The A-Z celebrating 50 years of Davies International
A Fridge Too Far
The A-Z celebrating 50 years of Davies International
Written by James DaviesForeword
‘Transport’ according to the Oxford Dictionary is: ‘A system for carrying people or goods from one place to another using vehicles.’ What is doesn’t describe or mention, is how it gets into your blood. It’s been in mine since I was old enough to remember anything. That feeling never goes away. It evolves, grows and is fuelled by pride and a passion to do things right. Fifty years, how did that time come to pass? Mum and Dad dared to dream of success all those years ago and here we are today. To each and every one of you involved with Davies International over the past 50 years, I would like to thank you all for helping us to get this far. Our ‘Transport Family’. Responsible for thousands of stories and memories that have shaped all of our lives. For this, I will always be thankful. We have been lucky enough to work with some truly amazing people and that is what makes our story.
Mum and Dad,
Without you, none of these memories, stories, pictures or words would even be here. You’ve worked so hard for all of these years, through times of despair and the good. Always coming out the other side, through sheer fight, passion and determination for what you do. I hope you enjoy looking back down memory lane over the next few pages. You’re my real superheroes of International Transport; now it’s your time to shine. I’m so proud of you both. Never forget... we’ll keep gelling on for the next 50.
Love always, H xxx
Anderson’s Road, Southampton
Our very first yard, which proudly became home to Davies International Transport from September 1993 until May 2001. During this period, we were running 30 trucks and 3–4 owner drivers.
Beaner
Anyone who knows us, knows Steve as ‘Beaner’. He was affectionately given his nickname when he was a toddler by Dave Morgan, who drove for mum and dad in the early 80s.
Like most family transport stories, Beaner came into the business straight from school. He’s been my little brother all my life. We’ve worked together in transport through some good times and tough times for nearly 25 years, and we’ve always come out the other side moving forwards.
Cruise Ship Transportation
Our home city and port of Southampton, with its long and illustrious cruising history.
Dating back 100 years and beyond, the ‘Golden Age’ of the cruise liner. In years gone by, transatlantic and holiday cruising were something only accessible to royalty, high society and celebrities. At the turn of the millennium, the industry changed. Cruising suddenly became affordable and could offer so much more to the wider public in terms of variety and holiday destinations.
Six countries in eight days; it was always going to be a success story.
We were lucky enough to be a part of these changes. The demand to store vessels at home and overseas became necessary, whether that be restocking ships based in the Mediterranean for a season or new builds and refits at the shipyard.
We are proud to have delivered and given our service over the years, taking us to ports in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Denmark and Sweden.
A big chapter of our history at Davies International.
Dijon ’92
The memories of a trip that is still talked about to this day in Davies folklore.
Summer 1992. I was with ‘Zimmer’ (George Rayner), featured in the photo, for a trip. Three of us shipped out on the Portsmouth/Le Havre P&O night boat. All loaded and destined for Nestlé, Longvic (Dijon). The instructions were to ‘gel on’ and get tipped the following day. For one reason or another, and suffice to say, we did not make it before Nestlé was shut for the day. Next stop for the evening/overnight: the Centre Routiers at Longvic. Three more of the boys rolled in, also due to tip Nestlé the following morning. Then there were six...
A classic evening of that era in transport: socialising at the Centre Routiers and sampling the local cuisine and mandatory barrel of vin rouge, which carried on until late. At some point during the evening, a democratic decision was made around the dinner table that someone should phone in and inform Dad of what ‘hadn’t happened’ that day. This had to be someone highly trained in the art of tact and diplomacy and also someone who could hold the pay phone receiver at least two feet from their eardrum once the news was relayed back home. So, Kwozzy volunteered and was duly despatched to use his spare FF shrapnel. He said to me, ‘A one franc coin should do it; I don’t want to be on the phone that long to the Old Man once I’ve told him.’
The next morning, cafe au lait, sore heads and pretty much silence on the CB until about 11:30am. Everyone got tipped and off we went in different directions. For us, next stop Italy and Cuneo to be precise, via Mont Cenis. A lot chillier once at the top compared to the bottom! He won’t remember, but I met Marc Venus of AS Rawlings for the first time on Cenis, in his black F16. George and I loaded up that day in Cuneo with peaches and nectarines for ‘Fresh Fruit Wales’. A great customer of Mum and Dad’s and lovely people to work for. As fate would have it, all six of us loaded Friday and were all back on the Saturday night freighter from Le Havre. What a coincidence and not a mobile phone even thought of back then. Another classic night onboard with our lot, the STS boys and a fair few Southampton regular drivers.
Note to myself at the time...never become a pigeon delivery driver. There was one onboard heading for home after dropping his birds off in France.
As we headed for our cabins, Steve Read aka ‘Reader’ pulled out the old chestnut, knocking on this poor lad’s cabin door and shouting, ‘One hour to port!’
The poor sod got up, dressed and went and sat in an empty restaurant. Sunday morning, off the boat and greeted by Dad, who was waiting in Pompey Docks for everyone to come off.
Such camaraderie and banter that has remained within Davies International Transport to this day.
JFGOP. If you know, you know.
Export - Part 1 of the Journey
In the early days, it was nearly always Italy for Dad. A vast concentration of goods and products were traded between our respective countries in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Wasn’t it Maggie Thatcher that once said, ‘Export or die’?
Over the years, we have delivered all manner of commodities to some truly amazing places and made friends with some great people along the way.
We would wonder sometimes why on Earth we were taking this, that or the other from here to there!
Fridges
In the very early days, Dad did the odd trip to Europe with a fridge trailer. Even way back then, the concept of taking a load of fresh/frozen foods to a country far away in Europe and reloading perishables for the UK seemed akin to something you would watch on Tomorrow’s World.
During the early to mid 80s, fridge work to and from Europe seemed to offer so many more rewards in terms of profitability, turnaround times and the chance of driving to, what seemed like, exotic locations at the time. An appetising prospect to both owner and driver in comparison to traction work pulling tilts.
