First Day Done & Dusted :-)

Well I managed it! The plan was to ride passenger with the other newbie driver to Killingholme, then swap over - me drive to Ditton (Widnes there abouts) and him to drive back…however although we started as planned and swapped over at killingholme we had some fun and games!
Firstly the windscreen washers didn’t appear to work so we pulled into the Jet station and asked nicely where we could get water from. I was given a watering can and told the tap is on the side of the building lol. Good job my colleague knew where to find the washer bottle, as it turns out a little filler cap pokes through the steps up to the cab on the passenger side :confused: anyway, this didn’t work so after popping the bonnet up we foundout that the hose had come detached somewhere so we had to put it back on! Well, good job we found out what had happened cos the motorway was filthy.

So first time in an artics driving seat with a full (of paper) container, about 23 tonnes worth I think, and things seemed to be ok! So set off in 2nd, hit into 3rd round the roundabout onto the M180 up into 4th, then a really bad effort to hit 5th and got 3rd again, then back into 5th and eventually up into 8th :open_mouth: I was under the impression that all gearboxes were 4 over 4, and my colleagues had said ‘just whack it right to go up the range’ without going on to say that 5-8 is further over the box - and when coming down the box from 7th not to let the lever go into what you think is neutral before pulling back to 6th as the box trips back over to the 1-4 selection…but once I’d sussed it with not a few trips into the far side of the rev counter :blush: it went pretty well! It was a Renault truck…

Got to Ditton, and my co-driver who was meant to be giving me directions was too busy on the phone when we got into the industrial estate to tell me to turn left…ended up going to the end of the road, turn right, then reverse back in a straight line across the junction so i could turn right into the industrial estate again. (loose term as it was a road with units off it, and the TDG place we wanted was right down a ‘private’ road!

Booked in fine and got directions to the ‘loading bay’ which turned out to be a metal ramp which is hold up by forklift trucks, you reverse up get out open the doors, hop in reverse back so the end of the ramp is in the container then stop - the forklift then back away and go into the container to get the load.

I explained to the forklift drivers that it was my first day in the job and I’d never reversed an artic before so please keep an eye out. He said ok, and the first bit went fine, swung the lorry from the holding area to infront of the ramp, pulled it back til he held a ‘stop’ hand up and motioned for me to open the doors; then he just did the ‘stop’ hand thing again and it was alright - i was pleased I did’nt have to take a shunt but then again there was plenty of room to get straight in the first place!

There was only 2 other lorries in the Q in front of us but I think we hit their lunchtime as it took about 2 hours from arrival to departure! Still, plenty of time to watch EasyJet planes descending…Anyway, the colleague had said he was going to do nights out too, which I said no to as yet, and sure enough his mobile rang while we were waiting and he was asked to do a night out though Leeds tonight so I drove back to Scunthorpe so he had plenty of time left on his tacho.

Got back to scunny fine, even managed to negotiate the Berkeley Circle without holding anyone up which i was amazed about and then back into the yard. The yard is small, and the reverse into a space was I found to be very tricky, and took 2 shunts at it cus there isn’t enough room to swing round then pull forward enough to be straight before going backwards. As this was the first time I’d reversed an artic in a really confined space I was quite pleased especially as there is no floodlighting and it was more than dingy…winding the windows down did help seeing the mirrors better :confused:

So, managed to not kerb the trailer at all today which I was really pleased about and managed to make it home alive, if hungry cus I forgot to make pack up :unamused:

Tomorrow will be different cus I am apparantly going on Dock runs all day with a bloke who I think has been doing it since Noah built the Arc…

Sorry this post is a bit waffly, but I hope it shows you that if I can do it, then anyone can! : :smiley:

Si

oh yeah forgot to say, the instructor never told me that everytime you overtake a truck on the m/way you get a BLAST of mainbeam as u look in the mirror and puzzle as to whether or not u’ve gone far enough past the other lorry to pull back in! Makes u feel part of something more than just a job :slight_smile:

Also, I wasn’t prepared for how slow it is to drive up over Saddleworth more with a loaded truck - about 40mph :confused:

Still was fun :smiley:

Hi Si,sounds like you had a great day.Keep up the info,makes me more determined to pass class 1.Regards Jamie.

CBR_SI:
Still was fun :smiley:

Fun!Work is not a place of enjoyment! :wink:

Oh what a brilliant post. I really enjoyed reading that Si, and what can I say but Well done. Sounds like you had a scream of a day, and I bet you couldnt wipe that grin off your face could you. I know I wouldnt have been able to. I know all these old hands that have been doing it for years read things like this and think , “yeah, yeah, been there, done that…”, but for guys like me, that are just about to start there training… (This coming Friday to be exact!! :smiley: ) Its great to read things like this.

