Steve, I know the cafe you mean. Think it was called Nell’s.
Tankerman:
grumpy old man:
I did a bit of part timing for National Express and Wallace Arnold, I dined out quite well on BB66286 (still got the badge but the licence expired long long ago.)
There used to be a cracking cafe near (I think) Long Sutton, we used it coming up from Yarmouth on Saturday afternoons. It’s a long time ago so I’ve forgotten the name but not the food, it was good.Would that be The Farm House cafe? I retired in 1998 but it was going strong then, I parked up once or twice overnight there and remember they had a bar and car and coach passengers came in as well.
That’s the place. 
I had tipped a load of acid at BP Carshalton one afternoon and a good mate of mine had told me about the digs he stayed at near Tooley street.
The chap drove for james Shepherd of Hebden Bridge and delivered cloth to the tailors all over London, he was always very smartly dressed and even worked in a white shirt and tie.
I decided to give the digs a ring instead of crossing London to my usual place on Caledonian road.
I parked on Tooley street and walked to the digs which was up a side street just before it went under a railway bridge. The place was a proper tip, the owner was an Asian chap who spoke reasonable English and his wife was a very big Scottish lass dressed in the Asian get up and she spoke English nearly as good as her husband, apart from more F words. I was tempted to get out quick but as it was 5PM and I didn’t fancy fighting the traffic all the way to Cally road I gave it a try.
I was shown to the bedroom which had four beds almost touching and the wall paper was hanging off everywhere but was held on to the rotting window frame with drawing pins. I had a bite to eat and then went for a wash and shave, the bathroom was about as big as a small bedroom and had four sinks down one side and lavatory pot on the other, no door or screen to it. I was shaving along side another driver when the Scottish lass came in and lifted up her sarong and sat down on the pot, a few grunts later and the sound of the chocolate logs hitting the filthy pot and up she got without a word, never even using toilet paper. One thing I did notice through the mirror was she was not wearing any drawers.
There was two floors and I was on the first one, late at night a drunk tried to get in bed with me and the realized he was in the right bed position but the wrong floor.
The Sweeney or Ambulance service must have been garaged near by because all night long there were sirens blaring out on vehicles going past the window
Needless to say that was the one and only time I used that place.
gb1:
Steve, I know the cafe you mean. Think it was called Nell’s.
Hello gb1, I can’t remember if it was called Nell’s or not so I have been looking at Google Earth and the name Wrotham rings an old bell, in fact it might of been this building which looks like it has had an extention over the years.
maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=51 … 1,2,-0.45
Regards Steve.
And while I was searching for The Red Lion in Aldgate look who I found .
mushroomman:
gb1:
Steve, I know the cafe you mean. Think it was called Nell’s.
Hello gb1, I can’t remember if it was called Nell’s or not so I have been looking at Google Earth and the name Wrotham rings an old bell, in fact it might of been this building which looks like it has had an extention over the years.
maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=51 … 1,2,-0.45
Regards Steve.
Don’t know how to post the Google Map view of the cafe, but if you follow the A2 further South, come off at the Gravesend East exit onto Hever Court Road. At the roundabout, dirctly opposite, is Nells Cafe. According to Google, it’s on Franklin Road, off Valley Drive.
The lorry park is on one side of Valley Drive, and the cafe is on the other. Feel sure this is the one you’re thinking of.
anybody remember the sunset cafe faversham brilliant place always full
The half finished hotel on the site of the Windrush has a for sale sign up. It seems someone’s got planning permission for the hotel (they didn’t before) plus consent for filling station and shop. About time too.
The Glider on the A417 near Stroud’s been renamed The Highwayman; Probably after a local ghost story rather than a long nosed Scammell.
That’s the Gloucestershire cafe news, good day gentlemen. 
Anymore news on The Derry ? Regards Larry.
gb1:
mushroomman:
gb1:
Steve, I know the cafe you mean. Think it was called Nell’s.Hello gb1, I can’t remember if it was called Nell’s or not so I have been looking at Google Earth and the name Wrotham rings an old bell, in fact it might of been this building which looks like it has had an extention over the years.
maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=51 … 1,2,-0.45
Regards Steve.
Don’t know how to post the Google Map view of the cafe, but if you follow the A2 further South, come off at the Gravesend East exit onto Hever Court Road. At the roundabout, dirctly opposite, is Nells Cafe. According to Google, it’s on Franklin Road, off Valley Drive.
