When I started driving in the 60s we had our nights out in digs. (10 bob a night = 50p) .
I had a book of favourites but the most regular was every Wednesday at Mrs Ramsdens (cabbage or peas?) in Chapeltown, Leeds.
Many of them only took four or five drivers and never advertised. If your face didn’t fit then they were always full up when you tried to book.
Are sleeper cabs an improvement?
yes.
yes.
clicked the go button twice. Will be expecting a delivery of 12 cars all the same colour at any time soon.
no
just more efficeint
when at TNT on Schreiber we used digs
that said over the last 40 years the job has changed
having a sleeper dosnt stop you going into digs
in fact i recomend it to anyone doing a lot of nights out even if its once a fortnight
good brekky and late start its gotta be done sometimes
Yes, the only downside is the loss of camaraderie found in the digs but this is a British thing. In France sleepers haven’t killed the camaraderie because of the fact that we rarely eat alone. 
Before sleeper cabs > day cabs and sleeping across the seats 
i slept in a mandator a few times.
its wasnt very comforable and i was in my early 20 at the time.
digs would be nice,but where can you find digs now that you can park at?
once had to spend the night along the dashboard and ledge of an atki,then progressed to a home made shelf of an f86. happy days no wonder my back is not as good as it should be
gallowaybull:
once had to spend the night along the dashboard and ledge of an atki,then progressed to a home made shelf of an f86. happy days no wonder my back is not as good as it should be
that makes two of us.
greg50:
gallowaybull:
once had to spend the night along the dashboard and ledge of an atki,then progressed to a home made shelf of an f86. happy days no wonder my back is not as good as it should bethat makes two of us.
Make that Three of us. I still miss that 9inch wide, 8ft long plank. hanging off the back wall. of my old F86 Volvo.I,ve been retired for almost 9 years, and I still miss it. Oh Happy day, (and nights). ps. Its my first post, so “Hello All. Mind ow yer go”.
Santa:
the most regular was every Wednesday at Mrs Ramsdens (cabbage or peas?) in Chapeltown, Leeds.
You wouldn’t wanna go there now!
I started out my life in Chapeltown…in the adoption home “Browning House” Just at the back of Louis Street.
To be fair…the area is hugely improved compared to what it was like in the late 70’s and 80’s.
As for the question…depends what cab you have, quite cramped in my low roof FM (car transporter), but rather nice in a big space cab (I imagine).
Santa:
Are sleeper cabs an improvement?
I just came back from a run on the small van.
After 2.5 hours of driving arround “sorry, we are full, race day, but if you’ll try in Newcastle, it’s only 1 hr up the road” etc etc. I am fed up after one night.
I tried everything - small towns, big citys, villages on the coast, farms - can’t find vacancy - all topped up.
I at the end finished in Travelodge at motorway services - 50 punds per room (what don’t make me happy if I have 35 overnight allowance only )
I definitelly prefer to carry my own bed with me - like a snail
orys:
Santa:
Are sleeper cabs an improvement?I just came back from a run on the small van.
After 2.5 hours of driving arround “sorry, we are full, race day, but if you’ll try in Newcastle, it’s only 1 hr up the road” etc etc. I am fed up after one night.
I tried everything - small towns, big citys, villages on the coast, farms - can’t find vacancy - all topped up.
I at the end finished in Travelodge at motorway services - 50 punds per room (what don’t make me happy if I have 35 overnight allowance only
I definitelly prefer to carry my own bed with me - like a snail
I think this hits the nail on the head. DOn’t know about the past but like nearly everything else now, accommodation in the UK is outrageously expensive.
B&Bs are around £25-£30, Travellodges £35-£50+. Yet most firms I’ve come across only offer £25odd night out allowance.
Shreck: When I stayed in Chapletown we used to time girls working the street outside. Average was about 15 mins.
Of course in those days, the demand created a supply, and some of the digs were excellent. They were usually the ones that didn’t advertise and would always be “full up” if you blotted your copy book.
Yes, and in an emergency, there was always the bits of foam and a sleeping bag across the seats. Leave the engine running on a cold night too.
Santa:
Yes, and in an emergency, there was always the bits of foam and a sleeping bag across the seats. Leave the engine running on a cold night too.
Been there, done that, but a bit dodgy if the wind changed direction during the night 
, and not all that successful if you had a Gardner - hardly a warm engine at full blast never mind on tickover.
the small shelf on a bedford tk used to be my bunk but have “SLEPT” across the steering wheel a few times. (you always new who did that cos of marks on arms and face) first time i ever slept in a sleeper was strange feeling with all that space and a comfy bed
just about to start a new job where for the first time in 35 years on the road i will be able to stand up in cab 
well i was 2nd man 72 foot pipes for hollyhead, spent night in warington i think twelve to a room. i finished up sleeping in cab of a scammel routeman, it was heavan compared to that room with all the fartting and sniffining not to mention the beds going all the time. this was about 1965
:first digs ever used, the old poplars, not like it is now, typical of its time, muddy car park ballet dance the puddles,(a bit like the @@@@@@@ is now,
you know the one on the A5,
still wondered about that machine in the toilets, some had wrote “buy me and stop one”, never did ?, buy one that is. 
memories of lying acrose the bonnets of leylands,atkinson ,guy big j and scamell handyman spring back to mind when reading the above postes.went in digs once and once only,the food and bed left a lot to be desired and it put me off digs for life!.drove my first proper sleeper cab scania 110 in1970 after coming off a volvo f86 with board at back of seats.what a different job it is now the volvo 610 i drive has virtualy every extra going for comfortable accomodation.
Slept across the bonnet many times as always found digs to be full of ■■■■■■■, belching, snoring truckers coming and going at all times of the night
One old guy told me (back in the 60’s) that he used to drape his sheet over the windy side of the trailer and climb into covered area underneath the trailer!
Never tried it myself.
Another good story (no idea if true but knowing the guy concerned am prepared to believe it) was the tent nailed to the floor of a 40 ft flat trailer in the North of Scotland, for 10 days while the boss was phoning around looking for him.