I’ve been doing part-time work for a local company for a few months now, but I started full-time with them yesterday. I’ve got my lorry, nicknamed ‘Bob’ by the kids (it’s the same one I’ve been driving before, but I don’t have to share it now 
). It’s a 2003 reg TGA 26.410, but has been cleaned & scrubbed inside to within an inch of it’s life!
Started yesterday at 5AM, popping down to Harwich to collect a Blue Water trailer, then off to Long Crendon to offload. Got stuck on the A12 at Brentwood for an hour or so due to an accident, which then put me smack in the rush hour for the M25, so got to the drop nearly 2 hours late (had to take a 45 on the way due to the delays). No great dramas though, the client wasn’t bothered, and made me a coffee whilst we unloaded. Then back to Harwich to drop the trailer and collect the next one ready for today. Back in the yard and finished at 1600, ready for an early night and an early start today…
0430 today, and off to the first drop at Wincanton Daventry for an 0800 appointment. I was told to make sure I didn’t miss the appointment, so made sure I got there at 0730. When I checked in at the gatehouse, they sent me straight onto bay 17. By the time I’d sorted the paperwork and taken it to the office along with my keys, they were already unloading. Within 30 minutes, the 20 pallets were off, and I was on my way to Wellingborough, to DHL / Homebase DC. Again, straight in, straight on, and by the time I’d put the susi lock on the red line and dropped the keys in, they’d taken their 2 pallets, and were telling me I could go. By now it was 10AM and the next drop, 10 miles away, was booked in for 1230. Could my luck hold?
So off to John Lewis DC at Northampton. I tried my luck, and asked politely if they could possibly get me in early. ‘No problems, jump on bay 2 and we’ll sort you out’. This was to be my only reversing aggro of the day - a dead straight reverse in from teh entrance gate - could I get it straight, could I ■■■■■■■■! Eventually on, and the remaing pallets off within 15 minutes, stayed there for another 15 though to get a break in, then back to Harwich.
Bobtailed back from Harwich to Earls Colne, to collect a trailer from one of our customers, then off to Sudbury to load it ready for a drop in Harlesden in the morning. Left Sudbury with 1h20m of drive time remaining, and made my way back via Colchester. What a mistake! If you know the area, you’ll know what North Station / Avenue of Remembrance is like at rush hour. As I was coming off the roundabout onto the Avenue of Remembrance, looking like a nodding dog, trying to look in every direction at once, I caught a quick glimpse of a light down my LH side - a car trying to squeeze down the side rather than waiting for me to get clear. After hitting the brakes, and a quick remonstration, we carried on, finally getting back to the yard with 5 minutes of drive time left, and a lay-in tomorrow morning, until 0530! Got told tonight that I’d be losing Bob for a week though, as one of the other guys is on holiday, and they need to get a casual in to cover the work - because the other guy’s lorry is a brand new one, and they’re not happy to let one of the casuals in a shiny new one, they want me to drive it instead. A compliment, but I just hope Bob gets looked after properly!
All in all, a good start, starting to feel like a real lorry driver now (dunno where I’m going to find one though!). I’ll try to remember to take a photo of the lorry and stick it on here - if you see me out and about please wave or say hello, always like to meet new people.
Gary
