I retire in 2 days after 48 years in the transport industry. I left school at aged 15 and did a few jobs before passing my car test at aged 17. After being interested in a driving career i was offered a job driving a van as soon as i passed my test, delivering car parts/spares to garages. of course i was interested in driving bigger things so after gaining a bit of experience moved on to the local laundry cos they had a ford 4D…went from there to a tipper on site, then to general haulage for hiltons tpt, where i worked my way to an artic through bluff a (maggie deutz) there was no hgv licences in those days anything and everything could be driven on a car licence, until 1974 when the government introduced the little black book ( which would give us status ) im still waiting.. Anyway im not writing my life history here, merely wondering how many old drivers are about to retire, for i keep hearing that there are quite a lot of over 60`s still driving today and wondered how many will retire this year…or will be of retirement age, just a thought… One interesting fact gentlemen…when i left school in 1961 my first wage was £4.05d…my present wage just over £600 basic… ( would be nice if some of you clever chaps could work out some cost comparisons from 1960 - 2011 )
just cos you’re retired now dont forget to keep sharing your experience with us poor sods.
i hope you enjoy a long retirement.
Enjoy your retirement, but you will probably find that you are busier then than when you were working!Regards, xtruckerlady
Enjoy your retirement as you deserve it keep popping your head in here from time -time to share your experiences with us novice as that is 1 of our ways of learning
Have a long happy retirement mate it sounds like youve earnt it.
whats your Hobby?
My hobby was trucking - sometimes I got paid for it.
Enjoy your well earned retirement.I hope that you have a hobby or pastime to keep you busy.
I can’t wait to retire, i will get up around 9am - breakfast - tend to garden - game of golf - few pints - dinner - watch ■■■■ telly - sleep (if i bag myself a toy girl there might also be some nokky)
…perfect
merc0447:
(if i bag myself a toy girl there might also be some nokky)
■■?
Ken.
I hope you Enjoy your retirement and i hope you get the time to do what you want to do. 
A mars bar was (according to the internet) about 2.5 new pence in 1961. Now it’s about 40 new pence.
But an average house now is about £200k, compared to £2.7k in 1961.
Meaning £4 5d is equivalent to somewhere between £150 and £700.
Out of interest, did you automatically get given an HGV licence in 1974? Were all car drivers eligible or just those actually driving lorries?
Hope you have a good retirement.
truckyboy:
I retire in 2 days after 48 years in the transport industry. I left school at aged 15 and did a few jobs before passing my car test at aged 17. After being interested in a driving career i was offered a job driving a van as soon as i passed my test, delivering car parts/spares to garages. of course i was interested in driving bigger things so after gaining a bit of experience moved on to the local laundry cos they had a ford 4D…went from there to a tipper on site, then to general haulage for hiltons tpt, where i worked my way to an artic through bluff a (maggie deutz) there was no hgv licences in those days anything and everything could be driven on a car licence, until 1974 when the government introduced the little black book ( which would give us status ) im still waiting.. Anyway im not writing my life history here, merely wondering how many old drivers are about to retire, for i keep hearing that there are quite a lot of over 60`s still driving today and wondered how many will retire this year…or will be of retirement age, just a thought… One interesting fact gentlemen…when i left school in 1961 my first wage was £4.05d…my present wage just over £600 basic… ( would be nice if some of you clever chaps could work out some cost comparisons from 1960 - 2011 )
truckyboy you drove with the man ( jeff ruggins) whats more to say,u have done it. have a good one.
good luck with ur retirement and all the best for the future.but dont get stuck in a routine everyday find something to do.
seen to many guys retire then get up brekkie paper vist to shop or something then down to wetherspoons every afternoon to sit with all the other retired people or dole people who live of benefits.
when i retire ill be leaving this hopeless country for another country thats cheaper and hot and full of lovely ladies.better that sitting in cold and wet blighty
I bet I see you doing a bit of agency at the weekend somewhere ya aul’ bugger!
BTW there is an index you can use to compare wages from long ago don’t know if it goes back that far though 
a_b_c:
A mars bar was (according to the internet) about 2.5 new pence in 1961. Now it’s about 40 new pence.Where
Out of interest, did you automatically get given an HGV licence in 1974? Were all car drivers eligible or just those actually driving lorries?
Think most of them were just given the entitlement as they had been doing the job I know a couple of drivers who have never taken an HGV test & still drive
Hope you have a good retirement.
Re grandfather rights HGV licenc
If you were driving a HGV for any period between Feb 1968 and Feb 1969 your transport manager could apply for a licence for you,no test.(Not absolutely sure of the actual dates)
when your current car licence ran out.
Our TM had retired and bought a paper shop but was able to apply for several licences for his employees,all quoting the reg of our old Foden yard shunter artic and all 9 0f us had them allowed.Easy peasy!!!
All the best with your retirement,sounds like you got a lot of good memories
Enjoy your free time truckyboy.
Enjoy your retirement, have you got anything planned to keep your mind occupied? They say alot of people go loopy once they retire was they’re so used to grafting their bodies just give up 
We’ve got two drivers in their mid seventies who are still going strong, ones a casual for holiday cover the other still full time employed, they moan about the job like we all do but say is better to be active than sitting at home doing (zb) all