Keep us informed of your daily exploits Si, I’m gonna enjoy reading them… :wink:

:smiley:
Well done Si,
After you’ve seen the flash, allow another count of 5 or 10 seconds (depending on how quickly you’re passing the other truck) before you start to move back in.

:smiley: IT’S THE LAW, isn’t it everyone? :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

This leaves a nice safe following distance for the passee. :wink:

Graham.

congrats on yor first day si :smiley:

Firstly the windscreen washers didn’t appear to work so we pulled into the Jet station and asked nicely where we could get water from. I was given a watering can and told the tap is on the side of the building lol. Good job my colleague knew where to find the washer bottle, as it turns out a little filler cap pokes through the steps up to the cab on the passenger side anyway, this didn’t work so after popping the bonnet up we foundout that the hose had come detached somewhere so we had to put it back on! Well, good job we found out what had happened cos the motorway was filthy.

in your daily checks did you check the washers mate,if they didn’t work before you left the yard defect it.you get pulled by plod they could do you for it.

obviosly not shown around the unit first so just take your time and get to know where everything is mate.

apart from that sounds like you had a great day kep us posted

jon

all i can do is echo whats already been said hope you had as much fun doing it as i did reading it well done, can’t wait for the next episode.

thanks for the support lads :slight_smile:

jon, no I didn’t check it but its been a good lesson - from now on I’ll make sure I do! I know its not an excuse, but as I was going out with another driver, who was in the truck filling in his tacho when I got to work I presumed that it had already been done. I’m looking forward to getting my own unit :slight_smile:

CBR_SI:
…snip…So first time in an artics driving seat with a full (of paper) container, about 23 tonnes worth I think, and things seemed to be ok! So set off in 2nd, hit into 3rd round the roundabout onto the M180 up into 4th, then a really bad effort to hit 5th and got 3rd again, then back into 5th and eventually up into 8th :open_mouth: I was under the impression that all gearboxes were 4 over 4, and my colleagues had said ‘just whack it right to go up the range’ without going on to say that 5-8 is further over the box - and when coming down the box from 7th not to let the lever go into what you think is neutral before pulling back to 6th as the box trips back over to the 1-4 selection…but once I’d sussed it with not a few trips into the far side of the rev counter :blush: it went pretty well! It was a Renault truck…snip…

Si

Si well done young man. :sunglasses: :smiley: Those Renault slap over boxes can take a bit of getting used to but here’s a tip you may find helpfull. Guide the lever with your hand but let the spring centre the lever. If you do you will find that going up the range you will go against the spring for 1 & 2, centred on 3 & 4. From 4 go to neutral slap right to change the range and let the spring centre before going up for 5 down for 6 then against the spring for 7 and 8. Comming down is the reverse of this.

If the spring is to tight it is possible, though rare, to let the lever slip and bounce back over the gate and change the range back to where you first started. Not to bad if your going down but startling if going up. :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

nice one si :sunglasses:
your right those renault premium boxes can be tricky.
i had alwasys driven the 4 over 4 type boxes, some 9 speed but others the 16 speed, confused the hell out of me and as i was driving for a lad who had just failed his test i felt a right [zb] when 1. i got the wrong gear and stalled it :blush: and 2. send the revs skyward :confused:
after about 15mins got it all down and sorted even the split on the box, only thing i couldnt find was the control for the lift axle, got the bible out and found it on the remote for the rear suspension.
got to say it was one of the nicest trucks i had driven on agy work and a doddle of a job too :laughing: :laughing:
best of luck and keep enjoying the job, it is always a good feeling when given the keys to your own motor mine was a 95 volvo fl10 but i didnt care it was my 1st motor and my pride and joy, shine went off it when i looked at other drivers motors and wished i had one of them ho hum :angry:
chris

chris if you have to add @ to the word you know it shouldnt be there …jon :wink:

Great post,cant wait til i can drive.Keep posting,its great to hear and well done :smiley:

jonboy:
congrats on yor first day si :smiley:

in your daily checks did you check the washers mate,if they didn’t work before you left the yard defect it.you get pulled by plod they could do you for it.

jon

Took the words right out of my mouth Jonboy.
Hope it got checked for oil & water Si…AND don’t forget:

TAX DISC: correct rate for no. of axles
“O” license disc (in date)
TRAILER MOT

Rgds, Jonathan

Ex Trade Plater
Ex C+E Instructor
Ex O/D
RoSPA Gold