In the first half of the 70’s, there was a Norwegian transport company called Evensen, who used to go to Bandar Abbas , Iran , with ship spares. One of these drivers was a Norwegian called Leif Nedrejord. He quit at Evensen , and startet working for Asian Transport. They made a book of Evensen’s Bandar Abbas trips , with tough winter driving In Turkey , and desert driving. With no phones , no GPS, and no 24 hour services available, plus long hours , they did a great job !
bit of info, at 0:11 , I lived in Oman and Muscat since 1973, this pic was taken at what I think was the Riyam flats roundabout because it looks like Riyam in the background, much has changed now but I'll keep looking for the exact location. I remember seeing some Astrans lorries and wondering how the hell they got there because it took me 13 hours on a Gulf Air flight.
Hello friend I done abit of long distances driving. The good days are gone not many Gentle men on the rds these days. Anyman at it back in the day. They have done there fair share of tramping. Credit to all.
my husband used to see one of thier drivers dave poulton who stared in documentry to dohar and back he was in hiss late seventies still working night shift for reynolds
@sallycheney5795 Dave Poulton passed not many years ago. He was one of the Astran originals and in the book 'Long Haul Pioneers' about Astran it says that Dave Poulton carried out well over a hundred Middle East trips. Astran (originally Asian Transport) was set up by two friends, Bob Paul and Mike Woodward, who knew nothing about road transport but took their very first load from UK to Kabul.
@@Onthemove6801I did see the movie and pictures of his colleague John Williams with his later dark overall and his dark blue Volvo and grey tarpaulin. I remember seeing him with his lorry at Geiselwind in Germany probably mending something. In retrospective a strange setting: clean colorful German trucks parked aligned and in between this dirty Volvo parked (not aligned) sitting there like a kind of ghost truck. Between 1980-1985 time period.
You don't go near Iran if your going to Doha it's thru Syria or Iraq and neither of those two routes have been open for over twenty years in the final years of astran they started shipping container.what people forget the only reason we started running down there was not because it was financially viable it was because every port in the Middle East was jammed solid ships could be anchored there for months .the very first company to run the middle was not British or European it was ICC Iran container company but the accident rate in Europe was so high with Iran drivers they switched to British drivers we had long nose mack 6x4 NON SLEEPERS my back still hurts whe I think about it.after I left them I joined a little known company called Simon international we ran out of brick lane east London,,I had a Volvo f 89 8x4 twenty foot tilt with a 12 metre trailer behind that .80 foot overall god we had some fun, Simon international was astran so biggest rival back the (NOT ALOAT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT)
Anyone else read The Cola Cowboys? Based on Astran, the biggest load of bollocks ever printed, only read it cos I was waiting ages to tip and had nothing else.
Just seen this one. What can I say. The reality of it was so far different from the fairy story of Middle east Trucking. It was hard work, long hours ( And I mean Looooong Hours ). No support apart from your fellow Drivers ( In most cases, but not all, as there were some "arse holes" running out there as well ). Many many hours/days sat around waiting to get cleared. And then days and days waiting to get tipped. And then if you were unlucky you would be sent out to collect abandoned vehicles. And that was not fun as you never new what condition it would be in. So why did we do it. Well I cannot really answer that one. Everybody running European back in the Early 70's probably had the dream to do the ultimate Driving experience and do the Middle East. So that was my excuse. Did I enjoy it. I dont think enjoy was the right word. But would I have changed the experience. NO not a chance. It was the experience of a lifetime and I did meet many great fellow Drivers. And the one thing you had to be is as mad as a hatter, and have the character to keep on smiling when everything possible went wrong. Those memories will never leave me. And to be truthful if the same opportunity arose today. YES I would do it again. 🙄🙄🙄
Epic journeys, strong nerves and great spirit of adaptation and practical sense. Well done. Ciao
In the first half of the 70’s, there was a Norwegian transport company called Evensen, who used to go to Bandar Abbas , Iran , with ship spares. One of these drivers
was a Norwegian called Leif Nedrejord. He quit at Evensen , and startet working for Asian Transport. They made a book of Evensen’s Bandar Abbas trips , with tough
winter driving In Turkey , and desert driving. With no phones , no GPS, and no 24 hour services available, plus long hours , they did a great job !
Such remarkable fortitude and skill those drivers demonstrated.
A very different time indeed.
