My post was slightly tongue in cheek and had no picture.Have seen a lot of female bus drivers.
Anyway I’m taking this thread off course like an artic with a front tyre blow out, apologies.
Swampey2418:
You desperate for the work Mr Smythe…Plenty of quality training companies in the southWhat’s to consider…let us think about this for one moment… travel over 160 miles, stay at a travel lodge for 4 nights BB plus the additional expenditure of evening meals…pay for your course… and travel 160 miles back pass or fail… Wonder what Cupcake thinks about spending possibly an additional £300
In the words of Spock…Not Logical
Accommodation is not charged as extra at PSTT so it begs the question how much have you researched this?
Still comes across as desperate for the work…
Oh left shaft the southern training companies…what they not good enough or something 
Swampey2418:
Still comes across as desperate for the work…Oh left shaft the southern training companies…what they not good enough or something
I can get things cheaper elsewhere other than local to me so should I only buy local ?
Two exact new cars -
one costs 10000 local
one costs 9000 but will cost travel + accommodation at 500
which would you go for
eagerbeaver:
Plenty lady artic drivers mate.
I’ve seen loads of female drivers. Not spotted many ladies though…
Surely theres enough trainee’s in the Nottinghamshire and midlands areas without having to poach work from other areas of the UK and using this forum to do so, I mean the company advertises here… is that enough for them …talk about shafting others and I beg to point out this issue has already been raised in a previous thread
congratulations on your pass.
I also live in Berkshire and chose to my c+e in a full size artic in Southampton at bypass driver training.
only an hours drive and we’ll worth it.
Full 7 day course and test at £1200.
Can’t re commend them enough. Great school and my instructor was brilliant (Ade).
I passed mine in a W&D although did fail my test in an artic ( on the reverse but that another long story ) also done in a manual as that is what you done then I now drive an artic full time
No you wont see this woman driver as not tall enough 
I was in one of our 14 plate Scanias yesterday. Manual. So for those who think class 1’s are ’ all autos nowadays ',you are misinformed.
eagerbeaver:
I was in one of our 14 plate Scanias yesterday. Manual. So for those who think class 1’s are ’ all autos nowadays ',you are misinformed.
So you hear what Im saying beaver, sing it from the mountains…lol
eagerbeaver:
I was in one of our 14 plate Scanias yesterday. Manual. So for those who think class 1’s are ’ all autos nowadays ',you are misinformed.
Recently I have been in 2 different manuals DAF xf & Volvo
I passed in an auto, can drive a manual no problem. If you can drive a manual car then you should have no issue driving a manual truck.
Surely theres enough trainee’s in the Nottinghamshire and midlands areas without having to poach work from other areas of the UK
Been away for a couple of days so missed this at the time. But it needs a response. Since when has the training provider been limited to territories? We offer a first class service to anyone - no matter where they come from. In excess of 100 folks a year use this residential service so I assume we’re getting something right. Especially when many are friends and family of previous candidates. Nowhere have I ever said we’re the best; but we are completely different in what we offer and how we offer it compared to most other trainers. We also have an alarming number of folks come along who have experienced poor training elsewhere and need sorting out. This isn’t to say that every other trainer is delivering poor training - - but some certainly are.
When it comes to choice, I don’t know of any other trainer offering the choices we do. Manual/auto/w+d/artic. We don’t tell folks what to train on; we give choice. If you go to buy a car you expect choice - not to be told what you’re having. Training isn’t the same as buying a car, but it’s still a major purchase.
It is purely up to each person how they decide to complete their training. Whenever I take a further training course myself I choose to go residential to get away from the distractions of daily life and to be able to concentrate on the course totally. This wouldn’t suit everyone but it works for many.
BTW, my offer of residential training was in direct response to the OP’s enquiry:
Was thinking of a residential course at Peter Smythe
Given that we are not the most expensive out there (nor the cheapest by a long way) and that Trucknet users also get a further 10% discount and free accommodation, it actually works out as a very acceptable deal for lots of people.
And as far as using the forum to promote our services, we pay for that. It has been suggested that I’ve been a bit upfront with offering our service and you may have noticed this has been wound right back as a courtesy.
Pete
Rog
can get things cheaper elsewhere other than local to me so should I only buy local ?
Two exact new cars -
one costs 10000 local
one costs 9000 but will cost travel + accommodation at 500
which would you go for
New cars exactly the same from any manufacturer are priced the same where ever you are in the UK…dont remember seeing different price lists when I bought my Audi, in fact was offered a price in the Midlands and yet the dealer in the south beat the offer my nearly a grand … 
Over the years people have quoted about the north and south divide but since Ive lived in both areas, the only differences are property costs, council costs and salaries levels
End of the day a loaf of bread is still the same cost weather you buy it in Sainsbury in the Midlands or Sainsburys in the South
Pete
BTW, my offer of residential training was in direct response to the OP’s enquiry:
Actually she was asking for general opinion from people on the forum about your services, i.e. who have used your training facilities in the pass or currently… i.e. Was thinking of a residential course at Peter Smythe if/when I can afford it. Thoughts?
Surely those you have trained over the years would have given the OP there experiences of your services, without the need to infiltrate the thread with a sales type pitch
I’ve been a bit upfront with offering our service
[/quote]
just a simple message i.e. if there is any questions or assistance I may offer, click on the link…Job done, then no one can imply that you’re touting for work…
Swampey, if the posts by Peter are annoying you that much then why not simply block out his posts which you are able to do via the user control panel 
No offence Swampey but I wouldnt say the midlands was the North in fact if you care to check your map of the UK I wouldnt say it was the middle of the UK
Having lived in the south ( well London ) & the North Edinburgh although most of it in the North East of England ( around Newcastle upon Tyne ) I would say there are a lot of differences
The good old manual VS auto and wag+drag VS artic.
To go off of my personal experience, I would probably suggest artic.
I passed in a wag+drag manual, with just 1 minor, then my first assessment was in a artic with a 20ft trailer with a drop tank attached to it. I did struggle, but because my dad grew up with the TM, he had some influence and got me the job. I spent an entire week with the driver assessor, which was basically a paid week of extra training! After that week, I realized there is little difference between the wag+drag and artic, and now I actually find the artic easier to drive. I found that the ADR work wasn’t for me, I just felt paranoid lugging 26 tonnes of corrosive/flammable/toxic material around, so I decided to knock it on the head and try out some general haulage work. Booked myself a couple of hours in a full size artic and I found it really, REALLY easy to drive - no problems at all. The bloke I went to was baffled as to why I was there, he claimed I was a top notch driver, but it was for my own validation. After that bit of extra training in a full size artic, I felt alot more confident in myself (full size trailers are actually easier to operate than 20ft ones)
So to cut a long story short, go for the artic if your gut tells you that, but the wag+drag isn’t much different and statistically, it’s easier to pass in.
Well done on the cat C pass and good luck with your CE!