Monday 19.00
Was given a 52 plated DAF ( which now seems to be mine ) was told to pick up trailer from trailer park ( The Swamp ) & take it to Ford Daventry & drop the trailer there & bring one back. Ok no probs there no the route so a little more relaxed.
Found the trailer up the swamp, hooked up too it raise up the suspension to drag it out a little, as you couldnt walk down the either side of trailer.Then proceeded to hook up properly. I always take number plate off tractor unit now & put it on my seat so I dont forget to put it on the trailer.
Left depot @ 19.27 & got to Daventry for 20.10, only a little wait here but was on my way back too Cov with a double decker…was back for 21.45 still rubbish on reversing 
i just take my time & keep getting out taking a look, but I keep over doing it to the right @ the moment…think i’m worried of hitting the trailer on my nearside.
Was back off too Daventry solo this time by 22.05 got there for 22.45, only a little wait again 15mins, found new trailer & got back too Cov for 00.06 now this reverse must have been the worse 1 of the week, in my notes I’ve wrote down 00.15 as time it was dropped. Now it was all done safely no damage, BUT it was very busy @ the time & I dont tihink the Shunter was too impressed, I know he has a busy schedule & wants trailers on & off the bays as quick as possible so I did sort of attempt an apology.
Took my break 00.35 it was definatley 00.25 - 01-16 where I was told my next job was a trailer swap in Gloucester, right check route quite simple till we get too Gloucester but again the map given made it look pretty straight forward.
By the time trailer was filled , i helped the lad load it & was done 02.08am now its suppose to be there for for 03.00am now in my car no probs but these things only go 56mph 
Now got too Gloucester about 03.30, i decided too keep it simple onto the M40-M42-M5, along the A38 where i get to the Main set of traffic lights TM told me to cross then it was 2nd left to where the depot was.
mmmmm in front of me as I am heading too where the lights are i can see a 7.5 tonne limit…heart starts racing so i pull over, check my map sure i’m in the right place,get my laptop out of bag & pull autoroute up which confirms i am.
So i get out & take a walk didnt help.
SO i rang tm 1st he thinks i’m in the wrong place as I describe where i am…left would be the 4008 to quigley in front was a Pet Superstore…no your gonna have to do a U & get back to the Macdonalds just off the motorway…as he says this I see another Salvesens lorry coming from the weight restriction 
@ this point TM is speaking to someone else & realises I am in the right place & explains the weight limit is prob for the Town Centre its ok for access…so over we go 2nd left & there the depot…with the lad from ponypool outside.
I get out & go over to him alright mate 
, “where the [zb] have you been was my reply” no point explaining, ask him what the procedure is…into depot swing it around & drop trailer on the road.
Now obvious mistake made as i come out of depot, there was another truck in front of me & i pulled up behind him ( trying too rush ) not realising I’d not completly cleared the entrance too the annoyance of 2 salvesen trucks coming in!!! SORRY
All done & on my way back 04.20…got back to depot @ 6.30 might have been a bit earlier but was being overtaken where the M42 heads towards Birmingham & for some reason I was still on it so had a liitle detour. ( now i know not too start to overtake when nearing your exit junction but will have to be more aware in future when being overtaken too )
Tuesday exactly the same as Monday before 12, only diff was shunter got me to put 1 of the trailers up the SWAMP, when i saw the gap he’d given knew it was for practice ( much needed )
After break was told I was going too Dunstable ( oh up North somewhere that is i thought to myself should be a nice drive!!! ) No you plonker its near Luton 
Urban trailer on left 2.03 arrived 3.30
Again very simple A45 M45 M1 junction 11, found this depot easily & plenty of room in there to manouver too. Swapped trailers & was back in Cov dropped trailer 1 shunt refuelled 7 done for 05.16.
Wednesday the same as Mon-Tues till 12, then after to break off too Gloucester again
Bit earlier this time 
made sure i’d cleared the entrnce this time before dropping the trailer…as i pulled forward to watch the trailer settle…as i reveresed back i could see the trailer looked rather low @ the front
The guy who was picking it up said you aint wound down the legs fully God knows how its the 1st thing I do if i havent got to put the trailer brake on■■? luckily there was not a lot of weight on & it only needed a couple of turns for him to be able to get under it!!! phew another lesson learned… Check & recheck legs are fully down.
So continued to hook up to my trailer…preparing to leave 04.00am turn the key…nothing got out a rechecked all my susies, still nothing!!! i
Here we go again, rang up myTM, just go into depot & get there mechanic to look @ it!!!
Found there mechanic nice old chap, about to finish he was but tried his best to get me on my way…he got absolutley drenched.
No go reckons the starter motor had gone…& would have to wait till 6.00am for the dayshift mechanics to arrive.
Phoned my Tm back, didnt seem that interested ( think it was because they were going home & didnt want the hassle )
Now i was starting to worry bout my hours, still a lot to learn on tacho regs, but even I know I’d have to be back by 10.00am which would make my 15hours.
i was running out of phone battery, & the Gloucester depot staff were quite annoyed that my depot had left me in limbo as such.
Now the day shift mechanic was working on my truck, removing the starter motor, what time do you reckon mate? i asked your looking about 9 the earliest pal was his answer.