The lorry park is on one side of Valley Drive, and the cafe is on the other. Feel sure this is the one you’re thinking of.
That’s Nell’s, Valley Drive, the next junction east from the A227. When I was looking for Nell’s the last time I passed that way I hadn’t been since they did all the road alterations and got confused 
. I first turned up at that first link shown above.
I’ve always know it as a good stop. I even parked up overnight once since working here with my French wagon and was pleased that they still did proper roast dinners in the evening. Was a bit put out about the rush to get out at about 7.30pm though. 
We ain’t used to that down here.
Anybody remember the Treasure Chest not all that far away on the old A2 near to the chalk pits? Don’t think it’s open any more but it was always very well fully parked up years ago.
Does anyone remember the cafe outside Carlisle on the junction of the A7 and A74 and A6,roughly where the truckstop is now,about the 1960s before the alterations,rough as a bears arse as I can remember,think it was 24x7.Also,Sids Cafe on the A348 Ringwood rd,at Longham,Dorset.Used to be full of Stokies drivers with return loads of clay from Wareham,Beresfords,Henry Fox,Richard Tiles were the main ones in the 60`s.I spent 4 days there with a broken half-shaft.
Steve.
FLICKER:
Does anyone remember the cafe outside Carlisle on the junction of the A7 and A74 and A6,roughly where the truckstop is now,about the 1960s before the alterations,rough as a bears arse as I can remember,think it was 24x7.Also,Sids Cafe on the A348 Ringwood rd,at Longham,Dorset.Used to be full of Stokies drivers with return loads of clay from Wareham,Beresfords,Henry Fox,Richard Tiles were the main ones in the 60`s.I spent 4 days there with a broken half-shaft,got to know Sids daughter very well.
Steve.
That would be “The Moss” at Carlisle I would think. Bewick.
Or possibley Milburn Motors, there was a cafe too, 50/60s, Regards Larry.
Is the merry crest[spelling?]off the a2 still going,last time i was there i arrived late and didnt eat in the morn 12yrs since i was there,apart from the food it used to be like alladins den you could buy all sorts of stuff.
regards dave.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Or possibley Milburn Motors, there was a cafe too, 50/60s, Regards Larry.
Milburn Motors was a few hundred yards south of where the Carlisle truck stop is now on the A7.
Gilbraith bought it in the 70’s to expand their Leyland dealership.
We parked up there for the night when we were running north, we could get a wash and shower and just across the A7 was the Coach and Horses pub where we ate and supped.
Gilbraith also had two drivers based at Carlisle and they parked up there.
I think there is a car dealership now, Gilbraith sold it years ago along with Gilbraith Rickerby Oils.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Or possibley Milburn Motors, there was a cafe too, 50/60s, Regards Larry.
The Cafe at Milburn motors was in Carlisle proper Larry.Cheers Dennis.
Well I used to dine there sometimes at night when I was running up to Rutherglen, also the Moss, But it was a bit dodgey crossing the road in the dark there, as you probabley recall the jocks used to run in convoy in those days flat out, all the time, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well I used to dine there sometimes at night when I was running up to Rutherglen, also the Moss, But it was a bit dodgey crossing the road in the dark there, as you probabley recall the jocks used to run in convoy in those days flat out, all the time, Regards Larry.
Your right there Larry,and on a “braw bricht moonlicht nicht the nicht” they only ran on side lights,they used to come sailing into Kendal from Shap on just their sidelights some nights,almost silent,as it was slightly downhill into toon!! Cheers Dennis.
Aye Dennis, remember the warning systems we had in those days cab lights flashing off & on meant trouble ahead, & before stop lights were compulsory we used to flash our tail lights off & on if stopping quickly, those good old days are gone forever, buy us owld drivers are still here, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Aye Dennis, remember the warning systems we had in those days cab lights flashing off & on meant trouble ahead, & before stop lights were compulsory we used to flash our tail lights off & on if stopping quickly, those good old days are gone forever, buy us owld drivers are still here, Regards Larry.
Aye larry,don’t you wish we could drop “Gaz” off on top of Shap or Carter Bar in a 6ft drift with a number 10 shovel,there you are “Gaz” dig your motor out or that pal !!
Oh Dennis your awful, But I like you, Regards Larry.