Hi All we had Scammell Highwaymen in the early 70s,and believe me you just do NOT even think about sleeping in the cab,you got into digs. Cheers Ted.
I suppose to a certain extent it’s knowing no different if in the 70s you had only had a atki borderer you put up with a board across the doors as that’s what everyone did. If you got a f88 or scania 111 sleeper it was great and you wouldn’t want to go back to the boards on the seat.but at the same time you would have no comprehension of a Renault magnum so wouldn’t think the f88 was cramped.
Most of us will comment “we didnt know any different so we coped.” I do remember one
smart arse saying to me when I first started for “Onward” in 1986, what are you driving that for?
(B series ERF with a day cab) my reply was £350 per week what you driving that for?
kevmac47:
Most of us will comment “we didnt know any different so we coped.” I do remember one
smart arse saying to me when I first started for “Onward” in 1986, what are you driving that for?
(B series ERF with a day cab) my reply was £350 per week what you driving that for?
My old Geordie mate shut one clever git up, we had battered old ex Toleman Iveco car transporters back then with a ‘coffin’ on the back of the cab to sleep in, CG just got out of his flash motor…‘‘i wouldn’t drive that for £500 a week’’…Geordie Keith…‘‘neither would i pal’’… 
Read on the forum a few months ago how a Atkinson Borderer was running on the middle east run whe a German driver examined the non sleeper and declared no wonder you British won the war.
Like many others my first distance motor was an Atki Borderer. I had home made curtains (courtesy of mother), 2 bread boards with 2 screws in each end to drop into the door pull handles, my ‘mattress’ was the seat backing out of a transit mini-bus and of course a good sleeping bag. All this was folded away every morning of course and fitted into various places pretty well. I gaffer taped up the bonnet and had a few layers of sound proofing on it, checking and topping up engine oil had to done through the opening at the back the cab and was a pain! I could sit with my feet in the passenger footwell to get changed, but doubt I could do it now! I was in my early 20’s at the time and was totally cab-happy, as some have said ‘we knew no better’ but I have to say I bloody loved it. Regards, Mizzo.
toxic gas man:
Hi All we had Scammell Highwaymen in the early 70s,and believe me you just do NOT even think about sleeping in the cab,you got into digs. Cheers Ted.
HIya …go into digs did you say digs…i take it you never stopped at 5th ave in goole then.the sheets was that black when i pulled the top blanket back i thought someone was still in bed…i used to stop at a real nice place off wood lane london that was squeeky clean, but not all
digs was that clean.at least the crap in your cab belonged to the driver.
John
Sleep in the cab,a no go area with R.S. Forth in the late 60s,(union rules),mind you not much room in a 64 Albion Clydesdale!!!
3300John:
toxic gas man:
Hi All we had Scammell Highwaymen in the early 70s,and believe me you just do NOT even think about sleeping in the cab,you got into digs. Cheers Ted.HIya …go into digs did you say digs…i take it you never stopped at 5th ave in goole then.the sheets was that black when i pulled the top blanket back i thought someone was still in bed…i used to stop at a real nice place off wood lane london that was squeeky clean, but not all
digs was that clean.at least the crap in your cab belonged to the driver.
John
…or the West End at Gloucester. 
Sooner stay at Mrs Albions… 
I always used digs or guest houses and even hotels as it was difficult to get digs on saturday nights and on the continent it was hotels or routiers which were usually pretty good. I started sleeping in the cab after leaving Pickfords and in a Scammell crusader day cab it was fairly simple to rig it out by removing the passenger seat the locker was the same height as the engine cover so I made a box ( everything was stored in it ) which went right across and 4 inch foam which my wife covered and then another piece which was the back rest in the day and went over the drivers seat at night fitted a curtain rail and the wife made me curtains job done. It was 10 years on the road before my first sleeper cab and no night heater but a good sleeping bag and never had a problem sleeping ( still don’t now I’m retired ) but the thing was to make use of what ever was at hand.
cheers Johnnie 
P S 3300 John was the digs you used off Wood lane the one which was run by a " Austrian " lady and you had your breakfast in a basement dinning room and looking out of the window you sometime saw some nice legs 
3300John:
toxic gas man:
Hi All we had Scammell Highwaymen in the early 70s,and believe me you just do NOT even think about sleeping in the cab,you got into digs. Cheers Ted.HIya …go into digs did you say digs…i take it you never stopped at 5th ave in goole then.the sheets was that black when i pulled the top blanket back i thought someone was still in bed…i used to stop at a real nice place off wood lane london that was squeeky clean, but not all
digs was that clean.at least the crap in your cab belonged to the driver.
