I remember the West End at Gloucester, a real dump,wasn,t there another cafe narly next to it,Aldgate lorry park in London,Red Lion,used to be like united nations,they had “Exotic Dancers”■■?(no trade descritions in those days!)and the foriegn drivers,units only used to fill every inch of space,there was another pub (The Castle?) between the red lion and the lorry park.
Remember a cafe in Bristol i think,used to be open all night was under a flyover,real dingy place, had a cup of tea bedded down for the night,listened to the traffic roaring overhead for half an hour and got up and went and parked down the road ,it would have been quieter parked in the middle of the m25,that was in the sensible days of log books,when you made it up as you went along.
regards derek
dafdave:
Heres a poser for you owd uns.What was the name of the digs in peterboro.When you went for a wash you got hot water in a bowl and went outside to an out house put your bowl on a long bench and had your wash.When you finished you emptied the bowl in a horsetrough.The house was very old and the wooden floors u/stairs sloped.
I had to think very hard about that one.However the little grey cells sprang into life. The digs were called Little Johns.Can’t remember the name of the road but I bet someone will tell us. 
Thats the one charlie,i cant think of the road either altho london rd rings a bell,cheers anyway.
Dave.
Heres some more for you charlie one.
The 4 fishes northampton lorry park.
The 3 down the a5 between dunstable and m1 jun 9.
The ranch [what a dump]
The 3 fishes [the best one]were the motel is now.
Watling st still going last i heard,been retired 7yrs.
dafdave:
Heres some more for you charlie one.
The 4 fishes northampton lorry park.
The 3 down the a5 between dunstable and m1 jun 9.
The ranch [what a dump]
The 3 fishes [the best one]were the motel is now.
Watling st still going last i heard,been retired 7yrs.
Yes Dave,I’ve been in them all.Memories of yesteryear. Most of them good.Watling st as far as I know is still there.I’ve been retired five years myself but was in there two years ago.Doing a little cash job.I love them How about the cafe in Paternoster St in Sheffield.Used to park in the coach park over the road.Good night out.Bodmin was another great place.Mind you that was in the early sixties.Ah where did my youth go?
curnock:
crick europort,halfway house
Is this still there?
We used to subby for te5co around xmas time, doing branch dels.
after a hard day’s graft 
, we used to bobtail round to there, had some good nights 
We had a news clipping in our yard from the police/mot telling drivers not to park there, as there was a high chance of being gassed 
…but we never had any probs.
curnock:
willesdon europort,railway club
reminded me of the railway club in newhaven, back around 1988 we used to use the tuesday night boat (for 8am clearance in como thursday ) and if your trailer had been loaded in leeds monday you would usually get a good session in before departure time - several times one of the sealink dockies would have to put the wagons on the boat 
eurodad:
curnock:
crick europort,halfway houseIs this still there?
We used to subby for te5co around xmas time, doing branch dels.
after a hard day’s graft
We had a news clipping in our yard from the police/mot telling drivers not to park there, as there was a high chance of being gassed
we used to park up on the europort and walk over,used to be kareoke on
thursday nights
The places i remember from the 70,s & 80,s are
Lincoln farm - Hampton in Arden
Hollies - A5 nr . Cannock
Jacks Hill - Towcester ( Still use these three today )
The Colonels - Penkridge
Ivys - Newton le willows ( near Smith of Maddistons Depot )
Coltarts - Lockerbie
Good digs in Doncaster nr. cattle market and in Stockton nr. Smiths depot
Cant remember names but good nights out.
Also digs in London road Glasgow, handy for Bettys Bar in gallowgate. Had too many sherberts in there one night and escorted a young lady home to a tenement in Easterhouse. Two bus rides back to digs in morning.
Got to truck in Smiths yard about 11 o, clock
another dump and greasy spoon,the tower cafe basingstoke.
Anyone remember ethels at leytonstone,stayed there regular in the 70s cant remember the rd it was on.
tooley st just south of tower bridge,used to get a lot of DRT tpt of bolton,marshals of evesham,berisfords of stoke snaylams of bolton,
ive had some propper nights out in the ol days
birch services { whitehorse or the white heart pub cant quite remember )
nuneaton truck stop
red lion
thery where in the forest freight days 
I remember Birch services I used to park there on the Westbound side and a short walk out the back was the pub did good food as well.
