{"title":"Mat Ireland","description":"\u003cp\u003eVenture into the gritty, gripping world of Mat Ireland, where crime fiction meets unflinching realism. Perfect for fans of hard-boiled detectives and suspenseful thrillers, discover a world of dark secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"you-call-we-haul-book-mat-ireland-9781910456583","title":"You Call, We Haul","description":"Best known for founding international haulier, Trans UK, Bob Carter was involved in the ground-breaking changes occurring in British transport of the 60s and 70s and it is fair to say that he had an unusual and varied life. Beginning in the army where he witnessed nuclear testing on Christmas Island in the 1950s, he went on to be a driver, office worker and finally company owner.Never afraid to get his hands dirty, Bob was able to turn his hand to any aspect of his business operation, from repairing mechanical defects, to operating forklifts and even on the odd occasion, driving his own trucks. In 1975 he set out on Trans UK's maiden run to Iran in his Humber Sceptre with 4 of his trucks in convoy - the first trip of many, for the company.The denationalization of BRS and the implementation of the 'O' licence, the rapid growth of privately owned haulage companies, combined with the Middle East oil boom of the 70s all helped Bob to develop a successful British and international transport operation. A real one-off and Mr. Nice Guy, Bob Carter was held in high esteem and respected by one and all.Including nearly 300 previously unpublished photos, You Call, We Haul is an inspirational story which will appeal to those with an interest in the hey-day of Middle-East travel and those with a general love of great British transport companies.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49552306798865,"sku":"GOR009445983","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50279909327121,"sku":"GOR013250650","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51531317084433,"sku":"GOR012607213","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1910456586.jpg?v=1750996883"},{"product_id":"you-call-we-haul-book-mat-ireland-9781912158409","title":"You Call, We Haul","description":"Best known for founding international haulier, Trans UK, Bob Carter was involved in the ground-breaking changes occurring in British transport of the 60s and 70s. Beginning in the army where he witnessed nuclear testing on Christmas Island in the 1950s, he went on to be a driver, office worker and finally company owner. Bob was able to turn his hand to any aspect of his business operation, from repairing mechanical defects, to operating forklifts and even on the odd occasion, driving his own trucks. In 1975 he set out on Trans UK's maiden run to Iran in his Humber Sceptre with 4 of his trucks in convoy - the first trip of many, for the company. The denationalization of BRS and the implementation of the 'O' licence, the rapid growth of privately owned haulage companies, combined with the Middle East oil boom of the 70s all helped Bob to develop a successful British and international transport operation. A real one-off and Mr. Nice Guy, Bob Carter was held in high esteem and respected by one and all. Including nearly 300 photos, You Call, We Haul is an inspirational story which will appeal to those with an interest in the hey-day of Middle-East travel and those with a general love of great British transport companies.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49728466682129,"sku":"GOR013773559","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49740763627793,"sku":"NGR9781912158409","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50777532760337,"sku":"GOR010829369","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/191215840X.jpg?v=1751156489"},{"product_id":"history-of-kepstowe-freight-services-ltd-book-mat-ireland-9781036102807","title":"A History of Kepstowe Freight Services Ltd.","description":"The long-haul overland run to the old Soviet Union, prior to Perestroika, Glasnost and the collapse of communism under Gorbachov back in the 1980s and 90s, has never really been documented in a book. Other than an occasional tale of the difficulties involved verbalised in pub conversations, and passed by word of mouth to those who might be interested enough to listen, it would never see the light of day.  This tome is an excellent attempt by the author, Mat Ireland, to put that lack of the written word to rights.  There have been a numerous books published about the ‘Golden Era’ of overland haulage to the Middle East. But while that particular adventure was taking place, there were other ‘frontiers’ being quietly breached and explored by hauliers pursuing a different market.  This book is the story of just such a transport company, Kepstowe Freight.  Sometimes known as the ‘alternative Middle East’, the overland routes into the old Soviet Union have never had their story recorded in print, yet they were just as gruelling on the driver and machine as any trips to the Arabian Peninsula or Iran. Whereas most people’s perception of the Middle East is all sunshine and sand, the same people’s perception of Russia is often all snow and freezing temperatures. Of course, neither picture is the total truth and the overbearing heat, arid climes and loneliness of the central Russian steppes could easily rival the desertification of Syria and Iraq.  Kepstowe Freight was one of the British companies pioneering these early journeys behind the Iron Curtain into the ‘dark, scary’ world of Soviet Union communism.  Featuring mostly previously unseen photographs, A History of Kepstowe Freight Services Ltd repeats drivers' recollections about their escapades and adventures into a land rarely visited by western society, and their attempts at dealing with the inherent corruption, horrendous roads and unpredictable weather along the way. It goes on to show how exponentially rapidly the country changed after its 1990 collapse, with the accompanying culture shock to the populace and especially to the transport system.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":50914239152401,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":50914239611153,"sku":"NGR9781036102807","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53462427926801,"sku":"GOR014933154","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1036102807.jpg?v=1751442617"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-mat-ireland.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}