Jelliot, if you check out the very top thread at the top of this page, “TRUCK- Long Distance Diaries VOL 2”, there is a mention of your Chinese border trip. 
Hey, Vodka C.C. Super will be a nice thread.
I only was a few times over there, about '84 '85 at the time de new border came in the far west, nord of Brest. But for us it was difficult to become Visa’s, why ■■? You got one than next time refused and an other driver got then one strange story.
After the fall of the wall it was too much queueing for me, and finished driving abroad.
Eric,
tiptop495:
Hey, Vodka C.C. Super will be a nice thread.
I only was a few times over there, about '84 '85 at the time de new border came in the far west, nord of Brest. But for us it was difficult to become Visa’s, why ■■? You got one than next time refused and an other driver got then one strange story.
After the fall of the wall it was too much queueing for me, and finished driving abroad.Eric,
Brilliant picture, Eric! Happy New Year to you! Robert
tiptop495:
Hey, Vodka C.C. Super will be a nice thread.
I only was a few times over there, about '84 '85 at the time de new border came in the far west, nord of Brest. But for us it was difficult to become Visa’s, why ■■? You got one than next time refused and an other driver got then one strange story.
After the fall of the wall it was too much queueing for me, and finished driving abroad.Eric,
Yes. Great photo Eric. When I went to Moscow in 1981 you used the town border Brest/Terespol. Then they opened Kukariki.
We used to get a year’s multi entry visa, through Sovtransavto. When I got my first one another owner driver, who had applied at the same time got his a month later. No-one knew why.
The queues into Poland and then the ex-U.S.S.R really messed up the job. I started using Grodno, then Sauwalki and then Kaliningrad so as to beat them.
Because I was usually shunting from Moscow down to Poland and back I did not have problems with the German/Polish borders. But when I had to run back to the U.K. or swap trailers in Berlin, then I did. But I soon learned to use Schwedt or Gubin, which were always really quiet. Once they opened the depots at Frankfurt Oder the situation improved, but by then I was based permanently in Moscow.
Hopefully, this will become a good thread. Especially if people post great photos like your Eric and tell us their tales.
Jelliot:
I used to sneak through a bit Russia in my time as well, went as far as Corgos on the China border. Did a few back loads out of a foundry near Omsk then back through Samara Kyviv and the Ukrain Hungary, then back to Italy.
Dave Mackie used to go out through Finland when he was doing the gold mine down Samalkand way, we both used to use the M 32 to Symkent.Jeff…
I hope that you will share your experiences with us Jeff. Look forward to hearing them.
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Jelliot:
I used to sneak through a bit Russia in my time as well, went as far as Corgos on the China border. Did a few back loads out of a foundry near Omsk then back through Samara Kyviv and the Ukrain Hungary, then back to Italy.
Dave Mackie used to go out through Finland when he was doing the gold mine down Samalkand way, we both used to use the M 32 to Symkent.Jeff…
I hope that you will share your experiences with us Jeff. Look forward to hearing them.
Good thread vodka CC, I did a couple of Russia’s when I was on for Ralph in the early ninetys, you might remember a few of Ralph’s kazak regulars such as Mike waxey morrel, willy bandit Wilson, Bob optic Irvin and mickey gillie Gill.
Thanks Doug
ERF MAN:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Jelliot:
I used to sneak through a bit Russia in my time as well, went as far as Corgos on the China border. Did a few back loads out of a foundry near Omsk then back through Samara Kyviv and the Ukrain Hungary, then back to Italy.
Dave Mackie used to go out through Finland when he was doing the gold mine down Samalkand way, we both used to use the M 32 to Symkent.Jeff…
I hope that you will share your experiences with us Jeff. Look forward to hearing them.
Good thread vodka CC, I did a couple of Russia’s when I was on for Ralph in the early ninetys, you might remember a few of Ralph’s kazak regulars such as Mike waxey morrel, willy bandit Wilson, Bob optic Irvin and mickey gillie Gill.
Thanks Doug
Hi Doug. I met a few of Ralph’s in Moscow, but cannot really remember names now. Old age eh? Because I lived there and after 92 Kepstowe had their own depot, I either parked the truck at home or at Kepstowe’s. So I did not see a lot of the boys that turned up in Moscow. Only occasionally. Not like when we all parked at the Mezh’. I am sure that you can give us some information about your experiences and those of the other boys.
pv83:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
pv83:
Remember these lot…?Cheers, Patrick
St Basil’s cathedral at the end of Red Square was the favourite place to get your truck photographed, in Moscow.
Obviously, you were not allowed to drive on Red Square itself, so this was the nearest you could get to it. But St Basil’s was another icon of Moscow and Russia that is immediately recognised around the world.I used to go down to Red Square quite often when I lived in Moscow and it was quite funny when the authorities banned trucks from that part of the city. Drivers would drive down to that location, leap out of their cabs and take a hurried photo. Then leap back into the cab and drive off, before the Militia could catch them.
