Bewick:
5thwheel:
gunnerheskey:
One of my favourite pics, would swap mine for this tomorrow…What?,he’s roped over the flysheet,cardinal sin that used to be!!
Take it easy
David
Spot on there David! we’ll have to give Gunner a proper lesson in sheeting and roping so as to complete his “edification” sort of style!!! Cheers Dennis.
hiya,
Tell you what Dennis and 5thwheel, roping over the flysheet tut tut, you just can’t get the staff nowadays.
thanks harry long retired.
i think we could be good "instructors " harry but i doubt we could do it now . the old fingers have got too soft and delicate from retirement . we wouldn’t be able to lift a glass for the blisters , heaven forbid !! cheers , dave
rigsby:
i think we could be good "instructors " harry but i doubt we could do it now . the old fingers have got too soft and delicate from retirement . we wouldn’t be able to lift a glass for the blisters , heaven forbid !! cheers , dave
hiya,
Dave just picture this, a nice sunny day two deckchairs small table inbetween with a nice bottle of single malt and two glasses “big ones” you and I slouched therein shouting instructions to a trainee roper and sheeter now if only we could stay awake long enough we might just get a tidy job done, mind no nodding off until the bottles empty, hic hic.
thanks harry long retired.
Bewick:
sammyopisite:
Dennis I always preferred the writing as small as possible and the more the wagon was not noticeable the better as you never knew who was on the prowl. This is only the views of a retired driver who’s wagon was not always where the log book said it was or the tacho’s for that matter.
cheers JohnnieDidn’t you have to put oil lamps round your outfit when you parked up at night Johnnie? Sounds like that was well hidden then!!! Dennis!!!
Yes he did Dennis,and I used to flip 'em over with trailer wheels when I was on nights…anon
Chris Webb:
Bewick:
sammyopisite:
Dennis I always preferred the writing as small as possible and the more the wagon was not noticeable the better as you never knew who was on the prowl. This is only the views of a retired driver who’s wagon was not always where the log book said it was or the tacho’s for that matter.
cheers JohnnieDidn’t you have to put oil lamps round your outfit when you parked up at night Johnnie? Sounds like that was well hidden then!!! Dennis!!!
Yes he did Dennis,and I used to flip 'em over with trailer wheels when I was on nights…anon
hiya,
A’ye and I used to pinch em in the olden days when doing night trunk, they was the only means of getting the cab warm and I’ll bet you centrally heated youngsters of today think I’m joking.
thanks harry long retired.
i shouldn’t get too comfy in that deckchair harry , somebody has to get up and apply the knotted rope when required , but don’t worry , i could keep the bottle safe . when johnnie’s mob went over to battery lamps , we pinched the batteries for the transistor radios , or in cab entertainment centre as they would be called now , cheers , dave
Chris Webb:
Bewick:
sammyopisite:
Dennis I always preferred the writing as small as possible and the more the wagon was not noticeable the better as you never knew who was on the prowl. This is only the views of a retired driver who’s wagon was not always where the log book said it was or the tacho’s for that matter.
cheers JohnnieDidn’t you have to put oil lamps round your outfit when you parked up at night Johnnie? Sounds like that was well hidden then!!! Dennis!!!
Yes he did Dennis,and I used to flip 'em over with trailer wheels when I was on nights…anon
harry_gill:
Chris Webb:
Bewick:
sammyopisite:
Dennis I always preferred the writing as small as possible and the more the wagon was not noticeable the better as you never knew who was on the prowl. This is only the views of a retired driver who’s wagon was not always where the log book said it was or the tacho’s for that matter.
cheers JohnnieDidn’t you have to put oil lamps round your outfit when you parked up at night Johnnie? Sounds like that was well hidden then!!! Dennis!!!
Yes he did Dennis,and I used to flip 'em over with trailer wheels when I was on nights…anon
hiya,
A’ye and I used to pinch em in the olden days when doing night trunk, they was the only means of getting the cab warm and I’ll bet you centrally heated youngsters of today think I’m joking.
thanks harry long retired.
Right you lot I will be invoicing you all for the lamps and batteries and if they are not paid within 14 days I will be sending the bailiff’s round as it is to much hassle going to court I skip that bit as I need the cash to replenish my drinks cupboard for Christmas. 
cheers Johnnie 
sammyopisite:
Chris Webb:
Bewick:
sammyopisite:
Dennis I always preferred the writing as small as possible and the more the wagon was not noticeable the better as you never knew who was on the prowl. This is only the views of a retired driver who’s wagon was not always where the log book said it was or the tacho’s for that matter.
cheers JohnnieDidn’t you have to put oil lamps round your outfit when you parked up at night Johnnie? Sounds like that was well hidden then!!! Dennis!!!
Yes he did Dennis,and I used to flip 'em over with trailer wheels when I was on nights…anon
harry_gill:
Chris Webb:
Bewick:
sammyopisite:
Dennis I always preferred the writing as small as possible and the more the wagon was not noticeable the better as you never knew who was on the prowl. This is only the views of a retired driver who’s wagon was not always where the log book said it was or the tacho’s for that matter.
cheers JohnnieDidn’t you have to put oil lamps round your outfit when you parked up at night Johnnie? Sounds like that was well hidden then!!! Dennis!!!