Real men, real lorries........ Respect
Fantastic video and music they was legends
bit of info, at 0:11 , I lived in Oman and Muscat since 1973, this pic was taken at what I think was the Riyam flats roundabout because it looks like Riyam in the background, much has changed now but I'll keep looking for the exact location. I remember seeing some Astrans lorries and wondering how the hell they got there because it took me 13 hours on a Gulf Air flight.
Beautiful truck video.. Great music
I did Middle East in the late 80's till 92. Fun with the gulf wars - great people on the road.
Legends all of them . THIS IS HOW WE LEARNED GOOD MEN. FRANK PAUL.X
Hello friend I done abit of long distances driving. The good days are gone not many Gentle men on the rds these days. Anyman at it back in the day. They have done there fair share of tramping. Credit to all.
The Stars of Astran...❤
my husband used to see one of thier drivers dave poulton who stared in documentry to dohar and back he was in hiss late seventies still working night shift for reynolds
@sallycheney5795
Dave Poulton passed not many years ago. He was one of the Astran originals and in the book 'Long Haul Pioneers' about Astran it says that Dave Poulton carried out well over a hundred Middle East trips. Astran (originally Asian Transport) was set up by two friends, Bob Paul and Mike Woodward, who knew nothing about road transport but took their very first load from UK to Kabul.
@@Onthemove6801I did see the movie and pictures of his colleague John Williams with his later dark overall and his dark blue Volvo and grey tarpaulin. I remember seeing him with his lorry at Geiselwind in Germany probably mending something. In retrospective a strange setting: clean colorful German trucks parked aligned and in between this dirty Volvo parked (not aligned) sitting there like a kind of ghost truck. Between 1980-1985 time period.
My Way Thanks Thanks Mr Frank Snatra Thanks my way THANKS for your the great TRUCK 😢
Now they are coming our way .. I saw a chinese registered truck on the N104 around Paris last year.
To the Lads of Astran WHO did it their way
Nice video thanks
Another good video 👍
LEGENDS ALL OF THEM.A DIFFERENT ERA.TRUE TRUCKERS
great stuff wonderful ..
You don't go near Iran if your going to Doha it's thru Syria or Iraq and neither of those two routes have been open for over twenty years in the final years of astran they started shipping container.what people forget the only reason we started running down there was not because it was financially viable it was because every port in the Middle East was jammed solid ships could be anchored there for months .the very first company to run the middle was not British or European it was ICC Iran container company but the accident rate in Europe was so high with Iran drivers they switched to British drivers we had long nose mack 6x4 NON SLEEPERS my back still hurts whe I think about it.after I left them I joined a little known company called Simon international we ran out of brick lane east London,,I had a Volvo f 89 8x4 twenty foot tilt with a 12 metre trailer behind that
.80 foot overall god we had some fun, Simon international was astran so biggest rival back the (NOT ALOAT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT)
Velhos tempos.
Anyone else read The Cola Cowboys? Based on Astran, the biggest load of bollocks ever printed, only read it cos I was waiting ages to tip and had nothing else.
Great video 👍
I wouldn't fancy doing it in that old AEC Mandator that's for sure, Dennis
ASTRANS ❤😢🇹🇷🖐🇹🇷🖐
Stare, SCANIA byly, Nejkrásnější, trucky, takové, se, mi, libi mohli by, znovu, jezdit, 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁zdraví, vás, vaclav hodně nových videji
That's real men
The Cola Cowboys
@simonperry330
I have a first edition 'Cola Cowboys' by Franklyn Wood. Worth a few bob now!
How do the truckers get on going through to say Doha these days with all the problems in Syria Iran and other countries?
Just seen this one. What can I say. The reality of it was so far different from the fairy story of Middle east Trucking. It was hard work, long hours ( And I mean Looooong Hours ). No support apart from your fellow Drivers ( In most cases, but not all, as there were some "arse holes" running out there as well ). Many many hours/days sat around waiting to get cleared. And then days and days waiting to get tipped. And then if you were unlucky you would be sent out to collect abandoned vehicles. And that was not fun as you never new what condition it would be in.
So why did we do it. Well I cannot really answer that one. Everybody running European back in the Early 70's probably had the dream to do the ultimate Driving experience and do the Middle East.
So that was my excuse. Did I enjoy it. I dont think enjoy was the right word. But would I have changed the experience. NO not a chance. It was the experience of a lifetime and I did meet many great fellow Drivers.
And the one thing you had to be is as mad as a hatter, and have the character to keep on smiling when everything possible went wrong. Those memories will never leave me. And to be truthful if the same opportunity arose today. YES I would do it again. 🙄🙄🙄