So I had my CPC 4 today and passed. Was shorter than expected and despite having to rack my brains I scored 100%. When it was over I thought (was that it?).
So that’s out of the way, Class C is done, now for C+E. I have three days for training booked in between Christmas and New Year with the test on the 4th January. I have been assured that if there is snow I will still be trained which will be handy. I’d rather be taught how to handle the snow rather than learn on the spot by myself.
I was taken for a ride in the artic so I could see what it’s like. It appears to be a smoother journey and easier to take up the required space to stop people getting in the way at roundabouts.
I’m getting rather excited.
Well done mate 
3 day course? that’s short for C+E isn’t it? I booked my C+E course for the end of January and it’s a 5 day course Monday to Friday with the test about midday on Friday! I’m too looking forward to it, going to be a great experience Goodluck with your test.
What Toni was telling me is that: 1 he is very confident in my ablities as a driver; 2 because I said I want to get to Class 1 he trained me with that in mind. So I have been taught some techniques which apply to artic driving, meaning I wont need so much time to adapt and relearn. Apparently!
I believe a lot of his other students though have been needing 4 or 5 days, or have had 3 but then added a fourth.
Like I said he took me out for a spin in it and I couldn’t believe what it can actually get around. I’ll try to remember what I’ve done and then I’ll try to remember to type it up. What I am looking forward to is Mousehold in Norwich. The challenge of touching no curbs or taking the trailer axle across the central line. Only one student has achieved said challenge.
Good luck with your course as well.
Good luck with your C+E. I’m looking at getting my C and hope that with 2 years driving 40ft Rigids will be helpful experience to get back into the haulage side of driving relatively easier. 
Well thank you and to you.
Might be interesting if we get more snow to learn with. There’s already reports of crashes and hold ups where I live in Suffolk.
Well done passing your cpc saxmachine 
& hope you enjoy your training C+E , as you say it’ll add to your experience if you have a bit of snow to learn with (we got 6-8 inches in south west), & good luck with your test
We got nothing like that here in the East, just Ice in the end. But who knows what’s next.
Thanks Bonnie Lass.
For those who are interested I believe the truck I’ll be training with is a DAF 75 M reg about 350 hp.
Thankfully the gears are the same as the CF rigid, just 4 over 4. Nothing new to learn there except the extra oomph in the engine.
You want to be trained in one of these instead of a M reg DAF! Although I’m sure it’s a nice little training truck, DAF’s are pretty simple to drive. I used to drive a DAF 95 and although globetrotters like above are more modern I always liked the old fashioned nature of the big DAF.
Hope you pass, if the 3 day course is full days, 8 until 4 or similar you should be fine. More time the better but obviously it costs.
8:30 - 2 normally. Cutting off just before your brain stops learning.
Toni told me that mercs are great if you’re a gadget man, and dafs if you like simple.
I wish Christmas would hurry up and happen so I can start driving the Artic.
Get to drive the Artic tomorrow. Yay
So I had my first day of C+E
Very cool. Quite a sense of achievement for getting it around corners. My problem is that I’m still worrying about the non existent nose and not the trailer axle which is way back there. But I’m getting there. It is easier than I expected and Toni told me that he wouldn’t normally take a student around Norwich ring road on the first day. So I must be doing something right.
We got out of Norwich as the lunch/post christmas sales traffic began to build up and headed back to the manouvering area for the reversing training. Now that was hard to start with. Took a few minutes to get the concept in my head properly and this was just in a strait line. Got there eventually (for a beginner) and went on to the reversing manouvre. First time near enough perfect, second time had to pinch and shunt and went in wonky and would have hit the barrier. Oh well still got two more days to practice.
So tomorrow is some refining of normal driving, more reversing and the trailer coupling to do!
And here’s the artic training vehicle
Well today I got ona bit of a sweat. I started to think I was struggling but he said I did very well with the various exercises. So it was just Jolly hard work.
Still getting a little close to the curb when I come to a stop, and going too far out at junctions but otherwise all is good apparently. Getting better with the reverse but it is still a tricky one. The coupling procedure was rather easy, but obivously vital I go over everything. The airlines really made me jump when disconnecting 
Roll on day 3.
Good luck with you’re training mate, im due to take mine end of Jan and looking forward to it. How many gears and what type of gearboc has that lorry got? I hope i get to grips with the different gear box, although i found the slapover box on the rigids easy to get to grips with, hope i adjust to the artic boxes with no problems. Good luck, let us know how you get on
That Daf I’m learning in has an 8 speed splitter box which is identical to the one in their rigid. So nothing new to learn although it is a lighter gearbox and it feels bigger too. You should be able to adjust fine.
Driving the artic is so much fun. I’m loving it.
Hows it going mate? D-Day today isn’t it? Goodluck with you’re test
Turned up this morning for some pre test practice. Did the coupling procedure followed by a couple of reverse practices. On our way out of the yard toni receives a call saying test cancelled, examiner ill. Balls.
Since we had already started though I got a days training for free courtesy of the dsa. Now waiting for a new text day.
I had myself all psyched up and ready for this. Around about now I should near to finishing the test and awaiting the verdict. Looks like I’ll be in the chip shop a little while longer.
The Saxmachine:
Turned up this morning for some pre test practice. Did the coupling procedure followed by a couple of reverse practices. On our way out of the yard toni receives a call saying test cancelled, examiner ill. Balls.
Since we had already started though I got a days training for free courtesy of the dsa. Now waiting for a new text day.
Hi mate,
That’s really tough luck, but certainly nobody’s fault.
I’ve read your posts about how you felt your training went, and I’d just like to say that you’re no different to many of the trainees that I trained when I did some LGV instructing some years ago. You seem to have had a slight wobble in the middle part of your training, but that’s very very common indeed and nothing to cause you any concern.
I’ve always believed that there’s a measure of luck involved on test day, but please be aware that luck can go either way.
As long as you stick to what your instructor taught you, then I reckon you’ll be fine. It’s only when folk start inventing their own stuff and not consulting their instructor about it that test fails commonly occur.
If you have any questions about what the DSA examiner is looking for, then PLEASE ask your instructor before you take the driving test. 
The Saxmachine:
Looks like I’ll be in the chip shop a little while longer.
Pie and chips please. 
Sorry mate, I couldn’t resist that. 
Ah well, bit of a pain indeed. Yeah just hope you get another test date soon. Goodluck with it all mate, best wishes
