it must be in the blood , dad & uncle were lorry drivers at the local quarry , i went everywhere with them every school holiday from 5 years old . when i left school i went in the garage as an apprentice & learned to drive all the different lorries they had , including GMC 6x6 left hookers . i left the garage at 19 & went driving a 3 tonner on corn deliveries . got on general haulage at 20 , [ lied about my age ] & that was it for the net 42 years . i have never been in a lorry since i finished , but i would do it all again , but not in modern times . rigsby
I’d always wanted to be a lorry driver from a very young age. I remember at about 5 yrs old getting my mum to make a miniature “long vehicle” sign and put it on the back of my scooter!! On holidays I loved the travelling, watching the lorries up and down the motorways etc. I recall being in France when I was about 9 or 10, and seeing a brit registered lorry parked up way down south. I knew from then THAT was what I wanted to be. I left school, got a job as a drivers mate, got my car licence, drove the vans at 17, then 7.5 tonners at 18, passed my class 3 at 21, class one at 22 drove long distance for 13 years, 6 of that on the continent. I fulfilled my dream, ended up driving trains for the last 10 years, but still am keeping my hand in for my old guv’nor now. I only went on the railway after being made redundant, if I hadn’t I’d still be driving lorries.
It IS in some peoples blood, I’d love to go back to it, but finances, the missus and young family won’t allow it! My one regret? not getting to do the M/E like my mates dad did.
Regards,
Mark.
I can’t remember the first time I got interested in or wanted to drive lorries, they were always around, I was the middle child of a family of Seven kids so my older Brothers had been on trips before I became eligible, so to speak. Dad was also in the TA and brought home an array of vehicles for us and the local kids to have rides in, the one to top everything was when he trundled down the street in a Halftrack and gave us a run up and down before heading back to the Barracks a couple of miles away. Some of those old Army vehicles ranged from 1 Ton Austins to Matadors towing 5.5 inch Guns and Landrovers to Motorcycles, our favourite though, and Dads, was the Austin Champ. These early introductions to military hardware had more of an influence on my two oldest Brothers as they joined the Army after younger years in the Cadet Force, however it was driving the vehicles that I was more interested in.
My first recollection was sitting on my dads knee steering his Bedford O Series tipper around the site area right infront of where we lived, they were building new houses on our estate and I was around Six years old, Dad done all the footwork but allowed me to turn the wheel round and round until he must have got fed up but that memory has stayed as clear as day. After that he couldn’t get shot of me, even when he tried to sneak out early in the morning I would be up and behind him going out the door. I think looking back he liked the company especially as I got older and taught me everything, the only thing I was lacking by the time I had to go and earn a living myself was taking a loaded artic down the road, I did later and highly illegally at around 18 or so on short runs so I suppose for me it was just a case of getting my Class One when old enough. Before that date arrived though I had joined the army too after serving my time as a Diesel Fitter and passed my HGV courses within the next few years.
However on returning to Civvie street I found things were not as straight forward as I thought but as I’ve went on too long already I’ll leave that for another time. Some may have read this before but for those that haven’t I wrote this poem about Ten years ago about what being a Lorry driver meant to me. I called it The Trip. Cheers Franky.
A gentle shake, a young lad awakes,
It’s time to go, daylight breaks,
Washed and dressed, down to flakes,
Gulp them down, no time it takes.
2.
Out of the house and over the road,
The Seddon stands, tall and broad,
Stretch for the handle, open the door,
Smell the hemp ropes down on the floor.
3.
Slam the door, push back in the seat,
Little bit chilly, could do with some heat,
Start the engine lets be away,
Sun is rising on a bright Northern day.
4.
The Gardner barks, it belches out loud,
Build up the air, just look at the cloud,
Into gear, handbrake goes ‘boosh’,
Foot on the pedal, One Fifty Horse’s loose.
5.
Down to the Quayside, salt in the air,
Lots of trailers parked here and there,
Back onto one, ‘cor’ what a thump,
Checking it’s hooked makes the cab jump.
