Horses for courses, they do the work they do and which they have built up over a hundred years but it would be a bit of a non-sequitur for me to go out and buy a flat trailer on the strength of that.
I can only see Swain moving further away from flat trailers, I’d say the average age of a Swain driver is considerably more than the average age for all truck drivers, and we aren’t exactly spring chickens anyway, they must be retiring in their droves. Swains do have a reputation for being easy to get a job at.
I’m 53 and probably the last generation who roped and sheeted on a daily basis, but I wouldn’t do it now, spending an hour tying dirty wet tarpaulins to a trailer in the wind and rain on a load which logically belongs in a Tautliner so that Mr Swain, who no doubt lives in a mansion, can save five grand on the cost of that trailer isn’t my idea of a good job.
Carryfast:
Given the choice I’d choose working with a tilt over a flat.
Have you ever worked with either?
No surprise your reading and comprehension standards seem to be of their usual levels.
Do excuse me if I avoid reading your usual drivel. As I understand it you’ve done a bit for the council and a bit delivering building materials. Quite the experienced trucker aren’t you.
Carryfast:
Given the choice I’d choose working with a tilt over a flat.
Have you ever worked with either?
No surprise your reading and comprehension standards seem to be of their usual levels.
Do excuse me if I avoid reading your usual drivel. As I understand it you’ve done a bit for the council and a bit delivering building materials. Quite the experienced trucker aren’t you.
Why would I excuse you for saying that you haven’t read anything I’ve written because,in your view,it’s drivel and then you seem to have compounded that by misrepresenting what it actually says.
Yes building materials.Like up to trailer lengths of structural steel collected from stockholders and manufacturers in the midlands and south east,one example being given here,and then delivered into London all loaded and unloaded overhead using a flat.Which at other times was used for side/rear loaded general haulage as a tilt which of course had all the advantages of a curtainsider in avoiding the need to sheet loads.
Its a turn of phrase Carry old bean, i couldn’t care less if you excuse me or not. I don’t read your posts most of the time because they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and again. Good eveing to you
switchlogic:
Its a turn of phrase Carry old bean, i couldn’t care less if you excuse me or not. I don’t read your posts most of the time because they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and again. Good eveing to you
I stared at this for a short while and a 3D image of a tilt-covered wag and A-frame drag popped out.
chaversdad:
talk about a thread going off topic, the poor fella only asked about a backload and we get 5 pages of tilts, tauts and [zb] !
Think next time he takes a flat to Cornwall he’ll know better and keep it to himself. Poor bloke got trampled as virtually the whole Trucknet stable of favourite hobby horses were unleashed upon him.
I thought you couldnt find work in your area Harry, given your age, your ability to rope & sheet & location wasnt working for Swains an option to you?
I think its good the way these threads go, good quality debate imho, I like carryfasts comments & him wanting to do general with a tilt its terrific, and no back doors even better the nutter…
Harry Monk:
Horses for courses, they do the work they do and which they have built up over a hundred years but it would be a bit of a non-sequitur for me to go out and buy a flat trailer on the strength of that.
I can only see Swain moving further away from flat trailers, I’d say the average age of a Swain driver is considerably more than the average age for all truck drivers, and we aren’t exactly spring chickens anyway, they must be retiring in their droves. Swains do have a reputation for being easy to get a job at.
I’m 53 and probably the last generation who roped and sheeted on a daily basis, but I wouldn’t do it now, spending an hour tying dirty wet tarpaulins to a trailer in the wind and rain on a load which logically belongs in a Tautliner so that Mr Swain, who no doubt lives in a mansion, can save five grand on the cost of that trailer isn’t my idea of a good job.
I don’t think anyone is saying if your moving 26 pallets of coca cola or baked beans around a flat trailer roped and sheeted is they way to go about it. Which at the end of the day is pretty much what lots of trucks do now days. You probably wouldn’t get loaded and unloaded for a start.
However there is still a demand for flat trailers in the UK.
Own Account Driver:
I stared at this for a short while and a 3D image of a tilt-covered wag and A-frame drag popped out.
I assume it was a Bedford TM 6x4 prime mover pulling a 45 footer ?
It doesn’t absolutely have to be a TM tilt drawbar outfit depending on if it has to be sheeted or not and if the guvnor doesn’t mind paying hotel bills for nights out if required.
Harry Monk:
Horses for courses, they do the work they do and which they have built up over a hundred years but it would be a bit of a non-sequitur for me to go out and buy a flat trailer on the strength of that.
I can only see Swain moving further away from flat trailers, I’d say the average age of a Swain driver is considerably more than the average age for all truck drivers, and we aren’t exactly spring chickens anyway, they must be retiring in their droves. Swains do have a reputation for being easy to get a job at.
I’m 53 and probably the last generation who roped and sheeted on a daily basis, but I wouldn’t do it now, spending an hour tying dirty wet tarpaulins to a trailer in the wind and rain on a load which logically belongs in a Tautliner so that Mr Swain, who no doubt lives in a mansion, can save five grand on the cost of that trailer isn’t my idea of a good job.
I don’t think anyone is saying if your moving 26 pallets of coca cola or baked beans around a flat trailer roped and sheeted is they way to go about it. Which at the end of the day is pretty much what lots of trucks do now days. You probably wouldn’t get loaded and unloaded for a start.
However there is still a demand for flat trailers in the UK.
Which still leaves the question of if you’re just a small operator running one or two trucks and remembering that one truck can’t pull two different type of trailer at once.Is it better to use something which can do whatever ‘lots of trucks do nowadays’,in ‘addition’ to it also being able to do the flat work too,or would you buy a curtainsider and a flat .
Depending how regular each was been used I would consider having two trailers. If not and it was an occasional thing is look at hiring one.
If your mainly doing curtain work a tilt will soon become a chore.
kr79:
Depending how regular each was been used I would consider having two trailers. If not and it was an occasional thing is look at hiring one.
If your mainly doing curtain work a tilt will soon become a chore.
Maybe that’s why the guvnor who I was working for,and with who I agreed that the tilt was the way to go in being able to do everything a curtainsider and a flat could do,changed his mind about the hours he expected worked when I walked away from the job because I didn’t agree with him about working more than 12 hour days.
chaversdad:
talk about a thread going off topic, the poor fella only asked about a backload and we get 5 pages of tilts, tauts and [zb] !
Think next time he takes a flat to Cornwall he’ll know better and keep it to himself. Poor bloke got trampled as virtually the whole Trucknet stable of favourite hobby horses were unleashed upon him.
haha you not kidding, a simple question turned into a full on debate,
chaversdad:
talk about a thread going off topic, the poor fella only asked about a backload and we get 5 pages of tilts, tauts and [zb] !
Think next time he takes a flat to Cornwall he’ll know better and keep it to himself. Poor bloke got trampled as virtually the whole Trucknet stable of favourite hobby horses were unleashed upon him.
haha you not kidding, a simple question turned into a full on debate,
As is often the case.But that’s what makes it all interesting and not boring.
If he is still going is he using the same MO now?
Back in the 70s and 80s I can see the logic when there was a lot more general flat traffic about.
Today hauliers who concentrate on flat work especaly owner drivers are less likely to come across a load sutable for a curtainsider through there regular contacts.
Using Harry for an example I don’t know if Gregory’s do any flat work but say they do a job comes in they are not going to ring Harry say swap trailers and do this load they will give it to one of there flat hauliers or sub it out ad hoc.
And we established on another thread most owner drivers work for one customer.
.
