I finally popped me cherry

[mrflibble]

Yep, I’ve finally managed to do a shift with Samworth Bros. I’ve been wanting to get a shift with them for months, as I know my agency gets a reasonable amount of work from them, it’s mostly nice easy trunking, and they seem to look after their kit - it always looks clean and “cared for”.

However, they always prefer to take people that have worked for them before, so I’ve never managed to get in. However, this weekend they must have been short, as I started at 10:30 on Saturday. Picked up the keys to a nice MAN unit (comfort shift ), grabbed my (empty) trailer and set off down the M5 for my first pick-up at a company in Willand, just off J27. The route in wasn’t too bad, although I did stop to check that the SatNav was still on course (it was). I found the place, and pulled onto the weighbridge. The guy at the gate gave me the weight slip, and gave me directions of where to go. The initial entrance goes straight over a railway bridge, and given that you have to come in at an angle from the weighbridge it’s really rather tight - only about a foot on either side. Anyway, I squeezed it through OK, and found my way around the site to my first bay. I think it really showed that I’ve only done 1 day’s agency work this year, as it took me at least 20 shunts to get it on the bay

Popped into the office to pick up the paperwork, and by the time I’d signed the collection note and CHEP form I had a green light so it was a quick trip back out over the railway bridge (breath in!), back onto the weighbridge (loaded with about 6 t of chicken), then back on the M5 past Exeter, down the A38 through Plymouth to Samworth’s depot in Callington.

At this point I was directed onto the bay by the shunter, as I was supposed to be dropping most of the load before carrying the remainder onwards. I got it on the bay, and I was told “10 minutes”. “Yeah, right” I thought, and put the tacho on break thinking I could probably squeeze a 15 out.

After about 20 minutes, it became “2 minutes”.

Eventually, after a 1 1/2 hr break I pulled out, and round to the fuel pumps - I had less than 1/4 tank left. Had I known that they were going to take that long, I would have disconnected the trailer before they started loading…

Anyway, 427 litres of diesel later, and I’m off down the road for Bodmin. The A390 across to Liskeard was a bit tight at times, but nothing I haven’t had to deal with before. After Liskeard it’s back onto the A38, and then it’s a nice run down the valley, pop over the A30 (new roundabout just before that the SatNav doesn’t know about ) and into the factory (whose name I can’t remember ).

Again, I take a few more shunts than I should, not helped by coop driver who was waiting for me, and pulled into some of the space that I wanted to manoeuvre. Once on the bay I apologised for holding him up (but didn’t mention that I would have been quicker if he hadn’t been in the way); he seemed relatively friendly.

Once more, by the time the paperwork was done, the goods had been loaded and I was ready to roll, and set off back to Callington. This time it was a bit busier, but I still got straight on a bay. However, I wasn’t due to leave until about an hour after I arrived, so I suspect that other trailers got loaded before mine. They had to take off about a third of the stuff I collected in Bodmin, then load some different stuff ready for the trunk back up to Portbury. Confused yet? I was My final trunk back to Portbury was about 1/3 of the stuff collected from Willand, some stuff added at the first Callington visit, 2/3 of the Bodmin collection, and some more from the second Callington visit. I hope the loaders got it right, cos I ain’t got a clue

Anyway, I finally got out at 7:30pm, so it was time for the long slog back to Bristol. We had been told earlier that the A38 was closed in Plymouth, so instead of going over the Tamar Bridge, I went up to the A30. That has to be a candidate for one of the most boring roads. I’m sure it’s nice and picturesque by day, but at night when it’s raining, it’s incredibly dull, particularly if you stick to the speed limits. Yawn.

Eventually I made it to Portbury, put the trailer on a bay, and dropped the unit. Clocked off at 23:00.

500 km exactly

Parting thoughts: Pretty much everyone I met was really helpful - much more so than normal. The shunter at Callington was unbelievable - he was definitely the most helpful shunter I’ve ever met, guiding me through all their procedures - where to go, what to do, etc. It really saved me (and probably them) a lot of time. If there’s anyone at Samworth Bros management reading this, he deserves a pay rise

[brit_pete]

Thanks a very nice read, when is the next post due.

[mrflibble]

brit pete:
Thanks a very nice read, when is the next post due.

When I do another shift, so I’ve got something to post about

[bobthedog]

We Cornishmen are like that. I always preferred the A30 to the 38. I always reckoned the 38 was a hard slog. Used to live in Launceston. I suspect the factory was Kensey Foods on Pennygillam.

[matt_f_1]

i did a few days agency work for samworths but before i did that i had to have a assessment and passed that quite easily .although as long as you dont kill any one i think you pass ! (they have had 4 fatalitys in the last few months ) i worked out of callington and every driver has the same run day in day out now that is boring .i prefer to have a bit of variety .