I was subbying for Sea Route Ferry at the time they had a depot at Heywood I also used to stop on the waste ground in Heywood by the Talbot pub.
Regards Pat
back in the 60’s when in glasgow i used to stay at dot’s, parked in kelvinhaugh st, dig’s were in st vincent crescent, when you went down for breakfast. the night trunkers from the highlands distilleries would be haven a we dram, they asked if you like some in your tea just to start the day off, it was over 100 proof , that really got you started, dot sold out after that it went down hill fast, after that used to park in elliot st off lancefield quay, the stable bar and bettys bar was the local watering holes happy days
trucking482002:
I remember the West End at Gloucester, a real dump,wasn,t there another cafe narly next to it,Aldgate lorry park in London,Red Lion,used to be like united nations,they had “Exotic Dancers”■■?(no trade descritions in those days!)and the foriegn drivers,units only used to fill every inch of space,there was another pub (The Castle?) between the red lion and the lorry park.
Remember a cafe in Bristol i think,used to be open all night was under a flyover,real dingy place, had a cup of tea bedded down for the night,listened to the traffic roaring overhead for half an hour and got up and went and parked down the road ,it would have been quieter parked in the middle of the m25,that was in the sensible days of log books,when you made it up as you went along.
regards derek
The cafe under the flyover in Bristol was the “Venturers” next to the old ■■■■■■■■■■ Basin bridge over the floating harbour entrance with the fine view of the Suspension bridge nearby. The better cafe was “Browns” which was almost adjacent to the old swing bridge, everything was served in home-made bread rolls and they were delicious . Unfortunately it was sold in the 1980’s and now it’s a posh “bistro”, ie the foods crap and very expensive! As regards to the all night Venturers, thats no longer a transport cafe either, just a mediocre eating house (well that’s what it looks like when I drive past, it doesn’t shout "come on in " to me)
Is the Star cafe still open at Lesmahagow on the A74 or is it by-passed by the M74?
I’ve been off the road since 1987,but I always used to make for the Star as it was open 24 hours and a good starting point early in a morning.There was a pub near it but can’t remember what it was called. 
Chris Webb:
Is the Star cafe still open at Lesmahagow on the A74 or is it by-passed by the M74?
I’ve been off the road since 1987,but I always used to make for the Star as it was open 24 hours and a good starting point early in a morning.There was a pub near it but can’t remember what it was called.
I think the truck stop at Lesmahagow might have seen the Star off but I am not sure I used to stay at the truck stop regularly in the 90’s and The Star was still going strong then. A guy named Derek used to own the truck stop and also had the franchise for the Shell garage at Abington.He was a decent bloke and I used both his establishments. I have had many good nights there.A young lad named Scott worked at the Shell garage and he was smashing.
Chris Webb:
Is the Star cafe still open at Lesmahagow on the A74 or is it by-passed by the M74?
I’ve been off the road since 1987,but I always used to make for the Star as it was open 24 hours and a good starting point early in a morning.There was a pub near it but can’t remember what it was called.
I think you mean the Old Star, the pub was open till at least a 3 or 4 years ago. The owner was a lad called Craig. Small typical scottish pub with a tipper yard next door.
I remember some good stops between Brough and Glesga, not many open now.
Does anyone remember the lorry park in Derby? It wasnt where the cattle market is now. I remember it as a roundabout where you parked in the middle, right next to the city centre pubs. It may have been where the old bus station was.
newmercman:
charlie one:
Sorry Curnock. Just read your posting again.Did not TNT buy out Taylor Barnard ?Yep, TNT took over TB, now known as CEVA Logistics. I’ve tipped there a few times, never knew it was a place of historical importance, never knew it had a canteen either so I used McGivesyougutsache across the road
it used to have a canteen when it was taylers,but not been in there for a few years
Wheel Nut:
Does anyone remember the lorry park in Derby? It wasnt where the cattle market is now. I remember it as a roundabout where you parked in the middle, right next to the city centre pubs. It may have been where the old bus station was.
Strewth, you must be even older than I am. I don’t remember anything there before the bus station and in the old days we always used to drive through the centre of Derby to go west from Nottingham.