In 1984, Dad and Mum proudly became the first ever sub-contractors to Solstor, the transport birth child of Chingford Fruit Packers, Woolwich. Pulling their fridge trailers all over the European map and loading produce for CFP’s business in Woolwich. A partnership and friendship with the Aichen family, which remains firm to this day. Around 1988/89, Dad was running a mixed fleet of fridges and tilts. It became increasingly obvious to him, though perhaps it was by coincidence, that wherever he had a tilt offloading, a fridge reload was also in demand in that area.
By 1990, the transition had been made. Davies International Transport was a 100% refrigerated fleet. Call it a gamble, but the decision paid off. The demand for European fridge work was extremely high at the time and the work flooded in. In the early ’90s, whilst recession after recession hit our country, the fleet grew in size considerably, quadrupling from 8 trucks in 1989 to 30+ by the end of 1993. We were not the only ones. A lot of Euro fridge hauliers of the era would ‘do as the Romans do’. We would follow the seasons around Europe throughout the year. Where there was high demand and high rates, Dad got the boys there.
Growing up as kids at home, we always had a tray of fruit or produce in our kitchen, procured from the back of the latest trailer to swing past home! Dad always liked to do ‘QC’/revision. You could always tell what time of year it was, depending on what was in the fruit bowl at home.
To name a few, in the summer it was peaches from Italy and grapes from Greece. We’d have oranges from Spain in the winter and apples from France all year round. The best smell on this Earth is opening the doors of a fridge trailer loaded with peaches: pure heavenly scent!
Fridge work being rich pickings, everyone converged to the same packhouses around Europe to load during peak seasons. You would see the same lads and firms week on week. Great camaraderie to be had with the drivers of all firms and all were willing to help each other down the road. We are proud to continue to this day, and to do what we do best.
Gel On...
The saying ‘gel on’ is an adopted phrase that has become part of our history at Davies International Transport. I think it was the late, great Murray Walker who once used it during his commentary of a F1 Race: ‘Look how he gelled round that corner!’
Gel on, meaning to get going, crack on and drive, however it suits you. At the time it made such an impact. Dad started to fit the trucks with personalised plates, as did most companies of the era. Not only were they easily identifiable to us, but also to everyone else concerned in the job. If you saw or heard ‘GEL’ you would know it was a Davies coming.
The first ever trucks to come with GEL plates were in January 1993: three brand new F12 Globetrotters built in Irvine, Scotland, and some of the last to come from the Volvo Factory. Since 1993, over 200 trucks have entered service on the fleet with GEL plates, some of which have been fitted to 3 or 4 new trucks that have come and gone over the years.
Anyway, it’s time for me to gel on!
Horry
Horry (actual name James) was nicknamed this by his dad, John Davies, for being horizontal most of the time. Horry is, without doubt, Mr Davies International. From the minute he could walk was fascinated by trucks. He spent most of his childhood in or around trucks, whether it was going with Dad to Stalybridge or cleaning them at weekends for the drivers or going on the odd trip to Europe with one of the boys.
After leaving school he was the main man who washed and kept the fleet in an immaculate condition single-handedly for years, mostly on dark mornings and late nights 7 days a week down Anderson’s Road, Southampton. He managed to fulfil his dream of becoming an international driver as soon as he turned 21, but soon after, he came into the office to run the business with the rest of the Davies clan. There isn’t a job he hasn’t done since we’ve been going, and he knows the firm inside out.
Every company needs passion for what they do, and Horry has bags of it. His mentality towards the fleet looking the part as well as being the part is still reflected in our trucks day in day out.
To think, the wife of one of our drivers once said, ‘I’ve met Steve and Horry. Which one is James?’
International Transport
After 50 years in the business, there are not many countries we haven’t been to. Other than Morocco, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, everywhere else we have been to over time, either to tip or load.
Furthest destinations we have completed in the past range from:
Furthest south: Gibraltar
Furthest north: Overhalla
Furthest away, well I would say Rhodes, Greece, where we met a boutique/small cruise ship normally reserved for the privacy of TV and film stars.
One trip that turned into an adventure was when Matt, Mappo and Alain had to chase a cruise ship to Crete due to ongoing customs strikes in mainland Greece. We were supposed to offload in Katakolon, which changed to Piraeus, then finally Heraklion, Greece.
Before the customs borders came down in 1993, any international journey felt so different in terms of culture. The chance to stop at the border to clear customs, have a meal with lads heading your way or the other, and generally change your driver mindset for the next step of the trip. The jeans went in the cupboard, the shorts and clacks/flip-flops would come out and the currency would be swapped in the multi-compartment wallet.
Along the way, we have met and made good friends with so many good people who helped us get the job done.
John & Jill...Mum and Dad
Day 1, 1971. Every story has a beginning. The Davies International Transport journey started with Mum and Dad. Fast forward 50 years and there are countless memories to look back and reflect upon. Reminiscing about the good and tough times, we always laugh and smile about them.
When Dad and Mum met, Dad was already driving for a living. The company ‘New Forest Freight’ was formed: our original trading name, as Dad operated from Bramshaw, where he was born and raised, with just one truck. Then Dad made the best decision he’s ever made in his life, and in 1976 they got married. Their honeymoon the very next day was spent taking a 40ft seatrain container to Braunton, Devon, to tip a load of cotton. The following year, Jill was 8 months pregnant with James, but that didn’t stop them taking a load of pineapples on a flatbed to Covent Garden Market, which had to be handballed and graded by them both. The thought of doing this now would be inconceivable, but back then if you didn’t do it you would pretty much starve.
Mum did so much, from taking a spare wheel and tyre out to Dad in the middle of the night, to slapping his face to keep him awake as he drove back in the small hours. Meeting him outside Southampton Docks with clean clothes and watching him go straight back out again.
In business, Dad was always the pilot and the accelerator pedal. Mum was his engine brake, doing her best to keep him steady –no mean feat at times, but together they did it. Dad was always away working hard, mainly back and forth to Italy. Mum was at home, raising us and keeping everything in check. To this day, I have no idea how she managed to do it, but she did. Money was always tight. She would make the trip into Southampton on her own to ask for money owed to Dad and her. She always said she used to take me in the pram, to help win the sympathy of sometimes slow/bad debtors and make them feel guilty for not paying on time.
