My trip to Murcia

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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DAY 1 Sunday
Left yard in Cardiff @ 4pm for the 4:30h drive to our w/house in Dover, this turned out to be a 7and half hour drive, so I hitch up to trailer I loaded on Thursday for Murcia go have a shower and make myself a bit of super in the drivers flat above the w/house.

DaY 2 Monday
Leave yard in Dover for the short drive to the dox where I book on the Norfolk line 10am ferry to Dunkurque which due to yesterday’s bad weather would be 40 mins late. Off the boat and as I’m running at only 20 tonne decide to go via Rouen, with all its hills! I pass 2 of my colleges on the motorway between Rouen and Evreux as they head back to UK a quick wave and toot and there gone, 9h drive today gets me rather late parked up in services on the A10 at Poitier.

Day 3 Tuesday
Jump on the N10 at Poitier sud for the drive south to Bordeaux, I don’t like this road but it saves about 80euro’s 4hours later I’m well thro the forest bit on my way to F-ES boarder no roadwork’s or heavy traffic so far. Break taken and I’m soon going up the N121A and past the spot where last Saturday and Blue double manned magnum missed the bend and went thro crash barrier killing both Polish drivers in the river below, quick coffee at Sunbilla, and away again, diesel in Pamplona, end up for the night in a lovely hotel /truckstop at Mallagon on the N121 showered 3 course meal, bottle of wine, water and coffee all for 9 euro’s.and nobody to pester you for £17 to park!!

Day 4 Wednesday
After only about 20mins driving road is blocked by the police not for a tacho check just to weigh so I join the Q 7th from the platform 2 of the trucks weighed and were parked up both Spanish my turn drive on to scales a quick blow on the weigh bridge operators whistle and I’m on my way. Rest of the journey to the factory was uneventful, I arrived at about 430pm took papers to the office told where to park and open 1 side (I like these kind of tip’s) 50 mins later CMR returned signed, trailer closed truck moved to let another 1 in to tip I go off for a nice refreshing shower as the temp today nr. Murcia was 78f. Ring my office told its too late backload details tomorrow, off I treck in search of a restaurant, find one and the menu is only 8euro50 !

Day 5 Thursday
Lie in awaiting backload details, at last 1030 message arrives with details get out auto route and as luck would have it I’m parked just around the corner, 2 hours later I’m loaded for Peterborough with a few bits for a tower crane end the day parked at same place as Tuesday night, but too late for a meal.

Day 6 Friday
Crack on make it to Castets for lunch so far so good then I get my bad news off TM “when I ship back I have to go via Dover as I have to swap my lovely mega space 480 merc for a XLX 430 MAN as I’m the only driver with a digi card thing”
Park up at the big truck stop on the N10 Vivonne. Now I hope what I done is legal?(I’m sure someone will tell me yes or no) I booked a 24 hour rest from 5pm Friday till 5pm Saturday and then set out to Dreux so as to be sure to make Calais and the yard on Monday
Day 7 Saturday
Had a lie in then a shower shave etc… lovely lunch, no wine thou as I would be driving later 24 h rest time up set off for the Total garage at Dreux on the N12 for another 24 rest during the Sunday French driving ban.

Day 8 Sunday
Have another lie in then get up and start packing up my stuff in carrier bags to move trucks tomorrow god the junk I manage to collect thinking it might come in handy!! But never been used but too good to chuck out lunch spent in the garage no posh meal today me and a paddy driver had steak hash (posh burger) and chips.

Day 9 Monday
1 minute past midnight I’m away to miss all the traffic on route to Calais 4h20 min later in the Q for the train only have to wait 30 mins and im on a shuttle, just under 2 hours I’m pulling into our Dover yard where im given the keys to EU56KTX Hittlers revenge. Move my stuff to other truck and go to bed.

Day 10 Tuesday
Off to Peterborough to tip on way notice that fuel is on the red so double back to total garage on A2 it only took 380litre to fill from half down the red this will be fun in Spain havin to fill up every day. Found where Crane bits to tip are and utter horror there are 7 Spanish trucks in front of me waiting told would not get done till morning. Not a problem can I leave the trailer? “Yes“ so I go find somewhere to park.

