Hi hoy Nanny...away...! Yes we'll have more on that story in just a minute. It's Saturday, the sun has gone down in Uganda..and Biglorryblog's 'Good man in Africa' has a beer in his hand, his solar topee on his head and a keyboard in front of him so naturally he's e-mailed me more lurid tales from the Dark Continent featuring weird trucks, occasional goats...and the Jerry Burley formation construction project and heavy haulage dance team...
He takes up the story in his usual 'gather round chaps' style: "We were bimbling around in a Customs Bond yeserday having a look at an MAN "plant truck" with crane (I am fairly certain this was originally a long chassis, heavy haul tractor unit that someone has bodged an amateurish flat deck body onto)..."
....when with only a phone camera to hand - I seem to have got out of the habit of lugging the Nikon around - I bumped into a couple of other 'interesting' units."...
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Parked up next to the LHD ex-Dutchland (as opposed to Deutschland) MAN was this Lloyd Maunder Seddon. Weren't/aren't this crowd based in the West Country of mud island? Well, their treasured, flagship tractor, pusher axle,si no use to us (and possibly last seen at a Sainsburys unloading bay in early 1997) has floated into Africa in a bottle and is now languishing in a storage yard looking for a 'good' home. Meanwhile, In the second from top photo you can clearly see that's Allard. Though what he's doing looking under the hood of that Land Cruiser I have no idea..."
JB adds: "And in the corner of the same yard was this interesting (to people who are interested of course, that is) Ashok Leyland 6x6 drilling rig. Looked brand new to me, though it was already sign-written in the name of its new owner. That afterthought-ish Leyland Comet (was it?) cab glued on top," [Actually I think you'll find that's a Cargo cab--BLB..but carry on]
"It makes it look very high clearance, though on examination underneath it wasn't much different to any other quasi-military, all-wheel-drive chassis. Presumably a pre-ordered vehicle? All fine except you need a cherry picker to be able to get into it."
"And that, says JB, "was our exciting morning spent in the bond. The glamour of it all, I tell you. And I got sunburned. Plus the bar was shut..." Never mind that click through here for an exciting new African fast food delivery service...
Yes word reaches BLB (via Mr Burley) that an unamed major Inernational Pizza Restaurant chain has just extended its menu with home delivery goats! Along with a choice of three toppings (cane rat, snake and pepperoni). JB tells me: "Wilson took these "enigmatic" shots oop t'north, where he should have been working but just for a change wasn't....and not before spending a profitable hour polishing up his suede brothel creepers too, I hear. He is confused as to why they just won't take a shine. Apparently, this goat was bleating a bit and attracted his attention, and not just because it was going by bike to that place where goats are (well you probably don't what to know the rest) But if you look at the close up shot of the two animals on the bike rack you can maybe work out why - I think I'd bleat a bit too,though truth be said I've got somewhat less to bleat about than this unfortunate animal..."
Our man in Africa explains further: "It seems that as the spokes went round (as they do on most bikes) they gently twanged a tender part of this poor creature's anatomy in a most pleasing and musical manner. However, while I can sympathise with its plight I must confess I don't really like goats much, other than with chips and a pint of beer, smelly, noisy, horrible, destructive little bleeders that they are. " And have you also noticed how goats are always 'butting in' too says BLB (I'll get me coat...)
"That's enough of our intrepid, ancient explorer and his exciting new animal species discoveries," concludes Jerry "Except to say...that Brothelcreepers Blacksocks Geriatric Wilson has tendered a second photo to embellish the end of this missive, of an Arua hardware shop, which he managed to take all by himself and completely unaided recently while having a week off after doing an utterly exhausting whole day's work."
"They sold African drums, suitcases, rolls of bamboo sticks, Eastern Block main battle tank engine oil filters, a book on flower arranging---oh yes, and toilet rolls too. All a boy could ask for really, so what's The Big Problem then?" And once again as the sun sets slowly on JB, Allard, Wilson, OB et al we say thank you for another 'Only in Africa Story.' It get's you right here don't you think?
Lloyd Maunder were poultry suppliers and butchers based at Willand near Cullompton in Devon and were sold to a multi-national including Buxted in 2008 so I would assume that the Seddon Atkinson was replaced by one of the new owner's trucks.
A great story Jerry, I was still thinking about the unfortunate goat at work today.