Further to many posts on here from Cookie1 re S Jones, Trans Arabia and ERFs’ in general, I attach a few photos from between 1980 and 1982 when I worked for Trans Arabia mainly based in Dammam.
These pictures include those of twin 40 foot dollied road trains where re bar and containers of Dr Peppers could push the gross train weight into the 75 ton area.
ERFs and Macs were the norm but, in 1981 Ken Broster the general manager bought, I think, six Kenworths and had them painted up with flamboyant Trans Arabia insignia.
Goggi ( of Arabia!), who once decided to fly home on leave on Concord, was one of the first lads to be allocated one of these.
At Dammam, we had a very old, two axle ERF which had been scrapped more than once, only to be resurrected as a stand in shunt unit and trailer shifter on Binzagers yard.
I remember being short of trucks to do an urgent collection out of Dammam Port so decided to drive this unit, known by the filipino drivers as “the mustangy” to collect an outstanding container of soft drinks. I was well down at the back of the pack as we left the Port and headed down the long stretch of the port road towards the traffic lights. The lights changed to red. Everyone else stopped one behind the other. I braked, but virtually nothing happened as the weight of the container pushed me on. That’s when I found religion as I prayed for the lights to change so that all the lads in front would move off and give me more room. It worked and me and the Mustangy lived to see another day! I can still remember that feeling of absolute helplessness to this day!
Jerry Cooke was our spanner man who left to get married and was replaced by Ron Hawkins. We rented a house in Dammam and all lived together, complete with a cook called Mohammed. The trucks were repaired and serviced in the street.
Twelve weeks on then three weeks off!! Those were the days. Mind you, the filipinos had to do twelve months on then four weeks off!
Hopefully, my few pictures might bring back memories for others who shared those times.
Ron Hawkins!
That’s the man. Then he followed you out to Taseco/TMS (See the tankers - that was tankers Martin - thread)
Don’t remember the Kenworths - suspect KB kept them over at Jeddah, but all the rest looks very familiar. What’s the name of the lad in sunglasses in picture 7?
Fantastic photos. I wish I had a camera with me in the 80s and more so my dad in the 70s!
John West:
Ron Hawkins!
That’s the man. Then he followed you out to Taseco/TMS (See the tankers - that was tankers Martin - thread)
Yes John, you are right. I think he was stalking me!!.
He was a very ingenious bloke. He would have made a good anything- pirate, cat burglar, smuggler and a general, all round, get you out of the cak,- at a price- merchant!
Haven’t heard from him for a few years now. Am wondering if he is still vertical.Don’t remember the Kenworths - suspect KB kept them over at Jeddah, but all the rest looks very familiar. What’s the name of the lad in sunglasses in picture 7?
You are right in your suspicions. Not sure which lad in sunglasses you mean. If you are referring to pic 8, ie me, two little boys, a Kenworth and a bare chested fellow in shades, he was one of our Aldridge drivers but I can’t remember his name.
Wirlinmerlin! These are a veritable treasure-trove of Trans Arabia pictures. Thank you for posting them. If your’e happy with it, I’ll re-post some of them on the appropriate ERF threads and be sure to acknowledge your user name. Cheers! Robert 
Edit: PS. That’s a great pic of the B-series with a fridge trailer. I assume that’s one of Unilver’s trailers. It says …T Middle-East on the side. Any ideas?
Here’s a picture Mick Jones (Jona) took. He sent it to me along with all those ERF pics he kindly sent for me to post on the relevant threads. I didn’t post this one because I didn’t know what to do with it, but I reckon it has a place here! Robert 
robert1952:
Here’s a picture Mick Jones (Jona) took. He sent it to me along with all those ERF pics he kindly sent for me to post on the relevant threads. I didn’t post this one because I didn’t know what to do with it, but I reckon it has a place here! Robert0
Ken Broster
Very interesting photo - Mack under repair Dave Anslow giving a wave!? Ken Higley with him Copee to the left and myself to the right (young,thin and black hair - that’s a long time ago)
All outside villa Trans arabia Jeddah
robert1952:
Wirlinmerlin! These are a veritable treasure-trove of Trans Arabia pictures. Thank you for posting them. If your’e happy with it, I’ll re-post some of them on the appropriate ERF threads and be sure to acknowledge your user name. Cheers! RobertEdit: PS. That’s a great pic of the B-series with a fridge trailer. I assume that’s one of Unilver’s trailers. It says …T Middle-East on the side. Any ideas?
Glad you like them. I am happy for you to do what ever you wish with them.
Re the fridge, I can’t give you any more info.
PS. As a matter of interest, I did twelve months in 1983 with Taseco TMS ( A combined operation between Tamimi and Saihati, a well established Saudi transport contractor with management supplied by the United Transport Group of the UK) in a purpose built compound just outside Dammam on the Abqaiq road. The company had won the contract in October 1981 to do ship side clearances on the east coast and all onward inland trucking movements for Aramco oil. It was a huge undertaking from a nothing standing start to commencement of operations in June 1982 . I believe it resulted in the saving grace for ERF because an order was placed for 140 units ( at a time when they were struggling), 290 crane Fruehauf 40 tonne flat bed trailers along with 15 Douglas 6x4 shunters, 3 x50 tonne extendibles and 2 x70 tonne low beds.
I have quite a few photos resulting from my time there and will upload them under A Taseco heading when I have a moment.
Regards
Wirlinmerlin:
robert1952:
Wirlinmerlin! These are a veritable treasure-trove of Trans Arabia pictures. Thank you for posting them. If your’e happy with it, I’ll re-post some of them on the appropriate ERF threads and be sure to acknowledge your user name. Cheers! RobertEdit: PS. That’s a great pic of the B-series with a fridge trailer. I assume that’s one of Unilver’s trailers. It says …T Middle-East on the side. Any ideas?
