MIDDLE EAST OVERLAND RUN "experience" !

[truckerash]

A Middle East Overland Run "experience" will be held in conjunction with the Retro Truck Show at Gaydon Heritage Motor Centre on SATURDAY 13th SEPTEMBER 2014.

The "experience" will be a "ticket only" event. Tickets can be purchased direct from Gaydon. Just click on the link below.
Tickets are priced at £20 per person. This includes: entry to the Retro Truck Show and the Middle East Overland Run "experience". There will be tea & coffee served during the morning and a two course lunch - including an Efes control (....we hope....) will also be included.

The event starts at 10am prompt and finishes around 3pm.

The event will consist of slide shows, cine film exerts, model display, and discussions with "old hands" and modern day drivers on how the job has evolved over the years. Some of the original Asian Transport/Astran drivers will be in attendance, along with other ex drivers from Grangewood, Oryx, PIE, OHS, Spiers & Hartwell and more......

STOP PRESS......we also hope to have the "original" AEC on display, which Asian Transport used in 1966 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come along for an authentic event and chat to some of the old hands.

For tickets, please click on this link:
http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/store/event-tickets/event-tickets-2014/retro-truck-show-2014/saturday-en-2/middle-east-overland-expedition-13-september-2014.html

[mixxy]

So much for 'Top Secret' Ash 

[truckerash]

Now it's confirmed "IT" is coming, we can tell everyone 

[mixxy]

Now it's confirmed "IT" is coming, we can tell everyone 

[Doug]

This brought back memories of the “Good Old Days”. At the time I was working for a trailer rental company on the Continent.

One day a fleet of around 6 to 10 brand new Scania drove into our yard and at the head of them a station wagon with their guide and mentor. They had bought the tractor units brand new from the factory in Sweden.

The units had no fleet markings and were just in the original ex factory colours. I seem to remember matt grey. To say the drivers were inexperienced would be an understatement. It was said they had lost one unit already as the driver didn't know how to change gear and had burnt the gearbox out trying to keep up with the others.   

Whether we ever got the trailers back I don't recall but we had an insurance man who was ex CID and set himself up as an investigator recovering lost trailers. He drove a Range Rover along the same overland routes and obviously had a lot of interesting tales to tell. Among them how he'd find a trailer one night and when he returned the next day the trailer had sunk in a quagmire as water was redirected and building work went ahead at such a pace. The whole infrastructure changed continually.

A lot of our trailers had the tilts removed and were returned 3 high as platform trailers using the Euro Arab Sea Trailer (EAST) barge service ARAB FALCON and ARAB HAWK from Yanbu to Marseilles (Fos sur Mer).  One day I'll find out a bit more about the barge service but if anyone has any information it would be appreciated. I think Crowley were involved in the towage of the barges but again that needs more investigation. The idea was based on the present day trailer barges between the US and the islands such as Puerto Rico. Also as best I know the two barges in question were built in Japan so didn't comply with the Jones Act and couldn't be used in the US when the service ended. They were up for sale but I suspect eventually scrapped.

A lot of trailers were repatriated by this service as many owner drivers drove out to the Middle East to make their fortunes and came unstuck. Underestimating the custom's “formalities” and general conditions to be contended with. Much of which I'm sure will be remembered at the up coming meeting.  Truly pioneering days, I wonder where the next frontier is, Africa I guess. 


 

[truckerash]

This brought back memories of the “Good Old Days”. At the time I was working for a trailer rental company on the Continent.

.........Whether we ever got the trailers back I don't recall but we had an insurance man who was ex CID and set himself up as an investigator recovering lost trailers. He drove a Range Rover along the same overland routes and obviously had a lot of interesting tales to tell. .......

The man's name was Fred Topham! He had a Ford Granada and his colleague had the blue Range Rover. They travelled around Turkey and the Middle East for over 6 months looking for the "illusive" trailers.

[Doug]

Spot on, he was indeed. One and the same.

B Regards

Doug 

[truckerash]

For your information DOUG.....

Fred Topham will be attending the M/E "do"