Hi all. I am not asking what truck is the best or anything, I just want to know what trucks you all trained in and what they were like. I am not after people saying “oh my ■■■ is better than you ■■■” or anything. Just what you trained in, and your opinions of how they are for newbies.
This can also include all you instructors out there. Let us know what you have trained in, and how you found they were.
Cheers
NB
I trained on a Bedford TM. I liked it, but never got to drive another after I passed my test in it. 
Don’t see many of them around now though. 
I trained in a ford D serise (v8 perkins) single axle 30ft flat, complete ■■■■■
NewBlood:
Hi all. I am not asking what truck is the best or anything, I just want to know what trucks you all trained in and what they were like. I am not after people saying “oh my ■■■ is better than you ■■■” or anything. Just what you trained in, and your opinions of how they are for newbies.This can also include all you instructors out there. Let us know what you have trained in, and how you found they were.
Cheers
NB
I passed my CLASS 1 HGV, as it then was, in 1988 in a Ford D series unit, straight 6 gearbox with a 30’ flatbed trailer and had to double-De-Clutch every gear change even though it was a synchromesh box - there were still a lot of crash boxes around at the time 
On training we use a T reg scania rigid and a 51 plate volvo rigid - both have the third seat fitted for 2 to 1 training. The artic is a Volvo 380 with a 45’ box trailer making it a total length of 16.5metres - the longest allowed for the DSA LGV test - it also has the third seat fitted for 2 to 1 training
PS - I am probably the only the only LGV driver on this site who has been in this industry fo 20 years who does not know one make of truck from another or the different models of every type 
STRANGE 
- I probably am I probably could not list most of the different main manufacturers - Scania, Merc, Volvo, MAN… struggling…
I dont care what type of truck or car I am presented with - as long as it is safe & legal to drive. I take each vehicle on it’s own merits and adapt accordingly.
I am WEIRD - you don’t have to agree 
i did my class C in a 51 plate ERF with a twin split, that was fun 
Class C in a Volvo FL6, six speed box. CE in a Volvo (can’t remember the model) wagon and drag. Had no problems in either of them.
I did my class one in a Ford D1000 with single axle 30ft flat & when I got the licence it was a sticker that went in a little brown book, I’d still pass for 21 though, from a distance, like from the moon
As a little aside I will be taking a new driving test in the next month, I’m off to Canada & will be taking my test in a big Kenworth with a 53ft trailer!
newmercman:
As a little aside I will be taking a new driving test in the next month, I’m off to Canada & will be taking my test in a big Kenworth with a 53ft trailer!
Oh, I see, now we’re getting into the “Mine is BIGGER than yours” thing
ROG:
newmercman:
As a little aside I will be taking a new driving test in the next month, I’m off to Canada & will be taking my test in a big Kenworth with a 53ft trailer!Oh, I see, now we’re getting into the “Mine is BIGGER than yours” thing
Brilliant Rog
Did my C and CE in Scania series, both ageing but simple and easy to operate.
The artic unit was a 250hp plated at 28t, 2t more but 170hp less than my 6 wheel rigid. However being sluggish was an advantage as it didn’t let you get in a muddle quickly, you could usually see the problem occurring whilst it was rather than thinking how did I get into this situation.
Newblood, I passed class 2 in the one in your very avatar mate, J coates at leicester but out of the Npton branch.
Jim McEntee was my instructor, top bloke and great teacher, instilled alot of confidence, talked things thru when you got it wrong.
I cracked the reversing in half an hour with his advice.
I did my c+e test in a big old volvo,
with Elite based in Oldham.
She was a old baby,
but had one of the smoothest gear changes ever.
six speed fl6 for class c and daf 65 wagon and drag for class c +e 4 over 4 with a half split
jon
newmercman:
I did my class one in a Ford D1000 with single axle 30ft flat & when I got the licence it was a sticker that went in a little brown book, I’d still pass for 21 though, from a distance, like from the moon
Hi newmercman, That’s exactly the same vehicle that I had for test in 1979.