John
I lived near Goole at the time and remember the horror stories of that place, but at least you could nip round to Pasture Road baths for a wash, if they were not using it as a dance hall
I know all the old hands are gonna say we ain’t lived nowadays etc., but one thing hasn’t changed , there still isn’t enough room in todays cabs for nights out & all the politicians are now pondering over 50’ trailers etc 
,but no ones thinking about an increase in length for a better sleeper cab for the poor bloke out all week are they?
mazz:
I know all the old hands are gonna say we ain’t lived nowadays etc., but one thing hasn’t changed , there still isn’t enough room in todays cabs for nights out & all the politicians are now pondering over 50’ trailers etc
Do you when you out for weeks or even months as we used to be away for months at a time always in digs then and had to use laundrette’s to get clothes washed but been away in a day cab for several weeks as well
cheers Johnnie
Chris Webb:
…or the West End at Gloucester.
At least you could get Chummie 
Don’t forget a B series ERF was a twin sleeper
sammyopisite:
mazz:
I know all the old hands are gonna say we ain’t lived nowadays etc., but one thing hasn’t changed , there still isn’t enough room in todays cabs for nights out & all the politicians are now pondering over 50’ trailers etcDo you when you out for weeks or even months as we used to be away for months at a time always in digs then and had to use laundrette’s to get clothes washed
cheers Johnnie
& your point is ?
mazz:
I know all the old hands are gonna say we ain’t lived nowadays etc., but one thing hasn’t changed , there still isn’t enough room in todays cabs for nights out & all the politicians are now pondering over 50’ trailers etc
A week in a cab is not long, the problem is that most of the modern drivers take it too literally, they may leave it for 15 minutes for a shower, but the rest of the time, they are sat hermit like behind closed curtains watching the Neighbours,Big Bother or Eastrearenders.
The days of the craic with other drivers has gone and I feel sure I missed out too with the craic the lads had in digs. They were fed washed and changed for 7.30 and out to the pub, a good nights sleep and up for breakfast before even worrying whether the lorry will start.
mazz:
sammyopisite:
mazz:
I know all the old hands are gonna say we ain’t lived nowadays etc., but one thing hasn’t changed , there still isn’t enough room in todays cabs for nights out & all the politicians are now pondering over 50’ trailers etcDo you when you out for weeks or even months as we used to be away for months at a time always in digs then and had to use laundrette’s to get clothes washed
cheers Johnnie& your point is ?
If you make the best of any given situation or set of circumstances you will enjoy life far better than looking for negatives and worrying about what other people have. The only things which you require are somewhere to wash, somewhere to sleep and somewhere to eat everything else is down to personal choice. When you enter the transport industry that is your choice and like any industry there are pros and cons and I enjoyed it for over 40 years so the same as any job it is what you make of it.
merry christmas Johnnie
Wheel Nut:
mazz:
I know all the old hands are gonna say we ain’t lived nowadays etc., but one thing hasn’t changed , there still isn’t enough room in todays cabs for nights out & all the politicians are now pondering over 50’ trailers etcA week in a cab is not long, the problem is that most of the modern drivers take it too literally, they may leave it for 15 minutes for a shower, but the rest of the time, they are sat hermit like behind closed curtains watching the Neighbours,Big Bother or Eastrearenders.
The days of the craic with other drivers has gone and I feel sure I missed out too with the craic the lads had in digs. They were fed washed and changed for 7.30 and out to the pub, a good nights sleep and up for breakfast before even worrying whether the lorry will start.
I couldn’t agree more, it never ceases to surprise me that so few drivers seem to leave their cabs and have a look round the places they stop at or just go for a pint and a meal.
mizzo:
Like many others my first distance motor was an Atki Borderer. I had home made curtains (courtesy of mother), 2 bread boards with 2 screws in each end to drop into the door pull handles, my ‘mattress’ was the seat backing out of a transit mini-bus and of course a good sleeping bag. All this was folded away every morning of course and fitted into various places pretty well. I gaffer taped up the bonnet and had a few layers of sound proofing on it, checking and topping up engine oil had to done through the opening at the back the cab and was a pain! I could sit with my feet in the passenger footwell to get changed, but doubt I could do it now! I was in my early 20’s at the time and was totally cab-happy, as some have said ‘we knew no better**’ but I have to say I bloody loved it. Regards, Mizzo.**
[/quote]I think we all did, we were drivers, we could do any job in the yard, get your notes and “give us a ring when you’re empty”. We set off, we were our own boss, got the job done. none of the modern day tracking, cab phones, endless rules and regs. We were drivers, we had to think for ourselves.
Happy days
Hiya …i don’t think you can roam around the streets like years ago…i always used to look at the price of houses
in the estate agents…semi for 12k then look in the job centre part time dish washer£1.00 per hour
it always made me smile that there was these expensive houses(well they was then) and the only jobs was
part time or pea nut money.so i had to go into the boozer and drown my sorrows…how sad is that.
John