Hello, this is prob a daft question to most of you but I still need an answer lol. I have just passes my C+E and was wondering when( not if )I get a job how can I tell what type of gearbox is in my wagon, pattern wise it will be explained on top of the gear stick , but how do I know if it’s a range change or splitter or overdrive■■? The class 2 I passed in had over drive, which I only used in top gear, but in the class 1 I had 4 over 4 and a range change. Please can some one explain it in simple terms as just getting head around it all and don’t want to look a complete knob on my first day lol 
Hi mate and welcome
I think that on here some where there is a thread with pics explaining all the types of box you will encounter in the job … look in this thread mate 
Generally you are thrown in at the deep end. Oh and mostly they will be auto boxes 
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If you are in the minority and get a manual box, look at the gear stick and see if there is a diagram on top or sometimes on a plate or sticker around the gear stick area.
Otherwise if you still aren’t sure, ask. There is no harm in asking the gear configuration. Better that than struggle up the road.
The first rule, if your un-sure about anything, ASK! You will look like more of a “knobhead” when you have a go and get it wrong, people wont expect you to know what your doing when you first start, i met an old guy couple of days ago who said he had been driving all his life and he was retiring that day and in the morning he had to ask one of the lads in the yard how to make his skelly trailer slide as he couldnt find the button, he said it doesnt matter how long you’ve been doing the job your still learning in this game. Back on track as mentioned above its unlikely you’ll drive a manual but it is possible, i drive a DAF cf unit with a 4 over 4 with a split so is possible
just ask one of their regular drivers , best source of info , always ASK …
Always ask, no matter how daft you think the question might be - it’s better than getting it wrong. Any driver or the yard shunter will help you out, we’ve all been there.
I am in the same position as you, and have the same concerns.
I have just bought a book which seems to cover most gearboxes and has an unbelievable amount of other useful information. Perhaps you too would benefit from it.
It is: Truckers Handbook, published by Haynes. It retails at £14.99 but I got mine from Amazon for under a tenner.
As a matter of interest I bought the Philips Trucker’s Britain map book at the same time (£19.99).
I paid £26ish for them both including delivery.
Good luck
Alan