hi, i’m thinking of booking my class 1 lessons and have had a ring around the local training companys, i’ve narrowed it down to 2 now so the bit of advice i am after is, should i book a 2 day course which is 8 hours a day then the test on the saturday or the 3 day course and the test saturday, the 2 day couse is
£689 inc test fee and the 3 day is £971 inc test fee. I know the 3 day is alot more expensive but would it be better in terms of it not being to intensive like the 2 day would be, your thoughts would be appreciated
thebutty:
hi, i’m thinking of booking my class 1 lessons and have had a ring around the local training companys, i’ve narrowed it down to 2 now so the bit of advice i am after is, should i book a 2 day course which is 8 hours a day then the test on the saturday or the 3 day course and the test saturday, the 2 day couse is
£689 inc test fee and the 3 day is £971 inc test fee. I know the 3 day is alot more expensive but would it be better in terms of it not being to intensive like the 2 day would be, your thoughts would be appreciated
1/ Can you reverse an artic to test standard ?
2/ Most people who book artic courses tend to average on 4 days and test if they have some ability to reverse an artic.
3/ Have you done an assessment. what did they recomend ?
If someone wanted to book a 2 day and test on the third day without an assessment i would in my humble opinion say they would struggle to pass …
do not shoot the messanger .
For what its worth, id say give yourself 3 days at it especially being class 1. Trust me, you wouldn’t believe the thought that goes into driving while your training!
The last 2 guys I trained on CE artic did a 3 day, 1 to 1 course with the test in the afternoon of day 3.
I got them both to test standard by noon on day 1 for the reverse, the un/couple and the controlled stop.
Afternoon of day 1 was doing local driving including tight left & right turns with day 1 finishing about 4pm.
Day 2 was going to glos test roads via a quick reverse & un/couple on the airfield which is en-route but by 2pm I was in the cab driving home at their requests as they were so knackered - as class C drivers with at least 6 months experience, they KNEW their own limitations 
On Day 3, test day, I took them to the airfield where a reverse & an un/couple talk through was done and then I shared the drive with them to the test centre, again at their request, and one passed first time with 2 minors and then the next week the other passed first time with 1 minor.
hope that gives you an insight…
thanks for your replys chaps, its appreciated, in a way i’m not a total newbie when it comes to artics, my dad has been an o/d since before i was born so i’ve been brought up with it, the uncoupling i have done, perhaps not to test standard but i do have experience of it. My dad has offered to give me some reversing lessons this weekend so that should help before i go for an assessment. My main worry was trying to take to much in, two 8 hour days feels intensive, makes me feel tired thinking about it 
Rog, so what you are saying is it shouldnt be much of a problem as thats only 4 more hours than what i was thinking, mind you that would depend on the calibre of the instructor eh rog 
thebutty:
thanks for your replys chaps, its appreciated, in a way i’m not a total newbie when it comes to artics, my dad has been an o/d since before i was born so i’ve been brought up with it, the uncoupling i have done, perhaps not to test standard but i do have experience of it. My dad has offered to give me some reversing lessons this weekend so that should help before i go for an assessment. My main worry was trying to take to much in, two 8 hour days feels intensive, makes me feel tired thinking about itRog, so what you are saying is it shouldnt be much of a problem as thats only 4 more hours than what i was thinking, mind you that would depend on the calibre of the instructor eh rog
and that of the trainee 
I would say minimum three days - and thats pushing it a bit for artic simply because you dont know how much time you will need to master the reversing.
Get that under your belt and hopefuly the driving will come naturally.
Personally I think an eight hour day on solo training is a bit too much. I would prefer to hear that you were doing 4 or 5 half days as that would be much less tiring and you could have more time to let the training sink in.
If you are adding up the costs then add up the two day course and a retest fee and see if that is still cheaper than the three days.
Whatever you go for - good luck