They always got through one week to the next. Dad was always looking ahead: how to improve and expand. I have lost count of the times he bought Mum a truck, as he would say. I can remember he
bought a second-hand Globetrotter without saying anything. He pulled into the bus stop opposite home in it. Mum looked on in horror. Dad said to Mum before she could even speak, ‘What’s today?’ Mum replied, ‘It’s my birthday.’ Dad was straight in, ‘Well happy birthday. I bought you a truck.’
As time went on and the company grew steadily in size, Dad’s qualities and vision for how he wanted things to be shone. His attention to detail with the trucks is something that I am proud to say was passed through to us.
Dad’s man-management skills: he knew exactly how to get the best out of everyone. Not always perfect, but in the main he knew who he had to
scream at or leave alone to get the job done. Any of the lads who worked for him, I’m sure would agree, could be ready to have an argument with him. There was always mutual respect. Five minutes later, they would be shipping out again when they were due home. They had forgotten what they had a problem with and you would be stood there thinking, ‘How did he just do that?’.
I can remember one Sunday night in the yard; Dad was always there to see off the lads, shipping out in their droves. Sometimes, you did not know where you were going until you came in. John Heaton, better known as Axle, bless him, came in. Unbeknown to him, he had about 6 or 7 drops starting in Dieppe and ending up in northern Spain. Dad had spent all afternoon
photocopying pages from his Grand Atlas Routiers Map and highlighting where they all were. Axle was a little unimpressed with the load and was never frightened of telling
Dad what he thought. ‘I’m not f’ing doing that.’ The octaves went up quite a bit, followed by some finger wagging. Dad replied in a higher octave than Axle, ‘Drop the f’ing trailer then and take that one in the corner. Liverpool, 5:00am tomorrow!’ Needless to say, the man-management worked and John shipped out.
I will write a book one day, promise! For now, congratulations to John and Jill, our Mum and Dad. Family international transport at its absolute best. Been there, done it and very much have the t-shirt.
John & Jill...Mum and Dad
Kwozzy
If you came to work at Davies International Transport (DIT), more often than not, Dad would pretty quickly think of a nickname for you, which you would end up being known by forevermore. Anyone who knows DIT will know and remember Stuart, affectionately known as Kwozzy. Dad would say he was similar to the real Quasimodo, as he always had the hump! And so Kwozzy was created and spelled this way.
Kwozzy came to work for Mum and Dad from DR Bailey of East Sussex in the very early 90s. If there was ever an example of a ‘total European fridge driver’, it was Stuart. Loyal driver and friend to Mum and Dad for many years, he would never hear a bad word said against the company.
His dry wit, sense of humour and sarcasm was what made Kwozz. I think he holds the world record for being able to wind Dad up and p**s him off using the fewest words possible! No one before or after has been able to achieve this feat!
Spain and Portugal were always Kwozz’s favourites, and if you were running with him, it would always be a great trip. During the day, having a crack on the CB and at the end of the day in a restaurant/bar. You always had a good laugh in his company. The next morning, he would be very clear: ‘Do not talk to me for at least an hour and only once I’ve had two coffees and two fags, then you can speak.’
As the variety of fridge work and what you were loading all over Europe got bigger, Kwozzy knew what had to be done. He knew exactly how a fridge behaved and what to do. He took great pride and care in his job.
I can remember one trip; I had gone to Alicante with Steve Read aka ‘Reader’. We bumped into Kwozzy at the Shell garage at Tarancon, just south of Madrid. He was also heading home and his son Mark (a future Davies International Transport driver) was with him on a summer holiday trip. Kwozz was having a lunchtime cook-up and was busy with the stove placed
on the catwalk. He passed a plate of bacon sandwiches to Mark. He must have used an entire loaf of bread and a couple of packs of bacon! Mark said to his dad, ‘Blimey, Dad, I’m not gonna eat all these!’ Kwozz replied, ‘Well you best had, cos we’re not stopping again until we get to Cherbourg’.
A close friend of the family to this day and always will be. A real good old boy is Kwozzy.
LS Commercials, Southampton
From around 1985 to 1993 until we moved to our first yard in Anderson’s Road, Dad had all the trucks serviced and maintained by LS Commercials, Proprietor Les Slater. As the fleet size grew to circa 8 trucks, the work transitioned to 100% European, albeit a mixture of traction work, fridges and tilts. Week in, week out, the lads would be heading to southern Italy, southern Spain and France.
Back then, there was no such thing as contract maintenance, expansive dealer networks or full European breakdown cover. The trucks had to be maintained to the highest standard to ensure they could do the job, and Les was the man that did this. Les looked after the trucks like they were his own. His attention to detail was unquestionable, no stone left unturned. When the drivers shipped out on a Sunday night, the trucks would always be washed by Dad and maintained to the highest standard by Les and his mechanics. Les’ brother Malc (who later became our workshop manager) and a young Steve Coffin, better known to some of you that remember him as ‘Hooter’, made up part of Les’ team.
Saturday morning would always be busy as the lads came off the ferry in Portsmouth, dropped the trailers and headed for Les’. They would be washed, serviced if due, but always checked over each and every time before shipping out again Sunday night. Midday–1pm, that was it! Whoever was there would head for the ‘Coopers Arms’ on the corner for a couple of pints and a platter of cheese and ham sandwiches. This is long before kids were welcome in pubs like they are now. I would have to sit down in the corner and speak only when spoken to!
One Saturday, I was given the job of fully valeting a second hand DAF 2800 Dad had bought. Everyone had gone to the pub and I carried on cleaning. I was lying face down across both seats hoovering away when, all of a sudden, I was grabbed by the ankle. I turned around and, to my shock, a pair of coppers stood there! They thought I was nicking the radio. I was duly marched to the pub, where my alibi could be verified by Dad and Les.
Les would always come to the rescue. On one occasion, Dad had Big Scott either down in Gibraltar or southern Spain and the half shaft failed on his 142. ‘Scania Lifeline’, as it was known, was pretty much non-existent back then. A half shaft was sourced from Pat Duffy in Southampton, who always had any Scania part you needed, as he used to break them. Les was dropped at the airport and flew out to Scott. Can you imagine, in this day and age, taking a toolbox and a half shaft on as hand luggage!? Les replaced the half shaft, then double-manned it home with Scott. Back then, it was all about getting the job done, which was always a certainty with Les looking after the trucks.
