Last week we made a delivery of a skip to Carshalton in Surrey on one of our HIAB vehicles

A forgotten WWII air raid shelter which protected hundreds of people from German bombs has been discovered in a park in Carshalton.

The shelter, which has space for up to 1,000 people, was discovered after a hole appeared in the ground in one of the towns parks.  It is believed that the shelter consisted of a rectangle of four corridors, approximately five feet across, which would have housed people sitting on wooden benches.

The recently discovered shelter in Carshalton Park

Carshalton was hit a number of times by German Luftwaffe bombers during the war and also suffered a number of V1 rocket strikes. Preliminary investigations suggest the rediscovered shelter is in good condition and officials now plan to excavate it further.

Carshalton has also been in the news this week after local scrap metal dealer funded the replacement of fourteen bronze plaques bearing the names of 243 World War I servicemen after they were stolen from Carshalton warmemorial in Sutton in September 2011.

Stuart Nebbett, who runs a scrap yard in Merton, said he was as “outraged as everyone else” that it had been “plundered”.

The new plaques, which were made from Portland stone, were unveiled earlier this year.

For details on how we can help with a Sussex or Surrey HIAB please call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Amid the snowfall last week, we have been making regular and trouble free journeys up and down the UK. One of the jobs we did included a delivery of equipment for one of our customers to Crawley on an Artic curtain sided vehicle.

Developers have discovered items dating back to medieval times during an archaeological dig in the town centre of Crawley this month!  Sussex House was a stereotypical 1960s concrete office block built around the time that Crawley became a ‘new town’ It was constructed with a bingo hall underneath, and adjacent to a café and AMF Crawley Bowl, all buildings being joined to form one large complex with parking at the rear. The structure has now been taken down, with plans for a Morrisons supermarket and Travelodge hotel, creating more than 400 jobs, to be constructed.

Crawley was important in the Wealden iron industry during the period when it was the centre of the English iron industry. Once the archaeological dig has been finished, a report of the findings will be produced and handed over to Crawley Museum.

The Punchbowl in Crawley

Two of the surviving medieval buildings on Crawley High Street, the Ancient Priors and the Punchbowl, were built around 1450. Both have had many uses over the centuries, and consequently have had structural alterations, but both have had their exteriors restored recently. Also restored is the building known as Crawley Moot Hall, which is perhaps slightly older than the others. It was dismantled and now stands in the Weald and Downland Open-Air Museum in Singleton near Chichester.

For a modern day service, with old fashioned values – why not give us a call for your next haulage or warehouse storage requirement.  Call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last month we made another delivery of a 20’ container from Hampshire to Crawley on one of our HIAB trucks.

Crawley is currently advertising for Super Heroes to step forward and make themselves known!

A celebrity agency in nearby Ifield has created a project to seek out the first ‘world-famous’ costumed crusader – the winner will be trained in martial arts, crime detection, first-aid and law and order to make them a bona fide hero.

Entrants will be judged by a panel of experts and so far the response to the competition has seen over two hundred applications from all over the world!  It seems that 2012 will be the year of the superhero!

Seaside town Torbay in Devon is already home to two real life super heroes… But despite months of patrolling their streets, the pair – in real life a financial adviser and a shop worker – have failed to find any trouble at all.

In fact, police say they are more worried about their safety than the local criminal fraternity.

The Dark Spartan and The Black Void ( photo source; The Telegraph)

“The Dark Spartan”, who has only revealed his identity as Will, a 27 year-old father-of-two, dresses up as a warrior from ancient Greece complete with body armour, helmet and an old riot police shield.

The “Black Void”, a comic book store worker, hides his identity behind a Spiderman mask and uses a cane for protection! He admits to suffering from irritable bowel syndrome which can become inflamed at times of stress if the situation gets “a little tasty”.

The pair, who bought their outfits on eBay, have a Facebook page and have posted films of themselves in action on the internet site YouTube.

Yet despite becoming regular fixtures on the streets of Torbay, Devon, at weekends, they have yet to make their mark on the local crime statistics.

Will began patrolling the streets of his home town in Torquay a few months ago after “coming out” to his wife Julie.

He told her: “I’m off out tonight love to patrol the streets of Torquay and check out some crime.”

Sussex Transport would love the opportunity to be your ‘haulage hero’  - so if you are looking for a transport company or warehouse storage solution… who you gonna call? Try 01903 751100!

Last week we made a dedicated delivered to Crawley on one of  our Sprinter vans.

Drivers across Sussex were facing treacherous conditions this  week after a blanket of snow hit the county on Saturday evening.

Up to 10cm of snow fell in Sussex and Surrey overnight  with the worst hit areas covering east  Brighton, Hailsham, Uckfield, Eastbourne, Crowborough, Crawley, East Grinstead,  Copthorne and Horsham.

