IMHO I would think that sleeper cabs did contribute to the deterioration of the industry but by no means the sole reason by any means. “Cabbing it” as it was referred to in the early 60’s/ 70’s gathered pace even before Sleeper cabs proper became prevalent and I’ve got to honest it wasn’t my idea of being a Driver. Speaking personally the use of digs was an integral part of the job as far as I was concerned, you parked up had a bite, wash and shave , then a couple of pints and a craic then “head down” in the pit as my long gone mate Eric Postlethwaite used to refer to turning in ! having said all this I have got to say that as a little O/D from 1968 I worked some horrendous hours and wasn’t averse to getting my head down for an hour when I was on a grueller in the middle of the night ! Either on the way down to the “Smoke” to get an early morning tip at say Sainsbury’s in Stamford St. then I had the day to do various collections around London and back to Markyate and park up at the Three Sisters. Sometimes I had a “double” grueller if I was on Covent Garden to A.E. Docker at Barrow-in Furness. It worked sometimes if I was parked up m/t the night before in London and J & W Watt’s manager at L. Colney said “on the stones” at C/Garden for you in the morning ! But if I had run down during the night and he gave me the job straight after I’d tipped now that meant getting loaded at C/Garden by early afternoon then I had to be outside Dockers warehouse by 4 am next morning ! So I would get going up the way as far as “me eyes” would allow then I’d have a couple of hours, no more, then do another spell say up to Forton and maybe a quick half hour shut eye. Then last leg down to Barrow and I was always there waiting for them to arrive at 4 ! Pull the sheets off and back in then Albert Docker would arrive with a basket containing a “Full English” and I would sit in his office noshing while the lads unloaded the D1000. Sometimes they would put back onto the motor some gear for their Kendal warehouse and I would be back in Kendal ■■■■■■■ knackered at about 8 or 9 o’clock. They always gave be a “lucky box” for home, tatties, cabbage, onions, carrots etc etc. Mam thought it was great ! Then I’d get to bed and sleep the sleep of the dead ! But on a couple of occasions I recall Libbys would ring looking for me and Mam would knock me at sometimes only a couple of hours later, “can you go in and load now for London” Aye OK ! I’ve been in Libbys warehouse sometimes asleep on my feet. You’d get locked up today if you tried to operate like that but that was in the good old days or not maybe ! But I never parked up and dossed in the cab all night ! Motors were for working in and digs were for kipping in ! Cheers Bewick.