Lawrence Dunbar:
The one I recall at S/corner, Was opposite the Regent Filling Station, Was called the Anchor Cafe they did accomadation for drivers, I recall some of Smilers tipper drivers kipping there when they worked out of a tar quarry at East Layton, just off the A 66 , Regards Larry.
Thats right as well Larry, the Anchor Cafe was on the south bound side,its still there but im not sure for what, but it is in use.Vic.
Lawrence Dunbar:
It might be one of Wilfred Whites, their motors were blue livery, & they used to have depot in London I cant remember the location, but I used to load fruit at London Docks off them quite often they allways seemed to have plenty of work in those days, Regards Larry.
Hi Larry & Chris,
It is Wilfred Whites AEC and has Meadowfield on the door.
Cheers Dave.
I used to stop often at the Carr Mill in the old days before the motorways when the E.Lancs was the way to go. I was going to ask if it is still there but, after a quick look at Google, it seems to be a car wash now. From the west the word ‘cafe’ can still be seen on the roof.
Or have I got the wrong place? 
You are right Spardo it is the right one ,its been closed for years now.Ted.
Spardo:
I used to stop often at the Carr Mill in the old days before the motorways when the E.Lancs was the way to go. I was going to ask if it is still there but, after a quick look at Google, it seems to be a car wash now. From the west the word ‘cafe’ can still be seen on the roof.Or have I got the wrong place?
Wasn’t there another cafe near the Carr Mill called the New Island?
Or am I having a senior moment? 
I think that was Joe’s at Lowton Chris.
There was a load of transport cafes on the East Lancs Road in the 50/60s & even into the 70s goodens & badens as I recall, Regards Larry.
Hiya Chris,
There was Evelyns on the Eastbound side at Haydock, now I think a car wash.
The New Island was at Lowton, now a housing estate. If my memory is correct The New Island was the last one on the Lancs to close.
Ray
Chris Webb:
Spardo:
I used to stop often at the Carr Mill in the old days before the motorways when the E.Lancs was the way to go. I was going to ask if it is still there but, after a quick look at Google, it seems to be a car wash now. From the west the word ‘cafe’ can still be seen on the roof.Or have I got the wrong place?
Wasn’t there another cafe near the Carr Mill called the New Island?
Or am I having a senior moment?
flishflunk:
Hiya Chris,
There was Evelyns on the Eastbound side at Haydock, now I think a car wash.
The New Island was at Lowton, now a housing estate. If my memory is correct The New Island was the last one on the Lancs to close.
RayChris Webb:
Spardo:
I used to stop often at the Carr Mill in the old days before the motorways when the E.Lancs was the way to go. I was going to ask if it is still there but, after a quick look at Google, it seems to be a car wash now. From the west the word ‘cafe’ can still be seen on the roof.Or have I got the wrong place?
Wasn’t there another cafe near the Carr Mill called the New Island?
Or am I having a senior moment?
I remember now Ray,thanks.Do you remember Arthur’s cafe further towards L’pool on the r/h side of the 580? There were some dodgy nights out from there in t’olden days.
Chris Webb:
flishflunk:
Hiya Chris,
There was Evelyns on the Eastbound side at Haydock, now I think a car wash.
The New Island was at Lowton, now a housing estate. If my memory is correct The New Island was the last one on the Lancs to close.
RayChris Webb:
Spardo:
I used to stop often at the Carr Mill in the old days before the motorways when the E.Lancs was the way to go. I was going to ask if it is still there but, after a quick look at Google, it seems to be a car wash now. From the west the word ‘cafe’ can still be seen on the roof.Or have I got the wrong place?
Wasn’t there another cafe near the Carr Mill called the New Island?
Or am I having a senior moment?I remember now Ray,thanks.Do you remember Arthur’s cafe further towards L’pool on the r/h side of the 580? There were some dodgy nights out from there in t’olden days.
Remember Arthurs very well Chris, gave loads of drivers lifts from there. Err…not all at the same time 
. Who knows, one of them could have been you
Ray
flishflunk the islande cafe parked there dozens of times thursday nights around the corner to lowton labour club us welsh boys went so often we became members really looked after us 30 yrs ago paul was the owner of the cafe regards rowland
rward:
flishflunk the islande cafe parked there dozens of times thursday nights around the corner to lowton labour club us welsh boys went so often we became members really looked after us 30 yrs ago paul was the owner of the cafe regards rowland
Hiya Rowland, thanks for that, I couldn’t remember his name.