It took our friends  a  weary 2 -3 hours to travel the short distance from Gatwick airport back down to  the south coast on Saturday evening  following a week away in the sun – a sharp  shock after balmy temperatures in Egypt of 20 degrees and wall to wall sunshine!
A 50-year-old man was airlifted to Eastbourne District  General Hospital with a suspected back injury following a sledging accident at  Seaford Head Golf Club.

A couple had to be cut free from the car on the A29 at  Slinfold after their vehicle came off the road in heavy snow on Saturday night.

A lorry jack-knifed  on the A26 hill in Crowborough causing long tailbacks. There have been minor  shunts and cars travelling into ditches on the A23 in Handcross, Netherfield,  near Battle, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, the A27 at Hangleton in Hove and the  A264 in Copthorne, near Crawley.

Drivers were seen abandoning their cars in drifts of snow in  Downland Road, Woodingdean.

The wedding fayre due  to be held at the American Express Community Stadium at Falmer had to be  cancelled because of the treacherous conditions.  Cars were turned away because of the large  chunks of snow that were falling from the roof of the stadium!

A bit of a nip in the air in Serbia at the moment!

Spare a thought for those living in Serbia … The Serbian government late on Sunday declared an emergency situation, saying the intense snowfall has jeopardized normal functioning. Emergency officials said that 70,000 people were cut off by the heavy snow!

Despite the travel disruption this week, Sussex Transport  have kept to their schedule and ensured all deliveries are made safely and in a  timely fashion.

Last week we delivered 4 crates of solar tubes in one of our 7.5t trucks to Angus in Scotland.  This was a very fragile delivery which required care and attention at every stage of the journey.

The UFO seen in Angus

Last month it was reported in the Angus local newspaper, ‘The Courier’ that a UFO had been spotted in Arbroath by a Mr Edward Cairney who took two pictures of a mysterious ‘hovering’ light in the sky above him.

He said: ”It was around sunset and at first I thought it was maybe just the moon shining in a strange way or something like that.”

He added: ”I was standing at the back window looking to the west towards Dundee. There were a couple of passenger planes in the sky and, as the sun set, there was a bit of an air passage towards the west.

”The planes were painted red by the sunshine but this thing wasn’t.  It was just so weird.”

A spokesman for RAF Leuchars confirmed there had been no activity in the area and nothing unusual had appeared on the radar.

After seeing the picture Matt Lyons, chairman of the British UFO Research Association, suggested a number of theories — including a streak on the camera lens — but said further analysis would be required.

Last year Angus residents celebrated the Year of the Light – a 12-month celebration of one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering, the Bell Rock Lighthouse.

Built by Robert Stevenson and completed in 1811, the Bell Rock Lighthouse has saved thousands of lives over the last two centuries by alerting vessels to the deadly rocks lying just below the surface of the water 11 miles out fromArbroathHarbour.

The bicentenary celebrations centre on the town of Arbroath, home to many of the early 19^th century tradesmen, labourers and engineers who were involved in the four-year construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse and the lighthouse keepers who manned it.

Sussex Transport won’t leave you confused … but we do aim to amaze you!  Please give us a call on 01903 751100 or email your enquiry to sales@sussextransport.com

Last week we made a delivery of goods from Selsey in West Sussex to the ‘Help for Heroes’ Charity offices in Tidworth, Wiltshire.

Help for Heroes was co-founded by husband and wife Bryn and Emma Parry, and launched on 1st October 2007.  Bryn had served with the Royal Green Jackets for ten years before leaving to become a cartoonist. The couple were profoundly moved after a visit to Selly Oak hospital where they met injured servicemen and women and decided they needed to do something to help. Bryn and Emma Parry were both invested with the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for their services to charity on25 November 2010.

The Help for Heroes website states:

It’s about the blokes – our men and women of the Armed Forces.  Its about Derek, a rugby player who lost both his legs, it’s about Carl whose jaw is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It’s about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. Its about Ben, it’s about Steven and Andy and Mark. It’s about them all. They are just blokes but they are our blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes.

Members of the Royal Family have been strong supporters of Help for Heroes, with Prince William attending the launch of the new facilities at Headley Courtin 2009.

The Parry’s son, Tom, is an officer with 2nd Battalion the Rifles, who spent a tour in Sangin in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan and their daughters, Sophie and Louisa, have joined in with fund-raising activities , taking part in a family expedition to climb Mount Kilimanjaro shortly after Tom’s return.

Sussex Transport can be contacted on 01903 751100 or HERE for email enquiries

Last week, we made a delivery of stone cladding on one of our HIAB vehicles to historic Hertfordshire city, St Albans.

In a recent survey, despite its high house prices, St Albans was voted into the top ten places to live in the UK – where residents are the happiest in the country!

St Albans District Council, said: “St Albans City and District is a great place to live with low unemployment and good schools. We would probably have come even higher in the survey if factors such as culture and history had been taken into account.

