Real long haul
Discussion
Anyone on here done or doing long distance stuff anymore?
I spent the late 90's going back and to to Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic states with a Scania rig. I'd go as far as Ufa in the Ural mountains and Zaporogia in Ukraine. Once got down as far as the Black Sea. Ufa was nearly a weeks drive the other side of Moscow.
I was always in awe of a friend's father as a kid, I went to see him the other day and he dug out some photos, I was amazed to see one in the early 70's in Baghdad. He remembers it as a friendly vibrant place.
Good old days for sure.
Is anyone from the UK still doing this stuff or has the EU killed it?
I spent the late 90's going back and to to Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic states with a Scania rig. I'd go as far as Ufa in the Ural mountains and Zaporogia in Ukraine. Once got down as far as the Black Sea. Ufa was nearly a weeks drive the other side of Moscow.
I was always in awe of a friend's father as a kid, I went to see him the other day and he dug out some photos, I was amazed to see one in the early 70's in Baghdad. He remembers it as a friendly vibrant place.
Good old days for sure.
Is anyone from the UK still doing this stuff or has the EU killed it?
I saw one of Ralph Davies' trucks this morning near Runcorn, I knew loads of his drivers including one called Alan, not sure of surname. There was a Mike too who married a girl in Minsk.
I was on for Eagle Freight Terminal in Ipswich, we turned around in Europort and headed back for more!
I was on for Eagle Freight Terminal in Ipswich, we turned around in Europort and headed back for more!
Willy Nilly said:
Doing those sorts for trips would probably be great fun for a couple of trips. Do/did people do them regularly and can they stay sane?
I spoke to a guy years ago that used to go east of Moscow in ERF's. He had some quite interesting tales, one of which was breaking down (frozen brakes IIRC) in the middle of a multi-lane road and burning an entire tank of fuel keeping his cab warm before help arrived.
I did them regularly. Did right through one winter and while it was 'Character building' I decided that the money I'd earned (paid by the trip) didn't warrant the hassle so used to work then March to November spending the other months in India or Africa.I spoke to a guy years ago that used to go east of Moscow in ERF's. He had some quite interesting tales, one of which was breaking down (frozen brakes IIRC) in the middle of a multi-lane road and burning an entire tank of fuel keeping his cab warm before help arrived.
Your guy was lucky he had help coming. You need methanol in the air lines to prevent the brakes locking, a bit of petrol in the diesel to stop it waxing, oh, and don't turn the engine off even long enough to check the oil because if the batteries freeze you're in a world of s
t.I was generally taking rolls of cloth etc to former Soviet factories and bringing back hanging garments. There was other stuff too, I loaded tyres one night out of an Antonov cargo plane on a runway somewhere east of Moscow.
When the EEC started to let the east europeans drive their trucks here we were doomed, they'd work for $20 a day. I went to India for Christmas in 2001 and came back to literally no work.
^^I tried to get into the likes of Redburn transfer and Stagetruck but found I needed a referral really and it kind of stalled there. Meantime I was offered a year in Spain moving a mobile exhibition around from town to town, so off I went.
I will get some pics scanned in, been meaning to do it for ages.
When the EEC started to let the east europeans drive their trucks here we were doomed, they'd work for $20 a day. I went to India for Christmas in 2001 and came back to literally no work.
^^I tried to get into the likes of Redburn transfer and Stagetruck but found I needed a referral really and it kind of stalled there. Meantime I was offered a year in Spain moving a mobile exhibition around from town to town, so off I went.
I will get some pics scanned in, been meaning to do it for ages.
chilistrucker said:
are you still doing it?
Nope, the only trucking I do now is helping a mate who mends horseboxes and doesn't have an HGV licence.I really miss it. I miss getting off the boat in Europort or Calais with 2 or 3 thousand miles to drive and that feeling of adventure on me.
Edited by JohnnyJones on Friday 13th April 06:00
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