in my not long containers game.one frozen was tipped with 40 minut by 3 people(gross weigh was about 17000 tonne .all meat).longest loading was 5 hours-chocolate to Gana.but usually about 2-3 hours.
1700 tonnes, that’s one hell of a container!
many years ago i used to hand ball containers of cocoa butter , peanuts ,coconut slabs etc at Mars in slough ,was a good job for a school leaver and a good subsidised canteen too 
, i remember a volvo F89 6X2 in yellow was a regular bringing in containers
When I got my YOP scheme in a cold store at 16 we had to handball 25kg boxes of butter from 20foot containers stacked to the roof, it was fun when it was warm…NOT, 
Two of use used to get a container empty pretty dam quick.
Worst 6 and a half hours, flat pack furniture in a forty foot box, best 25 minutes, palletised product again a forty footer.
Recently spent over 6 and half hours in a place begining with p (southampton) queing for a loaded box!!!
Drift:
When I got my YOP scheme in a cold store at 16 we had to handball 25kg boxes of butter from 20foot containers stacked to the roof, it was fun when it was warm…NOT,
Two of use used to get a container empty pretty dam quick.
Bet it was like you were nicking it lar 
tango boy:
Drift:
When I got my YOP scheme in a cold store at 16 we had to handball 25kg boxes of butter from 20foot containers stacked to the roof, it was fun when it was warm…NOT,
Two of use used to get a container empty pretty dam quick.Bet it was like you were nicking it lar
And where did you think all the dock Road cafes got their butter from
Drift:
tango boy:
Drift:
When I got my YOP scheme in a cold store at 16 we had to handball 25kg boxes of butter from 20foot containers stacked to the roof, it was fun when it was warm…NOT,
Two of use used to get a container empty pretty dam quick.Bet it was like you were nicking it lar
And where did you think all the dock Road cafes got their butter from
Nice little earner
tango boy:
Drift:
tango boy:
Drift:
When I got my YOP scheme in a cold store at 16 we had to handball 25kg boxes of butter from 20foot containers stacked to the roof, it was fun when it was warm…NOT,
Two of use used to get a container empty pretty dam quick.Bet it was like you were nicking it lar
And where did you think all the dock Road cafes got their butter from
Nice little earner
Topped up the slave wages of £21 a week
Drift:
tango boy:
Drift:
tango boy:
Drift:
When I got my YOP scheme in a cold store at 16 we had to handball 25kg boxes of butter from 20foot containers stacked to the roof, it was fun when it was warm…NOT,
Two of use used to get a container empty pretty dam quick.Bet it was like you were nicking it lar
And where did you think all the dock Road cafes got their butter from
Nice little earner
Topped up the slave wages of £21 a week
lol
Collections are usually quicker than deliveries. Having said that deliveries tend to be more consistent. Lots of boxes, 2-3 hours. Pallets about half an hour.
My worst loading time has got to be around 9 hours on 2 occasions. Donated items going to a charity, they would turn up in vans throughout the day, ended up eventually getting locked in as it was a low key affair and had to spend about another hour on top of that waiting for somebody to let us all out again.
Second time was a 20ft reefer to load, spend 7 hours sat outside waiting to get on a bay (of which there were only 2) and when I got on they spent their whole time putting pallets on and off. I found that out when I thought I’d felt enough pallets roll on, went round the back to see and the bugger was empty! All this while I’ve had a pentalver clip running!
Never been involved with containers so excuse my ignorance. Are you expected to help unload or do you just sit and wait?
midlifetrucker:
Never been involved with containers so excuse my ignorance. Are you expected to help unload or do you just sit and wait?
When I’ve been asked to unload I’ve usually told them the clue is in the job title, as in driver. Then I explain we aren’t allowed in the back for safety reasons, if I get injured who will drive?
midlifetrucker:
Never been involved with containers so excuse my ignorance. Are you expected to help unload or do you just sit and wait?
Sleeeeeeep
Lol
Longest one we used to get regularily was white goods into Powerhouse Walsall around 2001/2002. It was a regular 06:00 booking for monday morning and an 11-12 hour tip. Would start at 5am to get there,tip and just get to around Kettering to park up in a 16 hour spreadover.
midlifetrucker:
Never been involved with containers so excuse my ignorance. Are you expected to help unload or do you just sit and wait?
I think it depends on who you work for & what your load is. I never tipped the containers just ran empies to the docks, collected the full one ,trip back , security check seal & open, on the bay with all paperwork done en route. & away to go again.
Next at armthorpe Doncaster is the worst I’ve had 9 hours , 1 of our lads was there for 26 hours , all flat pack furniture stacked to the roof and to the back , 40ft , no helping just wait lol they let you drop trailer so you can go get food etc in unit
Drift:
When I got my YOP scheme
YOP…blimey that takes me back. I was put on one of those in 1982. £25 a week for 40 hours, and treated like sh*t because I wasn’t an employee of the firm. Thanks Maggie!
Last year I had to meet a container at the new Brighton FC ground. He was full of bar fridges, the ones my company warehouses, and because they were all going to the ground I was diverted to meet him and tick them off on a list as they came out of the container. We had 6 agency lads who were unloading the container and distributing said fridges all around the stadium. The lads were told they would get 8 hours pay even if they could do the job in half the time. Fair play, they unloaded and moved 86 fridges in less than 2 hours!
7 hours once as I took a one to a house removal.
And about 20 mins down at Bristol Dock where the forklift has a special ‘fork’ on it that took 2 pallets out at once…that really knocked through it!
Never really get involved with the unloading though as the boss said ‘our job is to get the Load where they want it when they want it, that’s it, you hurt yourself I’ve lost a driver for no reason’
And I’ve had the occasional angry person having go at me as I was sitting in the cab waiting.
90% of the time it’s on loading bays anyway and you’re not allowed in
But I find the majority of the money is in doing nights as, so I’m tramping about with them from mon-fri.
I don’t mind it though, as it’s 2 hours worth of traffic going home otherwise, and if rather spend that time earning