With the French closing Channel ports yet again, I was wondering what the alternative crossings are like?
IE: Sailing frequency, Cost, Ease of getting on and off the boat and anything else you can think of?
A a couple of year ago when the dockers went on strike at Calais, P&O put on a boat to Zeebrugge, not sure if it was just for the trucks who’d spent 7 hours sitting outside Calais and then ended up at Dover, but I’ve not heard of this happening since.
P.S. The tunnel isn’t really an option for me as the train is a bit tight for the belly lockers on the truck, peages are bad enough. 
WTF are “belly lockers” ?
where are you heading for as this will dictate
which route may be better for you,
Suedehead:
WTF are “belly lockers” ?
Sorry 
Belly lockers are the lockers underneath the trailer. and a you can see they are wider than the track of the wheels and easy to damage going through tight spots.
brit pete:
where are you heading for as this will dictate
which route may be better for you,
Normally it’s going south, France, Spain Italy, but there are a few trips Germany Direction. We have used the Portsmouth - Le Harve route a few years ago, but basically my priority is to get over the water cost isn’t the biggest factor. Time might be, as we get fined 100,000 euro for each car that doesn’t make it onto the track, as well as any potential loss in prize money and sponsorship.
Fair play driver, can see youre point about going on the train with that.
I thought a “belly locker” was a move used by wrestlers , usually seen on World of sport on a Sat afternoon 
i would have thought a better option would be hull to zebee or rotterdam. then there’s always purfleet and i think tilbury do a ferry as well.
seeing as you come from norfolk you could always use harwich to holland.
i like the ironic picture of parking a race transporter outside a hotel then having the cheek to close the curtains as if you guys actually sleep in the truck
welshboyinspain:
seeing as you come from norfolk you could always use harwich to holland.
i like the ironic picture of parking a race transporter outside a hotel then having the cheek to close the curtains as if you guys actually sleep in the truck
Harwich would be nice for us as would Ipswich, it’s just the crossings take so long, but if there were big problems getting out of Dover then they might be alternatives.
Closing the Curtains when we leave the truck is a bit of a motor racing thing. We all do it outside hotels or at the circuit. Not really fooling anybody are we.
what class are the cars you transport?
do you come down as far as the track at arcos or the new ascari track near ronda?
welshboyinspain:
what class are the cars you transport?
do you come down as far as the track at arcos or the new ascari track near ronda?
The cars are GP2, We don’t go to either Arcos or Ascari, but get down to Jerez for winter testing and we are racing at the new circuit in Portugal in September.
Well your easy options are basically Western Channel for Spain and Belgium for Italy.
Wheel Nut:
Well your easy options are basically Western Channel for Spain and Belgium for Italy.
Looks like the options, Been on the Portsmouth - Le Harve night crossing a couple of times, not really a favourite, as I can’t get a decent sleep.
Not used any of the routes to Begium or the Netherlands, Anybody got preferences and reasons for using a certain route, then any information would be interesting.
Something like Caen to Jerez is 300 clicks shorter than Calais, much less money on the tolls and a much easier drive.
Zeebrugge to Monza or Calais to Monza is probably a couple of hours shorter but definately cheaper and easier.
I only picked them circuits as they are marked on my map.
Cobelfret to Zeebrugge would probably suit you best, not the best, but cuts out Dover
Hi There
I know what you mean about the belly lockers , size of vehicle and lowness of skirts…used to drive Honda F1’s test team trucks down to Jerez and we used train most of time…hmmm interesting …but doable…just keep yer head outa window and watch your side otherside will look after itself.Or are you double manned…we always were…both heads outa windows then.
I did a job from Nurburgring down to Barcelona and had to drive the Honda F1 mobilehome (artic truck but ever so slightly wider) with the Renault Magnum pulling it…my dream actually…very nice…BUT…all the other guys including the one who double manned with me were agency except the guy running the show.
Ive never seen such a shower of dog doo in my life…the guy in the artic in front of me took 4 yards outa the back side of his standard trailer through a peage…the guy with me refused to stick his head outa his window cuz its rainin…well he got told where to put his head and stuff his hairstyle…then he got us stuck on the armco the whole length of the truck in roadworks after me telling him to take 2 lanes out…then whilst hes driving i suddenly realised im sitting in the hard shoulder…he hadnt driven a left ■■■■■■ before…when i showed him how to put the white line through a point on the dash he wouldnt stop lookin at the dash…was glad that trip was over…and the reason for such atrocious driving…they wouldnt spend the money on drivers that had done this style of work before!!!
Good luck with ferries…but watch the other trucks mirrors on yer paintwork…theyre a killer
Thnaks for the comments everybody.
I’ll be looking for around for a few alternatives, especially if we get a bit of a Summer of discontent from French fishermen. I don’t think it is much of a coincidence they blockaded the ports during a holiday week and I reckon there might be more this summer. 
You picked 2 good circuits Wheel Nut, as we use them both, Have used the Portmouth - Bilbao crossing before for Jerez, it was November and can’t it get rough in the Bay of Biscay.
Thank for the tip about the tunnel Nomad, but I’m still a bit dubious about using it. Maybe if I really have to I will and I’ll take aboard what you’ve said. 
In no way do I consider myself an experienced European driver, but I can make a better job than some. The lad I had to work with last year was a nightmare, he got his licence through another race team, never driven any other trucks and won’t listen. He clipped three peages last year, the same one twice, he blamed this on the fact the steering wheel wasn’t straight. He decided he was better at gear slection than the Ishift and would drop it a cog on a hill and forget to change up on the flat and then complained there were to many roundabouts when I got him to cut across to Rouen instead on going round Paris at 8 in the morning. He would never park the truck up at the circuit, but would do plenty of arm waving and shouting and then make sarcastic ramarks in front of other if I had to take a shunt to get into position. That is the down side of Duble manning I suppose.
However the lad I’m working with this year is completly the opposite,
He’s not done any European work or driven a left ■■■■■■ until this job, but he no problem, I feel quite safe in the passenger seat and now he knows his way about a bit I can switch off and sleep. I think the difference is he’s been round trucks all his life as his father had a haulage business and he started driving for him at 21, he’s only 25 now, but a case of old head on young shoulders.
Hiya Muckles
Are you still running the Volvo…thats what I started in…is it left ■■■■■■(mine was)…used on WRC a lot.Then race trailers.
If you are ever in need of a second man give me a shout…always up for europe.
Am off to Italy in 2 weeks for 3 weeks away with a McLaren.With a stop off in Amsterdam on the way back I think. Single manning this one so the DVD player might get some use…lol
Suedehead:
Fair play driver, can see youre point about going on the train with that.
I thought a “belly locker” was a move used by wrestlers , usually seen on World of sport on a Sat afternoon
Your old then suedehead to remember that
Manor Park Baths, yes BIG DADDIE; DAVY BOY SMITH and all the rest of them,
Pete i kow your old mate lol
muckles:
welshboyinspain:
what class are the cars you transport?
do you come down as far as the track at arcos or the new ascari track near ronda?
The cars are GP2, We don’t go to either Arcos or Ascari, but get down to Jerez for winter testing and we are racing at the new circuit in Portugal in September.
sorry was being a bit spanish when i asked cos arcos is jerez, when you next down let me know cos i’m always up that boring motorway from jerez to sevilla so would pop in just for a quick coffee 