Signed up for a different agency last week, when I told them Id done roping and sheeting and steel haulage (a lot ) of years ago, they put me in for a days work with a local haulier. I took a blummin great steel pipe out and loaded back with aggregate in bags which had to be fully sheeted, by order! I admit to brickin it at first but it all comes back. Had a decent day, though the sheet blew off by the only gust off wind that day! Got mucky and was knackered when Id finished, my fault there for being unfit maybe.
Anyway, my question is why do people do it? I think Ill knock it back if I get asked to go in again. When I used to do it 30 years ago curtain trailers were rare so we all did it, but I was on THREE times the money anyone else I knew was on. I was earning £150-180 a week in the early eighties if my memory serves me. But why would I do it now for £7-50p/h?? Ill just say nah… put me on trunking thanks!
Of course they cant put anyone without experience on steel haulage, but they dont want to pay for it, so as Duncan says............."Im out"
In anticipation of a witty response…the sheet blew off just as I unrolled it. NOT as I was on the A1!!! 
I’d certainly want extra on a day like today. I was also brought up on rope & sheet & there was always a real sense of satisfaction if you got the trailer to look tidy with no bits flapping about - even better if you got to your destination & it still looked good. I would think twice about it now unless the rate was very good. Just folding up & stowing sheets is an art in itself that deserves to be part of the CPC 
Used to love roping and sheeting, was always happy when it looked the same when i got to destination as when i left.
took alot of pride doing it.
see very little of it now days which is a shame cos it was definitely a craft. was taught by old guy way back in the 60’s.
If a job came up paying decent wage i would jump at it again 
We all hark back to the days of sheets and skills of roping, but can anyone actually remember doing it on a nice bright day in a clean yard with no wind. It was a very rare experience to be able to sheet up in the shed where you loaded and your skills were appreciated.
My best job used to be running baled paper from Hull into Selby when Rostrons were on the go. I could normally do 3 loads a day with a set up. Occasionally it meant a run to Rigid Desborough collecting finished product.
But mainly my memories were of it ■■■■■■■ down or windy with a cab floor full of wet ropes 
Never did it and hope I never have to. Tilts were bad enough! 
I really admire the drivers that can do this. When its done right it looks amazing!
I move a lot of steel but I have never had to rope and sheet but its one of those things that wish I could do
You are right to refuse it for monkey money, as far as i’m concerned it comes under specialist work and they can pay a decent rate for the job or get a monkey, cost 'em a bit more when the load comes off or gets weather damage.
Sod 'em and their carp pay.
Any firm now still roping and sheeting should be closed down. Buy a euroliner with sliding roof for crying out loud
Kerbdog:
Any firm now still roping and sheeting should be closed down. Buy a euroliner with sliding roof for crying out loud
takes all fun out of job and we all end up as steering wheel attendants with no skills at all 
I enjoyed my job in the early years (60/70s) not as much h&s/dcpc/■■■■■■■■ about. got on with the job ,taught by guys who knew what they was on about.never had “planners” boss sent you here there an everywhere but it worked.
Today it’s all 24/7 must meet deadline,guys who don’t even know what a truck looks like telling you how to load it /drive it/which way to go if you don’t get there ontime.
love all the techy stuff we have today…shame about losing the “personal touch from gaffer” (no not that way lol)
don’t think there was any more accidents in yard or on road as there is today really,
we managed to see each other without hi-vis vests
we loaded/unloaded our trucks without handing keys in
we enjoyed nights out meeting and chating “yes talking” to other drivers we had never met before
we also had some great bbq’s all over the place.good food and good beer.
seems all that is lost now so i for 1 won’t be to sad when i retire in 6 years time.
shame cos in the main i have enjoyed my career as a lorry driver 
gezt:
Kerbdog:
Any firm now still roping and sheeting should be closed down. Buy a euroliner with sliding roof for crying out loudtakes all fun out of job and we all end up as steering wheel attendants with no skills at all
I enjoyed my job in the early years (60/70s) not as much h&s/dcpc/[zb] about. got on with the job ,taught by guys who knew what they was on about.never had “planners” boss sent you here there an everywhere but it worked.
