We used to take E Type Jags into Glasgow docks Sayed at the SA on London Road a couple of times found it ok.
Aye I remember the one at Douglas Water an old house South Bound on the 74. Good grub, I remember the arm chairs , real old fashioned ones but very comfey Regards Larry
Lawrence Dunbar:
Aye I remember the one at Douglas Water an old house South Bound on the 74. Good grub, I remember the arm chairs , real old fashioned ones but very comfey Regards Larry
Lawrence you seem to have a good memory what was the one called on the north side of Crawford if you were traveling south it was on the right side. You had to reverse into the car park up a slope off the road bit awkward with a loaded draw bar used to spin the turntable around unless you could square it up.
Was it the Merlindale, there might have been two cafes in those days, cant think of the name of the other one ? Regards Larry.
Yes Im sure it was the Merlindale, in 1966, I parked up for the night im sure they closed about 8.oo.pm & there was a TV< , & the food was good too. Regards Larry
It’s been mentioned on the Oxfordshire thread but, anyone recall The Last Chance at Wheatley?
Does anyone know if a cafe existed on the Burford Road Carterton? There’s an old bungalow with “Ices” still visible on a gable end and looks like an old cafe. It’s nextdoor to the Orbitkey van sales place (what used to be a Q8 filling station)
Also, I was delivering to Postcombe earlier and whilst on the A40, wondered if any cafes existed in the area pre M40 days? There’s a house near Postcombe petrol station that looks like one (near to an old pub now offices).
Muckaway:
Was there one on the A420 near Buckland where the petrol station/Little Chef now stands? Then there’s the infamous Swindon truckstop
Cant recall that site being a cafe but didnt there used to be one in Kingston Bagpuize(spolling 
)?
There used to be a 24hr cafe. . . albiet a static caravan type,in a lay by on the Western end of the Faringdon by pass.
Iirc the owner of Swindon truck stop, started trading with a burger van in a lay by on the A420 .From memory it was opposite where the police station is now,the bloke was a ■■■■ back then !! 
kevmac47:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Looking back over many years, that in fact have flown by, I have stopped at many Transport Digs all over the Country, and met some great drivers, & stopped at in some dumps, & some loveley digs, even the Salvation Armys in Liverpool, Glasgow., they were cheap & cheerfull, & very clean, basic food but edible.The one on London Road Glasgow was a tram ride from the depot in Rutherglen, the pubs closed 9.30pm. in those days, So you were in bed earley, any of you old timmers shared my experiences, Im sure there must still be some of you old drivers from the 50s still knocking about. Regards LarryLarry, I remember Parky and Bob G. talking about the cabin they used as “digs” in the P&G depot at Rutherglen. When I started going there in the early 70s it was no longer there. I bet that hut could tell some tales of Parky’s “horizontal athletics”.
Your quite right, Parky could do a warm scalf any time, Im sure they put 2 holes in his cffin lid, one to pour the beer in, & one to let his nob out , plus im sure he passed away with a stiify on , Regards Larry
Lawrence Dunbar:
Aye I remember the one at Douglas Water an old house South Bound on the 74. Good grub, I remember the arm chairs , real old fashioned ones but very comfey Regards Larry
Aye thats right it was south bound,like on the old road just south of the blue star pub ,vic
Muckaway:
It’s been mentioned on the Oxfordshire thread but, anyone recall The Last Chance at Wheatley?
Does anyone know if a cafe existed on the Burford Road Carterton? There’s an old bungalow with “Ices” still visible on a gable end and looks like an old cafe. It’s nextdoor to the Orbitkey van sales place (what used to be a Q8 filling station)
Also, I was delivering to Postcombe earlier and whilst on the A40, wondered if any cafes existed in the area pre M40 days? There’s a house near Postcombe petrol station that looks like one (near to an old pub now offices).
Hello me old Mucka, there were at least a dozen cafe’s between Northleach and High Wycombe in the sixties but I can’t remember what they were all called. The two that I used most were The Windrush near Burford and the one at the crossroads of the A40 and The Fossway at Northleach which became a Little Chef sometime in the seventies.
Chris’s cafe was I.I.R.C. at Stokenchurch which had very good digs and was even open on a Sunday, I hope this helps.
Another one that has just sprung to mind, I don’t know if it’s been mentioned on here before was The Fountains Cafe on The Fossway, I.I.R.C. at Halford between the A34 and the A422.
Regards Steve.
mushroomman:
Hello me old Mucka, there were at least a dozen cafe’s between Northleach and High Wycombe in the sixties but I can’t remember what they were all called. The two that I used most were The Windrush near Burford and the one at the crossroads of the A40 and The Fossway at Northleach which became a Little Chef sometime in the seventies.
Chris’s cafe was I.I.R.C. at Stokenchurch which had very good digs and was even open on a Sunday, I hope this helps.Regards Steve.
Chris’ Cafe at Studley Green is still going, surprising the number of artics parked in there the other week I went past. my grandfather used that cafe in the '40s and '50s. An Uncle of mine remembers being told that during the war, traction engines would pull/winch overloaded lorries up Dashwood Hill.
The cafe near Northleach that became a Little Chef is now closed and a private house but the owners haven’t done much to hide the fact it was a Little Chef; It’s near the Puesdown Inn.
Another Cafe nearer Cheltenham was one in a redundant railway station at Andoversford, somewhere near where the industrial estate is now. Apparently, there were 2 separate railway lines that merged at Andoversford (Banbury-Cheltenham Railway) and the Midland South Western that run from Andover to Andoversford (onto Cheltenham). When the GWR took over, they closed the smaller station and turned the building into a cafe, used mainly by drivers running loads into the 2 goods yards (they kept the yard open at “Andoversford and Dowdeswell”) from nearby farms and mills.