“The quality of life here in the district is good. We are surrounded by the Green Belt and are also blessed with a large number of green spaces, including Harpenden, (see our previous blog )   Bricket Wood and Nomansland Commons, and parks, such as Verulamium Park. In addition, there are plenty of activities locally for people to enjoy, from sport to theatre. There is also a good social cohesion in the district and people seem to care about their neighbours.”

But being in St Albans comes at a high price.  Since the mid seventies, young people born in the area have found it harder and harder to afford to buy a home of their own here. Renting nowadays can be just as expensive as having a mortgage. 

David Essex .. back in the 70's

Some famous names from St Albans include Stephen Hawking who was educated at St Albans School, comic Benny Hill and ladies favourite – the one with the twinkle in his eyes and cheeky, melt me smile… David Essex.

Our ‘lady blogger’ here at Sussex Transport  also attended school in St Albans – which would account for her interesting and intelligent content within our blog pages….

Hart in Hampshire was ranked as the number one place to live in the survey followed by Elmbridge in Surrey and Wokingham in Berkshire.

 For a HIAB service with a twinkly smile, call Sussex Transport on 01903 751100 or email us at sales@sussextransport.com . Whilst we can’t promise a David Essex look-a-like… all our drivers will provide a 5 star service! 

Sussex Transport was established in 1990 and supplies a comprehensive range of road haulage, contract warehousing and logistics services. The company has developed an excellent reputation due to the quality of its fleet, highly maintained premises, the efficiency of the team, an ability to understand the needs of its customers businesses through providing an exceptional customer service.

Froome’s role will encompass implementing new operational systems, processes and procedures along with developing and adding to the existing client base.  His high-level expertise will add further value to an already successful business.

Froome has worked closely with Sussex Transport in his previous role as Director at LWS Creative where he was a key driver in the success of the Sussex Transport Website, Social Media and online marketing programme.

He therefore was already aware of the company ethics as well as having an existing relationship with the business.  He brings with him a wealth of sales, marketing, business and managerial experience.

Paul Froome joins Sussex Transport

Holding a degree in business studies and with more than 10 years management experience, Paul’s previous roles include, Business Development Director for a Marketing Agency and Marketing Manager for a Worldwide Engineering organisation. Prior to that Paul worked in Sales, Project Management, IT and Systems Development. Paul is also a Fellow of the Institute of  Sales and Marketing Management and a Chartered Marketer.

Managing Director, Damian Pulford, welcomes Froome to the team stating, ‘’We look forward to continued growth and success at Sussex Transport, and Paul’s skills will help us deliver on many of our growth plans. ’’

For more information on Sussex Transport : www.sussextransport.com

This week we watched as two 40’ shipping containers backed into our yard and were loaded with 100,000 glasses, having been stored for a client in our warehouse.  The huge containers then made their way to Dover for loading onto a container ship.

Latvians like a drink! In Latvia it is estimated that around 10 litres of pure alcohol are consumed per person per year and statistics show that the number of minors being brought into hospitals with alcohol poisoning is on the rise.

A new Latvian coin featuring a beer mug on one side has sparked a spat between the country’s health ministry and central bank amid accusations it amounts to hidden alcohol advertising.

The new Lat coin

The silver coloured one Lat coin (which is worth about £1.30) was released last year to mark the Baltic country’s midsummer solstice festival where beer drinking looms large.

But the former Soviet republic’s health ministry took exception to the new coin, writing an angry letter to the Bank of Latvia alleging that; “The coin contradicts our efforts to cut down on the consumption of alcohol in society.”

In the throes of an anti-alcohol campaign, the health ministry also wrote to a school which tested final year pupils on the history of Scotch whisky as part of an oral exam this year, complaining that the topic was “unacceptable.”

On the flip side (see what we did there?!)Latvia is a beautiful country to visit with its unspoiled landscapes, quaint villages and breathtaking scenery. There are four distinct seasons in Latvia and holidays to the Baltic’s are becoming increasingly popular amongst European and worldwide travellers.

Need something fragile or high value moved securely? Speak to Sussex Transport with confidence today on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com – we’d love to hear from you.

Last month we made a dedicated delivery of goods on one of our HIAB trucks from Horley in Surrey to RAF Waddington in Lincoln.

RAF Waddington is the UK hub of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, supporting national and NATO operations.

The airfield at Royal Air Force Waddington opened as a flying training station in November 1916 teaching hundreds of pilots, including many from the US Army, to fly on a wide variety of aircraft.

By August 1961 three squadrons of Vulcans were based at Waddington, and remained there until March 1984, its planned retirement having been postponed because of the Falklands conflict.

Waddington provided the Vulcans that bombed Port Stanley and also those hastily modified for air-to-air refuelling duties.

The last airworthy Vulcan has been restored to flying condition by the “Vulcan to the Sky Trust” after years of effort and fundraising.  Being the sole airworthy Vulcan, the aircraft’s airworthiness status was in peril as maintenance funding was in need before the end of February, 2010. At the last moment an anonymous benefactor presented £458,000 to the foundation, ensuring its airworthiness for both its 50th birthday and the prospect of a flight performance for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony in London. It is currently based at Doncaster Robin Hood Airport.