Yes he did Dennis,and I used to flip 'em over with trailer wheels when I was on nights…anon
hiya,
A’ye and I used to pinch em in the olden days when doing night trunk, they was the only means of getting the cab warm and I’ll bet you centrally heated youngsters of today think I’m joking.
thanks harry long retired.Right you lot I will be invoicing you all for the lamps and batteries and if they are not paid within 14 days I will be sending the bailiff’s round as it is to much hassle going to court I skip that bit as I need the cash to replenish my drinks cupboard for Christmas.
cheers Johnnie
I am assuming that with the use of the word “invoice” Johnnie that you are VAT registered ( not VAT 69!) well us lads aren’t! so we can’t claim the VAT back,and besides we only work within the “black economy” now (well they all do on the IOM!) So would you be prepared to accept “readies” ( White fivers!) or better still would you accept a “gregory” made out to “cash” drawn on The National Bank of Bengazi?It is also evident that Chris appears to have done the most damage so by rights he should pay most!! “H” will probably be able to return the lamps he "nicked"and no doubt they will be all trimmed and in perfect working order!!! AnonII.
Dennis of course I am VAT 69 registered and NO gregory’s cash only as there are a lot of people around nowadays who would take advantage,con or rip off a poor old confused pensioner so you have to be very careful.
cheers Johnnie
P S not a VAT 69 drinker but would put a drop in my tea every morning
rigsby:
i think we could be good "instructors " harry but i doubt we could do it now . the old fingers have got too soft and delicate from retirement . we wouldn’t be able to lift a glass for the blisters , heaven forbid !! cheers , dave
We maybe not as “supple” in the old joints as we were once but I bet we’ve forgot nowt about how to sheet and rope any shape of load!! Maybe we’d take a little bit longer than we did but it would be a tidy job I’ve no doubt,pride wouldn’t allow us to do a “rough” job!!! Well “H”? Cheers Dennis.
Well I used to enjoy sheeting loads, putting corner boards on , roping up, then standing back & admiring my own work, & knowing when I left wherever I was ,? London, S/Wales , Glasgow, the load was secure, & it didnt look like a ship in full sail, as im sure you drivers must have seen some sheeted loads that were total rubbish, I worked with a bloke once who used to roll his sheets up like a ball of wool, I used to do my nut with him, because I allways ended up having to help him, He was just a useless prick as they used to say in the 50s…
Well I used to enjoy sheeting loads, putting corner boards on , roping up, then standing back & admiring my own work, & knowing when I left wherever I was ,? London, S/Wales , Glasgow, the load was secure, & it didnt look like a ship in full sail, as im sure you drivers must have seen some sheeted loads that were total rubbish, I worked with a bloke once who used to roll his sheets up like a ball of wool, I used to do my nut with him, because I allways ended up having to help him, He was just a useless prick as they used to say in the 50s…
Keep the thread going if only to “wind up” the " curtains only jockey’s"!!! 
Bewick:
Keep the thread going if only to “wind up” the " curtains only jockey’s"!!!
Very smart load, not a curtain clip in site.
Ossie
OssieD:
Bewick:
Keep the thread going if only to “wind up” the " curtains only jockey’s"!!!Very smart load, not a curtain clip in site.
Ossie
A shot of the backend of part of the trailer park at Milnthorpe before Tautliners became prevelant on the fleet,every shape and size of load and sheeted and roped to a “T” by the Bewick shunters who were ,without doubt, some of the finest masters of their trade within the transport industry!!
Bewick:
OssieD:
Bewick:
Keep the thread going if only to “wind up” the " curtains only jockey’s"!!!Very smart load, not a curtain clip in site.
Ossie
A shot of the backend of part of the trailer park at Milnthorpe before Tautliners became prevelant on the fleet,every shape and size of load and sheeted and roped to a “T” by the Bewick shunters who were ,without doubt, some of the finest masters of their trade within the transport industry!!
bit short the drip sheet on the first load ? or was it sunny the day it went down the road. 
Yea,fair comment,but I can never re-call any wet claims and on that load in particular the folds on the main sheet would be about 4 thicknesses over that back reel! Cheers Dennis.
you can’ t blame the shunter for that short drip sheet brian , it must have been that tight gaffer shoving a quart in a pint pot again , anon
rigsby:
you can’ t blame the shunter for that short drip sheet brian , it must have been that tight gaffer shoving a quart in a pint pot again , anon
Just for the record,here’s another couple of loads bound for the same destination!! and aye alright my shoulders are broad enough to take the “stick” from you “nitpickers” !!!
While there seems to be interest in the lost art of Sheeting and Roping,both positive and negative the debate only seems to be on the “skill” and “finished article” no one has raised the technical aspects of what went into the design and development behind the scenes to equip and maintain,over the years,the demands of a 150 strong, flat trailer fleet.I accept that there were much larger trailer fleets than Bewicks but judging by some of the sheets and ropes (not the quality of the work!) not a lot of thought went into the design or quality.I think it was a case of some harrassed TM banging an order in to a local tarpaulin maker based on price alone full stop! Some of the sheets I’ve seen in my time were atrocious to say the least,absolute crap which I wouldn’t have used to cover a heap of ■■■■ in a farm yard!!! Not wishing to be labelled an “anorak” I would happily be prepared to offer an insight into what lay behind a tidly sheeted fleet which ,I assure you, was a lot more than meets the eye!!! Anyhow there may only be a few of the older lads that would understand or appreciate my spiel! Cheers Dennis.