Bit late with my posting about Alfs.Always at the back.The cafe at Otterbourne always had a flag on the roof.
Yes I remember all those cafes Pat. There were many about in the good old days before the Little Chef’s and Happy Eaters nicked them all.
The one at Otterbourne hill was a super little cafe and that was back in the days before the M 3 and even the Chandlersford by-pass. We all had to use the old road in those days. I remember going in there one morning on my way to somewhere or other and it was hissing down with rain. There were some builders in because they couldnt work and one of them was changing his money into sixpenny bits for the fruit machine like it was going out of fashion.
I stopped in there again on the way home, late in the afternoon and he was still at it. Anyway when he went to the counter to get more change a driver who had just come in and sat down went over to the machine. As you may have guessed, about the second pull he got the jackpot. Well this builder went absolutely ape**** and I thought he was going to cry as he had put all his wages in over the course of the day.
Does anyone remember that little cafe that used to do the most delicious ‘dog rolls’ at Bushey Arches, right next door to the low loader and plant place (the name of which will come to me after i’ve posted) they were dark blue trucks if i recall. Just remembered it was Jacques of Watford.(plant firm).
Parking could be a bit awkward, i think it closed in the early 80’s.
Anybody remember a pitch called the Golden Glove on Commercial Street just before Aldgate opposite Spitalfields Market I think it was.Run by an ex boxer I think it was only open at night.
Certainly saw some sights - Bentleys and Rollers mixed in with Atlas Express and a host of other trunkers 
.Good food,great big sausage and bacon rolls and mugs of tea.
Must go,got to put t’frying pan on. 
Now youv’e made me feel hungry.Wheres the chip pan?
nice big thick hum med chips
Yes Chris, I certainly remember the Golden Glove. As you say it was opposite Spitalfields Market. I dont remember if the bloke actually boxed but there were pictures of boxers behind the counter, quite a few of them. I used it quite often because we used to park up for the night in Spitalfields. Also do you remember Tubby Isaacs’ jellied eel stall at Aldgate after you’d had a piont or two in the Red Lion. Also you had Farmers Cafe in Leman Street where you could get a steak sandwich also after the pubs turned out. Back then if on a night out you would park in Backchurch Lane. Had my motor towed away one night and it cost me a fiver to get it released from Salmon Street Compound.
That was half a weeks wages back then.
I well remember Tubby Isaac’s from much earlier days as a student in London, but you mention Leman St. I don’t remember a café as such but do remember drivers’ digs there. I think we used to park the motors in the centre of that gyratory opposite where Tubby’s stand was. I stopped in the digs when loaded for Spitalfields market and got them to put me on the shake at about 3am to be an early bird - only to find that my marketeer was the only one in the whole market to not open 'till about 8 
. Spent the rest of the night trying to grab a few moments over the wheel in between shifting the wagon to let others pass. 
I don’t expect you would remember Farmers Cafe if you were parking where you said Spardo. That parking facility was at a later date than when we would use Backchurch Lane. Farmers was just up from the Police Station, on the other side of the road. I do know that he was nearly the victim of a drive by shooting one night. Whether it was by mistake or not I dont know but they missed.
So what about the digs though, does anyone remember those? And were they connected to the café?
Would I be right in thinking this was called Gardner’s Corner? Seem to remember using the A13 Whitechapel Rd. and turning right there up Commercial Street past Spitalfields to get to the M1 when coming fromTilbury.
Could be a different stage in my career though 
, beginning to think that the incident I wrote about above was when delivering to Covent Garden because I had to keep moving my wagon round the block being parked close to a corner and the artics couldn’t get round. 
Spardo,IIRC you came down the A13 Commercial Road,round Aldgate and left into Commercial Street as you say and out to the M1 via City Road and Holloway Road,Archway and then a bit of Norf Circular.In the 60’s wagons used to park in the middle of Aldgate.
The old Covent Garden was a nightmare and I once remember going there with an AEC Mercury and 33ft trailer with the single axle right on the back end.There was nowhere to park and I had to go round the block and finished up on Southampton Row blocking everything off - what a mess. Black cab jockeys moaning etc.When I got back into the market I had to load oranges out of the Floral Hall and so everybody could get past you had to jackknife at the last minute up to the ramp.
What a bloody hole it was and a bigger set of thieving,diddling so and so’s.you couldn’t wish to meet.You needed eyes in t’back of your head when loading and I don’t think me or any of our other drivers ever got back to Sheffield Market with the correct signed for quantity,always a bloody inquest. 
Chris Webb:
Anybody remember a pitch called the Golden Glove on Commercial Street just before Aldgate opposite Spitalfields Market I think it was.Run by an ex boxer I think it was only open at night…
Certainly saw some sights - Bentleys and Rollers mixed in with Atlas Express and a host of other trunkersChris Webb:
b]Spitaifields[/b]
What a bloody hole it was and a bigger set of thieving,diddling so and so’s.you couldn’t wish to meet.You needed eyes in t’back of your head when loading and I don’t think me or any of our other drivers ever got back to Sheffield Market with the correct signed for quantity,always a bloody inquest.Chris being a Real Londoner (born there ) birth right etc. Moved out when the GLC Gave us the choice to move to sunny Berkshire in the early sixties.
Recon I can talk about The golden glove and Spitalfields from experence.Certainly Remember.the.big.mugs of tea and the Huge dog rolls…@ the glove.