Just as I was preparing for a moan to my depot, my phone rang Familiar voice it was the guy who did my induction…nice and calm apologised for the situation ( not anybodies fault know that ) think he knew I’d been left in limbo not knowing what the procedure would be.
Explained that i was to drive a van back as there was no way i’d get the truck back within my hours.
Actually got back to Cov for 09.50 didnt feel to bad…again all very apologetic & was told I couldnt start that night till 21.00 as i had to have an 11hour rest period.
It was only on the drive back from cov i could tell i was knackered…actually did feel like i was in danger of falling asleep, glad i’d got to Juc7 Great Barr as this was becoming apparent…home for 10.45 askeep @ 10.46
Thursday 21.00 right take your van back down to Gloucester & bring back your truck & trailer…this time I decided to take the A46 route as an alternative to the M40-M42-M5 nice drive but will stick too the motorway when in my truck.
Arrived @ 22.15 got my keys did my checks & was back on the road for 22.30.
Back to depot 00.38 again asked to drop trailer in the swamp more much needed practice.
Took break & then had another trailer swap for Dunstable…no probs depot empty when I got back plenty of room to the front & had an alright reverse onto bay fueled & finished for 05.10
Friday
Out of the Comfort zone time right I want you to pick up a trailer from UTL (unipart) Rugby take it to our depot in Northampton get tipped & bring the trailer back here!!! Gulppppppp looking like a rabbit caught in the Headlights!!! where ■■?
Got a map for the one, which was then discarded of, when the Tm & me new friendly shunter started drawing there own makeshift maps.
I just nodded @ all the rigt moments & thougt to myself [zb] any probs just ring!!
Ok got to me truck, when to get me laptop out to compare to the maps they’d drawn…still couldnt make much sense of em so just got on with it.
Up to the M6 jct2 get off @ 1 do a left straight on @ next island then a right…find the ind estate just following there maps but couldnt find Unipart… luckily spots another salvesen class2 truck…follow me mate phewww…now on the map this was suppose to be on my right…it wasnt.
Hooks up to trailer, wouldnt pull forward ( had this before charge up the tanks ) low air pressure on trailer…still wouldnt move…for [zb] sake.
Over i go to another driver…good as gold straight over to help…after same things i did…he said the shunt valve was stuck or something he was pushing against it…he told me to pull truck forward…it went he told me it’ll be fine now■■?
Right back to new map…on to m6 -m1 off @ 16…now this is where i start to get very nervy…been told its going to be country lanes…folowing signs for lodge farm…when i come to a right turn…i’m looking up @ it thinking that cannot be right, it looked like one of those roads that would turn into a dirt track or up to someones cottage. Back to the map , yep carry on its where there sending me…continues on to it slowly until there a bend in the road so I stop. I can get back out from here if i have too…& gets my laptop out…autoroute up confirms I am going the right way…but still found it hard to beleive.
Phewww get to the end where the T junction was suppose to be it was took the right & could see the depot on the left.
Entered the 1st gate ( WRONG ) luckily it was a service road that got me to where i was suppse to be very lucky… & parked up in the que of other salvesen trucks. Go to reception where i get told to put it on Bay2 and undo both your curtains…mmmm right 1st things 1st.
Now my reversing still is rubbish…gets into depot hardly any room and a trailer dead in front of bay2… i giv it a go…no chance get out & ask for some one to watch me…you’ll be alright pal we’ll get you in…you’ll have to blind side into that 1 " I cant [zb] reverse normally yet" “we’'ll sort that kido” well we got there again felt like 10mins but it was in the bay no damage done
Now to curtains…dont laugh…been shown this once on my induction night so was a little nervy…simple enough undone me straps…pulled liitle lever then big one & popped out the pole and pulled them back.
Then heard the forkie drop me side bars, scared the life out of me 
pheww time for a brew!!!
Half hour later all done, now to put the bars & curtains back…thankfully another driver wanted my bay & was more than willing to help…Topman.
Got up inside trailer so i could pass side bars to him, then watched me slot pole back in put tension back into curtain sorted then re do straps job done back to Cov Apart from juc16 slip rd north being closed I followed detour to juc17 & back up…could have gone A45 Daventry but wasnt sure on bridge heights @ that time so played it safe…checked my map later & would have been fine that way, will remember that for next time.
Back into depot 00.38 park trailer up the swamp, sure these gaps are getting smaller, going in lovely…on my offside perfect nice and close…mmmm the trailer on my nearsides @ an angle [zb] loads of shunts later ( with shunter watching from otherside of park ) sorted
Shunter explained that he has to park them @ an angle up the topside because the park isnt square, but said i did alright
Was told i could have my break & finish early too make up for wednesday.
Had my break & had a good chat too TM about how i was doing…& asked if I could get some more practice reversing onto the bays…he spoke to shunter & he said once it goes quiet I could have a play 
But unfortuantley it didnt happen stayed busy 
so i swiped out @ 2.00am & got an early night in.
Again a very productive week, learnt loads, a few mistakes but its starting too come together & my confidence is growing slowly…& they seem happy enough @ the moment with my progress.
Drive safe
Wills