We’d be happy to give you a competitive quote and offer an intelligent haulage solution for your individual or company needs … call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com for more information

Last week we transported a shipping container to Dover, in readiness for it to be loaded onto a container ship at the docks.

At the weekend, luxury cruise ship, ‘Costa Concordia’ ran into a reef in Italian waters and capsized into the port area of Giglio, sparking a frantic evacuation of the 4,200 people on board. At the time of writing this blog, Coast Guard officials have expressed concern that the ship might slip off the rocks where it is currently perched.

At the same time, the stricken container ship ‘Rena’ is slipping off a New Zealand reef where it has been stuck for three months and is now in danger of sinking.  This is one of the worst environmental disasters in New Zealand’s history.

In January 2007, scavengers descended on the Devon village o fBranscombe after more than 100 containers washed ashore from the storm-damaged MSC Napoli, grounded in Lyme Bay. The containers included BMW motorcycles, personal possessions, nappies, cosmetics and wine barrels

Worthing Beach January 2008 (image source BBC.co.uk)

Local readers to Sussex Transport will clearly remember January 2008, when the beaches at Lancing and Worthing were barely visible beneath the cargo of the ‘Ice Prince’ – a massive 2,000 tonnes of washed up timber – which arrived along our shores after the Greek registered ship sank 26 miles off the Dorset coast.  You could see the mountains of wood for as far as the eye could see and in some places the wood was at least 6 foot deep!

Next time you need to move your shipping container – why not see if Sussex Transport can assist? Call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last month we made a large delivery of audio equipment to Colchester in Essex for one of our clients.

Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who died in AD 79.

These days it is best known for its castle which was built around 1100 under the instruction of William the Conqueror! …and of course it’s other popular tourist attraction – the zoo!

Colchester Zoo was named the most popular wildlife attraction in the UK in a recent survey by Which? Magazine.

Their survey of over 3,000 consumers placed Colchester Zoo as “king of the animal parks when it comes to satisfied visitors. The five stars it gets for the range and quality of its facilities, and the engagement and entertainment offered perhaps reflect its 260 species (including Komodo dragons, leopards and sun bears), 50 daily displays, and four adventure play areas” said the magazine.  The zoo also scored 4 out of 5 stars for Value for money and for its Food and drink.

The Zoo states that they always aim to exceed their customers’ expectations and will work even harder to ensure that they achieve even higher scores in the future.

For a haulage service which we hope will meet and exceed your expectations, please feel free to contact us on 01903 751100 or email us at sales@sussextransport.com

Sussex Transport based on the South Coast can transport your goods across the UK on our fleet of HIAB’s, Moffetts, Flatbeds, Artics, Sprinters, Curtain Side, Rigid, 18t and 7.5t trucks.  We also offer a pick and pack warehouse service should you have a requirement for it.

Last week we made a dedicated journey from London on one of our Flatbed trucks with a full load of 9t batteries for recycling back in Sussex. With our waste carriers license, we are able to transport scrap metal, batteries and other recycling and waste products when required.

Recycling is very much in the news these days – multi coloured wheelie bins adorn our streets and supermarkets often have huge recycling units for us to use for our discarded bottles, clothes, cans etc!

But recycling isn’t a new idea… we found this ‘post’ on Facebook the other day….

• Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles repeatedly. So they really were recycled.
• We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.
• Back then, we washed the baby’s nappies because we didn’t have the throw-away kind.
• We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 240 volts… wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days.
• Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.  Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief not a screen the size ofWales.
• In the kitchen, we blended & stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us.
• When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.
• Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power.
• We exercised by walking so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
• We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.
• We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
• Back then, people took the bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mums into a 24-hour taxi service.
• We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.
• And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.
• They don’t even know what a Milk float actually is today – it isn’t a drink!

For a traditionally good transport and haulage service, why not call us on 01903 751100 for a competitive quote, or try the modern method and email us at sales@sussextransport.com – we’d love to hear from you!

Last month we made a dedicated delivery of medical equipment for one of our customers to Harpenden Hospital in Hertfordshire with one of our fleet of HIAB vehicles.

Harpenden is a sought after town to live in, popular with commuters into London.  Home to many famous names – most notable was Eric Morecambe where he lived until his death in 1984

Eric’s last performance was in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. After the show had ended and Morecambe had left the stage, the musicians returned and picked up their instruments. He rushed back onto the stage to join them and energetically played various instruments. He then left the stage only to return moments later. All in all, he made six curtain calls. Finally, he said “That’s your lot!”, waved to the audience, and left the stage. He walked into the wings and joked “Thank goodness that’s over.” A few moments later, Morecambe collapsed, and died of a heart attack.

