What truck did you take your L.G.V. test in ?.
Class 1 or 2 , Rigid or artic, and what are your memories ?. I’m sure the new drivers on here will want to know.
We were all there once - let us know.The drivers of to-morrow are watching us!
I took my class 1 ( when no rigid licence was required first) in a Ford Cargo 6 speed day cab tractor coupled to a very short single axle trailer.
The only load on the trailer was a pile of cones,used to practice reversing at an airfield near Stratford - on -Avon.
My instructor was an ex bike cop from near Redditch (you know who you are !!)
After passing, my first job was to take a Mercedes unit coupled to a tri - axle trailer fully loaded (38 ton ) from Birmingham to Liverpool (groupage to Ireland)
A big difference to a pile of cones!!!
I only recently took my class One… (Or C+E)…
Passed in an Iveco Eurotech 4x2, with a 16 speed slap over box and a 40ft tri-axle Skelly with a container on it…
My Class 2 was in an Iveco too, but aint got a scooby what it was…
Mine was a Ford Cargo too ! Had six gears with a red switch on the gear stick. Never knew what that red switch did because it didn’t work, still don’t know - I assume it was a splitter.
Took my test nine times, yes folks, nine times ! The first I failed because I was crap, the second because I had the flu, the third to eighth because the Cargo broke down during each test, the ninth I passed.
Passed my car test first time on 12/02/1986. Didn’t have any lessons - phoned a driving school (the day before) to “hire” their Austin Metro for the test. Instructor said there was no way I would pass the test. What did he know ? I had been joyriding since I was 12 !!!
I took my test in 1974 at 21 in a Ford D1000 with a 25 ’ flat on the back. If I remember correctly the driving school was Drivewell in Darlington and lessons were £11 each and I think I had four. I failed my first test on reversing and nerves and successfully passed the second. My first class one job was on general haulage in a Atkinson Borderer with 220 ■■■■■■■ and a Fuller RTO 13 speed range change. On the first day on being presented with “my” truck I nearly C****** myself. Happy memories eh.
i did my first test in a ford cargo and failed through “improper use of gears!!” slowing the motor through the gearbox sooner than the brakes (i still do it now ). left it a year to get over the dissapointment then retested up at sheffield in a 1625 merc. when i passed i said something like “brilliant” and the grumpy old git said “dont get too cocky, you`ve only just passed” !!!. i still smiled for a week though
JONBOY@RH:
i did my first test in a ford cargo and failed through “improper use of gears!!” slowing the motor through the gearbox sooner than the brakes (i still do it now ).
Funny you say that Jonboy, I first took my car test in a Merc 407 pickup used for delivering Milk, I was having driving lessons in a Datsun Sunny and the guy only turned up twice for lessons, which were booked 1 per week for the 6 weeks prior to my test, he ended up giving up on me because I was being told by my boss the milkman to use my gears for slowing down, saying it prevents brake fade etc. The driving instructor argued that brakeshoes were cheaper than a new gearbox So Stewarts of Dipton, Hahaha I Passed without your poxy car
I passed my car test first time using that method, and still use it to this day, passed my Rigid in 1981 in a Bedford Fire Engine through Tyne & Wear Fire Brigade as a Part timer, again Bob Steel the instructor insisted on using the gears for slowing down, then sat my C+E last Sept passing first time in an Iveco Rigid with Drawbar, of all the bad habits I had, using my gearbox to slow down, was one I could not get out of, but still sailed through the test with 3 minors. Simon the Instructor kept saying that I had to show brake lights thats why I had to use the brakes rather than gears, so whether it was acceptable by the examiner, or just that he did’nt realise I’ll never know
Took rigid test in around 1977 in Southampton with ( I think) Panda Driving School. Bedford TK flatbed, no power steering, five speed box with no synchro on first. A week’s tuition cots me all the money I then had ( £200.) Had severe hayfever and missed a whole day’s driving but took test on the Friday morning and scraped through.
