy:
Old Cafe’s The Windrush on A40
In Saturday February 21st “Daily Mail” there was a small piece explaining that the Windrush Cafe closed in 1990… The site was cleared in 2001 & it was to be developed as the Windrush Heights Hotel… In 2005 the builder/developer stopped work & disappeared – the part developed site now stands as can be seen !
The site with planning consent for a hotel - conference centre - restaurant - filling station - convenience store is to be auctioned in London next week with a guide price of £700,000 to £800,000 !!
Bet your life when it’s rebuilt truck drivers will not be welcomed back !!
Here’s the link about the Windrush,from Big Leggy.
Hi Steve,well I have to say that I never had the luxury of ratchets or chains when I was on the steel job,but that was back in 1968.Plenty of rope though.I never used a tautliner as I went onto tankers then onto ambient and fridge boxes.And I’ve never driven a tipper either in all my (nearly ) 40 years of transport.Would that be Edwards of Lydbrook at the back,I thought they were a cream/yellow colour.
Plenty of miles in reverse when shunting though
I remember Black and White coaches,weren’t they Cheltenham based?
,Watch it David, calling us old gentleman ex-truckers, old codgers, Harry might be one 
, I am still trying to find out!, now numbum may have spent so much time in the cafe’s he needed to keep a diary, of who’s round it was, so he even put the name of the cafe’s, no ropeing or sheeting, he had plenty of time on his hands, so that is why he was in so many cafe’s 
, anyway welcome to the threads, do not know your name, but with all that tea you sound like a George.
mushroomman:
Numbum:
Norman Ingram:
Yes lads I have been in the windrush cafe many times, mostly when working for FMC fetching chickens from wales in the 60’s, also I remember the cafe at avonmouth, the woman was a moaning type, she would have been perfect double for the wicked wiitch of the west, in Wizard of Oz, used to use it a lot when going to Stamps to fill up.The cafe at Avonmouth was the Cosy cafe, almost under the conveyor that took the zinc ore to the smelter from the docks. Also on the A4 just past the Suspension Bridge was the Headlight Cafe, up the steps to the high pavement,park on the road. After this was Brown,s by the swingbridge at the docks entrance. Other cafes local to Bristol were the Silver Star and Knight of the Road on the south A38. Further down there was a cafe at Dunball by the BP oil depot.
On the A38 north was the Black & White at Patchway, Motorway at Alveston and the Hot Dog at Newport. On the A370 was Janes at Hewish laterly a caravan sales site. On the A 37 was Mrs Cook,s at Farrington Gurney ,a green tin shed where you had to sit around one big table. Further down was The Fir Tree on the brow of the hill out of Pylle. On the A4 out of Bath was The Green Lantern at Batheaston and The White Horse at Cherhill the other side of Calne, now a bungalow. 44 years on tankers. what is a rope.Welcome to the site Numbum
44 years on tankers it’s no wonder that you remember all those cafe’s and I bet that you could of filled a few tanks with all that tea that you have supped over the years
Now while we are in the area, can you remember in the 60’s a little white cafe on the left hand side as you came down Birdlip Hill on the A417 when you were travelling from Cirencester heading towards Gloucester. I think that it was just past a pub called The Air Balloon.
B.T.W. I heard that ropes were replaced by ratchet straps shortly after Chris Webb sold his Sisal shares and moved from tankers to the Isle Of ManRegards Steve.
Hi Steve,
I remember that cafe at the bottom,of Crickley Hill on the A417,was it called the cottage,could be wrong,used to go to Cirencester a couple of times a week in the late sixties.
Cheers Dave.
Hi boys
mushroomman:
Welcome to the site Numbum
Now while we are in the area, can you remember in the 60’s a little white cafe on the left hand side as you came down Birdlip Hill on the A417 when you were travelling from Cirencester heading towards Gloucester. I think that it was just past a pub called The Air Balloon.
B.T.W. I heard that ropes were replaced by ratchet straps shortly after Chris Webb sold his Sisal shares and moved from tankers to the Isle Of ManRegards Steve.