Glad you like them. I am happy for you to do what ever you wish with them.
Re the fridge, I can’t give you any more info.
PS. As a matter of interest, I did twelve months in 1983 with Taseco TMS ( A combined operation between Tamimi and Saihati, a well established Saudi transport contractor with management supplied by the United Transport Group of the UK) in a purpose built compound just outside Dammam on the Abqaiq road. The company had won the contract in October 1981 to do ship side clearances on the east coast and all onward inland trucking movements for Aramco oil. It was a huge undertaking from a nothing standing start to commencement of operations in June 1982 . I believe it resulted in the saving grace for ERF because an order was placed for 140 units ( at a time when they were struggling), 290 crane Fruehauf 40 tonne flat bed trailers along with 15 Douglas 6x4 shunters, 3 x50 tonne extendibles and 2 x70 tonne low beds.
I have quite a few photos resulting from my time there and will upload them under A Taseco heading when I have a moment.
Regards
Great stuff. There is already a little on Taseco ERFs on the ‘Left-hand-drive B-series ERFs’ thread and on the ‘Left-hand-drive C-series ERFs’ thread. I Look forward to reading about them whichever thread you put your pics on! Cheers. Robert
I recently heard that the famous Ron Hawkins who worked for Jones of Aldridge as a fitter and who subsequently did a few years for them and Trans Arabia in Saudi ( later with Taseco TMS) has in his retiring years, finally taken on the challenge of the internet. I wish him good luck and all the best. A man never to be forgotten. A man who ruined my best white, bri nylon shirt. A man who never failed to eat my yogurts when my back was turned. A man who would disappear for days into the desert on a job but who would always reappear…job done. Welcome Ronaldo.
( I attach here, a photo and very short story he recently sent me. The picture and humour within the few lines illustrates the man to a tee! Give us some more Ron.)
Good stuff Merlin and Ron!
As Merlin says - let’s have some more please.
John
John West:
Good stuff Merlin and Ron!As Merlin says - let’s have some more please.
John
I do hope that Ron will post on here. I’m sure he has plenty to offer! Robert
Further to the recent news that the (in)famous Ronaldo Hawkins has taken to the internet in his mature years, I attach, for your delight, a couple of stories from his adventures in the early 80’s at Trans Arabia where the cry was often heard- " We’re in the sh.t!.. Send for 'Awkins! "
Readers may find reading the stories a little difficult due to the problems of reproduction etc etc but persevere. It’s well worth the effort.
Meanwhile, I have asked Ron to continue forwarding to me his memories but with a bit more attention paid to spacing so that those of us with poor eye sight might not struggle so much.
Note. It is possible to read the stories. Enlarging makes it so much more legible. ( Yes I know…You know! )
“We’re in the sh.t! …Send for 'Awkins!..Again!”
The story of flaming Mazola and the case of the missing Chicken!
Wirlinmerlin:
“We’re in the sh.t! …Send for 'Awkins!..Again!”
The story of flaming Mazola and the case of the missing Chicken!
Good stuff! (The story, not the chicken)
I’ll bet Mr Perfect’s bum was going ‘half-crown/tanner’ when he saw the flames!
What sort of word processor is Ron using? Looks like an early Amstrad.
John.
Another Ron Hawkins tale.
Entitled- How to make a happy man even happier!
At Trans Arabia we had a driver called Eric Bowers. He was a little short in the stature department and had great difficulties when it can to rauling the spare wheel on his Mack. He asked me if I could come up with a solution. I was in my element with this type of problem. The picture below shows my handiwork. I fabricated a carrier on the front of his truck.
Not only was E.B. then a very happy chappy, but our boss K.B. was so impressed he asked me if I could do something similar for him on the front of his Blazer the results of which can be seen in the background.
Another Ron Hawkins tale.
Entitled- Nelson drops one on the way to King Solomon’s mine.
This truck had been “all shuck up” like Elvis, running on a graded road for 60 klicks off the tarmac to this mine. Yes, it was a Mack. Driven by a good chap called Nelson, a Phillipino. he had said that he had had to stop because " the engine has dropped down!"
Robbing some parts from the burnt out Mack ( see previous story) I tooled up and got to Nelson at a place near to Nazran and right enough, the bloody engine had dropped!. Good job I had some tackle. Using a sky hook I wound the engine backwards with talk and jacks and replaced the off side rear engine mounting. All of this was done in the middle of no where. After doing repairs to the fuel lines etc etc we started it up and it ran fine. I followed him for a mile or two to ensure he was ok. This was hard job well done. It took me two days to get back to our yard where I tried blowing my own trumpet but it was too full of bloody sand!!
Wirlinmerlin:
Another Ron Hawkins tale.
Entitled- Nelson drops one on the way to King Solomon’s mine.This truck had been “all shuck up” like Elvis, running on a graded road for 60 klicks off the tarmac to this mine. Yes, it was a Mack. Driven by a good chap called Nelson, a Phillipino. he had said that he had had to stop because " the engine has dropped down!"
Robbing some parts from the burnt out Mack ( see previous story) I tooled up and got to Nelson at a place near to Nazran and right enough, the bloody engine had dropped!. Good job I had some tackle. Using a sky hook I wound the engine backwards with talk and jacks and replaced the off side rear engine mounting. All of this was done in the middle of no where. After doing repairs to the fuel lines etc etc we started it up and it ran fine. I followed him for a mile or two to ensure he was ok. This was hard job well done. It took me two days to get back to our yard where I tried blowing my own trumpet but it was too full of bloody sand!!
Another world, entirely! Keep 'em coming Merlin. Robert