Subsequently drove big rigids and wagon and drags so artic test wasn’t until 1990 with Wallace of Wembly. Word to the wise, don’t try and learn on the North Circular. I hadn’t driven much in proceeding years so opted to use redundancy money for more expensive individual tuition, again for a week. Learning/test vehicle was ludicrous. A Leyland T45 Roadrunner unit with a 20 foot single axle trailer that bough the whole rig up to max GVW unloaded. Fortunately the deal included some post test training on loaded Roadtrain and box trailer. Once again got in by a whisker on the first attempt, largely by deciding I’d failed after 10 minutes and relaxing.
Took my Test in the UK in a 1987 DAF2500 with a crash box and 40ft box trailer and in the USA in a 1999 Freightliner Century Class with a semi auto 10 speed gearbox and a 53 ft trailer.
Around 1990 in the days of synchro semi covered all truck licences.A Mitsubishi V8 12 speed semi with a pan with no load on it,For the US CDL an auto Ford Louie wth a 25’ empty trailer,after compulsorary car licence in a Dodge Dually Ram-I think the Dodge Ram was bigger than the small Louie-for a 10 minute drive arond Phoenix Arizona!Would have scored more points in Phoenix semi exam if "Se Habla Esponol"Communication was strained between the examiner and myself.I thought Americans spoke English?
Makes me feel old !!!
For me it was an ancient Ford D series with a 30 foot single axle empty flat both of which came out of the Ark and where knackered
Arrrrrhhhhh the good old days, it was straight onto a F10 290 with a 40 foot loaded tilt (no side guards and a single side marker). Those happy days are long gone
i took my class 1 on the 1st april 1991,in hersden, 40ft flatbed coupled to a leyland 6 speed unit, i trained with K&S at boughton, dunkirk nr canterbury,like many other trainers,they stopped trading about 7 yrs ago.
I can’t remember what make the lorry was, daf i think, anyway, 4x2 unit with a double axled 40ft box trailer. passed first time with three minors. Can’t remember what the rigid was either but also passed first time with three minors.
The biggest thing i remember having problems with was my reversing. Cracked it on the third day of training though and it went brilliantly on the test.
I trained with Big wheelers and my instructors name was Robin, cracking bloke, used to nag me senseless about me mirrors, hehe still here him sometimes… “marie, mirrors, mirrors, mirrors”
Passed car test first time in a Hillman Imp in 1976. Passed class three as it was then first time in a Bedford TK 5speed box BUT it had one gear blocked out I think that was in 1977/78. Passed class one on 11/2/04, second time with no minors in a Volvo FL 10 with a 40ft tautliner with Corby Transport & Training Services thanks to Darrell & Mike.
it was a old very old leyland don,t no what make but it was a ex royal mail … it broke down on my test the bleeding throttle linkage fell off… FAILED but it aint my fault so got a free re test it was only the same examiner … and PASSED
ohhh that was 15 year ago
Took hgv 3 in an old Bedford CL, passed 3rd time
Took class 2 in a Bison and class 1 in a Leyland Mastiff with some type of range change and a twin axle 40ft flat, both passed 1st time, the Mastiff got destroyed in Gulf one.
I took my Class 3 in an ex Tetley dray wagon,which was a Ford D series chinese six.Passed 2nd time
I took my Class 1 in a 2500 Daf 4+4 with single axle trailer.Was late to the test centre because the brakes packed up on the trailer on the way there.Needless to say I failed,but passed the 2nd time.The tuition company offered to stand the re-tuition fees for my 2nd test due to the faulty trailer,so all it cost me was the price of the re-test.
The first wagon I drove was a Ford D series (I think), the one with the “Custom Cab”, on the farm where I worked.
I did my class 3 HGV in a Bedford TK at Leconfield ASMT in 1979, passed first time .
I did my HGV 1 in a Ford Cargo with a straight 6 gearbox, hooked up to a single axle 30’er (it might have been 2 axle). The training was with AMRAF in Wickford, but I failed my first test. I then did a days training with Fife Transport Training in Kirkcaldy in exactly the same type of vehicle, went up to Perth and passed the test on my second attempt.
I failed because of nerves and still trying to learn how to drive on the left after driving on the right in Europe for 7 years, constantly. I couldn’t keep off the blooming kerbs .
