I am thinking of biting the bullet and borrowing some money to upgrade my license to class1. The problem is if I go back to the school I did my class2 in I will be taking my lessons and test in a wagon and drag, the wagon being the one I took my class2 in. As you can imagine that when I pass I might never get asked to drive a w+d but I may get thrown in the deep end and be told to drive an artic which I wouldn’t even know how to couple/uncouple let alone do a blind side reverse etc. I have a feeling that I would stand a greater chance of passing in a w+d especially as I will be using a familiar/lucky truck but I don’t want to make myself a danger on the road giving you all a bad name. Any honest advice would be most appreciated. Thanks
Warren T. Claim:
I am thinking of biting the bullet and borrowing some money to upgrade my license to class1. The problem is if I go back to the school I did my class2 in I will be taking my lessons and test in a wagon and drag, the wagon being the one I took my class2 in. As you can imagine that when I pass I might never get asked to drive a w+d but I may get thrown in the deep end and be told to drive an artic which I wouldn’t even know how to couple/uncouple let alone do a blind side reverse etc. I have a feeling that I would stand a greater chance of passing in a w+d especially as I will be using a familiar/lucky truck but I don’t want to make myself a danger on the road giving you all a bad name. Any honest advice would be most appreciated. Thanks
Well you’ll be familiar with the wagon therefore your comfortable driving it.
Wagon and Drags handle the same as a class 2 as the trailer follows you. Although at some roundabouts and junctions, you may need to straddle lanes and take corners wider but this will be explained by your instructor.
As for coupling/uncoupling I prefer an artic, don’t worry as your instructor will teach you exactly what to do here. You can see around you with a tractor unit but with a rigid attaching to a drag, then you can’t.
I passed me Class 1 on an artic, I actually prefered it but as I have since driven a Wagon and Drag I can comment on both types. If the vehicle has an A-frame then I would stay clear of it and go for the artic.
The catch on an A-frame is so heavy it requires gentle nudges into the trailer in order for it fall into place. Now if you don’t get it right, it’ll come straight off. On your test it isn’t ideal and you could do without the stress.
I personally think artics are easier to drive due to the fact that you take corners wider, acceptable to straddle lanes as you have to (W+D you’ll be limited) and its a whole different experience.
I also think its easier to pass a test in an artic.
Those are my views basically. 
Learn in the type of vehicle that you are likely to be driving on your first C+E job.
This is much more likely to be an ARTIC.
W&Ds and ARTICS do handle differently especially on the reverse.
Can you imagine going for your first C+E job and having to learn how a different type of vehicle handles as well as all the other things you have to learn on your first shift 
If you do decide to learn C+E in a W&D then I strongly suggest that you pay for some ARTIC training as well once the W&D C+E test is passed.
A lot of training schools opt for W&D as their C+E training vehicle because it is a cheaper option for THEM.
As said here, take it in an artic ,
You can drive a class 2 so there wont be any prob if you get called to do W&D but an artic as you know by what you have said handles diff to a W&D.
Your use to the size just that its a tad longer and bends.
good luck 
Wagon and Drags handle the same as a class 2 as the trailer follows you.
Not strictly correct. They are similar but not the same.
Although both asre class 1 or Cat C+E Artics asre a differnt thing altogether and drivers only having ever used a W&D get a shock their first time in an artic.
The ‘bend’ is in a different place altogether so cornering needs a different approach. a Drag will follow you very nicely whereas an asrtic trailer often seems to have a mind of its own!
I can see that it makes sense to get a better chance of passing if you take the test in the familiar vehicle - and W&D is - in my opinion - a lot easier to drive and a lot easier to reverse, but if you do take this route then I think the sensible thing to do would be to pass your test then book a days training in an artic just to gain experience. Most driving schools who use artics will be happy to take you out for a days ‘Trucker Training’ in an artic giving you some valuable experience in shunting and cornering, coupling and uncoupling and of course reversing.
So go for the test in the vehicle you are happy with then book a day out in an artic. That would be my advice.
If you look around the websites, you will find at least one school offering development training on a fully loaded artic.
Peter Smythe:
If you look around the websites, you will find at least one school offering development training on a fully loaded artic.
whilst i agree that training should be done on a loaded vehicle
i thought it was illegal at the mo
although i stand to be corrected
farmer:
Peter Smythe:
If you look around the websites, you will find at least one school offering development training on a fully loaded artic.whilst i agree that training should be done on a loaded vehicle
i thought it was illegal at the mo
although i stand to be corrected
from what i understand you can train in a loaded vehicle but on your test the set up should be empty! i may be wrong though!!!
Giblsa:
farmer:
Peter Smythe:
If you look around the websites, you will find at least one school offering development training on a fully loaded artic.whilst i agree that training should be done on a loaded vehicle
i thought it was illegal at the mo
although i stand to be corrected
from what i understand you can train in a loaded vehicle but on your test the set up should be empty! i may be wrong though!!!
my mistook didnt read the word development
The rules are simple (if possibly misguided). On L plates you can drive a loaded vehicle, whether that be a commercial load or a dummy load. If driving commercially, you loose the tacho excemption. As others have stated, the vehicle presented for test must be unladen. The rules were due to change next year stating actual minimum weights for driving test vehicles. However, that’s been scrubbed till 2013. Even at that we’re only 15 tonnes for a CE. So it’s still nothing like representative. That’s why I like the development training after passing the test on an empty truck.
Peter Smythe:
That’s why I like the development training after passing the test on an empty truck.
I wonder if this should be part of the training - a post test drive in such a vehicle - I don’t think the status of a ‘private’ vehicle would change if the training company put concrete blocks or similar in the back for the sole purpose of using it as a weighted training vehicle - it’s not collecting or delivering anything.
You’re right. Just so happens I know a very good HGV instructor who is doing just that!
I’m with mothertrucker. Maybe I should take test in W+D and if I pass have a days training in an artic.
Warren T. Claim:
I’m with mothertrucker. Maybe I should take test in W+D and if I pass have a days training in an artic.
The total cost would probably work out the same so you might as well take it in an artic.
More C+Es are artics in the UK than W&DS so the likelyhood is that your first C+E job will be an artic.
you could then do a days W&D training at a much later date if the need arose.