Well it’s been a while (aprox 15 yrs) since I did any shunting on the docks, but I keep seeing loads of terberg shunter jobs for 38k. Now as a tramper I only get this without my night out allowance, so I am thinking this is actually a good deal and a decent number to do at this rate, no motorways, no sleeping out, no back loads and waiting around, no more traffic jams and home every night. I am seriously considering this as an alternative to driving. Anyone on here already shunting?
We operate a rota at our place where we shunt for one week in every thirteen. The reason they do that is because on our site at least it involves vast amounts of walking (around 25000 steps per day) and all the climbing up and down tends to ruin joints in no time, hence the attempt to avoid being sued.
Personally I quite like it as I’m a people person (or gobby , if you like 
) and it’s probably the only physical exercise that I do. The new type Terbergs we have have made a massive difference physically as there’s no climbing up and down anymore.
Try it, you may like it.
Shunting’s OK, if the park brakes are on the chassis it means more times up and down the Terberg steps which doesn’t sound much hardship but when you’ve done it enough times the knees tell you all about it.
Juddian:
Shunting’s OK, if the park brakes are on the chassis it means more times up and down the Terberg steps which doesn’t sound much hardship but when you’ve done it enough times the knees tell you all about it.
Precisely our problem ^^^^ the handbrake comes on automatically and is situated at the very rear of the trailer, so it’s a case of pick trailer up, put red air line on, climb down and walk to the back to release parking brakes, walk back to the front, pull forward, climb back down and walk to rear to close the doors. Rinse and repeat a hundred times a day and it gets tedious.
What happens eventually is that you go against co policy and start to cheat; if I find a few trailers on green lights that require parking I take the lock off of them all and also press the shunt button. Naughty, but needs must.
Watch a good…
Terberg driver when it’s busy. I’m thinking Asda CDC at Normy on a busy day and they don’t stop.
Flat out, 4 machines and the walky talky is still going crazy.
Include the advice from other posters here about repetition and hand brakes.
I’ve never had A/C but, I’m guessing that’s available in the newer low deck tugs?
Tough job.
I cannot recall it being so bad a job but i suppose things have changed since I lasdt did it with more pressure to get more trailers on docks etc, I worked loading and unloading north sea ferries which wasnt to hard.
There’s a shunt driver I know, if you don’t buy him coffee,and give him bisquits, seems to ignore you for ages.
biggriffin:
There’s a shunt driver I know, if you don’t buy him coffee,and give him bisquits, seems to ignore you for ages.
Fur queue
yourhavingalarf:
I’ve never had A/C but, I’m guessing that’s available in the newer low deck tugs?Tough job.
It is available, and sitting in what’s basically a greenhouse can you guess what our lot specced instead of air con? Yep, a night heater! 
the maoster:
yourhavingalarf:
I’ve never had A/C but, I’m guessing that’s available in the newer low deck tugs?Tough job.
It is available, and sitting in what’s basically a greenhouse can you guess what our lot specced instead of air con? Yep, a night heater!
Be torture in this weather without aircon, see little point in a night heater, tramping in a Terberg is not too common.
Yorkshire Tramper:
Be torture in this weather without aircon, see little point in a night heater, tramping in a Terberg is not too common.
Our night shunters complained (with good reason) about how cold the old “high” Terbergs were so they pushed for night heaters on the new ones before they’d driven them and experienced the fantastic normal heaters in them. Can’t blame them really.
the maoster:
Our night shunters complained (with good reason) about how cold the old “high” Terbergs were so they pushed for night heaters on the new ones before they’d driven them and experienced the fantastic normal heaters in them. Can’t blame them really.
understandable if the normal heater was out of action, bit of an odd option for terberg to offer all the same,
the maoster:
yourhavingalarf:
I’ve never had A/C but, I’m guessing that’s available in the newer low deck tugs?Tough job.
It is available, and sitting in what’s basically a greenhouse can you guess what our lot specced instead of air con? Yep, a night heater!
I think I’d rather have the night heater if I had to choose ! If you do shunting in a yard that isn’t flat out, you’ll soon be glad of the night heater when you’re parked up on a chilly night waiting for something to do.
Good, well-cushioned safety trainers are what you need to absorb the shocks on your knee joints and go slower up and down the steps to reduce the impact on them. All that step use is a good work-out for your calves, thighs and glutes, as is all the walking to and from the back of the trailer. Most drivers would greatly benefit from a year of shunting to get back into a shape that isn’t round and massively improve their health.
the maoster:
Precisely our problem ^^^^ the handbrake comes on automatically and is situated at the very rear of the trailer, so it’s a case of pick trailer up, put red air line on, climb down and walk to the back to release parking brakes, walk back to the front, pull forward, climb back down and walk to rear to close the doors. Rinse and repeat a hundred times a day and it gets tedious.
Unless you work at Tesco Reading where you just drag the trailer off the bay with the brakes locked on.
Now I know where all the flat spots are coming from.
The sad part about that £38k shunting job is that it’s only a few grand more than Stobarts used to pay their shunters at Tesco doing 4 on 4 off 11hrs paid shifts back in 2003 before freedom of movement with Poland became a thing. Shows how much wage compression EU migration has brought to haulage and also how far Stobarts have fallen as a company given you’re going to struggle nowadays to get that with them as a tramper maxing out hours with night money too.
A bit of an update to my position, I know most will not care but out of respect to those that have had the decency to comment and give advice on this thread. I went for an interview and assesment this morning and received an offer this evening to say they would like to offer me the position. So I am accepting the role and giving up my tamping role for now. Hopefully this will be for the better but either way, decent money and home every night now. Thanks to everyone who bothered to comment. Terberg shunting for me now.
Good for you mate, bit of culture shock for a while but soon be in the swing of things 
Juddian:
Good for you mate, bit of culture shock for a while but soon be in the swing of things
Thanks mate, I am looking forward to it to be honest. I am not sure how my wife will cope with me at home every day but she will just have to adjust as I will.
You’ll be changing your username to Yorkshireshunter then eh?
Good luck with it mate, tramping is ok if you have the job sussed, but there are other lifestyles.
I believe you can have some good fun on that job, slide drifting in the snow, splashing through the floods.
I’ve seen the vids… but I.won’t mention names to protect the ‘innocent.’. 
If it’s shunting trailers on the docks it’ll be fun if they still have those tugs where the whole seat swivels around so you can face the rear while shunting trailers into the Ferries