Mappo
Tony Mapson, better known as Mappo or ‘TIR Tone’.
One of the highest regarded and respected drivers in the Davies International Transport Hall of Fame. Tony came to work for Dad and Mum in the early 80s and, for a long time, was their trusty lieutenant when it was just the two of them driving.
Dad first met Tony in a services south of Paris. At the time, he was driving for Jim and Barry Squibb (Transport Services Southampton). Tony had been tasked with shipping out and collecting a trailer in Cherbourg that had been dumped/ abandoned and loaded for Italy. When he got to the trailer, it had no fewer than three punctured tyres and was in a bit of a state. Tony got the necessary repairs done to get going and used up all his running money in the process. Dad knew Barry Squibb as they went to the same school when growing up in the New Forest. Dad always carried more than needed in case of any emergency, so he lent Tony the money to get the job done, knowing the money would be no problem. Sometime later, Tony came to drive for Mum and Dad and the rest, they say, is history.
When we were growing up and the office was the kitchen at home, it would be rare to wake up and not see Tony’s Truck parked in the bus stop opposite, after shipping into Pompey and bobtailing up on a Sunday morning. The kitchen would be blue with smoke, like a Centre Routiers, whilst Tony tucked into what he always said was his favourite: one of Mum’s breakfasts. He and Dad would chew the fat, talk about that week’s trip and the week ahead of them both.
Tony’s knowledge and wisdom of the job was boundless. If there was ever an example of the ‘True International Driver’, it was Mappo. In 1986, he became the proud driver of Mum and Dad’s first ever brand new truck, a Volvo F12 Globetrotter C789 BPO. With Tony at the helm, you could not wish for a better set-up doing what we do. He would spend hours at our home. On one occasion, not realising the time and due home, he rang his dear wife Doreen and told her he was not home
yet, as he was delayed at the ferry terminal. To back this up, Mum even stood behind him whilst he was on the phone and held her nose with her hand and made out that she was a Tannoy announcer to make his story seem real.
When the book is written, he will rightfully have a chapter all of his own; so many memories and stories of Tony to share. I had the pleasure of running with Tony on many trips as a nipper in the passenger seat and as a driver. He had a dry sense of humour and was always great to run with and enjoy a meal with, alongside many others, at the end of the day. It was just an absolute pleasure to be in his company.
A true Davies International Transport Ambassador and a terrific friend. Highly respected and liked by the transport community of the era, everyone knew Mappo. He would be revelling in our 50th anniversary year. Thank you for helping to get us this far Tone, we couldn’t have done it without you.
Loved and missed by us all at DIT. Gone, but will never be forgotten.
New Forest Freight
The early years of a new decade...the 70s. 1971 and the decade ahead brought a lot of changes. New money that everyone had to get used to, strikes, unions, long hair and flares and the transition of the old Transport Operator Licensing Regulations.
Out went the antiquated ‘A, B, C’ licences, which were replaced by the new operator’s licence. Dad had been driving for himself for years previously. He qualified for the new ‘O’ licence by grandfather rights. Dad was given his ‘O’ Licence Number which he can still remember off by heart, OK167945.
One stipulation of the new rules was that you had to have a company/business name. Dad was born and raised in Bramshaw in the New Forest, so New Forest Freight was born. The beginning of what was to become Davies International as we know it to this day. The full company name was to be MJ Davies Transport T/A New Forest Freight. Shortly after, Dad met Mum and the name changed to MJ (Michael John) and GR (Gillian Ruth) Davies Transport T/A New Forest Freight.
In 1976, Dad owned a Day Cab 110 Scania. A popular trend of the time was to have a sleeper conversion. He always used to say to me that he added the conversion so he could fit ‘& Son’ on the side of the cab after I was born in 1977. It must have been lovely to get into a bunk after years of sleeping on a plank and a piece of foam across the seats, just like the vast majority of drivers from this era did week after week, on home soil and overseas.
Although for many years, as we widely became known as Davies International, New Forest Freight remained in name only until the company became limited in 1994.
Owner Drivers
As the curtains came down on the 80s and we moved into the 90s, the workload increased tenfold. The decision made to go all temperature controlled in 1988 had so far paid off. The work was pouring in. The demand for fridges to export UK–Europe and import Europe–UK, transporting fresh produce in the main, catapulted Davies International Transport and a lot of other hauliers within the sector to an all-time high.
Between 1990 and 1994, the fleet quadrupled in size to around just short of 30 trucks. Help was always needed; enter our owner drivers. Between the period 1988–1998, Mum and Dad had ten owner drivers come to work with them, albeit not all at the same time. A terrific bunch of blokes, some of who drove for Dad and Mum before and after their tenure as O-Ds at DIT, and all were part of our family. Each of them different, but all the same when it came to high standards, work ethics and values. So where to begin?
Ian Elkins
Known to most as ‘Elkie’, Ian owned E156 OAD, a Scania 112 ex-Christiansen’s of Denmark. He sold this on to Paul Stephens, aka FT, and bought his F16 Globetrotter. It is always an absolute pleasure to be in the company of Ian. His dry wit and sense of humour would have you streaming tears of laughter! Ian was full of knowledge about the job and had been at it for many years – there aren’t many places he hasn’t been to. A terrific friend and always a guaranteed laugh with ‘Elkie’.
Dave Morgan
One of the original ‘Two-Tone Blue’ boys. Dave bought his F10 E274 HEH from Richard Tapper and came in as an O-D for Mum and Dad. The original, and by far the best, poser we ever had! We’re talking white t-shirt, white shorts and trainers, and Ray-Bans in November.
By Jove, Dave knew how to gel on and ‘apply himself’ as Dad would say. Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Fireman’ by Dad, as he reckoned Dave drove so quick he could get to the fire before it had started. A great man to run down the road with. When I was a nipper, Dave always took the time to teach, show and explain the job, for which I will always be grateful.