Day 11 Wednesday
Return to my trailer open it all up un strap load and still a Spaniard waiting in front of me 5hours later I’m empty, ring up and told I’m loading Perkins (just around the corner from where I’ve just tipped to go to Murcia again delight!!!)But not till 8am tomorrow so set off for the old BP truck stop at Alconbury.

Day 12 Thursday
Into Perkins and straight into loading bay that’s a first! Loaded 33 little engines for Murcia which I will be shippin out with on Sunday bring the load back to our Cardiff depot go home BTW that little MAN pulls like a train I have to admit but we will see what the mountains of Spain can do to slow it down!!!

2

malcomj,thanks a nice read, by the way what did it cost from
the port to the customer for the road toll, any chance of a few
photos in your next dairy please.

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Good Read :smiley:

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took camera but forgot to charge it
tolls were to the nearest euro if i remember
33 Boulogne to aberville
2 Tours ring road
33 Tours to Poitier
18 for the 3 tolls thou the forest (ran the old national around Pampolia to Tudlia) but its 3:80 and 2x 80 cents on motorway and 3:80 at Irun
19 Valencia-Alicante
and 2x 3.80 on the AP37 to San Javier where I Tipped

5

thanks malconj for the quick reply, hope that you can take a few photos
I take it you have a small tank on the MAN of 400liters ; NOT NICE;
A question Malcomj why not not go from one of the ports down south
or southwest to CAEN as it is closer and therefore quicker and cheaper
as the Bear points out ,

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the last trip the trailer was at our Dover yard had to go for a running repair, this week as I have the truck and trailer in our Cardiff yard I may ask to go Portsmouth Caen or St Malo but as for Poole I personally don’t like the drive to get there or the drive from Cherbourg, and don’t start me off about the old tub of a freighter Truck line call a Ferry even more so now as you have to pay for your meal!!. I quiet like Norfolk line the ferries are the best on the channel in my humble opinion, and most important I can get the present Mrs Jones her wine at Calais keeps her quite while I’m away.

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MALCOMJ ,IF YOU HAVE TO GO VIA Dunkerque Sunday
why not try going via LUX AS YOU CAN RUN on sundays
and so get nearly< into LUX (distance from docks is 320kms)
Next day in to lux fill up down to LYON (6-7 HRS) YOU SHOULD MAKE
Orange or perhaps a little further,Next day IN TO Spain via Ceret
down to MURCIA, and on Wenseday early into the customer
and then perhaps get the reload on quicker, it is just a thought
and if you have the twin tanks the fuel costs do help,

The total distance is 2090kms from Dunkerque to Murcia via
LUX

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good thinking Pete would make a change to go that way only little problem is my new truck only holds 400 odd litres so would cheap derv in Lux be of any use? also just swapped to a Total fuel card from shell :cry: is there any total garage’s on route in Lux I can’t think of any without coming off motorway :unamused:

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MALCOM J TOTAL AND FINA WORK TOGETHER
so get your firm to check this point out,
secondly ,i will have a quick look and come back and post
a answer, if not there are enough in Belgium with 26% vat
so that knocks say 18-20cents off the price when the vat comes back.
do you have a bbok as normaly the fuel cards give books out with all locations.

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MALCOMJ try this linkhttp://www.total.lu/

when you get it on leave it in french

go to the right hand corner
where the sign witha fuel punp
is showing click here,
it shows you a list of places,
EXAMPLE click on WASSERBILLIG
SHOWS PICTURE CLICK on the
word DETAIL this shows
opening hours,fuels sold,
and cards taken,
(THIS WILL ONLY WORK
WHEN THE LANGUAGE
STAYS FRENCH)

BY the way get your firm to check that your card will
be excepted as there is no mention of a total -card
they take UTA DKV etc
hope this is understandable, any questions please let us know,

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brit pete:
MALCOM J TOTAL AND FINA WORK TOGETHER
so get your firm to check this point out,
secondly ,i will have a quick look and come back and post
a answer, if not there are enough in Belgium with 26% vat
so that knocks say 18-20cents off the price when the vat comes back.
do you have a bbok as normaly the fuel cards give books out with all locations.

