Hi all,
Been a member on here for a while but never really posted…
I work wih Dingo and been reading his diary’s … thought I would put one of mine up from a while back
Monday
0500 Start, I loaded Friday at EWOS so everything is ready to go, I put my kit in my motor and get a cup of coffee made whilst doing my paperwork, all set …. I head for Craig Nish a fish farm just outside Lochgilphead.
I arrive and take my sheet and ropes off and wait to get tipped —
Why does it always rain when ropes and sheets are involved?
One of the workers head of in his boat to the fish nets.
A view down the loch
Even the birds like fish food
2 hours later I’m tipped and make my way out of the fish farm, it’s a steep climb out and with now weight on I leave the timber pins in the head board to give the maximum weight on the drive axle,
Out of the job, I stop and make a call into the office, to find out what’s next on the agenda.
I’m told to wait and they’ll phone back. I use this time to put the pins back in.
Phone goes and I’m asked to head for the yard at Lochgilphead to pick up a loaded trailer for Carlisle,
I drop the trailer in the “Dirty Bit” — The bit of the yard we use for loading trailers — I couple up to my trailer and pull it out to get the belts put on.
Another coffee made and I make my way, down the A83 over The rest and be Thankful — We have a job up here but I don’t think we will be going all the way into it just now
I pull into Bothwell services with 4hs 10 minutes left of driving for the day. I spent the next half hour in the bunk with the night heater purring away.
Break over I head down the 74 for Carlisle.
A very quick tip.
I leave and head back up 74 pulling into Lockerbie truckstop at exactly 9 Hours driving.
Tuesday
0445 start today, I leave Lockerbie and make a stop in at Hamilton Services to fuel up, I phone into the office and am asked to head for 3 Bridges, a new job about 3 mile out of Inveraray.
I get into the job just after 8, The first motors have been in and got loaded, leaving it clear for me to run in.
Donald loads my front bolster with 2.5 m pallet wood,
I go up and turn round
Then Donald loads the rest of the trailer
Whilst waiting I watch one of the harvesters making short work of felling and cutting the trees to length.
This a great job the first for a few months that is not knee deep in mud or with pot holes that stop the motor when you go into them.
Loaded I head back for Lockerbie again,
I pull into the mill they must be desperate for timber, the place is empty, Glad some places are keeping us busy.
Tipped, I weigh out and head for Lockerbie truck stop for some lunch and a shower.
I’m off to Lanark for some blocks now for a building site beside the Hospital in Oban.
I pull into Lanark and Charlie pulls in beside me.
Once loaded I have a check of the SatNav — I should make Tyndrum with 10 minutes driving to spare.
It’s not going to happen I get a puncture, a bit of wood gets wedged between the drive wheels.,
The inner tyre is cut to the chords but the outer is holed.
The tyre fitter arrives 2 new tyres on — The originals were less than 2 weeks old. — Tyres replaced another check of the SatNav — I can make the cattle market in Stirling — Off I go — at 44 ton’s I head into a bend — BANG — the motor jolts I straighten up … nothing feels strange apart from every bump I go over I can hear and feel a heavy rattling from underneath my feet……
I pull into a very wet lay-by and crawl under the motor can’t see anything obvious… I phone Peter (Mckerral) he asks me to go underneath again and check this and that…….nothing — He then say ah …… The cab torsion bar…. I squeeze back out from under the motor, lift the bonnet…. There it is ….snapped……. Peter phones Renault I make my way to Belshill…. I park up for the night and get another shower before heading for bed….
Wednesday
0645 start I drop the trailer and park up outside the workshop.
1030 all fixed I’m on my way, first into Bothwell for fuel and then head off for Oban.
First I have to meet up with Lamont, His motor is a new MAN TGA XXL and he is loaded with straw, Ive to meet him before Arrochar and swap trailers, He’s loaded with straw and is about 17 feet high…… The bridge at Arrochar is 16 feet.