Also remember there always being a drunk or 2 about and a lady of the night hanging about if you picked a good night(unless they had just come out of the church)
As for spitalfields ■■■■ hole for any thing execpt a bit of bunce from the Tally Man if “you got any left over”.LOL.Remember a few time getting the keys off someone for there pitch and off loading then leaving the note .(If only I could count in those days)
Remember if you were unlucky enough to have a delivery inside the main market area once you go in it took forever to get out again.What about Western International Market in Southall Great Cafe A bit better to deliver.
.
Small edit for forbidden languageD.
Old skool Kid.
Never went in Spitalfields or Western International mate,only Covent Garden.I do recall going to a terminal at Hither Green one night for a load of grapes and I think it was run by British Rail.Barrowed 18 pallets on,sheeted up and out in about an hour,what a doddle.We had a shunter who lived at Abbey Wood and he would load a rigid or artic out of Kent or Home Grown Fruits at Maldon for us.We would go down at night and changeover near Charlton dog track or outside his house-just a straight swap.
I remember following a Birds Eye artic through the Blackwall and his front N/S corner was taking tiles off the tunnel roof.He had a Scammell Trunker and the 5th wheel was a bit higher he reckoned when I finally got him stopped running back into the City .
Aye the Golden Glove-making me feel hungry again,pal.
Just read all 8 pages of this and I’m sure nobodies mentioned my two faveourites from the late 70s/early 80s when travelling away with my Dad and his mates at Dairy Crest. Cottage pie with gravy and veg at the White House near Okehampton, now that was a bloody good meal - would keep you going all day. The other one I recall was Grahams at South Petherwin (or Petherton) just off the M5, great fry up they did and also a scrumpy selling pub down the road, first place I ever tasted that wonderful brew. I think Grahams is still there isnt it? The White House went with the new road though, not much at all left on that stretch of road.
Smokey Joes I notice is/was still there at Scorrier, always too near to home really for anything other than a cuppa, unless the old man was attempting to be late back to the yard and miss out on another trip that day! Also Windy Ridge just above Liskeard, for some reason we always seemed to buy dodgy goods from there…
I’m pleased you mentioned the White House at Sticklepath.In the bad winter of 1962 when Cornwall was cut off several of us were stranded about half a mile from the cafe.We walked to it and were very gratefull for the warmth and the hot tea However at five o’clock the nice guy chucked us all out despite our pleas to be allowed to stay in the warm.Never been in there since for obvious reasons.Cottage pie sounded nice though
Chris talking abour markets.Two of my favourites were The Borough and Brentford.Never purchased any fruit and veg in those days
charlie one:
I’m pleased you mentioned the White House at Sticklepath.In the bad winter of 1962 when Cornwall was cut off several of us were stranded about half a mile from the cafe.We walked to it and were very gratefull for the warmth and the hot tea However at five o’clock the nice guy chucked us all out despite our pleas to be allowed to stay in the warm.Never been in there since for obvious reasons.Cottage pie sounded nice though
62■■ Crikey long before my time, sounds like you were in Baghdad before I was in Dads bag on that one!! I can only recall it from 70’s & 80’s, the food was superb, mind some of the boys from down west could eat their fair share. Im talking about blokes who had probably been fishermen or farm workers in their time for whom driving an old Atki or Foden was a bit of luxury!
Say what you like about Global Warming but I aint seen a bit of snow in ten years!
charlie one:
Chris talking abour markets.Two of my favourites were The Borough and Brentford.Never purchased any fruit and veg in those days
I once ran to ISR Hythe with one of our Barking drivers Charlie.0400 start from Ripple Road it was.I had a Marathon and Dave had a Mandator.“Foller me fer a quick run fru Landan”. I stuck to him like glue as he knew all the backwhacks and we stopped near Borough Market for a cuppa and some toast.
Quickest run I ever had through London,but would never find the way again.
No,I never ran short of fruit and veg either when on market work.
I dont know what it is, but every time that I go on to the Truck Net site, I feel like a time traveller. When ever some body like T.I.R. Original or Spardo mention some thing like Tubby Isaccs jellied eel stall or the Red Lion at Aldgate, my mind automatically selects reverse gear and I find myself walking down Whitechapel Road, with six or seven other drivers, 35 years ago.
In 1973 I was driving for Blue Dart Transport and I had just gone from a H.G.V.2 licence to a H.G.V. 1. My first artic was a Ford D series with a 36 foot single axle trailer. When ever we were tipping in that area we always parked up at Tooley Street or on Valence Road, just off Whitechapel Road.
Valence Road car park was the size of about a dozen houses that were bombed during the Blitz… We would park up and go to a cafe on the Whitechapel Road, near the Blind Begger pub. After some thing to eat , we would then walk along to the Salvation Army hostel where for 5p you could get mopped and stoned ( a wash and a shave). Then it was back to the lorry park where we would get changed and then walk down to the Red Lion at Aldgate, to meet some more drivers ( and to see the ■■■■■■■ dancer).
After a couple of pints we would jump on to the Tube and and go over to the Montague Arms at New Cross, to see Jimmy Jones, who was one of the greatest comedians that I ever saw.
At 11.15pm it was back to Aldgate where Tubby Isaccs jellied eel stall was still open, lit up with its paraffin Tilley lamps ( and later battery powered lights ). Not far from Whitechapel Road was a Jewish bakers shop that sold fresh Bagels, which we would eat on the way back to the lorry park.
I just wondered if any body else remembers The Montague Arms in New Cross, Valence Road car park, or Blue Dart Transport from Middleton■■?
Yes I remember Blue Dart Transport and was it originally W.T.Noble or did that come after?
Got a lift over Woodhead one Saturday morning in one of their D1000s(I think),he had a load of empty ■■■ packets for a cig manufacturer in Manchester.