I drove a 7.5 tonne TK on my car licence at 18, and then did my class 1 at 21. Straight in for training, 800 quid as I recall. I did the test in a Bedford DL brewery truck, plated at 17 tonnes train weight. Short wheelbase unit without power steering and the 25’ flat. You have to get the tail of the trailer in the yellow box, right? Well if you lined the quarterlight handle up with the clean fencepost you were smack in the middle of the box!!
Drove around Camborne, out onto the bypass and back to the test station where he pulled a book out of his pocket and asked a few roadsigns. He didn’t even look at what the signs were…!
That was it, the little blue pass slip was handed over and I went off driving a 32-190 MAN straight away!!!
I had a Class 1, so that entitled me to drive any truck, same as most on here. I think that those with Class 3 could pull a drawbar, but only with a 4 wheeled truck. When I went to David Croomes, my licence was good for their drags, too.
Over here, the theory tests were easy, but the practical airbrake test and pre-trip were witches!!! But the driving test itself was once around the industrial area and back. The only thing they wanted to see was how we handled the gearshifters, as I am sure they think none of us have ever driven Constant Mesh before…
NikNik:
I think I’ll stick with your idea of a quick theory test and practical test and then we can do things legally .
Now I can see it from your point of view, some people do drive 7.5 tonners like cars. That’s one of the reasons why I failed one of my Class 2 tests, due to the fact of him speeding, crashing into me and failing to stop!!!.I’d actually forgot about this until you mentioned people and roundabouts
That in itself would not be a test fail, and shouldn’t even mark against you.
Well this is making me feel REALLY old and nostalgic! Amazed that no-one recalls folk learning on Class 1 HGV and getting the car licence at the same time. We used to call it “double L” as we were obliged to display the old HGV L plate together with the car type plate. I also trained many bus conductors to drive buses on the same basis. These guys had never learned to drive cars as they had a bus pass. But, with the advent of one man operation, they faced redundancy if they didn’t pass their PSV. I’m not condoning the old system - just reading this thread brought back memories.
Another memory is training on a TK artic (who didn’t?!) fitted with a Scammel coupling developed for the Scarob. The whole thing was based around the fact that the legs automatically lowered as you pulled the unit away. Very un-nerving if you’re not used to it! It was done originally for the Scarobs that were designed for British Rail Parcels and could be seen in and around railway platforms with trailers around 20 feet long. The coupling wouldn’t cope with any substantial weight so their use was very restricted.
Thanks for letting me share in the nostalgia! I’ll carry on with the nice new Ivecos now!!!
Peter Smythe:
Well this is making me feel REALLY old and nostalgic! Amazed that no-one recalls folk learning on Class 1 HGV and getting the car licence at the same time. We used to call it “double L” as we were obliged to display the old HGV L plate together with the car type plate.
Mothertrucker was telling me about the double L test a while ago and saying how instructors usually went ‘sick’ when one came along
Very understandable mate. But I had to do them - or starve! Still amuses me when folk come along and tell me that “your job is easy 'cos they can already drive”. What a load of piffle!
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