We swap trailers and check the heights…… with my suspension fully down I’m about 16 ft 4 …
The bridge is higher on the southbound side of the road, I cross over the road, and Lamont is watching me from behind calling on the CB to say I’m clear…… Slowly I creep through
Lamont is on the left hand side of the road, behind me, I’m on the right Beacons, hazards etc on, a car over takes Lamont and then undertakes me…… impatience !!!
We climb the rest and be thankfull and change over again at Butter Bridge.
We go our own ways, I stop on the road from Inveraray to Dalmally for a break
This is Kilchurn Castle at Loch Awe — More info undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/l … urncastle/
Break over I head for Oban.
The building site is a mess — The mud is a dark coal like sticky mud.
Once tipped I head for Durran thins,
But first I enjoy a half hour break outside Oban.
It’s late in the afternoon the sun is setting……
I’m in the right place at the right time…… 
I head into the job along the main road 6 miles of this ………
Yes this is the main road ……I meet a gritter luckily at a passing place……
Then into the forest I go……
Donald loads my front bolster from the side, then I move up allowing him to reach the rear of the trailer…. Loaded… I head out of the forest along a road we call 9 mile road.
Actually its 12+ miles of forest road, in the dark with no signs to give directions…. My tracking skills come into play…… 50 minutes of driving through forest tracks… I eventually make it out onto the A83 just North of Inveraray….
tinyurl.com/dylc8d - Link to google Map
A check of the SatNav — I can make Paisley truck stop…… I stop off at a BP garage in Dumbarton and pick up an M&S meal of chicken and rice for tea.
Thursday
0615 start — I head for Falkirk, Roy is getting tipped whilst I take my belts off, and then pull in to get tipped
A crane motor tips himself whilst I wait.
Tipped I phone into the office, Ive to head for Auch, a new job outside Tyndrum on the Fort William road toward Glencoe.
It’s a new job for me so I follow Donald in, it’s anothrt good job roads are solid but loading is tricky.
I move in along side Donald, he guides me as far as we dare, Im almost off the edge of the road
Donald’s fron left is off the road
Front bolster on I go and turn, and come back to the loading area
Donald loads the rest.
This is the forest workers home for the time being whilst they are on this job … fancy it !!!■■?
Loaded, I head for Caledonian Paper at Irvine, but first I stop for a break at Tyndrum Green Welly shop.
Break over I head down the A82 over the top of loch Lomond from Crianlarich to Tarbet, I hate this road, it’s a nightmare, so narrow and bendy — I get a good run and don’t meet anything …….
My phone goes …. “Where are you” …… I explain and Bobby Mckerral says he will meet me and download my card and tacho head…… We meet up at bottom end of loch Lomond, we have a chat about how things are, he says its fine…. I think its busy lol….
On way down the road I see Dingo in the distance and pull over
I get a photo as he passes
I head for the Mill….
It’s quiet and I get a quick tip ……
4 grabs — I’m tipped
I phone in — I’m off to Hillhouse blocks just round the corner for a load for Cambletown, pins away
Before I know it I’m loaded
I pull out of the yard and move round the corner out of the way to put my nets on.
25 minutes later Nets on and a rope over the back I’m done and take a 15 minute break
I head towards Glasgow, it’s rush hour but I get a good run up and am on the side of Loch Lomond before I know it and take a 30 minute break
The phone goes… There’s been a ■■■■ up in the way the blocks were ordered — Mine should be first into Cambletown the other loads are in front of me … I’ve to drop this load at the bottom of the rest and be thankfull … there’s another load been left further down the road, I’ve to pick that up and take it to our yard at Lochgilphead where one of the other guys will run it down so that its there first thing in the morning……
I swap the trailers and head for the yard …. I drop the trailer and give the motor a wash……
Have some tea and get a shower……
Friday
0715 start pick up a part loaded trailer and head for Barcalldin … North of Oban — where I will pick up the rest of my load
Generators and gearboxes for Windmills and a crusher from a quarry……
Going to Liverpool and York……on Monday 
Loaded down the A85 I go heading for home….
I meet these two monsters…… 