Hi Steve
I remember that cafe just down the new Birdlip Hill as you say down from the Air Balloon. when you parked up you had to walk down a flight of steps to the cafe.It must have been in the seventies when it closed.
Regards Keith
Norman Ingram:
,Watch it David, calling us old gentleman ex-truckers, old codgers, Harry might be one
Sorry Norman I am a Phil not a George. I am glad someone else has an idea what the cafe on Birdlip Hill was called, I can only remember when the road went left at the bottom and took you into Gloucester past the airfield and aircraft works at Brockworth. Other cafes in Gloucester were the Bridge and West End as you left for South Wales. Somewhere near Tewkesbury on the A38 was an old static half cab coach used as a cafe. I seem to remember the tyres were painted white to posh it up a bit. Never had much time for tea in my last 30 years on tankers. I worked for a contract company on petrol delivery ,the old boys on the major petrol companies may have plodded around but we refered to our depot as the ranch.
44 years on tankers What is a rope.
dessert driver:
Hi boysmushroomman:
Welcome to the site Numbum
Now while we are in the area, can you remember in the 60’s a little white cafe on the left hand side as you came down Birdlip Hill on the A417 when you were travelling from Cirencester heading towards Gloucester. I think that it was just past a pub called The Air Balloon.
B.T.W. I heard that ropes were replaced by ratchet straps shortly after Chris Webb sold his Sisal shares and moved from tankers to the Isle Of ManRegards Steve.
Hi Steve
I remember that cafe just down the new Birdlip Hill as you say down from the Air Balloon. when you parked up you had to walk down a flight of steps to the cafe.It must have been in the seventies when it closed.Regards Keith
HI keith,
Wasn’t it just after Brockworth on the old A417 just before you came to Crickley Hill,to climb up to the Air Balloon,which in my days you went through Birdlip Village,then on to Nettledon Bottom,its all changed now,dual carriageway,just passed Nettledon right through to the M4,not even a roundabout now,much better for time.
Cheers Dave.
Numbum:
Norman Ingram:
,Watch it David, calling us old gentleman ex-truckers, old codgers, Harry might be oneSorry Norman I am a Phil not a George. I am glad someone else has an idea what the cafe on Birdlip Hill was called, I can only remember when the road went left at the bottom and took you into Gloucester past the airfield and aircraft works at Brockworth. Other cafes in Gloucester were the Bridge and West End as you left for South Wales. Somewhere near Tewkesbury on the A38 was an old static half cab coach used as a cafe. I seem to remember the tyres were painted white to posh it up a bit. Never had much time for tea in my last 30 years on tankers. I worked for a contract company on petrol delivery ,the old boys on the major petrol companies may have plodded around but we refered to our depot as the ranch.
44 years on tankers What is a rope.
Hi Phil,
Do you remember the Cafe at Highleadon on the B4215,between Gloucester and Newent,now closed,but still a filling station. We always came that way to Gloucester from the Kington area,went straight over at the Trumpet and through Dymock,and on to Newent.
Cheers Dave.
Numbum:
[ Other cafes in Gloucester were the Bridge and West End as you left for South Wales. .
I remember that West End in Gloucester really well. Coldest digs I’ve ever been in. There was a long corridor with the bedrooms, without doors, like horse stalls leading off it. It was freezing.
My mate and I loaded out of London for S. Wales and I left before him. Booked in at the West End but didn’t see him till I got to Monsanto at Cardiff. We both had Kew Dodges, the LAD cabs, hardly a good kipping cab although the gentle slope at the back of the engine cover wedged you in nicely against the back of the cab.
Turned out he was too late for digs so he’d cabbed it, and had a damned sight more comfortable night that I did.
"mushroomman:
Now while we are in the area, can you remember in the 60’s a little white cafe on the left hand side as you came down Birdlip Hill on the A417 when you were travelling from Cirencester heading towards Gloucester. I think that it was just past a pub called The Air Balloon.
