Good read that Gazzereth, I may have seen you at P&H as I was tipping opposite at Nicholls & Clarke 
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Good read that Gazzereth, I may have seen you at P&H as I was tipping opposite at Nicholls & Clarke
Wouldn’t surprise me I was in and out of P&H enough… White Scania with a dark blue trailer, probably badly driven 
… … Considering taking the camera on Monday and see if I can get a few snaps… … …
Good read Gazzereth 
Forgot the camera today - which is a shame, probably going to get a bluetooth dongle for the PC instead and see how my phone pics come out, since I already carry enough kit to significantly reduce the carrying capacity of any truck I am driving !!!
“First” day at Exel BHS in Atherstone today, 0430 start so get there nice and early, especially as it is just down the road - rather than my usual 20 mile trek. Massive site compared to what I am used to and a heck of a lot of trucks queuing to get out.
Get signed in, shown over the paperwork that they use and then given the keys and ready to go. One drop in Taunton, one in Cribbs Causeway and then collect next to West Brom’s ground, apparently. Go and find my unit which turns out to be a Y Reg FM12 - so I feel pretty at home in it as it is nearly identical to the FH12 I learn’t in. Check the unit over then head around the yard to find the trailer, find it quite quickly and collar a shunter to show me how to use the underslung lift (never used one before). Finish connecting up the trailer and then head straight out - have to swipe out at the gate, but since the light is green and the barrier is up I carry on out.
Nice easy run down M42 / M5 down to Taunton and since I have been given a map head straight for the drop - only to see a BHS truck coming towards me. We block the road “as you do” only for me to be told that I should be dropping at Exel Avonmouth - not Taunton which it says on my paperwork. Since I am nearly at the drop I head there to phone and check. Fortunately my trailer is only a 30 footer which is handy since the road to the drop is narrow with a 90 degree turn at the end of it - no problem, although the other driver managed it in a 40 footer so it would have been disgusted if I had not made it !!
Turns out that my two drops in Taunton and Cribbs equals one drop in Avonmouth - silly me, should have known that !! Back to the M5 and up the road to the Excel depot there and directed to the drop point. I now find out that I should have been stopped at the gate and given seals and the rest of my paperwork - fantastic - perhaps someone should have said something, since my power of telepathy is offline at the moment !!!
Do the drop which is easy enough - my first with cages, and then park up in the yard for a 45. Then straight back up to West Brom, as I turn into Halfords Lane (or is it Road) ■■ I see another BHS truck turning into a yard - ICS - so I follow him in, past the main building and into what I would have assumed was a derelict yard, another BHS driver was right on my tail as well.
Turns out that the guy I had followed in was the driver I had met in Taunton, so he puts his unit the bay and then they decide I should put mine on the end, which is a tight bay which I would have to blindside into (aaaaaaargh). They have to move a load of rubbish from the yard so I can screw the trailer around, which is easier than I thought as I had the small trailer, and then the other two drivers direct me in. After a few shunts I am finally there (thank god I was not the only guy there) so I go to the back of the bay and then drop the trailer suspension so that it is a a decent height for the bay.
The load is done by hand (again thank god for the 30’ trailer) so I am roasting by the time we have finished - trailer full to about 6’. Pull out of the bay and see if I can help the other guys. Since the first of the other trailers is about done we move ours out of the way and let the last driver in. Unfortunately, whilst he is manouvering he managed to scrape the new trailer he has down the side of a pillar - not a happy bunny, although makes me feel better for needing directions getting on the bay (he has 4 years experience). Anyway help him load until the flow of boxes slows right down and then hit the road homebound.
Get back to the yard with no problem, drop the trailer, fuel up and park up, then head into the office. No problem with the paperwork issues which I had been worried about, and they think I am in tomorrow. Turns out that Exel want to reduce the number of agency drivers by 6 and since it is last in first out … … DOH !!
Will be working for Jon Lewis again tomorrow, pick up in MK and drop in Wiltshire somewhere. Guess I will be back in the old Scania as well … … … hopefully not a 15 hour day again… … …
G
Interesting to read that, Gazza.
Looks like you’re doing well mate.
Funny that Exel Atherstone are trying to reduce agency driver numbers. At our place it looks as though they are trying to get 100% agency drivers the way they are going.
They prefer not having to worry about WTD hours I reckon 
Great read.
