Saturday 20 September 2008

Stobart



Eddie Stobart is something of a legend on the motorways of Britain. A haulage company that started in the far Northern wastes of Cumbria, Stobart's distinctive lorries introduced a number of revolutions in road transport. Stobart's drivers were responsible for the upkeep of the company's highly distinctive lorries and were also responsible for being ambassadors for the Stobart brand, 'knights of the road' if you like. They wore ties (and faced disciplinary action if they didn't) and always responded with a honk if you waved at them. The tractors all had female names. From a northern business, Stobart became national, a common sight on the rainy motorways of the UK.

The distinctive livery on the Stobart trucks always made them something of an event for kids on motorway journeys. And Sarah was no exception: seeing a Stobart lorry always gave rise to a delighted cry of 'Stobart'!

On our way back from a most enjoyable day stooging around what remains of the Hatta tracks and pools (the Oleander waterfall is unspoilt, thank God) with friends, we were completely blown away to be crossing the wadi plain of Wilayat Madha and find, coming the other way, an Eddie Stobart lorry. It was so utterly, completely incongruous in that desertscape that we had to pull over and share the laugh with the other car...

6 comments:

Grumpy Goat said...

Have you encountered France's answer to Eddie Stobart? He glories in the unlikely name Norbert Dentressangle.

Keef said...

GG: You beat me to it - Norbert is all over England!

Alexander said...

Norbert's name has always amused... but I've never seen his bloody lorries in Hatta!!!

nzm said...

That's a hell of an overland trip from Blighty to Hatta.

Did the driver still have on his tie?

Alexander said...

We didn't see. Too gobsmacked to see the Stobart colours, to be honest!

Anonymous said...

Blimey, Eddy 1 Nobby 0.

Many happy hours have been spent trawling up the M1 and M6 passing the time with a tally of Nobbies and Stobbies.

Would love to have seen that Macca.

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