Well done Dave , I think that it was called The Cottage Cafe and well done Keith , I had forgotten that you had to walk down those steps from the lorry park.
Regards Steve.
Dave the Renegade:
Numbum:
Norman Ingram:
,Watch it David, calling us old gentleman ex-truckers, old codgers, Harry might be oneSorry Norman I am a Phil not a George. I am glad someone else has an idea what the cafe on Birdlip Hill was called, I can only remember when the road went left at the bottom and took you into Gloucester past the airfield and aircraft works at Brockworth. Other cafes in Gloucester were the Bridge and West End as you left for South Wales. Somewhere near Tewkesbury on the A38 was an old static half cab coach used as a cafe. I seem to remember the tyres were painted white to posh it up a bit. Never had much time for tea in my last 30 years on tankers. I worked for a contract company on petrol delivery ,the old boys on the major petrol companies may have plodded around but we refered to our depot as the ranch.
44 years on tankers What is a rope.
Hi Phil,
Do you remember the Cafe at Highleadon on the B4215,between Gloucester and Newent,now closed,but still a filling station. We always came that way to Gloucester from the Kington area,went straight over at the Trumpet and through Dymock,and on to Newent.
Cheers Dave.
Hi Dave. The firm I worked for had a depot in Gloucester so I never got past there towards Newent. When I started on the fuel deliveries the bridge was open and being based in Avonmouth I always went up through Monmouth and Hereford to that area still not using that road
Cheers Phil
i
Phil, are you talking about the cafe, it is off the J1 on the M40 turn up towards Worcester on the A38 on the lefthandside, it was run by canary fanactic, he had rossettes all over the wall, well that was knocked down about 20 years ago, and a new brick one put up, that was going up to 5 years ago, for I called in and had a meal, enroute from Rosslare- Pembroke docks in my car, still good food.
Norman Ingram:
Phil, are you talking about the cafe, it is off the J1 on the M40 turn up towards Worcester on the A38 on the lefthandside, it was run by canary fanactic, he had rossettes all over the wall, well that was knocked down about 20 years ago, and a new brick one put up, that was going up to 5 years ago, for I called in and had a meal, enroute from Rosslare- Pembroke docks in my car, still good food.
Hi Norman,
Sounds a bit like the Pigeon Flyer,brick built place in a layby,just north of Tewkesbury on the A38.
Cheers Dave.
Yes Dave, I think the son took over, and he was into that, but someone else took over?
Anyone remember the cafe in London, where you could get to it off of the A4, one road would lead on to the M4, you could go in boths sides once, then they made it one side in, and the otherside out. now it is closed down.
Hi Norman,
I thought that I knew every cafe on the A4 between Bristol & London as I did this trip 3/4 times a week in the '50s but you have got me guessing. The one that fits your description best has to be Jocks at Colnbrook, but it’s nearer to Slough than London but yes, at one time there were 2 entrances off the A4 and a rear one off Colnbrook High St. It was OK to come in off the A4 but a b…r to get back out because of the traffic so if I was coming home I always came out at the back. This cafe has been mentioned many times on these forums and is probably best remembered for the heavy revolving door in the entrance, the good food that they served and the 2 brothers who ran it for must have been close to 50 years. I think that their father ran it before them. The place closed down for a few years and then reopened as a cheapie B&B type place. They used to be a thriving 24 hours a day establishment. Yes, about a mile down the road (going West) and you are back on the M4 at Langley.
If anyone can think of any other cafe closer to London and fitting Norman’s description I would be very pleased to hear of it.
Wessexman, I am almost sure it was off the north circular at a roundabout near to going towards Brentford & M4, I remembers Jocks, when we went to used to go to customs sheds near slough.
Hi,
I bet Chris can remember this one
Ray
Hi Flishflunk, if it’s in The Rixton Earthquake Zone and the original builder was Ken Cast from The East Lancs Road, I might know this one. If it is and I had a pound for every time that I stood there with a log book in my hand doing a Dodgy I would probably be a tax exile by now living in The Isle of Man or Northampton even .