Seeing that in those days we did not have mobile phones and digital cameras, you did not know, until the old 35mm film was developed whether your photo was any good or not. I wonder how many drivers only made one trip to Moscow, got home and found that the shot was ruined in some way.
This seemed to be a popular spot as well…
Hi Patrick. I remember sitting in the queue at Kukariki, waiting to get into Belarus and there were three boys from this company sat behind me in the queue. They were all carrying some massive generators, on their low loaders. I recall that it was snowing, but we had a good laugh together.
Hello Micky T. Glad to see the new thread is going well. Am posting some of the photos I took when in Moscow early 80’s. I know they were shown quite recently on the “any old promotor drivers” thread but feel they should be on here too.
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
ERF MAN:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
Jelliot:
I used to sneak through a bit Russia in my time as well, went as far as Corgos on the China border. Did a few back loads out of a foundry near Omsk then back through Samara Kyviv and the Ukrain Hungary, then back to Italy.
Dave Mackie used to go out through Finland when he was doing the gold mine down Samalkand way, we both used to use the M 32 to Symkent.Jeff…
I hope that you will share your experiences with us Jeff. Look forward to hearing them.
Good thread vodka CC, I did a couple of Russia’s when I was on for Ralph in the early ninetys, you might remember a few of Ralph’s kazak regulars such as Mike waxey morrel, willy bandit Wilson, Bob optic Irvin and mickey gillie Gill.
Thanks DougHi Doug. I met a few of Ralph’s in Moscow, but cannot really remember names now. Old age eh? Because I lived there and after 92 Kepstowe had their own depot, I either parked the truck at home or at Kepstowe’s. So I did not see a lot of the boys that turned up in Moscow. Only occasionally. Not like when we all parked at the Mezh’. I am sure that you can give us some information about your experiences and those of the other boys.
I never talk about it. Cold, I’ll tell you about cold. Once it was so cold the flame on my lighter froze
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
pv83:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
pv83:
Remember these lot…?Cheers, Patrick
St Basil’s cathedral at the end of Red Square was the favourite place to get your truck photographed, in Moscow.
Obviously, you were not allowed to drive on Red Square itself, so this was the nearest you could get to it. But St Basil’s was another icon of Moscow and Russia that is immediately recognised around the world.I used to go down to Red Square quite often when I lived in Moscow and it was quite funny when the authorities banned trucks from that part of the city. Drivers would drive down to that location, leap out of their cabs and take a hurried photo. Then leap back into the cab and drive off, before the Militia could catch them.
Seeing that in those days we did not have mobile phones and digital cameras, you did not know, until the old 35mm film was developed whether your photo was any good or not. I wonder how many drivers only made one trip to Moscow, got home and found that the shot was ruined in some way.
This seemed to be a popular spot as well…
Hi Patrick. I remember sitting in the queue at Kukariki, waiting to get into Belarus and there were three boys from this company sat behind me in the queue. They were all carrying some massive generators, on their low loaders. I recall that it was snowing, but we had a good laugh together.
Ey up,
Will ask some of the older lads if they’ve got some pic’s of that era…done some EE work myself (never went to Russia though) but that’s not all that long ago, started working for that firm (v.d. Vlist) some 11 years ago…
Got some other pic’s from Jan de Lely as well, will post them as soon as I can…haven’t got the tales to go with it though, but that’s only a proper reason to get in touch with the older lads to find out what was going on then…knowing some of them it was mostly about…well just about everything apart from driving that is…
Cheers, Patrick
sandway:
Hello Micky T. Glad to see the new thread is going well. Am posting some of the photos I took when in Moscow early 80’s. I know they were shown quite recently on the “any old promotor drivers” thread but feel they should be on here too.
Hi Brian.
Glad that you have put them on here. The thread is all about Russia. So, the more the merrier.
The view from the Cosmos hotel is interesting because the rocket monument stands in front of V.D.N.K, the Science and Technology Park. This became an exhibition park and I spent a lot of time shunting trailers in and out of there.
It actually became the home of the Russian Stock Market later, which was known as the Bourse.
Don’t know whether you have got your copy of my book yet, but V.D.N.K is mentioned with regard to a kebab.
There was a thread a while back that Dave Mackie put up I think it was “Kazakhstan anybody want to start a thread”. Quite a bit of Russian stuff on that. He also had a web site running for a while with some cracking photos on it. Also Colin F Whitetrans used to run out that way for Frankie White. and I had a bit of a ramble with “Over the water and beyond,” but it got a bit lost here and there.
By the looks of things you were mainly running south west Russia, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Did you ever run into Sleggy that was on for Expo trans form Honiton, He used to hang out at the Red Bull in Moscow.