In 1999 Morecambe was voted the funniest person of the 20th century in a British internet poll; Eric pulled in 26% of the votes, beating his contemporary performer Tommy Cooper and Monty Python member John Cleese to the coveted position.

Eric often referred to Harpenden in his comedy, with a band once appearing on the Morecombe and Wise show named The Harpenden Hot-Shots and in a Casanova sketch he introduced himself as Lord Eric, Fourth Duke Of Harpenden – and certain parts of Birkenhead!

At Sussex Transport we aim to put ‘’sunshine in your smile’’ – why not call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com for a quote for your next haulage or warehouse requirement

Last month we made a delivery of furniture on one of our Luton vans to Kensington in Greater London.

Such is the pull of Kensington and Chelsea that seven streets there have made the top 10 priciest list, with average house prices of around £4 million Kensington is home to the highest concentration of expensive properties in the UK

This part of London has always had a glamorous reputation, attracting buyers from the business and entertainment world, and more recently the super-rich from across the world. With a single square foot of land in Kensington costing over £1,100, it is well out of the price range of your typical British homeowner, in fact a lot of the properties here have a sale value of around £19 million – leaving even the luckiest lottery winners struggling to afford a home here!

Outside London, the areas with the most expensive streets are generally located well away from central areas, where buyers are typically attracted by larger properties and more green space.

If you would like a quote for transport or warehouse / pick and pack service which wont break the bank – why not give us a call on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last week we made a dedicated delivery to Northants on one of our 7.5t trucks.  Once offloaded, we then made our way to Wellingborough where we collected more goods destined for a client in Sussex.

A Men’s club in Wellingborough has released its definitive guide to the top 40 things men should do before they reach the age of 40.

As men around the county start to think about making New Year’s resolutions, Wellingborough’s Round Table group has made a list of a wide range of activities.

The top 40 includes achievements from completing a bungee jump to more bizarre experiences like eating a whole scotch bonnet chilli.

Round Table vice-president Jason Thomson said: “The aim of the 40 things to do before you’re 40 list is to ensure that men in Wellingborough, and across the county, continue to aim high and accomplish some amazing things in their lifetime. Everything on the list is achievable.’’

We have listed half of the ‘things to achieve’ so you can make a start!!

1. Order a vindaloo when you normally have a korma
2. Grow a moustache
3. Go clay pigeon shooting
4. Test drive a super car
5. Give blood or be an organ donor
6. Participate in an event to challenge a ‘Guinness Book of Records’ title
7. Learn how to snowboard
8. Visit at least two of the Seven Wonders of the World
9. Organise a beer festival
10. Go tractor racing
11. Turn up in fancy dress to a formal event
12. Learn to give a good massage
13. Go scuba diving
14. Spend a night sleeping in the open air
15. Be dragged behind a speedboat on something inflatable
16. Turn up at the airport with a passport and luggage and catch a random flight
17. Skydive
18. Speak in front of a large audience. Sober.
19. Climb a mountain to play tiddlywinks
20. Build a raft

Want to know what the other 20 were? Email us HERE and we’ll send you the complete list!

If you need us to help you move that raft, transport your snowboard or store your inflatable… call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last month we were asked to deliver to Sweden and Holland.

There is a shortage of butter in Norway at the moment and Swedish entrepreneurs are cashing in by offering the sought after spread on websites at a high profit!

Swedish buy-and-sell site Blocket.se on Thursday included a copious number of ads from Swedes offering butter to suffering Norwegians at prices as high as 700 kronor (£64) per kilo.

Many of the sellers offered to deliver the butter to Norwegians desperately in need of the dairy product to fulfil their holiday baking needs, while at least one planned to be selling on-site in Oslo.

Another seller calling himself “The Butter Man” touted what he considered to be a “great deal” involving a single package of Lätta-brand margarine.

“Will trade a TOTALLY NEW package of Lätta for a good steel stringed guitar,” the man writes in the ad, adding that he would prefer a “Gibson or equivalent”.

If an interested buyer doesn’t happen to have a guitar, however, the “The Butter Man” said he would be willing to part with his box of Lätta for “a few thousand kronor”.

This week alone, one site had registered a staggering 124,590 searches for ‘smør’, the Norwegian word for butter, and boasted more than 350 ads from private individuals looking to sell butter made in Sweden, Denmark, or Norway.

Police in Norway apprehended two Swedish men last month with more than 250 kilogrammes of butter after they reportedly had been trying to sell contraband spread at 250 kroner (£27) a packet.

Looking for a haulage company with a service that won’t make your stomach ‘churn’ ?! Why not give us a call on 01903 751100 or email us at sales@sussextransport.com to see how we can ‘spread’ some haulage joy your way!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Last week we made a dedicated delivery of a shipping container to Hampshire town, Havant.

The old centre of Havant is on a classic crossroad configuration, with the four streets being named North Street, East Street, South Street and West Street, and St Faith’s church at the crossing. At least one axis is a known Roman road.

