Driving before the tests came in.Passed both CPC’s for management one 1989 other 1999.
Passed my class 2 in '77 driving a Dodge 6 wheeler with Manchester Training Group in Failsworth, and went driving for B.S.S. (Salford) with a Redline cabbed Chieftain.
Then did my class 1 in '86, in a Dodge Hi - Line 30ft with Bill Mallony from Dukinfield, my first artic job then was with Newsflow with a 1628 SK Merc. It was my first drive of any foreign make, the cab seemed pure luxury, but gutless even when half loaded.
Paul.
After a few years “learning the ropes” as a van driver,I passed my class 3 in ‘86 aged 21 in a leyland 16 tonner with a driving school kindly paid for by my guv’nor, John Dobbs, then class 1 in ‘89 in a company iveco 190-30 with 40’ box trailer around Worthing after a couple of weeks’ “lessons” with my colleague Derrek Gibbs on Dobbs Transport. My test date was the Saturday before the August bank holiday, I have a feeling it was one of the first Saturday tests.
Regards,
Mark.
Got my rigid licence by Grandfather rights driving AEC 6 wheelers. Passed by test for the class 1 in Bolton with a guy called Joe Ash in a Ford D. He used to tell you something once then give you a bollocking if you did it wrong again. Passed my test near Preston. Took my bus test in Heywood.
Someone mentioned drotts; I took part of my 'dozer test in an International TD15. Pushed like hell and my ears rattled even after I took my earmuffs off 
Muckaway:
Someone mentioned drotts; I took part of my 'dozer test in an International TD15. Pushed like hell and my ears rattled even after I took my earmuffs off
I took my dozer test on the Liverpool end of the M62 on Queens drive on a Cat D8. The examiner did about 25 of us in the day for McAlpines. All he did was watch us move the dozer round and asked us about 4 questions and we all passed. The International B100 Drots were great little work horses but they did lack a bit of power and at times they were asked to do jobs out there league.
Carlc:
Muckaway:
Someone mentioned drotts; I took part of my 'dozer test in an International TD15. Pushed like hell and my ears rattled even after I took my earmuffs offI took my dozer test on the Liverpool end of the M62 on Queens drive on a Cat D8. The examiner did about 25 of us in the day for McAlpines. All he did was watch us move the dozer round and asked us about 4 questions and we all passed. The International B100 Drots were great little work horses but they did lack a bit of power and at times they were asked to do jobs out there league.
Never got to drive an old school D8 but did grt training on a ‘74 D4. It felt like operating a signal box with all those levers and pedals.
To keep this on thread, I sat on Dads’ lap and steered an Eaton Twin Split Foden when I was about 10; I failed the theory surrounding it…
I’d been driving 7.5 tonners for a few years, then went and took my Class 1 in 1984. Spent a week or two on L’s around Croydon in a D series (2417?) with a 38’ double bogie trailer. Come the test I’d done all the roadwork OK then it was back to the test depot for the nadgery stuff. My instructor - a bit of a larrikin he was too - was watching from the shed. All went OK then the emergency stop - got it up to ~30 or so, then when the examiner smacked the dash with his clipboard I hit the anchors… and he nearly went through the window. He gave me an old fashioned look but passed me and my instructor was still [zb]ing himself laughing when I got back to the shed. 
Happy days.
Mine was a Bedford TM (very modern for the day) and a 40ft flatbed.
Over here I used a Frieghtlner day cab with a 48 ft box trailer. (I only had 1 day in it a month before and then 30 minutes before the test).
I passed my test 10 days after my 21st in 1971,in a Dodge artic with a 40’ flat trlr.I then started with BRS Elmstead mkt in an AEC Mercury with a single axle trlr.I got the sack after 3 months[for being too quick].Then i was offered a job doing long dist and a bit of continental with a Guy bigJ non sleeper.I felt i was the bees knees[until i saw all the ‘‘real’’ continental trucks],but hey ho,it’s a learning curve.Mike
1974, three days before Christmas in a Leyland Chieftain from RTITB Mendlesham. At Ipswich, it was foggy and the guy I trained with had his test cancelled because of the weather, by 11 o’clock it started to rain and the fog cleared so my test went ahead. Herbie Green taught me how to drive.
2006, came to Canada and had to do the whole thing again in a Freightliner Classic.
Still got the brown licence.
I took mine in a Scammell Highwayman almost as soon as they were introduced as in the qualifying twelve months I had been driving a highwayman ballast box tractor and only qualified for a class 3 even though my allocated wagon was an artic but I had moved to the tractor as it was more money and I know that my first license was 94- something so I would be in the first thousand in the Yorkshire area there were no training schools or anything and the gaffer just gave me a little pamphlet to read and said they had booked me a test but I had nearly 12 months before my current license ran out and was told if I failed there was time to do it again and I would have a better idea of what was required. I was the test case as we had 16 drivers but only 5 or 6 artics as most were tractors and the contractor drivers only qualified for a class 2 even though they were pulling 240 tons and over 100 feet long loads around yet a TK Bedford with single axle trailer got you a class 1 and we only had one failure and that was someone with over 20 years experience who had done a load of over 120 feet in the morning and then failed for not turning his head to check his mirrors but he rebooked and passed second time no problem. We were lucky as everything was paid for by Pickfords even passports and photos for them which not all firms did in those days.
cheers Johnnie