Denny Belbin
Everyone knows Denny ‘The Coalman’. Denny bought the 2800 DAF D914 FPR from Dad and Mum (the one I spoke about in ‘L’, when the coppers gave me a tug outside Les’ garage). Denny is a terrific bloke. If you were ever stuck, up against it or in trouble, Den was always there to help, and help he always did. In 1994, he put a brand new FH12 on the road, M40 DEN. He had previously bought his own new Gray & Adams fridge trailer. Denny was always reliable, dependable and a man you could count on, which we will always be thankful for.
Micky Hughes
I don’t actually know how Mick started as a subbie at DIT. Mick used to park his 1633 Mercedes in Lorraine’s Lorry Park in the centre of Southampton, and I think he and Dad were having a natter one day and it went from there. Mick is a real gent, terrific company to be with, always immaculately turned out and he took great pride in his truck and the ones he drove for Mum and Dad. Shirt and pressed trousers, he’s the kind of fella who could strip out a tilt loaded with carbon black and still look like he was on his way to a wedding once finished!
Jon Miles
If you don’t know Jon and met him for the first time, you would stand in fear and awe of his towering figure! As long as I have known Jon, he has always been an O-D. Jon bought a Scania 112 non-intercooled A59 LFH, and came on for Dad and Mum. I always have a good laugh with Jon when we meet up and reminisce about the old days. A terrific bloke to be with and another with a wealth of knowledge and experience of the job.
Ray Sampson
Ray was an O-D for a number of years, coming to work with Dad and Mum in 1991/92, having come over from the Sayers of Newbury stable. If there was ever an example of a totally self-sufficient O-D, it was Rasher. When Ray started at DIT, he owned a Scania 113 G29 XTP in Sayers Livery. He was the first ever O-D to purchase his very own G&A trailer (DIT11), followed soon after by a brand new Scania 143 K92 MBK. Ray drove, managed and maintained everything himself.
I can remember being with Steve Diamond and pulling into Nestlé at Scunthorpe to load for Italy, after doing markets all night (EFMITNOE, as Dad called it). Ray’s truck was parked in the dead end road outside the gate, both doors open and radio on, but Ray was nowhere to be seen. After about 5 minutes of calling out for him, he called back. He was under the trailer giving it a quick service.
Ray could drive and I mean drive! I swear he saw himself heading north one day on the Périphérique as he was heading south.
Kevin Furey
Kev is everything an international truck driver is proud of. Like his father Owen, he was always going to be a driver and was brought up in the transport fraternity. Kev bought E650 NDG from Dad, which was actually the first ever blue-and-white liveried truck he had. Kev always took huge pride in his truck, keeping it immaculately presented to this day. He does love a light or ‘ten’ on the grille. A terrific friend and character to grow up around.
Marc Dellagana
Marc dabbled with relief driving for many years for Dad and Mum. He brought a brand new Scania 143 420 (G86 XBK) in August 1989 in DIT livery and started at DIT as an O-D. Marc, again, was completely self-sufficient. Boy, could he drive. And he was never frightened of hard work. He would go away Christmas and New Year when the demand and rates were at their peak. I can remember one story he told Dad: driving up from Spain on New Year’s Eve, at midnight he pulled over, got
Owner Drivers
out of the truck and locked arms with himself, sang ‘Auld Lang Syne’, then got back in the truck and gelled on!
Paul Stephens aka FT
Everyone knows Paul. Paul bought E156 OAD from Elkie; the only difference being that ‘wee Jock’ drove it for Paul, as Paul was always in demand for his auto-electrician side of the business.
Paul and Dad go way back to 1980, when Paul did his first repair job on one of Dad’s green F88s. Paul does love a busman’s holiday, and I think he always had a soft spot for Italy. Got us out of many a problem for over 40 years now and it’s always nice to see him for a catch-up when he does the occasional job for us. A long and great friend of the family and company.
Last, but by no means least…
Stevie Matthews
Steve is a real good old boy. You can sit with Steve over a coffee or a beer and just listen. He has forgotten more about the job than most of us could ever know. Steve came to Mum and Dad from Vincent-Cottell of Southampton with his greenand-white Scania D225 ABY, before moving on to Matsolex/GCA Charles Andre, specialising in ADR/tank work to and from France. Always lovely to see Steve and have a catch-up.
All the lads who worked as O-Ds played a big part in our success as well as their own. Some longstanding friendships were forged to this very day.
Porky Git Squadron
Nearly anyone that knows Davies International Transport is familiar with this fella...
First making an appearance on the trucks in 1992 as a long-running joke that everyone who worked here was not exactly donning a six pack.
Created by Dean Beckett and Andy Gosling of, at the time, Appleton Signs. They have provided the signwriting and decals on our fleet for getting on 30 years now.
The ‘Brick’ was a kind gift to Mum and Dad from our good friend and DIT lieutenant Jocky Clarke (Andy Clarke) when they were having their house built back in 1997.
He made a comeback on the new trailer fleet in 2018. Keep your eyes peeled as he is coming out of retirement for the new truck fleet arriving at the end of this year.
Oink oink gel on.
The Queens
Over a number of years, we have delivered to many cruise ships at home and overseas. There was always something rather special when it came to meeting and storing a Cunard vessel and, in particular, the QE2.
If ships and trucks could talk... now that would be a conversation! The QE2 had a long and glamorous career and changed the profile of cruising for evermore. The royalty and stars of the stage and screen that have travelled and holidayed around the world would leave you in awe of her. By comparison with today’s ships the QE2 was tiny, but she was head and shoulders above anything else on the water when it came to prestige, global reputation and history.
It was always a long job storing on her, as the hatch was small and antiquated. Once onboard, all the pallets were handballed into the relevant cold rooms. I can remember taking a load down to her in Southampton early one morning. Once docked, it would be chaos! Local suppliers would be coming in and going, delivering everything from flowers to copies of the New York Times for the American clientele.
On one occasion we had a 7am arrival quayside and she was due to set sail at 6pm. Fourteen hours later we were still parked on the quay, not one pallet taken off. The captain came down, followed by his entourage, and enquired if we could postpone storing due to the tide and meet her the day after next. When I asked where they would be, he casually said, ‘Oh, we will be in Gibraltar.’ Suffice to say, I think we ended up meeting her at the next stop at Barcelona a few days later.