There are several natural springs in the area and Havant also used to be the home of the premier parchment making facility in southern England which later became a glove making factory and leather processing plant. The Treaty of Versailles was written on Havant parchment.

Much of Havant was destroyed by fire in 1760, leaving only the church and the adjacent early 17th century cottages. The cottages are now known collectively as “The Old House at Home”, and are now used as a pub. It is claimed that the two main beams in the lounge bar were recovered from the Spanish Armada, and that the “Bear Post” within once had the last dancing bear in England tethered to it!

If you haven’t got a preferred haulier yet… why not consider trying us? We’ll be happy to give you a quote or answer any questions you may have.  Call us on 01903 751100 or email us at info@sussextransport.co.uk

Last week we made a delivery on one of our Artics to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Faulty lights in Aylesbury town centre have been hitting headlines locally for all the wrong reasons.  Several malfunctions, which have led to the £27,000 display being called the shabbiest in Britain have now been rectified but did include a reindeer with only one antler and one leg as well as Santa without a face.

Once darkness fell, one sign described the town as “a great lace to be” while another declared “seasns eets” from Aylesbury Vale District Council.

Residents declared, “They are terrible. Half the lights don’t work, which makes some of the characters more scary than festive. They’re more likely to scare children than fill them with joy.’’

Aylesbury Vale District Council was “very disappointed” that some of the lights had not worked but the majority of the faults have now been repaired.

One Councillor now proudly states, “Our Christmas lights display shows Aylesbury town centre is open for business. The lights and other decorations cheer people up during a time when the evenings are really dark and they’re a treat for all ages.”

Don’t be disappointed with your chosen haulage company…. Why not make a new years resolution to try Sussex Transport.  We can be contacted HERE for quotes and enquiries

Last week we made a dedicated delivery of roofing materials to Hayling Island in Hampshire.

Hayling Island is a true island, completely surrounded by sea. A road bridge connects its northern end to the mainland of England at Langstone Harbour, near Portsmouth.  Years ago there was also a railway line mounted on wooden stilts between the island and the mainland. (The remains of which can still be seen today)

The line was opened by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) for goods in January 1865 and for passengers in July 1867. It ran from Havant to Hayling Island station and was known as the Hayling Billy Line.

The Hayling Billy Line acquired its name early on in its life, with it coming indirectly from the Puffing Billy, one of the earliest steam locomotives. In those days expressions such as ‘going like Billy-o’ were commonplace, and several old steam lines around the world are referred to as Billy railways.

Then & Now

After its closure, steam locomotive ‘Hayling Billy’ was stationed just outside the pub on Hayling Island, by the same name.  (A member of staff at Sussex Transport even remembers seeing it as she lived in neighbouring Langstone!)  It was removed in the seventies and relocated on the Isle of Wight.

Sussex Transport is steaming ahead with deliveries all over the festive period…. So why not book in that last minute requirement on 01903 751100 or email us at sales@sussextransport.com

Last week, we made a dedicated delivery of goods to Portsmouth dockyards. 3 crates of lighting systems were offloaded from one of our 7.5t trucks and we were happy to make the delivery to HMS St Albans which has just returned from six months at sea!

Hundreds of sailors onboard both HMS St Albans and HMS Edinburgh arrived back in Portsmouth in time for the Christmas holidays at the beginning of the month.

Arriving home from the Middle East and the  South Atlantic, to a heroes welcome of some 600 people, waving flags and banners, one sailor got down on a bended knee and proposed to his girlfriend as he arrived to meet her. (she said ‘yes’ !)

HMS Edinburgh & HMS St Albans sail into Portsmouth

In June, while policing busy shipping lanes off Oman, HMS St Albans rescued 13 crewmen from a stricken Indian tanker. The crew had sent a Mayday email, picked up in the UK, to report that their vessel had been taking on water.  The warship went to the tanker’s aid and its helicopter winched the seasick crewmen to safety in rough seas.

On returning to Hampshire the two warships first sailed past the Round Tower, before arriving at Portsmouth naval base.

We wish all our clients past, current and future a very Merry Christmas.  Please feel free to contact us should you require a haulage solution moving into 2012.

Telephone 01903 751100 or email us at sales@sussextransport.com

 The definition of a common carrier is ‘One that is in the business of transporting the public, goods, or messages for a fee’

Last week we made a dedicated delivery of Granite from Romford in Essex to Partridge Green in Sussex using one of our HIAB trucks.

Romford is known for its market which a charter was granted for by King Henry III.  It began nearly 800 years ago in 1247. Originally established as a sheep market, it is still operating three days a week offering customers from near and far the perfect place to spend the day and pick up great priced items.
Romford market is one of the largest markets in the South East with over 150 regular stalls offering a diverse range of goods including fresh meat and fish, veg and fruit, the latest fashions, mobile phone accessories and household goods to name just a few!
Running a flower stall at Romford market you will find Billy Childs – the father of ‘The Only Way is Essex’ ‘star’ Amy Childs.   Billy has noticed an impressive increase in sales since his daughter shot to fame in this ‘fly on the wall’ drama series….

