Well a long serving 8w driver from where I’m based retires tomorrow so I might finally get onto an 8w at last- one of the last Fodens too so no London work 
I suppose I could get my Foden back as although they’ve started a new driver they wont take it off me for the 3 month trial period.
Cant think of anything at the mo that’s made in the UK that is any good apart from the politicians making ‘a ■■■■ up’ …
But I am sure someone will prove me wrong, well lets hope so
Fair made me go all dewy eyed! All that love - don’t waste it.
I spent most of my working life lorry driving .my old man used to work for thompsons of devon and i can still picture me and my brother in the yard at mortenhamstead playing around in his old aec mandator .After leaving the army in 1982 i stayed in germany and drove pretty much all over the place , came back to the uk in 1994 and continued driving,but then having got married and started a family as well as taking on step children i realised that it would be very difficult to bring up a family on the wages in the uk particulaly here in the south west where the wages are crap to say the least.In 2001 i started my own furniture business and did very well out of it but the recession has made it nessacary to go back to the wagons .Despite all the petty rules and regs i am really enjoying it ,and like some have said it seems to be [in some cases anyway] of you can take the man out of the wagon but you cant take wagon out of the man.
Lastly let me tell you that money aint everything becuse with it comes a whole heap of stress. Having employed 17 people at one time i would not go back to that lifestyle of " chasing the dream £ ".
regards tzz.
Having driven over UK and Euro over the years , I would say I prefer Euro , but , in this climate I would probably drive where ever, that being said I am now retired , so I can pick and choose. The ■■■■■■■■ that now goes with the job is well { ■■■■■■ in past gone years the driving was fast but that was your job so get it it done, get home and get the next job on the go , carry on Monday morn… but not now .,… everything has to be done as planned {■■■■■■■■} lets get back to how drivers do it
gasman:
Having driven over UK and Euro over the years , I would say I prefer Euro , but , in this climate I would probably drive where ever, that being said I am now retired , so I can pick and choose. The [zb] that now goes with the job is well { [zb]} in past gone years the driving was fast but that was your job so get it it done, get home and get the next job on the go , carry on Monday morn… but not now .,… everything has to be done as planned {[zb]} lets get back to how drivers do it
Well said mate,totally agree.
regards dave.
Muckaway:
woody2808:
I’ve gone from driving this
to driving this and those grapples behind it
Must have been mental
Arrrgh! JCB shovels!
…You have my deepest sympathies my friend. I await the outcry from the “buy British” brigade but I’m sorry, I do not see why JCB is so highly rated; Always found Cat and Case were better than a 3cx anyday.
Muckaway, I know what you mean mate. The JCB’s spend more time with an engineer under/in them than they do actually working. Out of the 4 machines we have we were down to 1 the other day. What a pile of rubbish they are 
(the boss got a brand new Audi out of JCB though so looks like we’re stuck with em!!) he’s buggered off back to Oz now…with the car 
Just an update; I’ve asked to go back on the road mainly for family reasons. I’m still in (just) an agreed 3 month trial period but now been told I have to wait for a vacancy or to see if work remains busy enough so they keep an old truck when the new ones arrive.
So much for the promise of “we’ll keep your job and lorry open for you…”
OfTen goes like that mate. My mate went in a 360 in 2008 just for a bit when the credit crunch hit still in it now and loads of new drivers have started. I know he is on a good screw as he would have jacked it in by now otherwise.
The last truck I drove was on 19/07/2007 after 22years driving mainly on the Continent. For the first 2 years after stopping I didn’t miss It for a second, but now I do miss the driving part.
Geoffo:
The last truck I drove was on 19/07/2007 after 22years driving mainly on the Continent. For the first 2 years after stopping I didn’t miss It for a second, but now I do miss the driving part.
That’s easily fixed, take off the rose tinted specs mate - stop reading on here about it being a job of driving around in comfort listening to the radio.
It’s really a job about being messed around by jumped up hitlers at security, being treated like you’re something somebody stood in, being cut up by cars - and other trucks etc.