As the cruising sector expanded at a rate of knots (pardon the pun!), Cunard entered into service the Queen Mary 2, the Queen Victoria and the Queen Elizabeth. A sight for sore eyes when all the royal ladies sailed together. The Queen Elizabeth 2 made her final voyage from Southampton in November 2008, destined for her new home in Dubai.
We were involved in storing the new queens at the shipyards where they were built and set sail for the first time, meeting
them during the summer fly cruise season at ports all over Europe. Some of the lads, on occasion, were approached by passengers who asked where we had come from to meet the ship, and they couldn’t quite take onboard the fact we had driven overland from Southampton to restock her! A part of our history at Davies International Transport that we will always be fiercely proud of.
Roger
If you stay at the same place long enough, you become that place…
Anyone that knows Davies International Transport (DIT) will automatically think of and know Roger. Before he joined DIT he had been driving with TD Williams, South Wales, for the previous nine years.
International drivers were based in Portsmouth and trailers were sent down to them, basically like an in-house traction operation, which so many companies of the era did.
TD Williams sadly lost a big contract to France, delivering and collecting car parts to GBE Express. During this period, DIT was expanding at a rate of knots. Dad had heard through the grapevine that Roger was looking to move, so he called and left a message. Once contact was made, he came up to the yard for an interview with Dad. Back then I think it was more about sussing each other out! At the time, Roger didn’t have a second car; there was no need, as he lived in Havant and was based in Portsmouth with Tommy Williams. So Roger asked his old mate Joe Mifsud for a lift to Southampton. Everyone was happy and ready to get going. The only sticking point was that Roger already had a holiday to America coming up, so Joe ended up getting the job, and he was only giving Roge a lift! Suffice to say, Day 1 for Roger was New Year’s Eve 1995. His first truck: N222 GEL, a brand new FH, never been out.
I cadged a lift with him over to Cherbourg. New Year’s Eve on the Stena Line boat was always an exclusive night. I think the cabaret that Year was Faith Brown. Roger’s first trip was to Syds at San Fulgencio, Alicante Spain. Empty crates down and broccoli back. He was spun around and sent straight back to Portugal, tipped chocolate and reloaded cheese from ERU Lisbon, which was a regular load Dad did for Paul Fogden, Freight Transfer Portsmouth.
Years later, here we are. There aren’t many places left on the map that Roger hasn’t been to for DIT, spanning from as far up
as Finland, to Kosovo, to Rhodes. An encyclopaedia of experience; always there to help you out if needed. Six trucks over his career at DIT and his 7th due to arrive at the end of this year. Twenty-six years of unbroken service, a real rarity today in any job, especially with what we do. A much loved and respected part of DIT and our family.
Sydney Hart Ltd
Early 90s, UK – International Refrigerated Transport was a hive of activity and a lot of UK hauliers were really stepping up to the plate.
Sydney Hart was a Jewish family business, which imported all manner of produce from Europe to their UK base in Harlow, Essex. Dad and Mum’s biggest import customer for many years, Sydney Hart’s business expanded in volume very quickly and we kept up the pace with them. I can remember going up to Harlow with Dad in the early hours one Sunday morning in his favourite 142 Scania, loaded with lemons from Sicily – we never dropped a gear!
Sydney Hart purchased a farm and packhouse in San Fulgencio, Alicante to start growing their own produce. I can remember the very early days, loading melons there in 1991. Back then, the fashionable food fad was starting to become a part of our society. The average high-street consumer wanted to know what was good for them. Enter…broccoli. Packed with vitamin D, according to the health minister. Right place, right time, Sydney Hart commenced growing, harvesting and packing broccoli and this was to be their flagship product for the UK market. The Spanish side of the business was named ‘Hortanes SA’.
The packhouse was in much need of overhaul and renovation. Wee Jock took a load down to the packhouse to get the renovations started, including a new bathroom, shower and other essentials to get the place up to working order. The volume of trucks needed to keep up with the demand increased tenfold as time went on. The lads would ring home, once they’d tipped in Spain, for reload instructions and nine times out of ten, Dad would just say ‘Syd’s Shag’. That was all they were told and off they went!
Everyone knew Syd’s. Most weeks, we were pulling anything between 10–12 loads out of there and, with broccoli, it was a long season, something like 9–10 months of the year. Back then it had to deliver on time, every time. Loading there late at
night and being told revision was at Noain and had to be cleared by midday the next day was always a challenge, with the usual battle between Dad and them as he tried to explain that just because it’s three inches on a map, does not mean it’s five minutes up the road!
The Sunday morning delivery was always important. You had to be at River Way, Harlow, on the money for 6am. One Sunday, three trucks departed Southampton at 3am, one of them driven by Dad with me as the passenger. Anyone that has ever been to Syd’s at Harlow, knows that once parked outside the place, you are only two truck lengths from the roundabout just before their place on the left. Usually when you arrived, there would be a Frenchman or Greek parked outside who’d arrived the night before, having come in through Dover to tip there. Anyway, the morning in question we all arrived en masse.
There was no gate at Syd’s, just a long length of white plastic chain link across the gateway. Being proactive, Dad decided to unhitch the chain and all three trucks reversed in off the road. Usually at this point, all the packhouse workers would be arriving in their droves. Broccoli loads always took priority over any other load. But the QC/manager did not like the parking arrangements one bit, and to teach us a lesson, he did not touch a single load until midday. Usually, you would be home by then. To make matters worse, they knew one of the trucks was Dad’s and were doing it out of spite. The following Sunday at 6:30am the phone rang at home; it was the manager. ‘Where are your trucks? They should have been here half an hour ago!!!’ Dad just replied, ‘They will be there at midday to tip, same as last f***ing week!!’ A great job for many years, while it lasted.
Thorndale
Mum and Dad married in September 1976. Their first home was ‘Thorndale’, situated on the A27 in Bursledon, just by the Hamble River. Always a busy road! This was to become home and HQ for Davies International Transport. Everything was run from our kitchen. As far back as I can remember, when Steve and me were growing up, there was always a driver or two at home, mainly on Sundays as they shipped in and out – home was about halfway between Portsmouth Docks and the yard at the time. You knew when it was Christmas Day, as that was the only day you could wake up, look out of the window across the road to the bus stop and not see a motor parked there!
