tonyhogi:
As anybody still got an old log book? If so- post it on here it, as would be interesting to see , i remember the last ones called ‘the individual control book’ where a ruler was required to fill them in
That was the graph type log book filled in with a continous line along the driving time dropping down to next line for rest ect.
When I started we had individual sheets on which you were encouraged to be as creative as possible, I would use upto 5 or 6 a day
some times even more. For instance back in the early sixties my first day(s) work for a Yorkshire farmer. My Dad dropped me at the
yard and the boss allocated me an ERF lorry reg YBE 167 spent all day Monday loading ex farms and taking produce into grading stations.
At 1500hrs yard foreman says to load beetroot (handball hessian sacks) onto pallets (they did’nt believe in forklifts ) roped and sheeted
filled twin 50 gall tanks with fuel and went into office for notes (approx 1730) notes said deliver 0800hrs Galbraith Stores, Paisley don’t
be late ring when tipped. Just had time for meal kiss the wife and kids and off to Glasgow. Arrived Paisley 0745 Tuesday tipped for about
0930 and rang in to hear the words I would hear many times again " I want you to pop to Montrose and pick up a load of seed potatoes"
this was pre motorway days. Off I went to George Ogilvies of Montrose to find my load was scattered throughout Aberdeenshire 3 or
4 pickups a few ton at a time. By 1900hrs tuesday I was loaded and triple sheeted and ready for bed, I thought if I ring in he will want me down the
road eff you I’m off to bed. I booked into one of the best little digs I have ever stayed in for good food,clean rooms and sheets. The landlady
was a widow called Jane Laing at 55 George Street Montrose. Over the next few years I was to stay there many times, next day (wed) I set off
bright and early and rang the boss from Brechin “where are you Al” Brechin I replied “You should be in Doncaster” he said and put the phone down.
I don’t think this was exceptional for the early sixties more the norm, by the way boys I was on the princely sum of 25p per hour (all hours no overtime rate)
and 80p for a night out Oh happy days and they were. regards Big Al
Never got to four Jack,three was my max.One run I remember was in 1968 with a clapped out Reiver.I was skint.Early start from Sheffield - they were always early bloody starts -two drops,Garretts,Leiston in Suffolk and Wingets,Rochester.I had to ring a number for a backload and it turned out to be paper reels out of Sittingbourne - was that Reeds? I did all that and went back to Sheffield same shift.The first sheet went out of the window at Rochester.I remember waiting ages to be loaded at the paper mill.The second sheet was disposed of somewhere between the bottom of the M1 and Watford Gap and then I ran legal to outside our house way after midnight.
That is what I call flexibility,there was no pressure (except silent checks) and I was cab happy as well as skint. Nobody knew what I had done,I had a lie in and crept over to Heinz Wigan,tipped and when I rung in got the “tha’d best get thesen back 'ere,thi orders will be in t’diesel 'ut”.
Loved it!
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Chris roped and sheeted a few loads out of Kit Green, I shunted in there for John Ditchfield Transport of Preston, upto 9 or 10 a day
Good job no log books to worry about regards Big Al
5thwheel:
We used to “signal” to other drivers if the Ministry were ahead of them by showing our Log books didnt we,and another advantage was,if you were on a “dodgy” you took your Log book with you,stuck your hand out with the Log in it and you soon got a lift from another driver…those were the days!!..or were they?
Take it easy,
Rgds,
David
That’s it David,flash of headlights and hold log book in windscreen,that was the standard warning to other drivers.
I remember running back from South Wales one sunday afternoon.I was heading for the Oakamoor Cafe on the A38 for a dodgy but wagons were a bit thin on the ground on sundays in them days.I could see in my mirror either a Brian Harris or Harris and Miners 4-wheeler fast approaching so i stuck my log book out of the window and he tucked in behind me,followed me onto the Oakamoor and away to Tinsley where he dropped me on his way to Leeds.
Great days.
5thwheel:
We used to “signal” to other drivers if the Ministry were ahead of them by showing our Log books didnt we,and another advantage was,if you were on a “dodgy” you took your Log book with you,stuck your hand out with the Log in it and you soon got a lift from another driver…those were the days!!..or were they?
That’s it David,flash of headlights and hold log book in windscreen,that was the standard warning to other drivers.
I remember running back from South Wales one sunday afternoon.I was heading for the Oakamoor Cafe on the A38 for a dodgy but wagons were a bit thin on the ground on sundays in them days.I could see in my mirror either a Brian Harris or Harris and Miners 4-wheeler fast approaching so i stuck my log book out of the window and he tucked in behind me,followed me onto the Oakamoor and away to Tinsley where he dropped me on his way to Leeds.