I can just picture myself in your shoes. I thought the 1st gear bit was funny waiting for the gearbox to decide what it’s going to do and then lurching forward. That happened to me when I moved a tractor head out the way once. Felt a right burk
Funny that Exel Atherstone are trying to reduce agency driver numbers. At our place it looks as though they are trying to get 100% agency drivers the way they are going.
It may be more a case that they brought too many in, since I was there for the xmas build-up I can’t see them replacing agency temps with permanent staff. Guess someone got their numbers wrong !!
Nice read again Gazzareth
Into a class one again after a class two run yesterday - this time back at Jon Lewis in an Artic that had previously been “rolled” - fortunately it is in a much better state than the photo’s they have in the office.
Turn up at 0645 and no sign of the truck - turns out that it is on a run down from Grangemouth loaded to be taken down to Melksham. 10 minutes later it pulls into the yard, nice looking W plate Scania. The driver fuels it up and then I jump in ready to go.
There are a couple of trucks overnighting just outside the yard, so a couple of the guys clear the yard so I can turn around there so I take the opportunity to familiarise myself with the truck… Now I have driven older Scanias before but this one is by far the newest - and some joker has nicked 7th & 8th gear and shuffled them around so there is nothing where 1st & 5th should be… what is going on here then ■■ Fortunately the range changer is in the usual place (switch on the side of the gearstick) and there is some sort of collar that lifts up, so that will be the splitter then…
One drop on board - Cooper Avon in Melksham so now the yard is clear I turn around and then head out on the road. Since the “splitter” is in Low I go from 2nd low to 3rd high (on a downhill slope) and quickly realise that I have actually gone from 2nd low to 5th low - oops ok so the collar is the range changer - you live and learn.
It takes a bit of getting used to since I am used to pretty much ignoring the splitter on an 8 speed box (unless I hit a hill) but with the 6 speed it is really needed.
M42, M5, M4, A350 down into Melksham, as I head into the town I see the drop right in front of my on what my GPS describes as a roundabout. Doesn’t look like one to me, so I pull up to check where I am going as a “CCS” truck comes hurtling out and then promptly heads towards me (the wrong way around the one way system / roundabout) ignoring all attempts to stop him !!
After that bit of drama it is into the goods entrance and park up at security, since it will be a while I get back in the cab, set my phone alarm to go off in an hour and a half and get some sleep. Just before the alarm goes off I am woken up by a forklift horn going off and then thumping on the cab - forkie is not best happy and directs me round to where I am making the drop. Then keeps me waiting for about an hour before he offloads - although he is ok after that.
I then get a call to do a collection from Bibby in Bicester, so head off up the “lazy” route - A350, M4, A34 and turn into what my GPS says is the correct road. It isn’t. Oh well I need to practice reversing anyway so reverse into a yard and then back out, didn’t hit a kerb, but not quite 100%. Then find the correct road and, realise that I have just overtaken the back of the queue (doh), since there is nothing behind me I reverse back and fluff up getting into the kerb going backwards - but finally manage it…
Go and get booked in a security and told I am next at bay one - so I sneak a look at where bay one is - oh [zb] I am going to have to reverse all the way along past the other bays and then blindside it in - now I am worried. Fortunately by the time I am called in - which incidentally is before 3 trucks that arrived before me - a bit of space has appeared in front of bay one, so with a bit of manouvering I may be able to get in.
Going in I try as hard as I can to get the back end of the trailer around, and it looks better than I thought was possible - although I am a bit closer than I would have liked to a trailer - first attempt and I “overcook” it so back forwards - second attempt is in the bay - exactly. Quite chuffed with that… …
About an hour later I have 26 pallets of Budweiser on board and it is time to pull out, more trucks about now so it is fun getting out of there - nearly collect one guys mirrors with the front of the trailer - but get it out of the way.
Quick run up the road back to the yard, turn it around and drop the trailer to head off to Glasgow.
At last some reversing practice. Enjoyable day - although a lot of waiting around, then again I am paid for that so good !!!
Class 2 tomorrow - although for class one pay !!
if it needs stars it shouldn’t be there,jb 
Good read Gaz .
Nice Read
anothere great read gaz ,keep it coming
jon
anothere great read gaz ,keep it coming
Would love to - but I am going to call that one a day since it is taking too much time at the moment and I need to spend more with the family rather than bashing away on a keyboard - hopefully it has served a purpose !!
Good read Gaz, keep it coming.
Good read