pv83:
These were regulars as well on the “east front”…
Hi Patrick. Yes Van der Wal were definitely among the runners to Moscow. In fact, when you read my book “The Vodka Cola Cowboy” and I talk about Croome losing the Xerox contract for Kepstowe, it was Van Der Wal who took the contract over. We always said that it made sense, as the loads were from Venray and VdW were a local company, coming from Utrecht.
I met some of the Van Der Wal drivers, but because of the situation there, where I parked my truck at our home in Moscow or at the Kepstowe depot, missed out on meeting many of them. Obviously, Kliyazma, where they tipped for Xerox, was outside of Moscow.
But, there again I saw them around on the road quite often, between Poland and Moscow…
pv83:
These were regulars as well on the “east front”…
Hi Patrick. Yes Van der Wal were definitely among the runners to Moscow. In fact, when you read my book “The Vodka Cola Cowboy” and I talk about Croome losing the Xerox contract for Kepstowe, it was Van Der Wal who took the contract over. We always said that it made sense, as the loads were from Venray and VdW were a local company, coming from Utrecht.
I met some of the Van Der Wal drivers, but because of the situation there, where I parked my truck at our home in Moscow or at the Kepstowe depot, missed out on meeting many of them. Obviously, Kliyazma, where they tipped for Xerox, was outside of Moscow.
But, there again I saw them around on the road quite often, between Poland and Moscow…
That was indeed one of the first things that I was wondering about, why a English firm carried out the contract…not that there’s owt wrong with that…
pv83:
These were regulars as well on the “east front”…
Hi Patrick. Yes Van der Wal were definitely among the runners to Moscow. In fact, when you read my book “The Vodka Cola Cowboy” and I talk about Croome losing the Xerox contract for Kepstowe, it was Van Der Wal who took the contract over. We always said that it made sense, as the loads were from Venray and VdW were a local company, coming from Utrecht.
I met some of the Van Der Wal drivers, but because of the situation there, where I parked my truck at our home in Moscow or at the Kepstowe depot, missed out on meeting many of them. Obviously, Kliyazma, where they tipped for Xerox, was outside of Moscow.
But, there again I saw them around on the road quite often, between Poland and Moscow…
That was indeed one of the first things that I was wondering about, why a English firm carried out the contract…not that there’s owt wrong with that…
Kepstowe got the contract through Xerox H.Q. England. Because Xerox had already used them for exhibition work in Russia. They subbed it to Croome, who got John Dicks and myself to pull the trailers. It was meant to be one thirteen and a half metre trailer per week, from Venray to Moscow. But the work picked up and one trailer a week was not enough. So, Croome put his road trains in there and Xerox realised that they could get more stuff onto a wagon and drag. They needed the floor space because they could not double stack the equipment, as it was too fragile.
Then, I did the occasional Xerox job, but mainly covered their other work, of groupage and exhibition jobs.
When Kepstowe lost the contract they then used Van Der Wal, because they had wagon and drags.
pv83:
These were regulars as well on the “east front”…
These did Pickfords Removals work into Russia.
Embassy staff and the like.
We used to deliver to Varekamps in Utrecht, a Dutch removal firm and Van De Wals would take the load on from there.
This was such a success that Pickfords bought Varekamps out.
We used to hear lots of interesting stories about their trips.
Yes. Van der Wal did other work, than just run for Xerox. But I think that the Xerox contract was the beginning of their work in Russia, if my memory serves me correct. Pickfords had their own box wagon and drag. Arri, who drove it in 1990/91 came from Gronningen. When he left he was replaced by a lad called Laurent.
pv83:
These were regulars as well on the “east front”…
These did Pickfords Removals work into Russia.
Embassy staff and the like.
We used to deliver to Varekamps in Utrecht, a Dutch removal firm and Van De Wals would take the load on from there.
This was such a success that Pickfords bought Varekamps out.
We used to hear lots of interesting stories about their trips.
Yes. Van der Wal did other work, than just run for Xerox. But I think that the Xerox contract was the beginning of their work in Russia, if my memory serves me correct. Pickfords had their own box wagon and drag. Arri, who drove it in 1990/91 came from Gronningen. When he left he was replaced by a lad called Laurent.
One of the drivers was gassed or something similar on 1 trip and had everything stolen.
Along with the load the driver lost his money, Passport and anything else of any value.
Pickfords gave the work to Van De Wals after that.
pv83:
These were regulars as well on the “east front”…
These did Pickfords Removals work into Russia.
Embassy staff and the like.
We used to deliver to Varekamps in Utrecht, a Dutch removal firm and Van De Wals would take the load on from there.
This was such a success that Pickfords bought Varekamps out.
We used to hear lots of interesting stories about their trips.