For a reliable, secure and professional haulage service – the only way is Sussex … call us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last week, we delivered a container to Harrow in Greater London using one of our HAIB trucks.

In the same week, the Christmas lights in Harrow were switched on by X Factor resident Johnny Robinson.  Although Robinson was booted out of the competition halfway through the live shows, he gained quite a few loyal supporters; including pop princess, Kylie Minogue!

Hundreds of shoppers turned out in the rain to see the high pitched singer and had hoped for a performance from him.  Robinson was paid £300 for the appearance, but left fans disappointed when he didn’t sing or stop and chat to the crowd.

Helen Davies, 43, from Harrow, was at the event and said: “He wasn’t there for very long at all. I think people would have wanted to talk to him.

“He came and turned the lights on but was there for all of ten minutes. He wasn’t worth the money for just that. People had been waiting for him in the rain.’’

Councillor Keith Ferry, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and economic development, last week defended the singer and said he had “fulfilled all his obligations”.

Sussex Transport aim to never disappoint – with a fleet of vehicles to suite most client requirements, we can offer deliveries from the smallest parcel on one of our Sprinter vans right through to a large shipping container using our HIAB vehicles.

Please feel free to contact us on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com and see how we can provide a five star service!

With Christmas approaching, haulage firms are often much busier in December – transporting higher than normal volumes of expensive consumer products.   It is estimated that £250 million worth of goods are stolen from road freight in the UK alone.

This crime affects manufacturers, hauliers, insurers and, of course, the drivers who, are often threatened by the criminals involved.

According to the European Union, the theft of high value, high risk products moving in supply chains in Europe costs businesses in excess of £6.9 billion a year. The threat from organized criminals is increasing and becoming more violent.

The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) is a unique forum that unites global manufacturers, logistics providers, freight carriers, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders with the common aim of reducing losses from international supply chains.

Today, in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Americas and Asia, TAPA’s membership is at its highest ever level – and growing month-on-month. The Association’s 600+ members include many of the world’s leading manufacturing brands as well as their logistics and transport providers with combined annual sales of over US$900 billion.

The coming new year will see an important next step in the logistics sector’s collective effort to combat the gangs with the introduction of new TAPA standards designed to reduce the potential for crime on the roads.

Like its property-based standards, TAPA’s Truck Security Requirements (TSRs) are voluntary, but may come to be seen as additional certification for those manufacturers and retailers of high-value goods running the rule over prospective logistics partners.

The Truck Security Requirements will cover the aspects of communication, hardware and route-planning that freight firms have recognised as essential to protect employees and the integrity of cargo. They also provide further illustration of how collaboration between clients and logistics firms is important in tackling crime effectively.

Greater co-ordination with law enforcement – as evidenced by the TruckPol, a part of the UK’s Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service – is another significant part of the equation.

Sussex Transport is well aware of the need for security and vigilance when transporting goods; we take care to ensure our client’s products are securely stored in our warehouse (if appropriate) and our trucks are regularly checked during journeys to ensure safe transit.

 Last week one of our Sprinter vans made a dedicated delivery of goods on behalf of a client to Leicester.  Solar panels, having been stored in our warehouse, were carefully transported to their final destination, where they will be saving one lucky householder a fortune in electricity!

‘’They’’ say you can save around £120 per year by having solar panels installed … and for an extra saving why not install a wind turbine – the reduction becomes even more impressive! A wind turbine costs between £15,000 and £22,000 to install, but this should provide enough electricity for lighting and appliances in a typical home, according to the Energy Saving Trust. A 2.5 kWh turbine should generate around 4,000 kWh of electricity per year, which could mean income and savings of £1,300 per year!

(source  www.thisismoney.co.uk)

Maybe we could save you some energy looking for a reliable, family run haulage firm to work with your business? Simply dial 01903 751100 or email us on sales@sussextransport.com for a ray of sunshine amongst other quotes…!

One of our Sprinter vans made a delivery of exhibition equipment and assisted with setting up at the Learning Disability Today event in Islington, London last week.

The event, held on 29^th November was open to people with learning disabilities, carers, relatives and support workers as well as managers of residential and community-based services, project workers, social care staff, carers, trainers, special educational needs school teachers, housing officers and nurses.

The Business Design Centre which hosts this, as well as many other events and exhibitions, started life in 1862 as the ‘’Agricultural Hall’’ when the architect Frederick Peck created an imposingly large enclosed space, the span of which was greater than both its contemporaries at the time, Crystal Palace and Alexandra Palace.

Today The Business Design Centre claims to be London’s most stylish exhibition venue, playing host to over 80 exhibitions and 250 conferences every year. It is also the permanent home to over 100 businesses who occupy the offices & showrooms. The BDC Conference Centre London attracts in excess of half a million visitors each year.

