thanks for the kind words, as you might have read I have been in these parts for a couple of years now and unfortunately when I was out driving around the regions the most ('96 > '99) was obviously the time when I saw the most trucks - and now I really regret not taking pictures - even now when I take pics I get some funny looks from people, they are not really used to folks with cameras and occassionaly get suspicous.
There’s a TIR park here out on the ring-road in Ashgabad I sometimes go past and at any one time there must be 30 or 40 trucks mostly from Iran & Turkey but I would be pretty cagy about walking in there with a camera.
The bl00dy desk-job now means I don’t get out on the road so often, or if I do its always a rushed trip with no time.
Some pretty purposeful heavy haulers…
fabulous photos Richard keep them coming we all appreciate them for sure.
nice pictures pleasew keep them comeing , 
Cool pics mate 
Hi richard
Do you have any more photos of the sunny Ashgabad area for us humble UK drivers? Be good to see any more you have for us.
Best reg colin 
colin.f.whitetrans:
Hi richardDo you have any more photos of the sunny Ashgabad area for us humble UK drivers? Be good to see any more you have for us.
Best reg colin
Hiya Colin,
Talk about dejavu…I just got back from a trip out in Tmstan. I was over in Mary region (360kms east of AGB) and stopped in the Rahat Hotel just on the Murgab road, which doubles as TIR parking as well.
Here’s a selection of pics from the park, some Turks, several Iranians and a few tadjiks (that’s the DEGERTAJ Volvos).
The second night a middle aged German couple showed up they had ridden their motorbikes down across Turkey, spent 3 wks driving around Iran, were heading to the Uzbek border on Wednesday, staying in Bukhara, Samarkand, Shakrisabz, Termes then in to Tadjikistan with a plan to see the Pamir Highway, then crossing back to Tashkent, in to Kazakhstan up across to Mongolia, back in to Russia and then home…quite a road trip.
This one came in dragging it’s ■■■, see there’s only two wheels on the trailer
Hi Richard
Cracking photos again, thank you for taking the time to post them. That german couple must have been having a very interesting trip!! Back in 96-97 there was a brittish guy on a moped who stopped for a cup off tea with me and a few others while we were in russia. He was on his way to vladivostok he reckoned and i always did wonder if he made it?
Best Reg colin
Thats deffo a Volvo FL in disguise, classic!!!
One from this afternoon, here in Ashgabad
colin.f.whitetrans:
Hi RichardCracking photos again, thank you for taking the time to post them. That german couple must have been having a very interesting trip!! Back in 96-97 there was a brittish guy on a moped who stopped for a cup off tea with me and a few others while we were in russia. He was on his way to vladivostok he reckoned and i always did wonder if he made it?
Best Reg colin
Hey up Colin, that’s a quick reply…I put them up this morning while having breakfast…going to change the camera, see how all the pics have come out so dark, it was a nice evening when I took them, even the auto-correct in photo-editor seems to have made some a bit “glairry”.
Hi richard
Some of them old iranian trucks must have knocked up some miles on them!! Did you get the chance to speak to the drivers while you were there? After reading your posts i got to thinking how much i enjoyed the turkmen trips in the late nineties and how i always wanted to drive overland in a car to that area to make more time to enjoy the surroundings
reg colin
Unfortunately my Turkish isn’t as good as my Russian but it didn’t stop me having a few beers and a decent cigarette in the hotel bar with some guys who were on their way up to Uzbek.
Like you I had often wondered about driving from U.K. to Turkmen, speaking to the German couple they didn’t seem to have too much trouble crossing in to Iran - the roads are much better than here, in fact they said the Iranian border people were pleased to see them and pretty much did all they could to help. They thought 4 days to cross it as far as the border up from Mashad - and avoid Tehran because it is total motorist mayhem. But I reckon getting a visa for this place would be the stumbling block.
couple more from this week in AGB
Here’s a few more from earlier in the week - again it’s up at the Murgab TIR park in Mary, Turkmenistan
Richardjw1:
Here’s a few more from earlier in the week - again it’s up at the Murgab TIR park in Mary, Turkmenistan
blimey!!!
look at that hog!!! looks like something out a horror film!!!
superb photos richard, please keep them coming
I have an idea that the old ‘Duel’ truck goes on the Afghan run, you see them occassionally with megasized diesel tanks altogether a rough looking set-up and they always seem to head south from Lebap or Mary.
Hi Richard
Hope all ok out in the sun and be good if you could post any other photos you have from central asia. Could do with another run that way just to how much its changed in kazak on the road down to turkmen!!
Best reg colin
Just now seen this thread.Fantastic.Please post more if you can.
Great snaps!