Today it’s all 24/7 must meet deadline,guys who don’t even know what a truck looks like telling you how to load it /drive it/which way to go
love all the techy stuff we have today…shame about losing the “personal touch from gaffer” (no not that way lol)
don’t think there was any more accidents in yard or on road as there is today really,
we managed to see each other without hi-vis vests
we loaded/unloaded our trucks without handing keys in
we enjoyed nights out meeting and chating “yes talking” to other drivers we had never met before
we also had some great bbq’s all over the place.good food and good beer.
seems all that is lost now so i for 1 won’t be to sad when i retire in 6 years time.
shame cos in the main i have enjoyed my career as a lorry driver
The recent funeral of Brian Harris brought it all back. I am not sure how many lorries he ran at his peak but it was said every job was in his head, he knew where all his lorries were and he obviously trusted his drivers. Those were the good old days when that was the case.
On a smaller scale, all my bosses were like that until I started running abroad when they had all these bright ideas and used numerous different planners for different countries or types of load.
If I was running a fleet of curtainsiders and the load was resiliant to weather or packed to be, I would be looking at buying flatbeds right now, with a veiw to straps/ropes and definately sheeting.
What is the point in spending more for a tautliner, when you have to strap the load down anyways?
No curtain slashing to worry about etc. Just less running costs from what I can see.
does seem a shame cos the "passion " has gone out of the job,it’s all big flashy cab type is best now days.
ah well shame the new guys coming into job won’t be able to learn and experience all we “old timers” got up to.sooooooooooooo much fun lost to the past.
Ropin n Sheeting you should be proud of yourself that you could still do it and what’s all this more money crap…what planet do you guy’s live on…you should pay them for the privilege to demonstrate your skills while impressing all those Stobie drivers including the ‘star’ Mark going ‘wow’ as you drove past.Not many ‘FAT’ people around when we roped and sheeted.ENJOY…but not every day!!!
gezt:
Kerbdog:
Any firm now still roping and sheeting should be closed down. Buy a euroliner with sliding roof for crying out loudtakes all fun out of job and we all end up as steering wheel attendants with no skills at all
I enjoyed my job in the early years (60/70s) not as much h&s/dcpc/[zb] about. got on with the job ,taught by guys who knew what they was on about.never had “planners” boss sent you here there an everywhere but it worked.
Today it’s all 24/7 must meet deadline,guys who don’t even know what a truck looks like telling you how to load it /drive it/which way to go
love all the techy stuff we have today…shame about losing the “personal touch from gaffer” (no not that way lol)
don’t think there was any more accidents in yard or on road as there is today really,
we managed to see each other without hi-vis vests
we loaded/unloaded our trucks without handing keys in
we enjoyed nights out meeting and chating “yes talking” to other drivers we had never met before
we also had some great bbq’s all over the place.good food and good beer.
seems all that is lost now so i for 1 won’t be to sad when i retire in 6 years time.
shame cos in the main i have enjoyed my career as a lorry driver
+1 without a doubt good times when it looked good you felt proud of your acheivment.
Was in meer truckstop a couple of weeks ago saw a Grampian freight truck in there rope and sheet load and it looked real neat no flaps or gaps Respect to the driver.
Yes a lot of sentiment here guys. I couldnt sleep on Thurs night, I was genuinely excited about chains, ropes and sheets after all these years and was really looking forward to it. But I must say the novelty wore off by lunchtime. I was reminded how dirty and difficult the job was/is. Also, I had the awful feeling that the guy on the forktruck was finding immense amusement at my distress when the poxy flysheet blew over as soon as I unrolled it! All in my head maybe, he didnt say anything, but I felt like an idiot!
Ill go in again, maybe one more time for old times sake. The sentimental fool that I am. Then they can shove it!! Im sure its more of, or just as much, a skill as tanker driving and they never mentioned £48k pro-rata. 
I am only 24 and have done well did it for nearly 2 years here is 1 of my load on this topic on the last page
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=76371&p=1161942#p1161942
Let me no if it’s any good 
mark h:
I am only 24 and have done well did it for nearly 2 years here is 1 of my load on this topic on the last pageviewtopic.php?f=28&t=76371&p=1161942#p1161942
Let me no if it’s any good
We get to go in there as well. At least if it is wet you can sheet in the shed. We also do Atlantic steel, both on flats with sheeting.
Paul
I still do ropes & sheets & I still take a bit of pride in being able to do it, just the way Dad taught me
Paul_Humphreys:
mark h:
I am only 24 and have done well did it for nearly 2 years here is 1 of my load on this topic on the last pageviewtopic.php?f=28&t=76371&p=1161942#p1161942
Let me no if it’s any good
We get to go in there as well. At least if it is wet you can sheet in the shed. We also do Atlantic steel, both on flats with sheeting.
Paul
Yerr done alantic steel in Birkenhead too, done most steel places while on for Gwynedd