All open again. Still slow and breezy over the top tho
Looks like it didn’t make any difference which way I came back to Howden from Ecclefechan last night. When I got to Penrith on the way back last night decided to take a punt on the A66 as it looked not too bad, no snow and it had only been the odd bit of wet stuff on the way up a couple of hours earlier. Was OK until Brough. Managed to get over the top but it was touch and go. Fortunately loaded at 44 tonnes so crawled it up to the top OK, not much slower than we normally end up going over then got stuck in a white out on the ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ border, Fresh Lincs fridge trailer 10ft in front of me, couldn’t see him. Couldn’t see the road in front of my windscreen. Four of us managed to weave our way through the jacknifed heroes who’d gone flying up past us earlier and the spun out vans. Didn’t see any more headlights in my rearview mirror after that. I’d phoned the Police during the whiteout and told them to close the A66 because of the mayhem there was up there and there were no signs saying it was shut and snowgates were open. By the time I’d got to Scotch Corner lorries were still heading westbound and nothing on the matrix signs. Durham Police tweeted at midnight they’d closed the road. Morons.
BLOODY HELL just had a phone call from a mate of mine I told to turn around at Bowes who decided to continue. 12.10 and he’s still stuck on the westbound carriageway at the top of Stainmore, he’s been there since 10pm last night. Eastbound is clear. So looks like only three of us got back, me and another driver heading eastbound and one of the ones on their way up on the westbound, a Latvian agency driver who made the sensible decision to abort mission at the snow gates at Bowes.
Just to rub a bit of salt into the wound, the only ones who got back were the agency drivers. 
Bah its only a couple of inches. 
If the missus only got a couple of inches on a Saturday I recon she`d be disappointed too 
I was watching a social media video of the scene at the Tan Hill pub, and they`ve got a proper white out
peirre:
I was watching a social media video of the scene at the Tan Hill pub, and they`ve got a proper white out
It was like that at Stainmore on the A66 last night. It had been snowing so hard and the wind so strong that when I got back to the yard and opened my nearside curtain there was a line of snow on the trailer floor and on the top of the load where the wind had blown the snow under the pelmet. Never seen that before. Can’t believe my mate is still stuck up there. He was going on about only getting 6hrs rest in before the gritter asked him to move. I told him to sod the tacho and just do a printout when he gets back.
Conor:
peirre:
I was watching a social media video of the scene at the Tan Hill pub, and they`ve got a proper white outIt was like that at Stainmore on the A66 last night. It had been snowing so hard and the wind so strong that when I got back to the yard and opened my nearside curtain there was a line of snow on the trailer floor and on the top of the load where the wind had blown the snow under the pelmet. Never seen that before. Can’t believe my mate is still stuck up there. He was going on about only getting 6hrs rest in before the gritter asked him to move. I told him to sod the tacho and just do a printout when he gets back.
I cant believe you’ve got a mate…
All over the woodhead!! Come on boys first one to brakes a sissy!
Conor:
Looks like it didn’t make any difference which way I came back to Howden from Ecclefechan last night. When I got to Penrith on the way back last night decided to take a punt on the A66 as it looked not too bad, no snow and it had only been the odd bit of wet stuff on the way up a couple of hours earlier. Was OK until Brough. Managed to get over the top but it was touch and go. Fortunately loaded at 44 tonnes so crawled it up to the top OK, not much slower than we normally end up going over then got stuck in a white out on the ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ border, Fresh Lincs fridge trailer 10ft in front of me, couldn’t see him. Couldn’t see the road in front of my windscreen. Four of us managed to weave our way through the jacknifed heroes who’d gone flying up past us earlier and the spun out vans. Didn’t see any more headlights in my rearview mirror after that. I’d phoned the Police during the whiteout and told them to close the A66 because of the mayhem there was up there and there were no signs saying it was shut and snowgates were open. By the time I’d got to Scotch Corner lorries were still heading westbound and nothing on the matrix signs. Durham Police tweeted at midnight they’d closed the road. Morons.BLOODY HELL just had a phone call from a mate of mine I told to turn around at Bowes who decided to continue. 12.10 and he’s still stuck on the westbound carriageway at the top of Stainmore, he’s been there since 10pm last night. Eastbound is clear. So looks like only three of us got back, me and another driver heading eastbound and one of the ones on their way up on the westbound, a Latvian agency driver who made the sensible decision to abort mission at the snow gates at Bowes.
Just to rub a bit of salt into the wound, the only ones who got back were the agency drivers.
These agency drivers, man… [emoji849][emoji849]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
toonsy:
I cant believe you’ve got a mate…
Maybe Conor was James Stewart in a past life, and his mates called Harvey
Conor:
Fresh Lincs fridge trailer 10ft in front of me, couldn’t see him.
Suedehead:
Conor:
Fresh Lincs fridge trailer 10ft in front of me, couldn’t see him.
Maybe the chip on his shoulder was blown into his eye by the strong wind?
Suedehead:
Conor:
Fresh Lincs fridge trailer 10ft in front of me, couldn’t see him.
It’s almost like you’ve not got a brain. I’ll make it simple for you seeing as you were last in the queue when they were doling out intelligence. I was following him, he stopped, I stopped. Snow got worse, neither of us moved so therefore it got to the point I couldn’t see him but knew he was 10ft in front of me.
Conor:
Looks like it didn’t make any difference which way I came back to Howden from Ecclefechan last night. When I got to Penrith on the way back last night decided to take a punt on the A66 as it looked not too bad, no snow and it had only been the odd bit of wet stuff on the way up a couple of hours earlier. Was OK until Brough. Managed to get over the top but it was touch and go. Fortunately loaded at 44 tonnes so crawled it up to the top OK, not much slower than we normally end up going over then got stuck in a white out on the ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ border, Fresh Lincs fridge trailer 10ft in front of me, couldn’t see him. Couldn’t see the road in front of my windscreen. Four of us managed to weave our way through the jacknifed heroes who’d gone flying up past us earlier and the spun out vans. Didn’t see any more headlights in my rearview mirror after that. I’d phoned the Police during the whiteout and told them to close the A66 because of the mayhem there was up there and there were no signs saying it was shut and snowgates were open. By the time I’d got to Scotch Corner lorries were still heading westbound and nothing on the matrix signs. Durham Police tweeted at midnight they’d closed the road. Morons.BLOODY HELL just had a phone call from a mate of mine I told to turn around at Bowes who decided to continue. 12.10 and he’s still stuck on the westbound carriageway at the top of Stainmore, he’s been there since 10pm last night. Eastbound is clear. So looks like only three of us got back, me and another driver heading eastbound and one of the ones on their way up on the westbound, a Latvian agency driver who made the sensible decision to abort mission at the snow gates at Bowes.
Just to rub a bit of salt into the wound, the only ones who got back were the agency drivers.
What an epic story.
Cool stary bra
What do you prefer driving in the snow and ice , a manual ( Not the Spanish waiter from Fawlty Towers ) or an automatic gearbox?Can not beat the Eaton twin splitter, but actually it was terrible.
Would the agency drivers be able to tackle the Somosierra or Le Somport ?
Sky Captain:
What do you prefer driving in the snow and ice , a manual ( Not the Spanish waiter from Fawlty Towers ) or an automatic gearbox?Can not beat the Eaton twin splitter, but actually it was terrible.
Would the agency drivers be able to tackle the Somosierra or Le Somport ?
Classic captain TOBY