Yes. Van der Wal did other work, than just run for Xerox. But I think that the Xerox contract was the beginning of their work in Russia, if my memory serves me correct. Pickfords had their own box wagon and drag. Arri, who drove it in 1990/91 came from Gronningen. When he left he was replaced by a lad called Laurent.
One of the drivers was gassed or something similar on 1 trip and had everything stolen.
That was probably Laurent then, because I ran with Arri from Poland to Moscow on his last trip for Pickfords. Laurent then took over from him.
I wonder whether VdW were doing the Xerox contract before they picked up the Pickfords work, or whether it was the other way round.
Do you know the answer to that one, Patrick ?
Along with the load the driver lost his money, Passport and anything else of any value.
Pickfords gave the work to Van De Wals after that.
That may well have been Laurent then. The last time that I saw him was in the Smolensk Motel, in probably late 1993. It would not have been any later than April 1994, when I became the Kepstowe Moscow shunter. I did not go down to Smolensk after that until I drove through in May 1995, on my way back to England, at the end of my time in Russia.
I wonder whether VdW were doing the Xerox contract before they got the Pickford work. I wonder if you know the answer to that one Patrick?
Yes. Van der Wal did other work, than just run for Xerox. But I think that the Xerox contract was the beginning of their work in Russia, if my memory serves me correct. Pickfords had their own box wagon and drag. Arri, who drove it in 1990/91 came from Gronningen. When he left he was replaced by a lad called Laurent.
[/quote]
One of the drivers was gassed or something similar on 1 trip and had everything stolen.
That may well have been Laurent then. The last time that I saw him was in the Smolensk Motel, in probably late 1993. It would not have been any later than April 1994, when I became the Kepstowe Moscow shunter. I did not go down to Smolensk after that until I drove through in May 1995, on my way back to England, at the end of my time in Russia.
I wonder whether VdW were doing the Xerox contract before they got the Pickford work. I wonder if you know the answer to that one Patrick?
[/quote]
I don’t know any more than that I’m afraid.
We used to take any loads for Russia to Varekamps at Utrecht and Van De Wals did the rest.
It wouldn’t have been lots of work only if and when the Diplomats had a change around.
Pickfords covered the rest of Europe themselves and left Russia to the experts
I left Pickfords in 1995 and can’t remember much more than that.
Yeah, we all had our moments. I remember that my approach was to jack her up and get the wheel off. Then brew and drink a cup of tea, before replacing the wheel and tidying up. Did anyone else have a pattern that they followed
Yeah, we all had our moments. I remember that my approach was to jack her up and get the wheel off. Then brew and drink a cup of tea, before replacing the wheel and tidying up. Did anyone else have a pattern that they followed
hey, sometimes years without one, but if … 4/5 a year, but mostly I took an impact wrench 1/2 inch with me, so you didn’t had to shrew them the whole way by hand or by hand wrench, It was a world of difference.
Always start it easy, and lukely the rim isn’t to firmly rusted on the hub. Without heavy hamer I did it by driving and wringing with released nuts.
In the jungle you have to plough your own way.
Once in Greece with a heat ware, the wheel was soon changed, but the sparewheel was only fixed at the chassis only with bolts and nuts without holder nor cable pully, which took me hours to get it on place.
When I was doing the M32 on a regular basis the ( I’ll call them Migs, cause I don’t really understand planes and other military stuff ) Migs used to drop out the sky and do fake bombing runs at the truck convoys at an altitude of about 20 meters. They’d line up along the road and come straight at you from about 4 or 5 k’s at 20 meters… Going well over Mk 1… about half a second after they passed there was a terrific bang and the windscreen used to go in and out about 2 inches… It was as if you were standing in a big balloon and someone just popped it…( I’ve never actually “experienced” being in a big balloon when someone popped it, but I can probably imagine what it’s like… and it’s never really been one of my desires either… I’d be sitting in the cab minding my own business and see them falling out the clouds and wait for the inevitable…
I used to think that was bad then one trip they came at us from behind…without any warning …^&*^%$# BANG ()(&^^&… then the after burner spitting out a big red flame as they headed back up into the clouds… They must have been laughing their ■■■■■■■■ of…I think the pilots name was Wayne Kerr… I was talking to Mackie one day and he said him and Gilders used to get the same thing… Usually just south of Balklour…
I had a similar thing happen one night, when I was in the Tank Regiment, serving in Germany. We were queued up in a narrow, steep sided valley waiting to carry out a night river crossing exercise. All of a sudden a flight of planes came up from behind us and overflew. They lit up the scene, as they took photo’s. Then there were the enormous bangs. Luckily for us they were not Russian planes but British planes taking part in the exercise. Otherwise I might not have been here to tell the tale.
