Takes me back to the general haulage side of things a few years ago (Well quite a few actually)
Did mainly waste paper and reels, along with anything from bombs (USAF) during the first gulf war to mixed goods…
Agree with all the comments, though nowadays H&S would throw a fit if we did what we used to do then, ie, climbing up a load with a sheet over your shoulder etc…
A sign of a professional driver in those days was a good well sheeted load, and the loads never moved…
One thing I will say though, we used to rope and sheet almost day in day out, curtainsiders were a novelty, or a bonus. But by christ we were fit! used to have a six pack then, hardly an once of fat on me, gone is the six pack, to be replaced by a barrel
bobthedog:
Thing about flatwork is you will either love it or hate it. If you like it then you will never understand why others hate it and vice versa. It’s an artform. Your loads will always prove a challenge and will, hopefully, always arrive in perfect shape. As you get used to it, the faster you will get.
True Bob; there’s some sort of perverse satisfaction, almost pride in fact, in standing back and looking at an awkward mis-shapen load which you’ve just roped and sheeted neatly, isn’t there?
Still see a lot of flats round this way on general, Charles Footman and Mansel Davies mainly. Used to do a bit on Owens, but as you can see I’m by no means a master of the craft!
If you live not too far from Ipswich I will gladley come and show you how it is done it is like riding a bike you never forget. Roping and sheeting is an art and any of the older truckers will know what I mean. Seeing your load all safely roped and sheeted was job satifaction personified, yes it was bloody hard work, especialy in the cold winter months. But in those days when we all had to do it. You would never and I mean never struggle on your own. No sooner had you started to rope and sheet your load or get you ropes and sheets off, some other trucker would come and help you. May hands made light work and you also made good long standing acquaintances. What ever happened, now you breakdown or have a problem and only 1 in 20 will help you.
Back in 1972 the Road Haulage Association (RHA) manual for that year, still had a two and a half page article about roping and sheeting - complete with some diagrams. Unfortunately I’d better not publish it here because of copyright issues. But on the other hand, I do read PMs…
There’s nothing to beat someone to teach you though - just to get you started - the rest of it comes with time, if you can gain enough experience of roping and sheeting then you won’t forget it - and now and again it can be an asset, because there aren’t many drivers who can do it nowadays. Before you know it, you’ll be doing not just dollies and spreaders - but double-dollies, splitters and the classic Dundee Cross. But that’s jumping the gun a bit.
see you pmd nianiamh then clarkyboy i started on flats,sheetin ali extrusions,never had a nice level load,u cant be told how to rope n sheet,u have to be shown,and theres no quick way to learn…just practice.good luck
i started on flats,sheetin ali extrusions,never had a nice level load,u cant be told how to rope n sheet,u have to be shown,and theres no quick way to learn…just practice.good luck