Is there anywhere you have ever delivered to and just not been able to get in?
I went to a small engineering firm once who assured me that they regularly have artics in. After about 20 mins trying from every angle I had to give up, there was no way it was going in without taking a wall or post out. They had to load me outside. It was only when the third guy came out to help (there were only 3 blokes and a receptionist working there) that he said that the trailers they normally had in were “a lot shorter than mine”
I had a 13.6 curtainsider and the stuff they had normally was delivered on a 30 footer. It made me feel better.
back in the day, when I did DBC I did the manchester run, there is(was) an old person’s home at the back end of an housing esate in Oldham. Used to do the run in a 7.5ton 12pallete iveco. This day it was in for service went out in a 26tn iveco. didn’t clock on till it was my next drop. Phoned TM, truck to big, needs resending tomorrow. No problem guess that was way back when TM’s actually had experience driving a route.
Kew Gardens in a 40’ step frame. Very tight getting in the first gate after doing a blindside dog leg from the road opposite, then after getting through the 2nd gate I had 4 people watching each corner of the truck to make sure I didn’t touch a single blade of grass, which was impossible with the bends in the narrow roadway. Had to go back to the 2nd gate and unload it onto a 17 tonner.
Annoying thing was there were 2 40’ curtainside trailers already dropped in there, they must have arrived at night and not had the grass scrutineers there.
Can’t remember the name of the place, but it was at the far end of a council estate in High Wycombe.
Nicked a couple of pics from Google Earth, which must have been taken on a Sunday, as there were absolutely no motors parked outside the units at the time.
There’s a bodyshop down there which had a good 20 or so motors parked outside when I went down, as well as all the staff cars from all the other units.
Luckily I only had 2 pallets for them and they were on the the offside headboard. Wasn’t much fun getting in there, was even less fun getting out.
So I suppose I technically made it as I got onto the estate, although I never set eyes on their unit. Forkie was gone ages between the two pallets.
It’s the only drop I’ve ever refused to go back to, told them that if I ever see notes again for that place, I’ll have it taken straight off, or they can look forward to it going on a long journey before I bring it back.
Completely blocked the estate off for a good hour or more.
GORDON 50:
Kew Gardens in a 40’ step frame. Very tight getting in the first gate after doing a blindside dog leg from the road opposite, then after getting through the 2nd gate I had 4 people watching each corner of the truck to make sure I didn’t touch a single blade of grass, which was impossible with the bends in the narrow roadway. Had to go back to the 2nd gate and unload it onto a 17 tonner.
Annoying thing was there were 2 40’ curtainside trailers already dropped in there, they must have arrived at night and not had the grass scrutineers there.
Stepframes often don’t cut in as well as regular curtainsiders.
I was going to tell you about that one time I had a house move and our star driver had been out to reccy it and deceided it was impossible to get an artic near the house and vans would have to ferry the stuff up from down the road.
Anyway I rolled up an hour early and parked right outside their garage.
To be fair I ruined half the lawn, broke the gate and took a massive branch off a willow tree but if it’s tight I’m your man, by hook or by crook she is going in.
But more importantly I’m currently wearing a pair of the wife’s silk ■■■■■■■, pink with frilly edges, bit itchy if I’m honest.
Size 12, due to a big booty.
F-reds:
No. That’s what the manitou is for I’m dragging around all day
Same thing as you. if it’s only one or two pallets its quicker to leave the truck at the end of the farm track and run it up with the Manitou, than the hassle of getting an 18 metre wagon and drag into the farmyard.
Think the closest I’ve gotten to this was delivering to a building site in London with an 18 tonner and it took me 1 1/2 hours to do the last mile due to a bizarre arrangement of one way streets, bollards on every street corner to make turning extremely hard and cars rammed in to every conceivable space. Oh and Londoners who couldn’t possibly wait 10 seconds for you to reverse!
I not admitting to what got hit that day (no cars that I know of), but quite a few bits of street furniture were perhaps more “modern art” styled than they had been before I went in.
After that, even the hardest of places has seemed easy…until I get a bendy licence.