The house dates back to the nineteenth century, so the layout was old. The kitchen was out the back. We’d come downstairs and open the door, and the kitchen would be a hive of activity, blue with smoke at times, just like a French Routiers Inn. We had an ‘shed’ outside – the body of an old Rigid – that was the tyre and spare parts store.
I cannot remember a time when there weren’t drivers at home. I can remember coming down for school one morning and a young Mark Earle had either caught a train or hitchhiked down from his home in Bristol for an interview and ended up staying and kipping on our settee. I said to Mum, ‘Who’s he on our settee?’ Mum said, ‘Oh your dad has taken him on, he’s off out tonight!’
As time went on, the office was moved to the garden. A tiny brick office that was built between the garage and shed.
I can remember a story involving Wee Jock at Thorndale, bless him. On one occasion, he was shipping out on the morning boat and coming down through the night. He needed running money. Dad left a cheque for Thomas Cook in an envelope and told Jock it would be underneath the front door mat. ‘Pull into the bus stop, get the envelope and go, as the neighbours will complain about the noise!’, was Dad’s command to Jock. Early hours the next morning, sure enough Jock came roaring to a stop in his 142 with the fridge running. Across the road, lift the doormat up and… no envelope. He stood there for what
must have seemed like an eternity, only to be met by an angrylooking Dad at the door! Dad came out knowing he had put it there. Upon further inspection, the envelope had stuck to the underside of the mat!
Mum did everything for the drivers where at all possible, from feeding them to doing their laundry, shopping and even needlework to take up their jeans!
We have been lucky to meet such amazing people that remain friends to this very day.
United Kingdom
UK and international transport have always gone hand in hand at Davies International Transport (DIT).
Throughout the early years of the 1980s, the work was more UK traction and, in particular, pulling for SCAC of Dieppe.
Both Southampton and Portsmouth boasted continental ferry routes to and from France. At the time, I would say Southampton was a lot bigger than Portsmouth, which is now arguably 3–4 times bigger than it was 35–40 years ago. Portsmouth ferry port was expanded when the Ro-Ro ferry services to France from Southampton all but came to an end during the early–mid eighties.
SCAC was a French transport company from Dieppe. If you were ever in or around the ports of Southampton, Portsmouth or Newhaven in the early 80s, you would not fail to see an abundance of their familiar orange liveried trailers, which were always shipped over unaccompanied for onward delivery in the UK by a host of small operators and owner drivers.
Every job was paid by mileage. The further north, the better the rate. Occasionally, Dad would reload when coming back empty from wherever he and the boys tipped, but it wasn’t that often. It could be fertiliser from ICI Avonmouth or Petersfield, tractors from Coventry or the occasional load of steel from Sheffield or Rotherham for France.
I always remember going down to the port solo with Dad. He’d go into the office, be given a trailer number and destination, then he’d have to go and find the trailer. The docks were always busy. Trucks and tugs going here, there and everywhere. I would see the trucks all joining the lanes, waiting to board the ferries under the floodlit docks. The likes of Barbour European and Sayers Transport to name a few. It was pure theatre to a young truck enthusiast. Driving up and down the lanes in search of the trailer number on the headboard was always a little game/challenge Dad set me as a kid! Then came the fun part for Dad: palm couplings fitted, bulbs, lenses and brakes wound up before you could go anywhere!
The drivers of the time would be out all week. Dave Morgan, Ian Hall, Gooj, Mappo would all be on long-haul runs if they were lucky enough to be given them by the UK SCAC office and RH&D, who also had a hand in the SCAC work. One big contract SCAC had, was with Poclain of France, who manufactured all types of diggers and pneumatic construction machines. Dad would take three trailers a day to an agricultural machine dealership in Hook, Hants. Not far on a map, but back then he was doing this in an F86 with no M3 motorway thought of! I would go with Dad whenever possible. Mum would get up early to make Dad a lunchbox and a thermos every morning: two ham sandwiches and two apples to keep the sarnies upright in the box! None of this gluten-free panini and decaf skinny latte cobblers you see on the motorway nowadays.
Wonderful memories of this era, with some truly great drivers and characters. Everyone worked so hard to put money in the bank every Friday.
Volvo
If there was ever a truck to facilitate European overland transport, Volvo was most certainly a force to be reckoned with. First arriving on our shores in 1967, thanks to two astute Scottish businessmen, namely Jim Mckelvie and Jim Keyden of Ailsa Trucks. They recognised the Swedish Marque to be streets ahead of what was on offer in the marketplace at the time. Horses for courses… you don’t buy a donkey to run the Grand National.
Dad and Mum purchased their first Volvo F88 in 1976, albeit second-hand. Tough, durable and dependable, it was a truck that would rarely let you down. Ever present in the majority of the Davies International Transport fleet for many years. The first ever brand new Volvo to DIT arrived in 1986, the C789 BPO. An F12 Globetrotter to the highest of specifications. From this point onwards, the Volvos steadily became the chosen product though, in fact, most brought into the fleet were second-hand. From the arrival of Dad and Mum’s first ever new truck in 1986, DIT did not purchase another brand new Volvo until 1991.
The F12 Globetrotter was perfect for the workload to Europe. They just went on and on, never missed a beat. If you looked after the truck, it looked after you. Between 1993 and 1994, the last of the new F12s entered the fleet, 7 in all. 1994, enter the FH. Dad was invited to the launch and test drive of the FH late 1993 at the factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. It was a formality. This was yet another example of the evolution of the Volvo products over the years. Just like its ancestors, the FH was an absolute ground breaker. The two-stage Volvo engine brake was the aspect that sold the FH to Dad.
It was clear to see that a product that came to market in 1994 – and, by all accounts, had been a project of Volvo as far back as nine years previous, from the first drawings to the first FH driving out of the factory – would only be an absolute success. Dad and Mum ordered four immediately, and they went on the road 1st January 1994. The lucky drivers were Kwozzy, Shaun Downs, Mark Patten and Dave Morgan. Over the next fifteen years, 120 FHs joined the DIT Fleet.
