WELCOME ABOARD TRUCKCENTRAL..

MY JOURNEY… MY  WAY.

BELOW: My little lass and me with the “Old Growler” Ford Transcon of Bill Potters, on the unofficial lorry park at the back of  Sowerby Bridge ( Now demolished) Railway Station 1978. 

ABOVE : Myself, and my old buddy Ian Adey, who rode shotgun with me on many international trips back in the day, seen here in Vercelli waiting to clear customs (DOGANA) in ITALY 1980 ish.

Throughout my journey in the road transport industry here in the U.K., I started off as a 17 year old pup, and I am still at it now at the age of 76. I am truly grateful for my health that enables me to continue doing what I love, even though some days it can be very challenging.

 

Over the years, I have witnessed numerous changes in this industry. Technology advancements and evolving regulations have transformed the way we operate, and that is something that does not sit well with me, due to the fact that I am not a fan of modern tech.

But despite these changes, one thing remains constant – the joy of meeting great people along this journey.

However, with time passing by, I have also experienced the loss of friends and colleagues, as some of those great individuals have sadly left us, and will not pass this way again. Yet amidst it all, I am thankful for the memories we shared and cherish them dearly.

As a seasoned road transport professional with decades of experience behind me, I look back on my career with a sense of fulfillment and gratitude. Each day is a reminder to appreciate not only the opportunities that came my way but also the remarkable individuals who made this journey along side me worthwhile.

BELOW: Last day in the yard at Wibsey with the old 143 of Billies, it was a cold day, you can tell…She wears her battle scars well, a tribute to all the hard mileage she completed..

Having had a thirty year “on off”  love for international work, driving throughout the E.U. Scandinavia and the Eastern block, experiencing customs regulations, border crossing procedures, multi-country freight management, corrupt custom officials, and cowboy hauliers in the U.K. and abroad, i’m proud to say, I worked for most of them, they certainly were different days. 

I also have to say that the cowboys were hard working men, who came from a different time, and made hard working men out of us that were there at that time in road haulage history, we all learned a lot from them, how to do it right, and how to do it wrong, but I will be eternally grateful to them all now in hindsight.

From hauling goods of all kinds, to navigating the open road, the life of a trucker has always been an adventure, and when you mix in the world of agency trucking, well, things get even more interesting!

So,   come on..let’s take a joyride through the decades with me, and explore how these pictures capture the vibrant and varied life of both mixed agency and regular trucking work.