Bit of useless info; For anyone driving toward Cheltenham, as you drop down the hill past the Frogmill toward Andoversford, there’s an earthbank cut in half by the A40; This was meant to be a railway from Witney to Cheltenham that was never finished due to lack of money. Right, anorak off now…
Lawrence Dunbar:
kevmac47:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Looking back over many years, that in fact have flown by, I have stopped at many Transport Digs all over the Country, and met some great drivers, & stopped at in some dumps, & some loveley digs, even the Salvation Armys in Liverpool, Glasgow., they were cheap & cheerfull, & very clean, basic food but edible.The one on London Road Glasgow was a tram ride from the depot in Rutherglen, the pubs closed 9.30pm. in those days, So you were in bed earley, any of you old timmers shared my experiences, Im sure there must still be some of you old drivers from the 50s still knocking about. Regards LarryLarry, I remember Parky and Bob G. talking about the cabin they used as “digs” in the P&G depot at Rutherglen. When I started going there in the early 70s it was no longer there. I bet that hut could tell some tales of Parky’s “horizontal athletics”.
Your quite right, Parky could do a warm scalf any time, Im sure they put 2 holes in his cffin lid, one to pour the beer in, & one to let his nob out , plus im sure he passed away with a stiify on , Regards Larry
Its a shame we have to lose characters like him Larry, PS great turnout at his funeral. regards kevmac47
I have just come up fron Northampton to-day,& stopped at Skellow , the cafe used to be the Haven, now its a Little Chef, its not a patch of what the Haven was like,when I compare the breakfast for quantity they must of thought I was on a diet,& exspensive too I shant be eating there again.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I have just come up fron Northampton to-day,& stopped at Skellow , the cafe used to be the Haven, now its a Little Chef, its not a patch of what the Haven was like,when I compare the breakfast for quantity they must of thought I was on a diet,& exspensive too I shant be eating there again.
hiya,
Talk about expensive Larry I was in York on Thursday with the Good Lady and my Sister the latter is on holiday from Oz went into Betty’s Tearooms for the usual ten o’clock three portions of cinnamon toast and three coffee’s, I got pennies change out of a twenty pound note nearly got to the point of needing recusitation (spelling) did look out for a Salmonella van but no joy, It’s a packed lunch next time unless I hit the jackpot then I’ll treat them all to brekkie at Lawson’s last of the big spenders eh.
thanks harry long retired…
Lawrence Dunbar:
I have just come up fron Northampton to-day,& stopped at Skellow , the cafe used to be the Haven, now its a Little Chef, its not a patch of what the Haven was like,when I compare the breakfast for quantity they must of thought I was on a diet,& exspensive too I shant be eating there again.
That was the place that advertised “dunlopillo” beds in the Headlight. At that time (70s) we used the Redhouse and walked down the road to the “Tallyho” for a social get-together. Something the modern drivers wouldn’t have a clue about. 
ps tin hat is secured with a chinstrap. 
regards kevmac47
Aye Kev the Haven was Handy north bound after the Donny by pass opened, I remember the phone number, mind you I allways wrote every thing down, for future ref as they used to say in the old days,?,it was Ardwick le Street.3520/3533. I think that would be in the 60s, the old brain is getting slow now as Im aging, but gracefully to say the least, I am slowing down slowley so Im having more whiskeys before I hit the sack, Cheers Larry. Ive been to Northampton to see the F1 stock car world championship finals, great weekend, of course I was passenger in the Jag, our Nigel drove there & back, I used to take him as a boy to Aycliffe , Bellvue, now he is taking me the old man, A great lad is our Nigel looks after the old man, Cheers Larry
Harry, Lawsons breakfasts were second to none, cooked to order day or night, Allways niceley cooked, no lace curtains around the eggs, or black spots,. We will have to have a trip down there somtime before long and enjoy , once again what we did over 50 years ago, what do you think. Cheers Larry
Lawrence Dunbar:
Aye Kev the Haven was Handy north bound after the Donny by pass opened, I remember the phone number, mind you I allways wrote every thing down, for future ref as they used to say in the old days,?,it was Ardwick le Street.3520/3533. I think that would be in the 60s, the old brain is getting slow now as Im aging, but gracefully to say the least, I am slowing down slowley so Im having more whiskeys before I hit the sack, Cheers Larry. Ive been to Northampton to see the F1 stock car world championship finals, great weekend, of course I was passenger in the Jag, our Nigel drove there & back, I used to take him as a boy to Aycliffe , Bellvue, now he is taking me the old man, A great lad is our Nigel looks after the old man, Cheers Larry
Now Larry,i used to go to Aycliffe/Hpool/Bradford and many of the other tracks,i did’nt get to Northampton this year but was told it was a good meeting,young F/W took a hammering eh,old Willie would be happy when Paul got the win,Vic.
A worthey winner it was a great final , the fued still goes on with Ss & the Ws. Old MR S, would have been very proud of his two lads. Harrison never looked like losing at any time during the race, great stuff, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Harry, Lawsons breakfasts were second to none, cooked to order day or night, Allways niceley cooked, no lace curtains around the eggs, or black spots,. We will have to have a trip down there somtime before long and enjoy , once again what we did over 50 years ago, what do you think. Cheers Larry
hiya,
Now that is a good idea Larry but only by bus on this occasion if we take a motor each it’ll be a bit tight on the parking area I’m thinking there would be at least a bus load just to see if the brekkie was up to the olden day standard’s, bacon, egg, tomato, sausage and a fried slice two bread and butter and a large tea, and I’ve filled the hip flask with a drop of decent stuff next stop Ma Greens for another session three sugars Ann.
thanks harry long retired.