Well I am absolutely loving my week on animal feeds. This has to be the best job in driving? I love the roads, the scenery and I feel very lucky doing this. The driving through some of the places I am visiting is one I can only describe as spectacular. I have never done animal feeds before but I would simply love to do more. beats the motorway network which are my regular routes. Does anyone do this full time and if so would you ever go back to general haulage. I am getting depressed thinking about leaving this behind.
Delivering to farms, and countrywide addresses is the scenery, until you get the farm down the track just wide enough for a bike, you stop you look, you think “really down there” then ring the farmer, he says yup just bring it down, so off you trot, then meet Mrs WI coming up in her huge Nissan micra,
Enjoy and have fun, O and there will be addresses that won’t bear any resemblance to the co-pilots, old skool map be needed.
You may not love it as much in winter when spending all day on snow/ice covered untreated roads…remeber your shovel 
I did ten years on the milk. Love driving of the beaten track, and during the nights there were hardly any people around on the farms, which was a bonus. But I got sick of the farms in the end. If anybody thinks access to a factory is poor and ill thought out, or that a warehouse couldn’t be more unwelcoming to you, try going to farms. I could count on the fingers of one hand, the farms where good access was created with the drivers in mind, were a clean toilet be available, and were there would be a kettle to make a decent cup of tea. Most farmers don’t like to spend money (on upkeep and repairs) and because they live and work on a mud and ■■■■ covered farm, expect you to work in similar conditions.
I now get my fix of driving of the beaten track, on my 3 and a half days a week off… 
biggriffin:
Delivering to farms, and countrywide addresses is the scenery, until you get the farm down the track just wide enough for a bike, you stop you look, you think “really down there” then ring the farmer, he says yup just bring it down, so off you trot, then meet Mrs WI coming up in her huge Nissan micra,Enjoy and have fun, O and there will be addresses that won’t bear any resemblance to the co-pilots, old skool map be needed.
Already had that experience, missed a fair few entrances too, tight yards, but can still see the advantages of it. Bad weather must be a nightmare too would imagine.
xichrisxi:
You may not love it as much in winter when spending all day on snow/ice covered untreated roads…remeber your shovel
I can imagine it to be a challenge in the winter, hats off to those who do this in the snow.
Farm buildings for me but same thing same crap.
Had one on Monday near Malmesbury, rang up as usual, prior for artic access info, very nice lady on phone says ‘‘Plenty of room driver, I’ll tell my husband you’re on your way’’ .
Found the farm road very twisty got in to yard farmer takes one look at me puts his head in his hands…absolutely no way was I able to turn around in that yard.
He says ''Why didn’t you tell my wife you had an artic" replied ‘‘I did mate, I did’’ he got on the phone and played ■■■■ with his poor Mrs.
5 mins to unload/40 minutes to reverse out including around a couple of tight blindsiders where I couldn’t see a ■■■■ thing. 
So Mr Tramp be careful. 
UKtramp:
biggriffin:
Delivering to farms, and countrywide addresses is the scenery, until you get the farm down the track just wide enough for a bike, you stop you look, you think “really down there” then ring the farmer, he says yup just bring it down, so off you trot, then meet Mrs WI coming up in her huge Nissan micra,Enjoy and have fun, O and there will be addresses that won’t bear any resemblance to the co-pilots, old skool map be needed.
Already had that experience, missed a fair few entrances too, tight yards, but can still see the advantages of it. Bad weather must be a nightmare too would imagine.
Keep ya elbows in around Norfook and cambs, the tattie seasons in full swing.
the nodding donkey:
I did ten years on the milk. Love driving of the beaten track, and during the nights there were hardly any people around on the farms, which was a bonus. But I got sick of the farms in the end. If anybody thinks access to a factory is poor and ill thought out, or that a warehouse couldn’t be more unwelcoming to you, try going to farms. I could count on the fingers of one hand, the farms where good access was created with the drivers in mind, were a clean toilet be available, and were there would be a kettle to make a decent cup of tea. Most farmers don’t like to spend money (on upkeep and repairs) and because they live and work on a mud and [zb] covered farm, expect you to work in similar conditions.I now get my fix of driving of the beaten track, on my 3 and a half days a week off…
I went to a toilet on one farm where it resembled a dilapidated porta loo that had never been emptied and all the fly’s from the farm yard had made their home. Never been so relieved to have been relieved.
I did some agency work for a firm that sold fences and gates etc. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Farmers don’t order stuff they don’t need and keep you waiting for hours. I used to phone round in the morning so they knew I was coming - It’s no good phoning in the middle of the day if they have gone off to market.
There was a big box of 1" OS maps in the truck and that was invaluable.
biggriffin:
UKtramp:
biggriffin:
Delivering to farms, and countrywide addresses is the scenery, until you get the farm down the track just wide enough for a bike, you stop you look, you think “really down there” then ring the farmer, he says yup just bring it down, so off you trot, then meet Mrs WI coming up in her huge Nissan micra,Enjoy and have fun, O and there will be addresses that won’t bear any resemblance to the co-pilots, old skool map be needed.
Already had that experience, missed a fair few entrances too, tight yards, but can still see the advantages of it. Bad weather must be a nightmare too would imagine.