In order for a fleet to be great, you needed to have a dealership that equalled the product and in Princes Commercials of Southampton, Dad and Mum most certainly did. Everyone who worked there, from CEO to tea lady, recognised the value of doing a professional job for their customers. Salesmen, admin, mechanics, partsmen, bodyshop. Everyone knew each other at Princes and worked together with you; a terrific family feel by a lot of people. We are firm friends to this day. We were lucky enough to have a great team to support the product, and we always laughed and had banter on the way.
War
From 1991 to 2001, the former Yugoslavia was witness to a series of separate conflicts; wars of independence and insurgencies which ultimately resulted in the break-up of the country. Such was the severity, the United Nations stepped in to try and bring the wars and fighting to an end. In November 1992, the British Forces deployed some 2,500 troops to help the UN. They were tasked with providing armed escorts to UN humanitarian aid convoys as part of the UN Protection Force, UNPROFOR, in Bosnia.
Janerite Services Ltd from Stoke-On-Trent had transported loads previously for Hogg Robinson to Croatia and Bosnia, with all number of supplies for the British Army. Dad and Mum had already been working with JSL for a couple of years, loading glass and pottery products and delivering to Spain. By the time the conflict was full on, JSL were in the driving seat with the British Forces contract. They were going to need help with the volume of loads that were to be transported directly from the UK to Croatia, Bosnia and, in time, Kosovo. In stepped Davies International Transport and WM Mark Young of Uttoxeter to bolster the demand.
In the main, we transported the frozen, chilled and ambient foods, as we were a 100% refrigerated fleet. Delivering direct to the RFA Ships Resource and Fort Grange, which were effectively parked and remained as static base camps in Split Harbour. We delivered a multitude of loads to key areas during the conflicts, mostly foodstuffs. Everything else varied from ration packs, diesel, petrol, antifreeze in jerricans, army Land Rovers (you could just about get 3 in a fridge), the weekly mail bags with letters from loved ones at home, dental supplies, medicines, cable drums, air raid shelters and, once, a Bedford TK Army Vehicle. The list went on and on.
Once a year, the squaddies would organise a benefit night to raise funds for the local children who had been so badly affected by the conflicts. On a few occasions, we would load up staging and concert equipment at a recording studio near Chalfont St Peter, for Split. Dad always called this the ‘It Ain’t Half Hot Mum’ Load.
Our lads were always made welcome by the squaddies, with always enough food and drink to go round (especially drink if they weekended!).
The JSL and Mark Young lads were always a terrific bunch to do the job and run with, sometimes in the most difficult of situations. Everyone got stuck in and our lads always had the craic with them. A part of our history we will always be proud of.
X-Men, The Driver Super-Team
Over the past 50 years, we have been lucky enough to work with some of the best drivers in the business. You don’t score until you score.
New work and new business take determination to obtain trust from the customers. Then, the promises must be delivered. The first thing the customer sees is the truck driving through their gates, followed by our drivers.
Over the past 50 years, our drivers have all played their part to get us to where we are today. As a family business, everyone knew the importance of getting the job done, above and beyond just driving a truck and treating the job as if it were their own. Not only did the drivers just drive trucks, they were (and are still to this day) ambassadors for Dad and Mum. Driver, negotiator, diplomat, accountant, translator, mechanic, the list goes on and on. Attributes that come from knowledge and experience that, sadly, in our society and industry do not even get a second thought, and if they do they are always taken for granted.
After all this time, we have had so many truly amazing people to work together with and have created wonderful memories to last a lifetime. Friends for life.
You Need Friends…
Nowadays, the volume of workload can be as erratic as the weather. When help is needed, it has to be the best you can call upon. We are lucky enough to work with some of the best transport companies in the business. Service level and standards must always be as good as we can provide. We have forged some very long-standing relationships with transport companies of a similar set-up to Davies International Transport, who can provide extra capacity when needed. Since diversifying to a 100% all-refrigerated fleet in 1988, we have worked with (and still do to this day) some really wonderful, professional transport companies.
Lifelong friendships made along the way, held in the highest regard and respect for the longevity of doing what we all do together.
Zig-Zagging across Europe
The early 90s brought a vast array of opportunities to UK–International refrigerated transport companies. Well established as a 100% refrigerated fleet and with our own trailers, Dad was able to look beyond the traditional ‘down and back’ trips that had become commonplace.
Arguably, 25–30 years ago, we were all used to seasonality when it came to the availability of produce at certain times of the year. Nowadays, nearly everything is available to us consumers all year round. Back then, when such a thing did exist, harvest seasons brought with them high volumes and high rates. Enter into the Davies International Transport dictionary… the ‘three legger’. Anyone who worked with us back then knows what a three legger is: an international trip that would involve three parts. As an example, ship out from the UK, deliver to Spain, reload Spain for Italy, then Italy for the UK.
Dad followed the seasons like quite a few fridge operators did. Wherever the demand was at the time, Dad would load you to that country. This could be any combination. He was never dubious of taking export loads to Spain in the summer, when traditionally there were no loads back to the UK, so he would load them across to Italy. It was amazing how much produce we actually loaded from Spain to Italy and Greece, and in the opposite direction. If the boys went to Spain in the summer, odds on they would load over to Italy to then reload stone fruit for home. Fish from Vigo, Spain to Athens market.
A regular cross load from Italy to Spain was with kiwi fruit for an Italian businessman, Mr John Solami. John was a proper Italian: ¾-length camel-hair coat, suit and tie, even in the height of summer. We would load for him from packhouses around Ravenna and Bologna for M–V–M (another DIT phrase: Madrid–Valencia–Murcia) markets, then on to Syds to reload the broccoli for England.
Regular customers would give Dad work loading from as far down as Bari to as far up as Bolzano, all heading for Bilbao/ Barcelona/Madrid/Valencia/Lisbon/Seville. The drivers loved this work; usually 9–10 days away, depending on where the
overall trip was from and to. Over a typical year the trucks went where the demand was, ultimately destined for the UK.
Over the years, we have worked with and forged some great, long-standing friendships with these customers, some of whom we have not even met to this day but have been working with since way back then.
