Pride of Bilbao

Anyone on here have any memories of being on the "Billyboat"in the last few years before P&O abandoned the route.Good times which made the job worthwhile.

somewhat a similar thought abut woodstock…if you can remember it.you wernt there…36 hours of alcohol induced oblivion■■?

Did the run only 3 or 4 times. Trailer changes in Santurtzi quite a few times. Safe parking in the docks, clean showers at the Stella Maris and a short walk to the town centre. Great time. Only problem was the fireworks every Saturday evening in the tourist season.

It used to be a favorite for the motorsport truck drivers, especially for returning from the last test of the year. I never went too mad, but I remember meeting two of my colleagues one morning who seemed to hiding, apparently they’d both enjoyed the company of one of the female passengers the night before, but after they’d sobered up in the morning it appeared she had lost her supermodel looks. :laughing:

Certainly used to be 1 of the perks :grimacing:
When i was on general our gaffer would use it a fair bit to get around bans and holidays. Remember a lot of Mann drivers and Mann subbies on it, a couple of brothers from Harwich way doing removals to their dads place Marbella way i think? Andy and … Andy liked the fruit machines and was very good on them :sunglasses: Big stocky lad on for port 2 port, Paul i think? Skelly from Breda/DTS and many, many more.
Always thought we got well treated by the crew, especially in the drivers room. I remember going in their many a late night, lifting up the seat and getting some stashed wine, cheese and biscuits :grimacing: I used to do shopping for Patrick the barman and other crew. Hide the booze etc in my room and he’d grab it later and would sort me with very cheap drinks in the bar.
Everyone seemed to congregate in the corner of that bar in the galaxy room, (i think it was called galaxy.)
I always remember that when we stood at the bar, the floor was polished and the ceiling was mirrored :open_mouth: That was designed by a male truck driver.
A few “choppy crossings” though :open_mouth:
The chinese was always good up in town. Very good times, sadly long gone.

Spent many a happy ‘mini cruise’ aboard her. Never got boring.

W.

Chilistrucker the 2 brothers were Andy and Mark,Andy still going doing traction work with about 6 trucks.Mark won the lottery and you can guess what he decided to do!!As you said good days and many really good friendships made on the “Billy”.Happy memories.

I did quite a few crossing on the Bilbao boat. Always a party! I was doing North Africa work at the time so I knew a lot of the drivers who went on there. They used to get me a drink and put me on the grand piano in the big lounge where I’d entertain ‘the troops’ :laughing: . Robert