Mike Bartlett:
Did a couple of runs one that were very good,
Bracknell - Totness - Bracknell
Bracknell - Ashby - Trafford Park - Bracknell
both a full day 9 10 hrs depending on traffic.
And let me guess those Bracknell runs were “very light” in weight. And you had to have “a lot of bottle” to do them didn’t you
The Totnes was a great run, But it wasnt so good if you got the wagon and drag.
Only ever had artics, but why was it than whenever you got to that A384 bridge there was always a coach coming the other way
The run was really 8hrs, to stretch it to 10 you really had to milk it
Only ever had artics, but why was it than whenever you got to that A384 bridge there was always a coach coming the other way
I have a similar experience on an old route!
When we were going to the Midlands / Birmingham anywhere, we always used the A38 and then up through Walsall Wood. Every time I went up that bloody hill near Kennings did I get stuck behind an electric milk float. Day or Night
Without a doubt,loading fish in Urk on a Monday,tip Gothenburg Tuesday,pick up a trailer Wednesday to tip/load Thursday night in Ede and change over trailers in Kiel.Home for Friday night.
I did that trip for nearly three years.
And I miss it
Mike Bartlett:
Only ever had artics, but why was it than whenever you got to that A384 bridge there was always a coach coming the other way
The run was really 8hrs, to stretch it to 10 you really had to milk it
Once had a women towing a bloody great boat with 4X4, she was well over the wrong side of the road, I had nowhere to go so she had to reverse, Took her at least 15 minutes to get into a position where I could get past.
All you had to do was to have a nice long break in the station cafe, we used to have at least 1.5 hours in there, cheap bacon butties as well.
Spardo:
Anywhere that was longer than the norm for whoever I was working for.
.
Yes, me too. My ambition was always to go further than I had been before. Didn’t care what truck I drove or anything. Just wanted to do a longer trip than the last one.
I feel sorry for anyone coming into the game nowadays because the long-distance stuff just isn’t around any more.
We had a map in the drivers room and we used to try to outdo each other.
The map had a bit missing from the top, so when I got a run from Van den Berghs in Purfleet to Fraserburgh. I got my name on the portacabin roof, because the map stopped at Aberdeen
It wasnt a regular run but it was certainly a well paid one
One of the best runs (was the easiest) was when i worked in the early days for a company in Sweden two of us used to load SKF at luton on boat harwich to the Hook of Holland, couple of hours drive up to Ede tip load back for the night boat, into harwich, clear customs up to SKF at milton Keynes tip down to Luton load an back again, two one week an three the next hardly ever slept in the truck every night on the boat, did it for so many years even got to gettin own cabin every time, used to put us on the boat first in harwich as they always wanted the short trucks up the front (used to go 12m at 38t on 5 axles) with two kingpins which used to anoy the ministry no end in harwich, coming back they always wanted us on last which was handy for a lay in. Duno if KW has any pics of the old trailers we used to pull, which will explain how we used to get away with 12m artic driver accompanied, as i can’t find any that i took.
sdj
For Fed Ex, Crick to Exeter and back each night, I would get to work and find everything hooked up for me, would get to Exeter and the shunter would change over as I ate dinner, I would get back and just get out and go home, no fueling or anything else, If I wanted an hour overtime I would call at Nuneaton hub and watch some guy wash my truck as I sat in the canteen.
I made lots of good friends on that run… Hello Bambi if your still around.
In the early to middle 80`s I was doing household removals around Europe. Best run was down to the South of France and getting weekended around Antibes or Cannes.Unfortunatly I would have to deliver around Paris first (nightmare!!) but then it was full speed south for a weekend on the beach!!
Another favourite, this time very early 90`s was getting weekended in Milan
Found a bar frequented by the British nurses, nannies, au-pairs, teachers etc living out there
Biggles:
Duno if KW has any pics of the old trailers we used to pull, which will explain how we used to get away with 12m artic driver accompanied, as i can’t find any that i took.
sdj
Oh…My fav run ?
It will have to be the one I haven’t done yet.
I just love going new places. The game is on…will I find it first go …or ■■? Great stuff !!
Best trip so far will have to be Dundee in December. Nice change of scenery.
Still my dream trip will be a run up through Norway to the verry North. Might have to forget ever doing that in a lorry, so will have to take the camper van again !
Michelin at Basildon to Doncaster, M11, A14,A1, it makes a nice change from the M1 and so many cafes to chose from instead of paying nearly £4 for a naf sandwich out of the services.
My all time favourite was Rainham Essex to Vichensa Italy for McKellar trucking, ahh those were the days