6.
“Stay in here, oh pick up those maps”
On with the lines, turn on the taps,
Wind up the legs, to the right height,
Pull at the ropes, see they are tight.
7.
All looks well we can’t hang around,
This load is needed, for Scotland it’s bound,
Clutch goes squeak at each downward push,
The lever is moved, this you can’t rush.
8.
Through the box, Davy Brown gave us six,
Dad never misses he knows all the tricks,
The engine sounds fine, never a miss,
Twenty ton’s nothing, it can handle all this.
9.
The A1 is stretching along the North coast,
Stomachs are calling for two eggs on toast,
Pull in just here, this cafe will do,
Although it is full they make room for two.
10.
Chatter and laughter and jibes to and fro,
Is there no one, Dad doesn’t know?
Bacon and sausage the smell is delight,
Two plates full we have, almost my height!
11.
Back on the road and feeling much better,
Look at the sky, things could get wetter,
But even the rain won’t spoil this trip,
Such scenery there is on each rise and dip.
12.
On we go, the miles counting down,
Houses and villages, town after town,
Finally we reach our destination,
A factory, a works, or power station.
13.
At last, a stretch of legs and feet,
Undo the ropes and slacken the sheet,
Grasp it tight and pull to the ground,
It’s nice to see, the load’s safe and sound.
14.
One day you’ll do this on your own,
Fold it properly, that’s it son,
You really need to get it right ,
Make sure you roll it nice and tight.
15.
A job well done and feeling like a winner,
On being tipped we go in search of dinner,
What a day, every memory I still see,
Other trips too will stay with me.
16.
As I grew up I worked hard and long,
I’d never become a skiver,
It was in my blood, so I just had to be,
A LONG DISTANCE LORRY DRIVER.
Sorry its in this format I couldn’t get it to post any other way!
sammyopisite:
I wanted to be lorry driver from around 7 or 8 as I used to go with my dad regular and I started at Pickfords mating and by the time I was 22 I was driving. I did try a couple of other jobs salesman it only lasted a couple of weeks, bus driving and heavy lifting gang but they were not for me so I went back to what I enjoyed to me it was like getting paid for doing your hobby and if I was able to live my life again in the same times would do it all over again.
cheers Johnnie
did your dad drive for pickfords regard alan
I got to be a trucker by chance,i was put on a course when i was unemployed in a Commercial Vehicle garage run by two fitters.They put me in for my car driving licence so i could drive the van.One of their customers had a Cargo 7 an half tonner.He asked me would i like to drive for him and i done a run to Wembley.I got the bug he bourght another Cargo a curtainsider and thats what ive done ever since.Ive now got my Class 1 and i love driving trucks
My first truck
Big Rig, you seemed happy enough in your work when you passed me on the M6 on Monday 
Your FH looks very tidy !
Trev_H:
Big Rig, you seemed happy enough in your work when you passed me on the M6 on MondayYour FH looks very tidy !
Was that you in the white Volvo mate
Yes, that was me burning up the road at 52mph ! 
Trev_H:
Yes, that was me burning up the road at 52mph !
Nice to see ya im off down to Stafford again in the mornin
I remember in my youth being given a Guy with a 180 gardner 
, at 58mph it was the slowest thing in the yard! times have changed haven’t they !
I shall pass you in the dark tomorrow Big rig its 7am in Warrington for me. 
revman:
sammyopisite:
I wanted to be lorry driver from around 7 or 8 as I used to go with my dad regular and I started at Pickfords mating and by the time I was 22 I was driving. I did try a couple of other jobs salesman it only lasted a couple of weeks, bus driving and heavy lifting gang but they were not for me so I went back to what I enjoyed to me it was like getting paid for doing your hobby and if I was able to live my life again in the same times would do it all over again.cheers Johnnie
did your dad drive for pickfords regard alan
Yes Alan “Big Jock” he was there 50 to 65 then transferred to BRS Staniforth road then transferred back 70/71 by then I was senior to him, he retired when they closed Sheffield depot.
