Many thanks for the link Deesider, I looked it up and shall be phoning them tommorow. It is a really convenient location for me as I can catch a train into Birmingham and Cotswold office is about 5 mins walk from station, you would have to be Radio rental to try and park a car in Birmingham.
Cheers
Hi Ant, Well I can 't help you with training, but good luck and stick with it as it will be hard to begin with, what with learning to drive a truck then getting a start, but should work out. 
The company I used to work for had a more mature newbie driver start a few years ago, he had been in CID and had enough of the Police Force, so retrained as a truck driver, at first he didn’t seem to be taking to the job until they put him on tilt work with Eddie Snax and me, he took to that like a duck to water and was always good company in a cafe as he had loads of good stories to tell from his former job. 
Today I visited the Vosa testing sation at Garretts Green Birmingham, I know the area quite well but on my way there I saw a class C vehicle from a local training school on the A45 Cov rd and followed it to the centre so I now at least know where it is. I saw the area they have for reversing etc it was scary. Anyway when the driver got out he did,nt look that pleased so mabye it was bad news.
Are there any of you who have taken your test at Garretts Green as I am sure I read somewhere that the examiners there are very severe or are test centres all about the same, I know officially they are supposed to be but even when people take car tests some swear that it is easier to pass at one centre rather than another.
Any of you who are taking your test do not be alarmed if you are being followed by a 4x4, it is not MI5 or the Sweeney it is just me trying to get as much background info as poss before I start my training, I have the medical on the 18th so hopefully can start soon after that.
Cheers 4 now folks
Ant
Ant:
Are there any of you who have taken your test at Garretts Green as I am sure I read somewhere that the examiners there are very severe or are test centres all about the same, I know officially they are supposed to be but even when people take car tests some swear that it is easier to pass at one centre rather than another.
I took both mine (C and C+E) there in 2002 and although I obviously know nothing about the standards they are looking for I felt both of the examiners were fair. AFAIK LGV instructors will stick to a test centre unlike car instructors who can and do change (it’s easier as there are more car test centres). Unless I’m mistaken the next nearest test centre is Wolverhampton, after that then you’re looking at Leicester and I would see no significant advantage in taking your test at either of them.
The examiners at Garratts Green are ok, took both of my tests C & C&E within the last three months there and I found them to be very fair - wouldn’t argue with my first fail on the C&E, since I deserved it. The only downside that I can think of is that most (if not all) of the test routes are urban - so there is no real “free” and easy driving. Then again you will be learning on the same streets… … …
The reverse is not as bad as it looks at least in the class two’s anyway, gets much harder when you are pushing a trailer around it. I always found the worst bit from Garratts Green was turning out of the road at the top of the hill… … !
I noticed a training vehicle (of one of the companies mentioned here), yesterday on the M5 - flatbed and as small as they come. Really shouldn’t be allowed, worst thing is I have seen companies put a trailer on them and then use them for class one - when as a combination they are no longer than a car & caravan !!
Thatanks Gazza for the info,this has dispelled my fears somewhat. As you say some of the vehicles are no longer than a car/caravan combination, as I am an experienced caravanner I would’nt have much trouble with the going forwards bit, but let me tell you caravans are a pig to reverse. I either get it right first time and amaze myself or Reginald Molehusband syndrome takes over.
(bet your too young to remember him)
I may do some more lurking around at the test centre when I have the time but don’t want to be accused of kerb crawling so I’ll have to watch it lol 
Hi Ant.
A bit of useful (hopefully) info for you…
Go to www.dsa.gov.uk
Then click Bus/Lorry section. Once there, you will find, on the left a link to ‘Find my nearest’.
Select an LGV driving test centre from the table, and to the right you will find downloadable test routes used for that station.
Eg. Garretts Green can be found under ‘B’ for Birmingham !!! and they have 21 different routes they use.
I’m not trying to suggest you can’t work your way around a web page, so please don’t take offence at the above instructions.
Hope it helps.
Kate
Ant:
I may do some more lurking around at the test centre
You’re at least the second person to come onto this site and admit to doing this 
. Seriously though, like Gazzareth says, it may look like and difficult exercise but you won’t know until you actually do it. It took me a couple of attempts to get it right but after that I found it relatively easy. The test centre being at the end of a busy industrial estate can indeed cause some of the biggest difficulties of the test!
After an encounter with Jobcentreplus today who I told were as much use as a chocolate teapot came home and in a state of radge decided to go for my training now and not wait for their empty promises. I have signed up with Eastern in Birmingham and am going for the medical tomorrow with their Dr.
