STEEL OF QUALITY

The Steelboys have grown from a few like-minded friends into a large, lorry-mad family. Here’s the convoy of characters, and vehicles, that have been rolling together for nearly two decades

- Dinsdale Piranha

The idea was borne from a casual conversation between two friends as they returned home from the North East Classic Commercial Vehicle Road Run. Whiling away the long journey home by discussing their shared passion for classic trucks, Graham Bellman and Andrew Cooper agreed that it would be great fun to try and set up a road trip themselves with a group of likeminded enthusiasts.

From that chat, in the cab of Cooper’s restored Volvo F88, one of Britain’s more unusual motoring clubs was formed. For the past 19 years, they have gathered together for an annual visit to the Classic Commercial Show at Gaydon, Warwickshire. Assembling at Strensham Services on the M5, they rumble through the scenic Cotswolds before stopping to talk trucks, and enjoy well-earned refreshments at Volvo’s headquarters in Warwick, then continue the trek south.

From the first trip in 2002, The Steelboys – the name comes from Bellman and Cooper’s past work for steel hauliers – have grown from the eight “originals” to a disparate group of around 70 that make the pilgrimage each and every year. They are not all boys these days, either. There are plenty of female members, including one lady, Joyce Newell, who didn’t pass her HGV test until she was in her sixties!