So looking to do my class 1 soon, what would you say would be better or easiest to train with wagon and drag or articulated, as I am unsure what I will be mostly using when/if I pass and it’s costing a chunk of saved cash, I want to attempt to get it right first time, just looking for some info on past experiences from anyone on here.
Many say W&D is easier to drive but again others will say different.
A few trainers can do either and offer a ‘conversion’ day for whatever you haven’t passed in.
Why not do a free trial drive in both so you can make a more informed decision for yourself?
I’ve asked this myself and read loads of posts on it. In end it’s simply a case of what YOU are comfortable with.
There’s valid arguments for both and each will get you your CE licence.
I’d say look around where you want work and see what the ratio of WD to artic is? For example near me loads of waste companies and skips use WD but my choice is going to be full artic,
Go see a company or two that train in both and do assessments and see how you feel about them, as you say it’s a chunk of cash so assessments are crucial to give you max chance of gaining CE and determine which type your most comfortable in. Then if need be there are conversion courses to drive whichever you didn’t take your test in.
That’s still my plan, full artic for test then a day in WD after to have some experience of the differences.
I can only reiterate the comments above. It’s personal choice. The other thing I would through into the equation is that you should perhaps consider using auto. Certainly in the case of artic, this makes the proposition a lot more sensible IMO.
Send me a pm for a voucher and you can take your pick of transmissions and configurations for a total (including free accommodation) of £950.
Pete 
Artic. W&D is the cheapskates way of doing it. Unless you’re doing night trunking for Tuffnells then W&D is largely a waste of time as everything else is artic and you won’t be able to reverse one for toffee if you passed in W&D. Anyone that tells you different (particularly training companies) is wrong.
I can see UKmail uses W+D too. They are becoming more common these days on UK roads.
Nevertheless I am going to look for a school which has decent sized artic to train for C+E. Tockwith training posted picture of 64 reg artic and it is automatic too. Sounds almost perfect for me but they are based in York. Like a good 2h30m drives up the M1 for me (proved there are no hold ups 
)
We have a full size auto artic - and you wont get the same thing cheaper anywhere!
Pete
PS (site sponsor) is at Mansfield with auto artic and accommodation in with the price so with the Xmas voucher it costs £950 all inclusive apart from your fuel to get there and back once
Pete will confirm if I have that correct … or not
I also suspect that not many are choosing the artic with PS so perhaps you might get to play around with it a bit more than the 4 hours a day … maybe
she is a bute, bit of a flagship vehicle for us, hoping to make it to a few shows next year. When it comes to finding a school with a proper truck I don’t think you will find any better elsewhere, we used to have only drawbar until 2005 (see bottom picture). It was such an easy vehicle drive but not like a proper artic or even a proper drawbar (short drawbars are very different to a full sized one).
I passed my test in this truck in 2001, it was so easy to drive but i was lucky that i had an artic in the yard to play with, before getting a job driving.
My drawbar unit it’s 16.5m long longer than most arctics? Basically a 6 speed splitter.
In over 5 years it’s got every driver through their CE test. It’s not the newest of training trucks but it’s well maintained and drives beautifully.
You tend to get a real feel of driving a truck compared to driving or should I say “steering” these modern auto trucks.
Paul 
Blacov89:
I can see UKmail uses W+D too. They are becoming more common these days on UK roads.
Dunelm Mill (or another bed place) also use W+D. See them going up and down the M6 a fair enough amount.
Also half the ones from abroad are W+D.
Broxi1981:
So looking to do my class 1 soon, what would you say would be better or easiest to train with wagon and drag or articulated, as I am unsure what I will be mostly using when/if I pass and it’s costing a chunk of saved cash, I want to attempt to get it right first time, just looking for some info on past experiences from anyone on here.
I passed in a W&D , did my first week in an artic last week. No difference other than the bendy bit isn’t in the middle on an Artic but the Theory and Method of moving it is essentially the same.
sinclair89:
I passed in a W&D , did my first week in an artic last week. No difference other than the bendy bit isn’t in the middle on an Artic but the Theory and Method of moving it is essentially the same.
How did you get on with the coupling/uncoupling out of curiosity?
dcgpx:
sinclair89:
I passed in a W&D , did my first week in an artic last week. No difference other than the bendy bit isn’t in the middle on an Artic but the Theory and Method of moving it is essentially the same.How did you get on with the coupling/uncoupling out of curiosity?
I didn’t have to uncouple our trailer as we never change it. It is one area though that I need to have a go at soon (artic wise not W&D) but looking at it, again, it seems to be the same Method/Theory. Just this time the hooking up takes place closer on an Artic than a W&D
PS (site sponsor) is at Mansfield with auto artic and accommodation in with the price so with the Xmas voucher it costs £950 all inclusive apart from your fuel to get there and back once
Pete will confirm if I have that correct … or not
I also suspect that not many are choosing the artic with PS so perhaps you might get to play around with it a bit more than the 4 hours a day … maybe
Yes, the price is correct.
You’re way wrong about the artic ROG. It’s out most of the time and is proving extremely popular.
Looks like I may have to learn how to put pictures up. I’m the only trainer on here who hasn’t managed that crafty bit of free advertising. - - - - and I’m the one who pays the sponsorship!!!
Pete
Having just passed my Class C with a manual box (a week ago) I’d be inclined to do it in an auto Artic regardless if was easier or harder. Done manual so happy Im ok with that, plus artic as it appears to be completely different to the class C with a wagon on the back…I think (for me) would give me the most confidence when driving different vehicles…
Just my thoughts 
Some good info there guys, thanks, I’m in glasgow, so far all trainers up this way are manual artics and rigid as going auto would be easier, ps great offer, but Mansfield a bit far for me to travel and not knowing the area might put a bit more pressure on me, I know it’s all about the driving of the vehicle, but I think knowing the area is half the battle. I think I need to see if anyone offers auto up this way.
I trained with Peter Smythe’s at Peterborough, then did the artic conversion. I found that an unfamiliar area maybe helped because I didn’t become complacent. Was v. interesting in Peterborough with it’s many weight limits!!
I just passed in a W+D, and already have a job waiting for me (my dad secured it for me, just waiting on my ADR course dates)
My old man has been driving trucks for 40 years, and in his opinion, if you can drive/reverse a W+D, then you’ll find driving an artic easier. Obviously people are going to have different opinions on that, but that is coming from someone who has driven pretty much everything there is out there to drive. Once I start work, I have a month training, where I’ll learn to uncouple/couple the artic trailer, but after looking at Youtube video’s and speaking to drivers, there really doesn’t seem to be that much difference.
I’d say, for someone who passed their C test in a certain vehicle, the W+D option might be better. What with it being the same vehicle with a trailer attached. If you have had your C licence a while already and been driving class 2, then I suppose either would suffice.
I done mine in a W&D ( failed 1st time in artic ) never driven a W&D since not really a problem with the reversing or the coupling / un coupling
I went well out of area as used John at Flair training in Chelmsford ( I live in the North East ) so going out of area has it advantages as you have to be more aware of your surroundings watch for weight limits etc so dont be worried about going out of area many of us have