Abingdon and Leicester run

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi,

I had a excellent day driving yesterday until I got back to
the yard at 17:00 hours. I got there about 05:30 hours and
got everything ready ect. I then asked another driver how
to use those cd type tachos and he said press the blue
button to open it and then he said press the blue button
to open it when you have finished and that was it as he
was in a hurry.I then put the tacho in and driven off at 06:00
hours from sheffield to abingdon using the usual drivers hand
drawn map and set tom tom to the A34 road and then used is map
which was ok. I got to the place bang on 3 hours and 30 mins and
then took a 32 mins break and then had to wait till 11:30 to be loaded. I
then driven of to leicester but had to put some fuel in and then
driven up the road and took a 17 mins break and went and bought
truck and driver magazine.

By this time I had driven just under 4 1/2 hours and had a 49 mins
break. So now its the run to leicester which went smoothly and the
loading this time was 30 mins. I then set off back for sheffield
and took my first wrong turn of the day as I was near sheffield
and had to go to the next round about and come back down the other
side.

This is where I noticed I dropped a clanger as I removed the tacho
disk I noticed it was blank. The night shunter showed me what I had
done. I put the tacho facing upwards but not under that flap as I
have only used the other type where you put it over that pear shaped
thing and just shut it up. He also showed me how to change modes by
pressing the number 1 button.

I was supposed to be driving for them today but cancelled last night
as I had headache,upset stomach and tired ect and was doubting my
ability to do the job and was stressed out so thought I better cancel
as my mind would not been on the job and I would have been tired.

I got a call from the agency asking how I was and he sometimes as to
drive and he told me he as even done that. He said you want to put it
under that tab first and then over the pear shaped thing. He also said
just get a pen and fill it in manually on the back of the tacho.

After that call from the agency I realised I was a big drama queen and
just put it down to a bad day and said I am available for work next
week.

Here is the truck which was very nice to drive with a 6 sp gearbox.

(Big photos)

www34.brinkster.com/active1980/

Here is my day I have put on the back of the tacho.

start 6am to 9.30am (driving)
9.30am to 11.30am (17 min break/Loading)
11.30am to 12.25pm (driving)
12.25pm to 12.40pm (17 min break)

driving time 4.25 hours

12.42 to 14.10 (driving)
14.10 to 14.40 (loading)
14.40 to 17.00 (driving)

driving time 3.48

You can expand the photo by putting
the mouse pointer over the photo and
clicking the bottom right icon with 4
blue arrows.

www34.brinkster.com/active1980/tacho.JPG

do i need to put why I had to write on the back.
something like put tacho in wrong.

I found the busiest routes where around sheffield, A563 outer
ring road leicester, M1 and A46 just as I came off the M69.

I thought leicester was ok shaun but you have to be very careful
on that A563 where there is 4 lanes and they are not very wide bit
like most towns.

2

convoy:
I found the busiest routes where around sheffield, A563 outer
ring road leicester, M1 and A46 just as I came off the M69.

I thought leicester was ok shaun but you have to be very careful
on that A563 where there is 4 lanes and they are not very wide bit
like most towns.

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: glad you are enjoying it convoy where in leicester did you go??

3

shaun:

convoy:
I found the busiest routes where around sheffield, A563 outer
ring road leicester, M1 and A46 just as I came off the M69.

I thought leicester was ok shaun but you have to be very careful
on that A563 where there is 4 lanes and they are not very wide bit
like most towns.

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: glad you are enjoying it convoy where in leicester did you go??

Chartwell Ind estate

4

Wasn’t the caravan place was it?

5

Liberace:
Wasn’t the caravan place was it?

It was gaskell and chambers also called cornelius.
its near the burger van with the 2 young ladies in :wink: .

6

convoy:

shaun:

convoy:
I found the busiest routes where around sheffield, A563 outer
ring road leicester, M1 and A46 just as I came off the M69.

I thought leicester was ok shaun but you have to be very careful
on that A563 where there is 4 lanes and they are not very wide bit
like most towns.

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: glad you are enjoying it convoy where in leicester did you go??

Chartwell Ind estate

hehe i was up there today aswell :laughing:

7

I did the same when i first had a truck with a CD type tacho in, i never put it under the flap.
Its all a learning curve mate, just keep chipping away.
Is that Cherwell valley services you took the pictures in?

8

convoy:

Liberace:
Wasn’t the caravan place was it?

It was gaskell and chambers also called cornelius.
its near the burger van with the 2 young ladies in :wink: .

Opposite the couriers? Backed in their one afternoon, realised they couldn’t get it off the side, car had parked right in front of me and upped and offed. That was me stuffed for half the morning :unamused:. Fond memories :unamused:.

9

Just to point out your method of doing the tacho manually.
I might be wrong and your way is acceptable, but it doesnt look right to me, you have to draw a line on the lines that are already there if that makes sense.
Its hard to explain it, but you would draw the line around the same shape as the tacho, moving it up or down depending on driving or other work, if you look at the end of the lines you can see the symbols are there.

10

Gurner:
Just to point out your method of doing the tacho manually.
I might be wrong and your way is acceptable, but it doesnt look right to me, you have to draw a line on the lines that are already there if that makes sense.
Its hard to explain it, but you would draw the line around the same shape as the tacho, moving it up or down depending on driving or other work, if you look at the end of the lines you can see the symbols are there.

That’s a spare tacho Gurner and that’s how the night shunter
said he does it. Do you mean like this from the link below.
yes it was Cherwell valley services Gurner

www34.brinkster.com/active1980/tacho2.JPG

11

Glad to hear you got some work Convoy - hope you are enjoying it.

I suppose you will be putting some money away for the class 1 now?

12

convoy:

Gurner:
Just to point out your method of doing the tacho manually.
I might be wrong and your way is acceptable, but it doesnt look right to me, you have to draw a line on the lines that are already there if that makes sense.
Its hard to explain it, but you would draw the line around the same shape as the tacho, moving it up or down depending on driving or other work, if you look at the end of the lines you can see the symbols are there.

That’s a spare tacho Gurner and that’s how the night shunter
said he does it. Do you mean like this from the link below.
yes it was Cherwell valley services Gurner

www34.brinkster.com/active1980/tacho2.JPG

Yes Tacho 2 looks more like it, but i join the lines vertically aswell, the way that you have done it may be an accepted way aswell, im sure someone will say for sure!

13

Yes I am enjoying it killsville and yesterday was a very
good day to I put the tacho in wrong. I should have some
money coming soon to pay for class 1 and this money I
get from agency work pays bills ect. It’s quite funny actually
as I was not getting any driving work and then when I decide
to do class 1 I get the chance to get permanent work but would
find it hard to do class 1 training so I decided to agency work
around my training and then look for permanent work
it is a big gamble but one that I think is worth taking.

I might join mine as it will look like a continuous line then.

14

Sounds like a good run convoy.

nice pics too