There’s also a home made dvd going about done by some Irish lads and Gilder the red, that were running pigs from Scotland to Russia, going by the trucks I guessing about late 90’s early 2000
Jeff…
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
sandway:
Hello Micky T. Glad to see the new thread is going well. Am posting some of the photos I took when in Moscow early 80’s. I know they were shown quite recently on the “any old promotor drivers” thread but feel they should be on here too.Hi Brian.
Glad that you have put them on here. The thread is all about Russia. So, the more the merrier.The view from the Cosmos hotel is interesting because the rocket monument stands in front of V.D.N.K, the Science and Technology Park. This became an exhibition park and I spent a lot of time shunting trailers in and out of there.
It actually became the home of the Russian Stock Market later, which was known as the Bourse.
Don’t know whether you have got your copy of my book yet, but V.D.N.K is mentioned with regard to a kebab.
Morning Micky T. My copy of your book shipped out last night Plymouth to Roscoff. ETA four days. Looking forward to it.
Jelliot:
There was a thread a while back that Dave Mackie put up I think it was “Kazakhstan anybody want to start a thread”. Quite a bit of Russian stuff on that. He also had a web site running for a while with some cracking photos on it. Also Colin F Whitetrans used to run out that way for Frankie White. and I had a bit of a ramble with “Over the water and beyond,” but it got a bit lost here and there.
By the looks of things you were mainly running south west Russia, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Did you ever run into Sleggy that was on for Expo trans form Honiton, He used to hang out at the Red Bull in Moscow.
There’s also a home made dvd going about done by some Irish lads and Gilder the red, that were running pigs from Scotland to Russia, going by the trucks I guessing about late 90’s early 2000Jeff…
Hi Jeff. Yes, the trips out to the far east are interesting because there were not that many guys who ran that far. As far as I know Gordon Jones, who drove for Kepstowe went the furthest East. He went to Irkutsk, in 1995, with a roadshow for an American tobacco company.
Yes, I did a lot of work down in the South West of Russia, Rostov, Krasnodar, Volgograd and loads of Ukrainian work. I used to get multi drops and did Kiev a lot. Also Yalta, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk and Poltava.
When I left the U.K. I would be looking at 8 to 9 months out there at a time. But, because I was living in Moscow that suited me. So a lot of my work was in and around Moscow, with regular loads out of Razan, Tula, Voronezh, Orel etc. Also up to Kineshma, Pskof, Leningrad and Novgorod and running trailers up to Turku for them to catch the ferry to Harwich and then bringing a new one down to Moscow.
Not sure that I met Sleggy but like I said in an earlier thread I met loads of people and cannot remember them all now. But, because I lived there I took the truck home, or left it at Octopus, the Kepstowe depot and was not parking where most of the English lads parked up. From 1990 to 92 I parked at the Mezh, mostly and then met everyone who came into Moscow, but after 92 I mostly met just the Kepstowe drivers and subbies at Octopus.
sandway:
Vodka Cola Cowboy:
sandway:
Hello Micky T. Glad to see the new thread is going well. Am posting some of the photos I took when in Moscow early 80’s. I know they were shown quite recently on the “any old promotor drivers” thread but feel they should be on here too.Hi Brian.
Glad that you have put them on here. The thread is all about Russia. So, the more the merrier.The view from the Cosmos hotel is interesting because the rocket monument stands in front of V.D.N.K, the Science and Technology Park. This became an exhibition park and I spent a lot of time shunting trailers in and out of there.
It actually became the home of the Russian Stock Market later, which was known as the Bourse.
Don’t know whether you have got your copy of my book yet, but V.D.N.K is mentioned with regard to a kebab.
Morning Micky T. My copy of your book shipped out last night Plymouth to Roscoff. ETA four days. Looking forward to it.
Morning Mr. H. Good, I am sure that it will be worth the wait. I am getting a lot of good feedback from people who have read it.
Brilliant thread 
Who was the uk company who tried to run man Roadhouse cabs to Russia Uk plated trucks with Russian Drivers. Something like Woodland or similar. Got a big write up in one of the mags but i dont remember ever seeing one on the road at any time. IIRC Red man Roadhouse cabs.
Jelliot:
There was a thread a while back that Dave Mackie put up I think it was “Kazakhstan anybody want to start a thread”. Quite a bit of Russian stuff on that. He also had a web site running for a while with some cracking photos on it…
Link to the website… mackie.netii.net/1_16_Dave-Mackie.html
Trucky Mc truckface:
…Who was the uk company who tried to run man Roadhouse cabs to Russia Uk plated trucks with Russian Drivers. Something like Woodland or similar. Got a big write up in one of the mags but i dont remember ever seeing one on the road at any time. IIRC Red man Roadhouse cabs.
Pineland. Ordered the MANs through the main dealer in Croydon. I remember seeing them parked up and going to ask about them with a view to chasing up some work. Would have been early to middle 90s IIRC.