Keep ya elbows in around Norfook and cambs, the tattie seasons in full swing.
I did a season on potatoe bulkers. It was massive fun.
Farmers are by necessity, fairly practical people and the bonus is they generally have heaps of helpful kit lying around for when you get stuck. And you WILL get stuck.
But I would take going down a twisting, tight track into a field over blindly following a satnav along a motorway anyday.
robroy:
Farm buildings for me but same thing same crap.
Had one on Monday near Malmesbury, rang up as usual, prior for artic access info, very nice lady on phone says ‘‘Plenty of room driver, I’ll tell my husband you’re on your way’’ .
Found the farm road very twisty got in to yard farmer takes one look at me puts his head in his hands…absolutely no way was I able to turn around in that yard.
He says ''Why didn’t you tell my wife you had an artic" replied ‘‘I did mate, I did’’ he got on the phone and played [zb] with his poor Mrs.5 mins to unload/40 minutes to reverse out including around a couple of tight blindsiders where I couldn’t see a [zb] thing.
So Mr Tramp be careful.
I have had this rob, my reversing skills are certainly been put to the test. I couldn’t believe no one volunteered at our firm to cover our regular feed drivers holidays. I can see how some would not take to it. I feel I have finally found my ideal driving position away from the fridges. This in my opinion is real driving. Exciting & exhilarating scenery along with testing your driving skills each place of visit. I now need to nobble one of the regular feed drivers to take his place!
AndieHyde:
I did a season on potatoe bulkers. It was massive fun.
Farmers are by necessity, fairly practical people and the bonus is they generally have heaps of helpful kit lying around for when you get stuck. And you WILL get stuck.
But I would take going down a twisting, tight track into a field over blindly following a satnav along a motorway anyday.
100% agree. I have no fear of being stuck as the kit those farmers have could raise the titanic.
Farm buildings (roofing sheets) for me too with a W&D. OK it can get a bit challenging on the Yorkshire moors in the middle of winter, but much better than up and down motorways all day. Very few time restrictions on deliveries, and for the most part they’re pleased to see you.
I did fancy a go doing milk tankers, and whilst some of the driving from a to b looks great, I have had similar stories to the farms where they can be dicks with you, won’t help you, no room to move, and also some of the roads it’s just a pain in the arse when you meet anything coming the other way. It looks good, but I reckon it can be a right pain as well!
UKtramp:
AndieHyde:
I did a season on potatoe bulkers. It was massive fun.
Farmers are by necessity, fairly practical people and the bonus is they generally have heaps of helpful kit lying around for when you get stuck. And you WILL get stuck.
But I would take going down a twisting, tight track into a field over blindly following a satnav along a motorway anyday.100% agree. I have no fear of being stuck as the kit those farmers have could raise the titanic.
I’ll wait untill you needed to get a farmer to go get his tractor and come out somewhere to give you a pull. Some are good as gold, some are cantankerous ■■■■■■■■■ who wouldn’t like to spend their ■■■■ if you were on fire.
Always get stuck/break down BEFORE you do your delivery…
I hope you carry on enjoying it, I did it for a few weeks but was glad I jumped ship.
I now run through Bristol central in rush hour thinking, ‘man, I have so much room’!
The last two straws were (and bear in mind I am a clumsy oaf), tripping up over some wood left lying around on farm right next to feed bin, and where the drivers door is, and almost driving a nail through my elbow when I went down. And driving on Dartmoor, when I met a long wheelbase van with a trailer being followed by half of Devon. I did reverse blind with the aforementioned van driver on a walkie talky guiding me back to a passing place, but I still managed to take off a marker light on a rock. The mirrors were folded in, only fit a rizla paper between me and rocks, and yes I did phone the farmer in advance to check the route.
Advantages, as you know already, you can stop for a wee right in the middle of the road without fear of interruption. Farmers are helpful (apart from leaving all their crap lying lying around), and the scenery is awesome. You will also already be amazed at how bad some car drivers are at reversing.
Enjoy, it wasn’t for me.
I understand why you it may not be for some, there are lads at our place who where laughing when I volunteered for it. I had the gaffer on the phone asking if I am ok with it. I have my name down for full time on it now and he said he may keep me on it if I liked it. Another view from my cab, the roads are just stunning and the pictures really don’t capture the beauty, a little unnerving with the rocking and the rolling but I must just be in my honeymoon period as I love it and only wished I had tried this years ago. Always thought European driving was the dogs ■■■■■■■■ but this really is something else.
Well…at least you’ll be used to the smell of bullsh*t…
Can I just add, not wishing to upset our milk collection brethren, by whenever I passed the milk storage tanks, I did look on jealously at the better access and cleaner environment.
My other bugbear was the farmer ordering a certain tonnage to get a good discount, but with nowhere to store it. ‘Could you just take the rest to my other farm, its not far away’. The best bit (not) was being asked to blow blend (powdery stuff) into an open shed, at which point you know you are going to get covered in the stuff unless you lay out miles of pipe, and survey the operation with binoculars.
The tanker work is better, if that’s what you are doing, quicker and cleaner.