Vat is 21% in belgium

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guilty as charged, sorry,so it only knocks off
about15-17 cents a liter aprox in the vat returns,

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Just rang office about a book they are in Dover office so might pick one up on way thro sunday thanks for the info the fuel card also has the club sign of AS24 on it think it can be used at those sites too will try at Veurne

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what about the link was it any good malcomj for
the garages in lux

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the link works fine I would use the one on the N4 at Martelange but as the truck only holds 400 L would all the extra road tolls in France make it worth the while?2 days tax @ 8euro or is it less for euro 4/5?

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yes in that respect you are right BUT what about the time factor
as you could run the shift out sunday which brings you about
30mins From LUX and thenMONDAY–its another 6-7 hrs LYON
and then you should make ORANGE or further,Thats monday,Tuesday
brings you either to the customer or just short ,so you can unload eary WENSEDAY and possible reload the same day, just a thought,
AS you can not drive unless you have permits or airfreight,food products,
in FRANCE on a sunday until 2200hrs, would that not make a difference,

17

malcolmj For godsake take Pete’s advice & nip down to Romania & buy some diesel off a passing locomotive before going to Murcia… ( All you do is park across the tracks until the train comes along then have a deal with the driver…Sorted! ) :laughing:
[ DUNKIRK-----MURCIA…1911KM./ DUNKIRK-LUXEMBOURG-MURCIA…2132KM. Thats about 221KM extra…That works out at about 3 hrs extra on your trip down…If you come back that way you have put 6 hours on your trip. Your natural compass should tell you if you are going to Spain to turn right out of Dunkirk & head South ,not left & head North…Hope this helps…]
Or…its the same as nipping up to Thurrock to buy some cherry then returning to Dover to get your boat…?

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HARRY YOU ARE QUITE RIGHT,now ,
about the distance i made 2090km via LUX,but look at it this way,he
CAN;T drive in France on SUNDAY by running out to
LUX ,he can get in to THE customer WENSEDAY MORNING
and not late in the afternoon, also he could perhaps get a re-
loaded,I also said the way HE went is shorter,but it is a case of
trying to use the drivers hours to their full and not waste time,
Malcomj said he left Dover, MONDAY and got to the customer late
WENSEDAY, this way, it is possible to get to the customer on
the early hours of the WENSEDAY, so he job gets done quicker
and he could also get home quicker by going the other way,

by the way i also said how about useing the route THE BEAR
posted as well, AS said before it is up to who is in charge
if he does say 720km MONDAY;AND ALSO TUESDAY,
so he will have about 350-380km on wenseday to drive
and will be at the customer early , by going via LUX,

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Personally I wouldn’t go anywhere near Lux on the way to Spain, it just isn’t worth it. I would ship over Sunday and leave the port about 21:30 (yes I know, but the Gendarmes are very unlikely to bother you at that time) and get 3 - 4 hours under the wheels. Park up and take daily rest, if you have planned it carefully the time on the ferry and the time waiting for 21:30 to roll round = 4 hours so just an 8 hour rest period needed. Monday a 10 hour drive day, which on French motorways should see 800 - 850 kms covered. A 9 hour driving day on Tuesday will leave you hardly anything to do on Wednesday and put you on the customers doorstep for them opening. Another 10 hour day on the Tuesday may even get you to the delivery point that night, but I would rather keep the other 10 for the way home.

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What kind of money do you earn in a week and having a 24 hour rest I.E. day one leaving Cardiff mid afternoon until the following Sunday when you start packing ?.

I dont mean to get personal i just wondered if its worth it compared to people tramping in this country.

How does your boss work out the difference in Euros and Pound notes to pay the tolls?.

On day 12 Thursday you loaded from Peterborough then head for home, will you be taking the load out on the Sunday?, does it pay to take a load that far away to take it back in the same direction later in the week?.

I dont mean to get personal in any way i am just intrigued by the euro haulage and have always thought i would try it one day but my present job seems to be too comfortable to thnik about it.