As a child lorry fanatic I used to stand on a corner of the London south circular road in Peckham London to watch the lorries pass by, the equivalent now would be the hard shoulder of the M25 !!
Here are some of the lorries and companies I remember and I hope this jogs a few memories/stories/photo’s ?
(THE CONTINENTALS)
L GIRAUD long nosed maroon Scania 110 tankers from France, I assume they were transporting Vino ?
Norbert Dentresssangle very early Berliet’s some drawbars.
Pegaso’s from Spain split screen and finned cab similar to Scammell Routman.
Fiat 690’s from Italy split screen tri axle trailers spoke wheels with single tyres on the last axle, imagine driving all that way in one of them.
{THE SCOTTISH)
Stewarts of BlairGowrie Volvo F88 chrome grill fridge motors.
T & M Catto more fridge outfits.
Pollock what a livery !!
and of course Gibbs of Fraserborough.
(THE IRISH)
East West
Hagan Transport Fintona
T C Refridgeration
Transcontinental from Rosslare
A much later Olloquiegui Pegaso, couldn’t find one of their cheese graters
Was it just me? Correct me if I’m wrong.
The North Circular went from Hanger Lane all the way round to the Woolwich Ferry. I seem to remember that I would cut off and use the Blackwall tunnel, which was high enough for the high roof vans I used to pull.
Very useful, some slow points, but mainly fairly easy. This would be heading for Bowaters Scott at Northfleet. Tip and load. If lucky, load for Barrow, if not, load for Glasgow!
Return, usually the same.
The South circular in the early seventies wasn’t a circular, it was a continuous collection of urban areas to be be avoided at all costs! Quicker to go back north of the river and round.
As said, maybe it was just my impression.
John.
There was a left turn somewhere on the south circular with a sharp 90% left at the lights
Left Turn & Right turn had different light sequences & the stop on the Right turn lane was marked way back to allow for wagons & trailers rear ends swinging out on the left turn
One day I was first at the lights for the left turn & as usual took a good swing to get the trailer round without cutting over the curb, halfway round a chap on the opposite pavement shouted stop - which I did - he was pointing to the rear of the trailer which was out of view as I was halfway round, walking back I found a Morris Minor hanging from the rear of the trailer through its passenger side window.
A few expletives for his stupid behaviour & helpful passers by lifting the Morris off & I was on my way, hardly a scrtach on the trailer 
whisperingsmith:
…There was a left turn somewhere on the south circular with a sharp 90% left at the lights…
Off the top of my head, its sounds like you could be describing the left turn on to Upper Richmond Road. You would have been coming from Kew direction, going anti-clockwise on the South Circ heading east towards Putney.
Tulse Hill heading west? Just after the infamous railway bridge. Cavendish rd onto Clapham common/ Beulah Hill and then across the Common?
Hi all, thanks for the replies photo’s and memories, I just realised my lorry spotting in Peckham wasn’t on the south circular, the Peckham route came up from the A2 through Deptford & New Cross maybe that’s why most of them were continentals. My south circular spot was Dulwich common between Tulse Hill and Forest Hill. I think the tight left turn must have been the one after Kew Bridge towards Putney, the south circular couldn’t have been easy running through Catford, Forest Hill - Tulse Hill, Putney etc.
When my dad was heading North he always went up the Holloway Road and over Archway Hill to the A1, good old days.
I used that route A2/South Circular and the North Circular many times with artics both before the M25 was finished and afterwards. You could do more or less the whole route before you could find an un-vandalised phone-box to secure your return load! 
Robert
> bullitt:
> > whisperingsmith:
> > …There was a left turn somewhere on the south circular with a sharp 90% left at the lights…
>
>
> Off the top of my head, its sounds like you could be describing the left turn on to Upper Richmond Road. You would have been coming from Kew direction, going anti-clockwise on the South Circ heading east towards Putney.
I think you are right, a long time ago & a long way from me now
whisperingsmith:
> bullitt:
> > whisperingsmith:
> > …There was a left turn somewhere on the south circular with a sharp 90% left at the lights…
>
>
> Off the top of my head, its sounds like you could be describing the left turn on to Upper Richmond Road. You would have been coming from Kew direction, going anti-clockwise on the South Circ heading east towards Putney.I think you are right, a long time ago & a long way from me now
He’s right there is a sharp l/h turn at that point