I don’t want to sound too down, as this is the job I choose to do - I’m not forced into it, but if you didn’t miss it for the 1st 2 years, you’d had enough mate, remember what you didn’t like and times it by 10 to get todays job
waynedl:
Geoffo:
The last truck I drove was on 19/07/2007 after 22years driving mainly on the Continent. For the first 2 years after stopping I didn’t miss It for a second, but now I do miss the driving part.That’s easily fixed, take off the rose tinted specs mate - stop reading on here about it being a job of driving around in comfort listening to the radio.
It’s really a job about being messed around by jumped up hitlers at security, being treated like you’re something somebody stood in, being cut up by cars - and other trucks etc.
I don’t want to sound too down, as this is the job I choose to do - I’m not forced into it, but if you didn’t miss it for the 1st 2 years, you’d had enough mate, remember what you didn’t like and times it by 10 to get todays job
As I’ve said, I miss the driving part, but not the job. I’ve also not forgotten the reason’s why I stopped driving.Driving was also I job I choose to do & loved It for the first 21 year’s, but there come’s a time when decision’s had to be made.
The main question for me was: Do I want to drive until I retire or do I want to try my hand at something else. I choose the something else. As It turn’s out the ‘something else’ pay’s a whole lot better… So no rose tinted glasses this end… 
Can I have some opinions on this?
When asked if I could try a different job in the same firm, I was told by TM that I could do it for 3 months after which I could take the new job or go back on tippers. I did new job for 2 weeks trial before being asked if I wanted to go ahead with a 3 month probationary period, with the proviso that if I wasn’t good enough I’d go back to transport or if I wished could return. I signed paperwork agreeing to 3 month probation and before 3 months ended I requested to go back to tippers. TM said there was no vacancies currently as 2 new drivers had started. Surely that’s their problem not mine?
I would say that it is your problem.
Unfair , I agree but I fail to see how the boss can resolve the issue short of sacking one of the new drivers.
Unless he can persuade someone else to do the job you are currently doing and thus allow you back on the road.
Difficult to see anything that you can do short of threatening to resign.
The agreement you signed may have the legalities on your side but that doesn’t actually sort the problem out.
I agree Del, one driver does want to learn the job but there lies the problem; He needs to learn from scratch, I have experience and the ever more important NVQ bumf from years back.
There are new motors waiting to go in service so apparently if they expand by keeping an old wagon there’d be an opening there. (I’dve had a new one had I not “helped them out” during the shortage of plant ops. I wont be the first or the last employee in the world to do an employer a favour, to be crapped on from a great height in return.
Muckaway:
I agree Del, one driver does want to learn the job but there lies the problem; He needs to learn from scratch, I have experience and the ever more important NVQ bumf from years back.
There are new motors waiting to go in service so apparently if they expand by keeping an old wagon there’d be an opening there. (I’dve had a new one had I not “helped them out” during the shortage of plant ops. I wont be the first or the last employee in the world to do an employer a favour, to be crapped on from a great height in return.
I for one have just about had my fill of doing thankless favours for employers…
raymundo:
I have never been able to make up my mind what I like doing best. When I was truck driving I wanted to be back at sea and like now when driving a ship I want to be back on the road. Obviously the money is far better where I am and all there at the end of the month with no worries about that but even when I go on leave I like to do a bit of agency driving. Drives the wife mad sometimes but there you go. My class 1 has to be renewed as soon as I next go home so who knows?
Same here , stopped tramping 6 years ago to go back to sea, just signed back up with an agency to get back on the road and get my eye in .Still love it!!!
BanburyDan:
Muckaway:
I agree Del, one driver does want to learn the job but there lies the problem; He needs to learn from scratch, I have experience and the ever more important NVQ bumf from years back.
There are new motors waiting to go in service so apparently if they expand by keeping an old wagon there’d be an opening there. (I’dve had a new one had I not “helped them out” during the shortage of plant ops. I wont be the first or the last employee in the world to do an employer a favour, to be crapped on from a great height in return.I for one have just about had my fill of doing thankless favours for employers…
And now my hours are being cut: Used to start at 6.30 so I could grease, refuel and fill some potholes before the quarry opens at 7. I’ll start a bit early, go home a bit early so that the lorries get loaded ontime. Not for the company, just to help the drivers a bit, where I do get thanks.
Looks like they want shot of you , IMHO.
Easter-Star:
Looks like they want shot of you , IMHO.
Suppose I could claim for constructive dismissal then.
Heard a rumour today which might suggest a return to the road…