I had originally booked with Cotswold medical for next week but Eastern only charge £15.00. I have bought the hazard perception dvd and the theory test books so will be busy for the next little while with those.
Thanks for all your help and support I have really found it helpful. I will let you know when my practical traing starts so as you can all take cover.
Cheers
Ant
Good lucl Ant!
Well the medical went o.k. Sent off forms to DVLA or rather the girl at Easterns did it for me, got prov licence today,thats just a week I am impressed. I am pretty clued up on the theory questions now but still find th Hp stupid, but am scoring better on it now. I wonder who thought it up, I am sure they have never driven anything in their lives not even a bicycle. Oh well heh ho. Will be contacting said girl to arrange for the theory test to be taken hopefully nest week. Keep everthing crossed for me especially with the HP bit.
Cheers
I always found the DVLA very quick when it came to my provisional and subsequent licences. I have heard that vocational licences have priority which seems true.
Hi Ant, from what I can gather you have gone with Paul Eastern, did you try Brittish HGV Training in cannock, I did my class 2 there about 4 years ago and they were fantastic, the instructor was a cracking bloke, very easy going but knew when he needed to shout, I passed first time and found the week very enjoyable witch gave me the positive attitude we all need on our test. They also do there tests out of the test station by stafford and the route is ment to be much more truck friendly than Garrats Green.
Im trying to get round to doing my class 1 before christmas and even though certain ones that have been mention on here are closer to me, brittish hgv will definetly be getting my money.
Hi Gav
Thanks for your post. Must admit I never heard of British HGV, did all sorts of searches on Google and Yell and I never noticed that one. You are correct that I have chosen to go with Paul Eastern as it is the closest to me and they also have an agency so the hope is that they will be able to find me some work after training. I know what you mean about Garretts Green not being too truck friendly, I downloaded the test routes and as I know the area reasonably well was a bit shocked at some of them, but I have consoled myself by thinking that well most of them are on bus routes and figure if they can get double deckers around them then I’m in with a chance. Easterns also have tests at Woverhampton but I don’t know what the routes are like there. But my experience of Black country roads is that there are some very narrow ones.
Good luck with your class 1 that would be a nice Xmas present.
Hi Ant,
Before I did my class one I never had enough work out of Eastern to pay the bills - although that said my mate who passed a month earlier managed to work pretty much full time with them and has had no problems (so it was probably a question of timing). I ended up with Driver Hire in Acocks Green who managed to keep me working (weekdays) as much as I wanted - nothing weekends though (for class 2). Since the class one Eastern have offered me a lot more work and both give me weekend work. Currently working for Driver Hire at Exel probably until Xmas, then see what comes up.
Rate wise there is nothing in it - EXCEPT that Eastern pay more for silly start times (time x 1.5 pre 6am) and class one (normally anyway) - depending on where you are working. Eastern will also accept NOVA drivers… … … Never had a problem getting paid with either of them… … …
I know all that is a little before time, but may help when you get there. Let us know how you get on once you start the training, believe me you will know the roads around Garratts Green even better after it … … …
G
Gazzareth:
believe me you will know the roads around Garratts Green even better after it … … …G
coincidentally enough, one of the drops i sometimes get is garretts green and i dont need a map to get there. i dont understand why it is signposted for HGVs FROM the A45 but they take you a different way back to the motorway from the industrial estate 
ant for the more for the more refined or age chalenge persons i would recomend hourly lessons.
if you book compact course you may find the learning curve for yourself may take longer, it is known fact the older we get the harder it is to learn.
in booking hourly lessons in small blocks allows sufficent rest between lessons, allows more time for new skill to fit into place(for the penny to drop),
could save you more money than that of a compact course and retest upon retest. you need to learn at your pace as compact courses can be intense you may find the first day overwhelming which all that is learnt is lost.
if you decide part way throught you cant get it right and wish to walk away you can without fear of losing large sums of money.
Hi Ant
I’m new to the forums & considering training for my LGV license.
I’ve been reading this thread with interest & notice your posts are from October.
Did you did your LGV course?
If so, how did you get on?
Mark
Hi MarkyMark.
Yes I did do my LGV and passed in November. I did the theory test at the beginning of Nov and commenced training the next week, it was a five day course with the test on Sat morning and I passed first time. Since then have been doing bits and pieces of work through an agency just to gain experience. I did my class one traing last week and had my test today, unfortunately I did not pass this but I had a different instructer than on the first course. If I would have had the same guy the outcome may have been different, who knows.