Great days.
Hiya…then ever after you,d flash you lights at each other for year,s as you,d just made a new mate.and another mate and another mate,
Ive had people say youv,e picked me up before.
I was coming out of Barnstaple one morning about 5am. Thers a chap was thumbing a lift. I was a bit sleepy so i stopped, where mate, m5. Jump in.
(The M5 stopped at Bridgewater then). Had a chat stopped at Georges for brekky where are you going, Bristol, you can wait if you like i,am
going up the M5.( no Avonmouth bridge then)as we chatted he was going to Meir(Stoke on trent ) to see his in laws, not bad as i gave him a lift
all the way for nowt and dropped him off 50 yds from the door. I was going another ten miles to Leek.He must have been desperate i had a S39 Foden
but it would do 60+
John
When I had an AEC MK3 I’ve known drivers with log books turn away,pretending they hadn’t seen me and looking for summat a bit nicer to ride in.Well as far as I was concerned “a third class ride is better than a first class walk” so they could please theirselves,but they could bugger off if I saw them again.I would very often run into the services and out again to see if anybody wanted a lift,God knows I had enough lifts meself.
Big Al:
Chris roped and sheeted a few loads out of Kit Green, I shunted in there for John Ditchfield Transport of Preston, upto 9 or 10 a day
Good job no log books to worry about regards Big Al
Hi Al,would it have been the same Heinz site- Kitt Green- in 1968?
I remember the name now because I think Wincanton had the work out of there at one time.
I once backloaded seed potatoes off I think it was Peter Halley at Crieff? I had one pick up somewhere at the side of the A94 near Coupar Angus and three drops around Louth in Lincs.I thought I’d done well but our gaffer wasn’t impressed when I rung in,he’d sooner you load steel further south for Yorks.Anyway I got all three drops off and loaded spuds at Spilsby (can’t recall who off)for Sheffield market so that cheered him up a bit
Big Al:
Chris roped and sheeted a few loads out of Kit Green, I shunted in there for John Ditchfield Transport of Preston, upto 9 or 10 a day
Good job no log books to worry about regards Big Al
Hi Al,would it have been the same Heinz site- Kitt Green- in 1968?
I remember the name now because I think Wincanton had the work out of there at one time.
I once backloaded seed potatoes off I think it was Peter Halley at Crieff? I had one pick up somewhere at the side of the A94 near Coupar Angus and three drops around Louth in Lincs.I thought I’d done well but our gaffer wasn’t impressed when I rung in,he’d sooner you load steel further south for Yorks.Anyway I got all three drops off and loaded spuds at Spilsby (can’t recall who off)for Sheffield market so that cheered him up a bit
“Can’t do rayt for doing wrong” springs to mind.
Was the Sheffield Market called Park Hall ? years ago all the markets were in the middle of towns and cities, now they are all on the outskirts. regards Big Al
Hya all,the old log books were always good for a lift when on a dodgy made sure you got home.Like you say Chris always pulled onto the services to see if anyone wanted a lift,all the tankers from Runcorn and Ellesmere Port did ,good old days eh.Cheers Ted.
I parked up at the oakamoor cafe forgetting the following day was good friday,i was down at the tinsley roundabout at six the next morning nothing much moving out of sheffield on good friday,after about forty five minutes one of sid harrisons scammells came along and then i remembered what you said chris about a third class ride being better than a first class walk i was working for caudles at the time.
Big Al:
Chris roped and sheeted a few loads out of Kit Green, I shunted in there for John Ditchfield Transport of Preston, upto 9 or 10 a day
Good job no log books to worry about regards Big Al
Hi Al,would it have been the same Heinz site- Kitt Green- in 1968?
I remember the name now because I think Wincanton had the work out of there at one time.
I once backloaded seed potatoes off I think it was Peter Halley at Crieff? I had one pick up somewhere at the side of the A94 near Coupar Angus and three drops around Louth in Lincs.I thought I’d done well but our gaffer wasn’t impressed when I rung in,he’d sooner you load steel further south for Yorks.Anyway I got all three drops off and loaded spuds at Spilsby (can’t recall who off)for Sheffield market so that cheered him up a bit
“Can’t do rayt for doing wrong” springs to mind.
Was the Sheffield Market called Park Hall ? years ago all the markets were in the middle of towns and cities, now they are all on the outskirts. regards Big Al
It was called Parkway Market Al.I worked for Naylor and Wagstaffe out of there in 1969/70
) roped and sheeted