Trev_H:
I remember in my youth being given a Guy with a 180 gardnerI shall pass you in the dark tomorrow Big rig its 7am in Warrington for me.
I shud be in Stafford for about 6.15
sammyopisite:
revman:
sammyopisite:
I wanted to be lorry driver from around 7 or 8 as I used to go with my dad regular and I started at Pickfords mating and by the time I was 22 I was driving. I did try a couple of other jobs salesman it only lasted a couple of weeks, bus driving and heavy lifting gang but they were not for me so I went back to what I enjoyed to me it was like getting paid for doing your hobby and if I was able to live my life again in the same times would do it all over again.cheers Johnnie
did your dad drive for pickfords regard alan
Yes Alan “Big Jock” he was there 50 to 65 then transferred to BRS Staniforth road then transferred back 70/71 by then I was senior to him, he retired when they closed Sheffield depot.
ye must have crossed paths with both of you at some i know you said before u ran billets into thrybergh with pete on truswells(is he still about)there was a time when i had a rental crusader from staniforth rd cheers alan
revman:
sammyopisite:
revman:
sammyopisite:
I wanted to be lorry driver from around 7 or 8 as I used to go with my dad regular and I started at Pickfords mating and by the time I was 22 I was driving. I did try a couple of other jobs salesman it only lasted a couple of weeks, bus driving and heavy lifting gang but they were not for me so I went back to what I enjoyed to me it was like getting paid for doing your hobby and if I was able to live my life again in the same times would do it all over again.cheers Johnnie
did your dad drive for pickfords regard alan
Yes Alan “Big Jock” he was there 50 to 65 then transferred to BRS Staniforth road then transferred back 70/71 by then I was senior to him, he retired when they closed Sheffield depot.
ye must have crossed paths with both of you at some i know you said before u ran billets into thrybergh with pete on truswells(is he still about)there was a time when i had a rental crusader from staniforth rd cheers alan
Hi Alan I have not seen Pete for about 10 years but he is a bit younger than me so he will be coming up to retiring very soon 
Hiya…I got started at about 3. my dad worked in a slab works(hand loading concrete flags) they had a canadian dodge in the yard
for a dump truck. they only used it once a week, i think i went round the world twice in it. The truck driver at the yard took me from
leek to oldham in a new parrot nose and we loaded paper from ratcliff paper mills(1954/55) back to Leek.that was it. i was always in
someones truck. my uncle drove from Ashbourne to Frodsham to collect corn he would pick me up at 5.30 in a morning going through
Leek and drop me off going back towards home. I remember jodral bank telescope been built and going to birkenhead docks and seeing
big ships.Then going back to school and you had to tell class what you,d done in the holidays they all thought i,d gone mad.
I told the kids i,d seen electric street lamps and they did know what i was about.I did a aprenticeship at ERF(more trucks) and passed
my test at 21 more trucking. it was intresting and i was intrested. I,ve done tipping work …handball… tilts…containers…brick cranes
general haulage.and regular curtain sider own products deliverys. sorry no tankers.i.ve been lucky to go into places jo public would never
go. The mint…neuclear sub bases… parliment …buck house…greenham…aldermaston. even to jail 3 times one week(Ranby ) loads
off nutters in there…all the docks and all the refinerys…all the power stations… So 60 in Jan and retired and would love to do it all again.
I would love to have been 5 years older as all the new rules spoiled it at the end…I also feel like other drivers, i would have liked to do the.
european and m/e work. but i was always on top brass and not living on expenses…I worked at 7 companys all with good work. one
Harrisons in Stoke had many diffrent contacts so you had varied work we pulled for berrisfords/morecap /coopers doing stoke to dover with
tilts and double deckers and delivering uk work from europe.as well as tippers /brick and flat trailers
I,ve had foden 12 speeds/two strokes.mk5 AEC…F88/89…transcons…Gardner100/120/150/180/240. scania80/110… mans…and 14 litre ■■■■■■■■
bedfords and DAFs …gate change scammell even a TM with a DD especialy for you know who…and many others makes.