Thinking of using a transport company to assist you with your next exhibition or stand at a conference? Why not give us a call and request a quote? We would be delighted to assist you.  Call us on 01903 751100 or email your enquiry to sales@sussextransport.com

Last week we made a dedicated delivery to Heathrow, on one of our Flatbed Artics on behalf of a regular customer from Lancing, West Sussex.

This years snowfall has not had an impact on any of our delivery times yet.  This time last year ‘heavy’ snowfall (9cm) caused the closure of roads and airports across the country. Heathrow suffered one of the largest incidents of all time; 4,000 flights were cancelled over five days and 9,500 passengers spent the night at Heathrow on 18 December following the initial snowfall. The problems were caused not only by snow on the runways, but also by snow and ice on the 198 parking stands which were all occupied by aircraft.

While we are prepared for the wintry weather here at Sussex Transport, we are hoping it will pass by with minimum disruption over the coming months.

If you would be interested in knowing more about what we do – why not take a look at our website? We would be pleased to give you a quote on 01903 751100 or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last month saw one of our drivers delivering to Sunseeker (the UK’s largest luxury yacht maker) in Poole, Dorset on behalf of a client.
Despite heavyweight objections from road users and the police, a ban on Lorries using a major Poole route is to go ahead. The Borough of Poole is to extend its night-time ban on heavy vehicles using one of its busiest roads to apply at all times. The ban will encompass all heavy goods vehicles (except for loading) at a large number of commercial premises in the area.
Abnormal loads will be allowed and there will be an exception when the lifting bridge is closed to traffic.
However, Poole Harbour Commissioners object saying their operation is heavily dependent on freight movement throughout the town, the necessary road network is not in place and a ban should not be considered until the two-bridge system is working well.

Sunseeker says it needs the road for abnormal loads and to access the Dawkins Road site and Brittany Ferries says it will hinder access to the port and jeopardise competitiveness.
Dorset Police also raised concerns about the high level of policing required and the effect this would have on priorities.

As well as transporting goods, Sussex Transport can also offer secure warehousing and storage solutions at its large, secure warehouse based near Brighton on the South Coast.
Call us on 01903 751100 for a competitive quote!

Last week, one of our HIAB vehicles delivered to Burgess Hill in Sussex.

If you are finding that there is no room at your chosen Inn over the festive period, look no further than Burgess Hill for the overflow stable!

More than 2,000 miles away from the real deal, Fiona Turton has brought a bit of Bethlehem to the South Downs. With mood lighting, electricity and heating, GP Fiona Turton’s stable is a modern day upgrade and can now be rented out for £12 a night so you too can experience the stable sleepover for yourself!

Dr Turton has even got her donkeys in on the manger action to help raise funds for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. She said: “This year we wondered if we could do something a little different. We felt that Bethlehem and nativity was appropriate. That’s very much part of our family Christmas. The stable is a real Victorian stable that is actually in use for the donkeys, so a good clean and brush out and new straw was all that was needed. The donkeys live in five star accommodation.”

The stable comes complete with a straw bed for two, tea making facilities, an armchair, a manger and resident Donkey. Shepherd costumes, bath towels and WiFi are available at an additional cost.

For a traditionally good haulage business, look no further than Sussex Transport! We can offer transport and storage solutions and boast a ‘stable’ and successful business!
Call us for a quote on 01903 751100 and speak to one of our Wise Men or email sales@sussextransport.com

Last week we made a delivery of building materials, on one of our HIAB vehicles from Littlehampton to Ashington in West Sussex. Having already made a delivery to neighbouring Arundel,  for another client, we were able to offer our Littlehampton client a significantly reduced price to make an onward journey.

Ashington is home to Sue Roberts…who assists with training search and rescue dogs for the military.

With roadside bombs remaining one of the greatest threats to troops in Afghanistan, search dogs are a vital asset for coalition forces. After proving such a success, around 100 military working dogs are now deployed in Helmand Province – and are based at kennels in Camp Bastion, then deployed out to forward operating bases and patrol bases.

Tasks range from sniffing out IEDs to protection dogs – they are also used to check every single vehicle that goes into Camp Bastion, searching up to 1,000 each month.

Normally handled by Royal Army Veterinary Corps and Royal Air Force Police, the task has now been taken over by Military Working Dog Squadron.

Warrant Officer Second Class Sue Roberts (from Ashington), said: “We have dogs that search and dogs that will protect. These dogs are very much sought-after by the commanders on the ground for their search capability.”

Training starts months before dogs are deployed – then they are given time to acclimatise to the harsh conditions in Afghanistan.

“Some adapt better than others – just like humans, some adapt to the conditions out here better than others, and it’s the same for the dogs.” She said.

Looking to sniff out a new supplier for your haulage work? Or perhaps you are searching for a storage solution? We can offer transport, storage as well as pick and pack services. We’d welcome your enquiry at sales@sussextransport.com