Diary

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS EURO DRIVING FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Day 1
Picked up loaded trailer from yard and off we go.Load was 33 pallets of frozen langoustines and crabmeat for Barcelona. Managed to get to Grantham for 1st overnight stop.

Day 2
Shipped out on the shuttle,so headed south via Reims. Got to the service area at Langres.Lots of space to park,so managed to get parked away from other trucks.Don’t the the people in the German camper van were too impressed though :laughing: :laughing:

Day 3
Set off about lunchtime heading for Beaune and Lyon.Had been going a couple of hours when I got stopped by the police.They checked everything,tachos,authorisations,licence and truck documents. They gave me a breath test then wanted to have a look in the trailer.Everything ok so off we go again.
Was hoping to make it to La Jonquera but my DHG informed me that I had reached my fortnightly driving limit,so overnighted near Narbonne.

Day 4
Set off early.Wasn’t going to make the 8am delivery time but should be there about 10am. Planned to get diesel at La Palme services near Perpignan.Got there,and it has changed from Shell to Carrefoure :imp: .Stopped to ask if they accepted Euroshell. Then found out that some-one had tried to break in while I was parked up,both door locks knackered.Luckily it still locked with the remote.Never heard a thing.And Carrefoure don’t accept Euroshell :frowning: :frowning: .
Carried on and got fuel at Jonquera.
Coming into Barcelona,picked up signs for Zona Franca which then promptly ended :unamused: Carried on on the AP7 then onto AP2.Picked up the signs again and onto the B10 Ronda Littoral.Off at 1st signed exit for Mercabarna.Followed the road round,straight in to the place.Paid my 7.40euro to get in and more by good luck than good judgment,there was my tipping point on the left.
Went in with the paperwork.Was told that they might be able to tip me today or it might be tomorrow.I told them I needed to take a 24 break,so when would they know when they could tip me.Said they would know in an hour,but if they didn’t tip me till next day,I could take my 24 on the bay as they had no more trucks going in.
Got tipped after about an hour and CMR signed.Phoned our office and was told to park up as there was no return load yet.Found the parking area at the fruit market and made myself comfortable.
In the evening,another Brit motor parked alongside me.We got talking and he informed me that the next day was a public holiday in Spain,so nothing would happen till Wednesday.
The other guys name was Chris and he was from Norfolk,if any of you know him.He is an OD with a W-reg white Scania 580, pulling a Solstor reefer.

Day 5

At leisure in Barcelona.
The last time I was in Spain was 1988.These would have been in regular use then.

This Pegaso is a little bit more up-to-date.

Day 6
Office phoned with my return load. 2 pallets of frozen from Tradimar Barcelona to Tradimar Sete :open_mouth: .Went to Tradimar office,where it had turned into 1 pallet. Collected it and got the paperwork but as it was ultimately going to Switzerland,had to stop at Jonquera and get more paperwork there. Had to wait 2 hours for this,which put the rest of the days work up the spout. I was supposed to get a load at Sete for Tradimar depot at Lyon,which had to be there for midnight. Tipped at Sete and then went to Clermand l’Herault to get a load of Chateau Migraine the following morning.

Day 7

Loaded the wine,bound for Gloucester,and head north.Was going to come back via Millau,but another driver there said it was slow going if running heavy
so headed for the A9 at Montpellier. Got to Langres again for overnight stop.

Day 8
Originally,the load was booked to be tipped on Monday morning,but Tradimar got it changed to 5pm Friday. Set off at 4am after a 9 hour break. Managed to get to Gloucester with 3 mins of a 10hour drive left.Got tipped then parked up till 5pm Sat.

Day 9
Loaded at Wincanton,Brockworth for Tesco Livingston. If any of you have ever parked up at Brockworth,be warned that the company which owns the business park are going to introduce wheel-clamping to stop you parking. Not in force yet , but it’s coming.

Day 10
Load at Wincanton Eurocentral for Halls and Kerry Foods in Aberdeen.Back to yard empty.

Thanks to every-one on TN who responded to my post for info. It was much appreciated.

2

Good diary, thanks!!

3

Thanks for the info about Brockworth sit there reading your post tonight :blush: hope they havent started just yet,pleanty of customers though :cry: .Where are you meant to park ? wincantons havent the room,another good place lost ! one that so far has been kept resonably litter free as well

Cheers for the info any way

4

:smiley: Good diary Highlander you are certainley getting about now :laughing:

Did you use the Resteraunt in Mercabarna ( the one in the middle of the block ) it was always a good meal. Is the small portacabin Tapas bar still in the fruit parking area ■■ :smiley:

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montana man:
:smiley: Good diary Highlander you are certainley getting about now :laughing:

Did you use the Resteraunt in Mercabarna ( the one in the middle of the block ) it was always a good meal. Is the small portacabin Tapas bar still in the fruit parking area ■■ :smiley:

Didn’t use the restaurant.Cooked for myself on Monday night and it was closed on Tuesday night. The portakabin is still there but it was closed too,as was the small restaurant next to the truck wash.

6

great diary mate i enjoyed that

7

That looks like it’s been washed with Jennychem to me.