few and far between

[G6 UXU]

What about all the cafes on the A5 at Brownhills, there was loads of them and I believe there are only two left now. Not too sure about Scotch Corner Billy, not been round there for ages. Maybe Mike 2E0BLL knows something. All the best.

[Mandator]

I remember two on the A5 in the Brownhills/Cannock area,the Coronation and the Hollies which is still open apparantly.There was the Sunset at Penkridge on the A449 as well but I think that's gone now.
Not sure about the one at Scotch Corner,apart from a few months in 1994 I've been off the road since 1986 as I went on shifts shunting and covering the office.

[2E0BLL]

There`s still a cafe at M5 J5 but I`ve never used it. Scotch Corner closed years ago, only a hotel now, and a caravan on the entry slip to the northbound A1, but there`s now Barton Truck Stop, next junction north. If I remember correctly, there`s also a caravan as you join the A66 westbound, big lay by with toilets.
All the best Mike.

[Mandator]

I know the lay-by Mike,it used to smell of p*ss.

[ceylon220]

Well I`m surprised that none of you old timers have`nt mentioned the one that use to be on the old A6 Penrith-Kendal now a caravan sales park situated at Shap called the "Jungle Cafe", those were the days that if a driver broke down or his truck was having difficulty climbing Shap there was always a driver to give assistance, many a time I`ve seen another wagon pulling another to the top--"Band of Brothers" in those days 1960s

[Mandator]

Yes I'm surprised the Jungle hasn't been mentioned.I'd heard about it but in all my driving career never been in it. One of the many famous haulage companies that used it was P & S of Glasgow who ran Macks.

I'm sure there will be somebody on here who remembers using it.Being from Sheffield I would always use the A1 or A1/A66 when running north. I suppose on the other hand a lot of drivers will have heard of Tony's on the old A1 south of Grantham but never used it.

[Dave]

Back in the 1970s when I was driving for a bloke who had a small yard near Hatfield, there were plenty of cafes in that area. As far as I can remember there was Peter's Cafe on the A1 - about half a mile south of Hatfield; and on the north side of Hatfield was the cafe on the old road at Lemsford - this was known as the 'The Lemmy' and was not far from (Jack) Olding's Corner.

Near the yard, which was at Bell Bar on the old Great North Road (near the BBC transmitter mast at Brooksmans Park) had been another cafe - it was next door to the Cock 'o' the North pub and its public bar was well used by drivers in the early evening and Saturday midday. The yard was so close to the mast that you could occasionally hear music playing in the background - I suppose the telephone lines were acting as an antenna...

When I was going into north London on the A1 I'd sometimes use the cafe at Bignalls Corner - all this has disappeared now as that site today is the South Mimms Services at the M25/A1(M) junction. On the A1000, between Bell Bar and Hatfield, the Rookery Cafe is still open - all the others I've mentioned have gone.

[wilfo098]

We must have had about 8 cafes leaving Maidstone A20 going north,Windsor nr W malling , Jungle still there , Ben's just a little further on the left, Oakdeane botom of Wrotham Hill still there,Hollyville,Oasis, Clearways , all at West Kingsdown,Oasis is still there tiny car park though the berts at Swanley where we used to park up on d****y nightout, by the time we had been in all of those it was lunchtime .Cafe at Newlands corner A25, the Cafe in the stoneyard bottom of hogs back, Jocks at Slough. Towers A4 +Basingstoke , Golden Arrow A4 Hungerford .. Windrush A40 .real good one Chris's High Wycombe , Hole in the Wall Barnet, the one on the A1 holloway road where it was open all night... Busy bee watford.... Just a few of my old haunts to be going on with
the next instalment will cover north from London Hi Hi ...Alan

[G-CPTN]

Busy bee watford.

Were you a biker then?
Busy Bee was the original 'ton up' caff . . .

http://www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/...conObject.7304
http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/new..._the_busy_bee/
http://www.watfordbusybee.org.uk/

[wilfo098]

Never knew about theBusy Bee being a bikers cafe .I presume they were mainly at work during the day ..I remember one night I had a back load for Scammels and had to spend a cab hotel (too late to deliver) 1 hour sleep then in for a tea back to sleep for another hour.. I also remember 2 young ladie who kept disapearing then returning a little later throughout the night. I wonder what they were doing?..The best biker cafe in the world was Johnson's near Brands we all used to race up there via E.htmlnterprise cafe West Farliegh Cheers Alan

Johnsons cafe photos etc..

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/biohaz44/page1..