Were you one of Courtaulds drivers from Treforest?
Ray
hi ray i worked for catnic from caerphilly courtholds drivers parked there as did lots of other south wales boys robbins brs christy tylers glyn s john fc brooks b a rogers td williams o c williams datamatic just a few fantastic days long gone ray by the way chicken dinner was my favourite dinner in the island cafe all the best rowland
Spardo:
A sad sight indeed LB. Why is it so in England these days? A place like that on a main route to the north, and it goes out of business. I haven’t been there for years, was it so bad?I have just completed last week several runs which took me from the Dordogne to Cahors to Lyon to Narbonne to Alsace and Paris before returning home. 5 nights away from home and I had no trouble at all in finding a good place to eat and sleep every night. On the RN7 in the Rhone Valley there were so many, some next door to each other and all much bigger than Kate’s, that I gave up noting for my own routiers map all the ones I didn’t already have marked.
I count myself very lucky to live and travel in this country.
Wasn’t the A1 here supposed to be widened and turned into the A1M? I believe when I was still going up and down this road in the late 90s, the place was set for bulldozing in the name of progress!.
I drove up the A1 a few weeks ago and realised some bugger stole several roundabouts(Colsterworth, Grantham, Worksop, Markham Moor) to name a few, there are so fe cafe along this road now, it was quite a disappointment driving on the A1.
m1tch:
Spardo:
A sad sight indeed LB. Why is it so in England these days? A place like that on a main route to the north, and it goes out of business. I haven’t been there for years, was it so bad?I have just completed last week several runs which took me from the Dordogne to Cahors to Lyon to Narbonne to Alsace and Paris before returning home. 5 nights away from home and I had no trouble at all in finding a good place to eat and sleep every night. On the RN7 in the Rhone Valley there were so many, some next door to each other and all much bigger than Kate’s, that I gave up noting for my own routiers map all the ones I didn’t already have marked.
I count myself very lucky to live and travel in this country.
Wasn’t the A1 here supposed to be widened and turned into the A1M? I believe when I was still going up and down this road in the late 90s, the place was set for bulldozing in the name of progress!.
I drove up the A1 a few weeks ago and realised some bugger stole several roundabouts(Colsterworth, Grantham, Worksop, Markham Moor) to name a few, there are so fe cafe along this road now, it was quite a disappointment driving on the A1.
David.Im rather disappointed in your comments.I am sure that you have a wonderful life in France.I myself spent 20 years travelling through and tipping/loading in your country and enjoyed every minute of it.I considered moving there but decided in the end that I liked it where I was.I also enjoy living and travelling in the uk.We are both lucky in where we are and what we do eh? Im still glad I bought your book! Regards Charlie
Hello Charlie, glad you liked my little effort, I am reading the 2nd of two books by an Aussie ex driver lent to me by Mike Ponsonby senior, a friend from wayback.
The first is a collaboration with another ex-driver, one that I knew and drove with in the Northern Territory, but both are very interesting reads. I tried to contact the author myself without success a year or so ago but Mike managed to get in touch somehow.
Yes, being in a place that we both like and enjoy is all that matters at this stage of our lives. I am back on the road nowadays with my car ferrying dogs around the country (and even did my first international trip a few weeks ago to Wiltshire, how I remember how good it felt in the old days to go over the water for the first time, I felt like a young’un again ) and am struck by the difference in the provision for drivers in the 2 countries. Fortunately in England I was well looked after by the lovely couple to whom I was delivering.
Hi All, Does anybody have any photos of the two old cafes my late dad used frequently which was the Melrose and Bob Manleys (the Lodge) ?
No photos but I did use Bob Manleys a lot, it was know as the toast factory to a lot of drivers and was on the left going south at the the of Talke. Further down on the right nearer Newcastle U-L was the Durose.
Heading north from Bob Manleys near the traffic lights at Kidsgrove there was another cafe on the left, I can’t recall the name.
What was the name of the cafe running down to stone from stoke,just south of bassetts yard,it was turned into a little chef.
regards dave.