[mrflibble]

bobthedog:
I always preferred the A30 to the 38. I always reckoned the 38 was a hard slog.

I guess I was partly swayed by the fact that it was dark, and I just wanted to go home. Also, the area around the A38/A380 split at Exeter is where the company I trained with are based, so it’s always a bit like “going home” whenever I go through

bobthedog:
I suspect the factory was Kensey Foods on Pennygillam.

I think that vaguely rings a bell. Big round glass-walled office in-between the two rows of bays, and you have to go in through the glass revolving doors into the (rather posh) reception area to get your paperwork. Bit of a change from the normal “backdoor”-style entrance of most goods-outwards offices.

matt f:
i did a few days agency work for samworths but before i did that i had to have a assessment and passed that quite easily .although as long as you dont kill any one i think you pass ! (they have had 4 fatalitys in the last few months ) i worked out of callington and every driver has the same run day in day out now that is boring .i prefer to have a bit of variety .

Not too much of a problem for me yet. I only do occasional weekends, so it’s not like I’m going to get bored with the same thing every day.

The guy who gave me the truck and showed me the ropes at Portbury is the one that does the driver assesments, but he said that they only do them during the week.

Anyway, I can’t have been too objectionable, as the agency called this morning and booked me in for Sunday. I don’t think I’ve ever been booked four days in advance before…

[mr_jinx]

good read MrFlibble
you said you noticed everyone seemed more helpfull, ive noticed this
too when working weekends, wonder if its down to everyone being
more relaxed as bosses arnt there or cos of the overtime

[denis_f]

MrFlibble:
and set off down the M5 for my first pick-up at a company in Willand, just off J27. The route in wasn’t too bad, although I did stop to check that the SatNav was still on course (it was). I found the place, and pulled onto the weighbridge. The guy at the gate gave me the weight slip, and gave me directions of where to go. The initial entrance goes straight over a railway bridge, and given that you have to come in at an angle from the weighbridge it’s really rather tight - only about a foot on either side. Anyway, I squeezed it through OK, and found my way around the site to my first bay.

narrow piece of [zb] that railway bridge - its even relatively easy to get over from the layby on the right of the weighbridge

(unless they’ve moved it in the last 12 months )

that used to be one of my most regular drops, until they stopped doing woolly things to concentrate on feathered things )

[mrflibble]

Denis F:
narrow piece of [zb] that railway bridge - its even relatively easy to get over from the layby on the right of the weighbridge

(unless they’ve moved it in the last 12 months )

Well, no, it’s not a major problem, but then it’s not exactly wide either - particularly the large bollards to catch the people trying to cut the corner.

Denis F:
that used to be one of my most regular drops, until they stopped doing woolly things to concentrate on feathered things )

Of course, if you’re a regular there, then you already know the right line to get in easily.

[denis_f]

MrFlibble:
Of course, if you’re a regular there, then you already know the right line to get in easily.

of course straight out onto the road ( obviously on your blind side ) across the junction and over the bridge, but don’t worry “they’ve had bigger in there drive”

they did make in more awkward when they put the new barriers in with the swipe card things on , haven’t been there for 12 months now it might have changed again !

[mrflibble]

MrFlibble:

brit pete:
Thanks a very nice read, when is the next post due.

When I do another shift, so I’ve got something to post about

Not much to report, I’m afraid - rather dull day.

Started 0645 - logged in with the traffic office, and they tell me that I’m going to St Albans via Basingstoke and NFT in Bristol. Some calling around confirms that NFT and Basingstoke don’t actually have anything for me to pick up, so it’s straight off to Sainsbury’s in St Albans. Well, it would be, if some of my load wasn’t still out on the road on its way from Leicester.

Eventually got out at 08:20 after the rest of my load had been transferred from the trailer, and started off up the M5.

One scintillating journey up the M5/M4/M25 later, and I pull into Sainsbury’s in St Albans. It’s my first time at a supermarket RDC as a supplier driver rather than driving for the supermarket themselves. There’s about 6 bays for chilled deliveries, and they’re all occupied, plus there’s another driver waiting (I popped up to his cab to check to make sure I didn’t jump the queue by accident )

About 40 minutes later, and there’s a sudden exodus of trucks from the bays, and I’m spoilt for choice. The guy in the queue ahead of me had major problems getting on the bay because they’re quite close together (and by this time there was another driver waiting forcing him to come in at a sharp angle). I’d been given the same bay number as him (since he was only dropping a single pallet), but I decided to go for one of the two bays next to each other to make life easier. I took a couple of shunts, but definitely better than last week.

Another hour later, and I’m 10 pallets lighter. Another dull trip back down the M25/M4/M5, and back to Portbury.

See, told you there wasn’t much to talk about…