How time flies…John
that was all i ever wanted to do. every school holiday i was with my dad in his artic tipper. first truck was a dodge then he had a volvo f86. As soon as i was 21 i went for my hgv and have been driving tippers for the past 22 years and still enjoy the job
Yep me too, used to go with my old man from a very early age and my first time behind the wheel was in front of him in his seat and holding the wheel of his BMC with Willenhall cab 4 wheel tipper. It semed like a massive lorry then but not so big when you look back now though ! Left school at 15 and started as a drivers mate on heavy haulage and loved every minute of it. By the time I was 21 I had driven 1000s of miles and when I went to the RTITB for an assessment the instructor said to me “you’ve done this before mi lad 'ave,nt yer” He was right about that and I was so impressed by his skill as an instructor that I decided thats what I wanted to do later on. After 25 years of driving I am now an LGV instructor (the hours are better) and I am still enjoying a life on the road, it just gets into your blood as someone else has already said but I wouldn’t change a day of it ! Regards doublereduction
Must be a lot of us about.I used to help our milkman on Saturdays in the early fifties,he used to let me change gear and turn the trafficators(remember them??)on and off in his Fordson van.We couldnt afford a holiday in the mid fifties, so my mom used to send me off to stay with my aunty in Darrington near Pontefract. I used to spend all day sitting on the wall of the Darrington Hotel pub,watching the end less steam of lorries on the old A1,which in them days past right outside.I remember all the famous liveries, especially the Scottish ones.
Used to go with my older brother in his lorry every chance I got till I left school.Started as drivers mate,and learned to drive on estates and quiet roads,in an old Albion. Spent following years driving HGVs up to mid 80s,then got persuaded to work in the transport office for a few years.The bug bit again in 97 when I went back to driving.I did an all week run ,set off 4 00am Monday back Friday night,all over Scotland.I must be winding down now cos im back in the office!!!.still ony a couple of years to the pension.
Like many on here,I can honestly say I have no regrets at all about the work I have done
Keep smiling JOHN
Its all I ever wanted to be from the day I went in my old mans FG delivering coal, then on to his Mandator and thence to ERFs. Unfortunately although I got on that govt YTS shceme at 16 that was supposed to ensure you were an HGV1 by the time you were 21 (or perhaps younger for the lower class HGVs?) I got put with a healthfood warehouse staffed by a bunch of hippies and never got near a proper wagon. Therefore I left to train as a race car mechanic, and although I drove loads of 7.5 ton Cargo’s and the like I never got my HGV, progressing instead to CAD design work in the drawing office and then on to proper IT work, which Im still in 'cos it pays well and Ive got a family. But when the mortgage is paid off and I move back home I have an agreement with the wife that from 55 (or earlier hopefully) I can become a lorry driver, nothing too major, the odd night away maybe but more likely just happy behind the wheel of some old tipper, or flat. After all Ive got to use those roping and sheeting skills my old man drummed into me…
I’m 4th generation, my Great Grandad started out in the London Docks with a single horsepower 4 legger 
I didn’t just blindly follow family tradition though, I became a lorry driver because I wanted to, I never wanted to do anything else, I did very well at school, but much to the annoyance of my teachers I was only interested in one thing and that was lorries, I’m a full on lorry nerd and proud of it 
I started at the bottom and worked my way up, so far I’ve driven on 5 continents so I’ve put a few miles under the front bumper, I did get away from driving for a while, I went into the office, worked at TRUCK mag, ran my own motors and then sold Mercs, hence the name, but in between these jobs I always went back on the lorries and even while I did them I still did a bit of driving.
Looking back over the last 25yrs I’ve dealt with all sorts of crap, from bad weather, crap lorries, crappier wages, breakdowns, delays at borders/customs, ferry strikes, blockades, you name it, I must be a bit simple though, because I’ve enjoyed every last minute of it