The test was called HGV1 back then, and you could take just the one test to gain a HGV licence AND a car licence.
All you needed was 2X provisional licences and off you went in an artic.
I passed my car test 4 years before doing the HGV1, and had driven the equivalent of a 7.5t for a while, which helped.
I’ve still got my brown book (somewhere) with my HGV licence renewal stickers inside.
Unfortunately for me, I don’t look like I’m 21 from any distance.
car test taken in a bedford HA van
class 3 test taken in a leyland boxer
class 1 test taken in a ford d series
Took both my C and C+E in a Volvo FM7
Cat. B in a Ford Focus 5-speed manual (AA driving school): AD52 GPF
Cat. D Automatic in a Volvo B10M Plaxton 5-speed ZF automatic (First Hampshire & Dorset): M440 FHW
Cat. D Manual in a Scania VanHool 7-speed manual with pre-select function (Target Travel - On Hire to First Hampshire & Dorset): M360 LFX
Cat. C1 in a MAN 5-speed manual (Key-Drive Driver Training, merged with Zenith Driver Training): M659 SKJ
Cat. C initially in a MAN ME 18.220 6-speed manual (On Hire to Zenith Driver Training): EU55 JHO. However this vehicle was refused at the DTC because it was registered after September 30th 2003 and therefore required to have at least 8 forward ratios…so then I did my Cat. C driving test the very next day in a Scania 93M 210 5-speed manual (because this vehicle was registered before October 1st 2003 it was exempt from the 8 forward ratios requirement!) (Zenith Driver Training): MIL 7606
Cat. C+E for the 1st 2 days in a Volvo FL10 9-speed manual (Zenith Driver Training): L922 MNV, with the next 3 days in a DAF CF 85 290 16-speed manual (Zenith Driver Training): R554 DNB. Unfortunately I failed my 1st driving test on the Uncouple/recouple section…which I was very pleased about as it was the only area of my training I was unsatisfied with. I passed on my 2nd attempt.
Cat. H in a FV432 Armoured Personeel Carrier 6-speed fully automatic (Millbrook Proving Ground): 09 EZ 76
Cat. A on a Suzuki something-or-other! 6-speed manual (Zenith Motorcycle Training): X541 FPX
Cat. G…Coming Soon!
Richard
The Lyonator:
Cat. B in a Ford Focus 5-speed manual (AA driving school): AD52 GPFCat. D Automatic in a Volvo B10M Plaxton 5-speed ZF automatic (First Hampshire & Dorset): M440 FHW
Cat. D Manual in a Scania VanHool 7-speed manual with pre-select function (Target Travel - On Hire to First Hampshire & Dorset): M360 LFX
Cat. C1 in a MAN 5-speed manual (Key-Drive Driver Training, merged with Zenith Driver Training): M659 SKJ
Cat. C initially in a MAN ME 18.220 6-speed manual (On Hire to Zenith Driver Training): EU55 JHO. However this vehicle was refused at the DTC because it was registered after September 30th 2003 and therefore required to have at least 8 forward ratios…so then I did my Cat. C driving test the very next day in a Scania 93M 210 5-speed manual (because this vehicle was registered before October 1st 2003 it was exempt from the 8 forward ratios requirement!) (Zenith Driver Training): MIL 7606
Cat. C+E for the 1st 2 days in a Volvo FL10 9-speed manual (Zenith Driver Training): L922 MNV, with the next 3 days in a DAF CF 85 290 16-speed manual (Zenith Driver Training): R554 DNB. Unfortunately I failed my 1st driving test on the Uncouple/recouple section…which I was very pleased about as it was the only area of my training I was unsatisfied with. I passed on my 2nd attempt.
Cat. H in a FV432 Armoured Personeel Carrier 6-speed fully automatic (Millbrook Proving Ground): 09 EZ 76
Cat. A on a Suzuki something-or-other! 6-speed manual (Zenith Motorcycle Training): X541 FPX
Cat. G…Coming Soon!
Richard
He’s remembered every number plate - Richard, you really need to get out more
It’s a side-effect of diesel fumes…honest!
Richard