Langdons Truckstop
Page 54
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CM'S roving gourmet couldn't manage another wafer-thin mint after a visit to Langdons Truckstop in Taunton where the allday breakfast is so substantial it's served on three plates. Ishould have introduced the lady who brought my order over to Simon Lee, who drives for wheelbarrow manufacturer Chillingtons in the West Midlands, The loan of one of his wheelbarrows would have made her journey From the kitchen to my table far easier.
Food at Langdons Truckstop, which is near Taunton in Somerset, arrives in convoys. Three plates were necessary to deliver the all-day breakfast, excluding the excellent mug of tea which I had chivalrously collected myself.
I lost count after the 10th mushroom, but after the three generously-sized tomatoes, everything else seemed to have made the trip in Iwos: the sausages; the rashers of bacon; the eggs; and on separate plates, what looked like two pounds of chips and iwo rounds of bread and spread.
Substance As a meal of substance for £3.60 including the tea, it was impossible to fault. A 12-minute wait suggested everything would be piping hot and freshly cooked and it was.
On the food front, my only disappointment was the bread. The fried slice is not one of my favourite consumables, but its function here appeared to be to soak up the oil from the eggs it supported—a feat it achieved swimmingly.
In search of someone to corroborate my impression of the food, I sought the views of Trevor Easy the driver of the Korafoods lorry. He assured me his rump steak was served with tasty accessories too numerous to mention and it appeared a snip at £5.75, particularly as there was £1 discount for parking up overnight.
Trevor has been a driver for 19 years and remembers stopovers so dirty that you slept in overalls. This always appears very clean and tidy, he said, but had never spent the night inside.
Ray Liddington, driver of the Spear & Jackson box van has. He stops off here once a week. He's been on the road For 31 years. "I'm now approaching 50 and I like my comfort. There is a colour TV in every room and for £13 including breakfast you won't Find a better place anywhere," he offered. I checked and he could be right. There are 10 singles and Iwo twin rooms, each with a washbasin and a TV, as Forecast by Ray.
It was pleasing to discover that booking accommodation also affords you the privilege of showers which are exclusive to residents, although it should be pointed out that the facilities for sleeper-cab users were quite acceptable.
Advantages to using Langdons include the existence of a well patronised barber shop. Because it doubles as the depot for refrigerated transport operator Langclons Industries, the facilities include a workshop, trucicwash, steam cleaning equipment and a diesel point which appears to accept all known agency cards. Once the 24-hour cord reader is unwrapped, fleet operators as well as the drivers themselves might have cause for celebration.
Inevitably there are drawbacks."It is a bit off the beaten track" says owneroperator Dave Scott, of D Scott Haulage in Wakefield. "Although you can see it From the M5, it's about 10 minutes' drive away. Some drivers don't like that so much," he adds.
Criticisms Criticisms From the customers were hard to find, but Trevor had one suggestion sure to go down well anywhere: 'They could do with introducing the unlimited cup of tea with the meal," he says.
On site, there is a shop selling everything From chewing gum to underpants and once you've made your decision to stay the night, parking costs £5 per vehicle or £3 For a small van.
The restaurant is open 06:00-21:00hrs in the week but only until 12:00hrs on Saturdays. You can park and refuel on a Sunday, but the truckstop itself is closed.
Entertainment exists in the form of Iwo snooker tables, a pool table, the usual games machines and a comfortable bar to relax in. A pint of Tetley bitter will cost you £1.40.
E Sound-off returns next week.