Diary of a Wide One
This weeks job should have been a internal France Mobile home delivery, then back to Hull, UK to collect another mobile home destined for a holiday park near Beziers in the south of France… But
It was an early start from home to drive to where the truck was, North of Rennes, 5 hours from home by car, Leaving at 5 am, arrived at Chateaubriante to drop my car and meet up with my Convoi Exceptionnel Pilote for the last 90 minute drive to the truck, But
I then receive a call from the boss, to tell me they where having problems with the truck and it was still on the docks at Ouistreham (Caen) and to make our way there.
On arrival at the docks, the mechanic still had not arrived, so it was coffee time and a catch up with our 2 bosses, Doug and Anna, Doug drives the truck and Anna is Convoi Exceptionnel Pilot for him.
The mechanic arrives and cant repair the starter fault on site but he can get the engine running to drive it to the garage at Caen, We decide to get the engine started and deliver the Mobile Home on the way to the garage, So 45 mins later, Mobile loaded and we run the few Kilometres to deliver the mobile.
Then battle through rush hour traffic on the Caen Ring Road to the garage., by this time its 1730hrs and the day is disappearing fast. I should have been in Cherbourg by now.
The mechanic inform us that he will work late and have us back on the road that evening, My 15 hour spread is rapidly coming to an end, since it began at home at 5am.
Our bosses completely unfazed by all this and are replanning the week, and also treating us to a 3 course lunch at the local routier while we wait, at 1930 we get a call to say its ready and the mechanic drives to the routier for a signature and informs us he has left it ready to go and let ourselves into the yard when we want to leave… Top Bloke…
At 1945hrs we arrive at the garage and not only has he fixed it, he has washed it !!!
With 15 mins left I hook up the trailer and pull out of the yard and park in a nearby lay-by for the night, The bosses disappear in their Pilote van, Terry, my Pilote for this job gets his head down in the van and I get my stuff nested and bed made. Nice cool glass of beer and bed for me.
Day 2
UK trip has now been put back to Monday as there are no trucks allowed in Calvados and surrounding areas due to D-Day anniversary festivities on Friday, and after losing a day due to truck problems we wont make it to the port before Friday.
So 7am, we fuel up at the local AS24 and set off for Cherbourg arriving at the freight terminal at 0900. paper work done and then tour round the docks to find our load.
A Victory Celeste, measuring a fraction over 4 metres wide and 12.6 metres long. weighing 6 and half tonnes
When loaded total rig length of 18.5metres
Load located and in 55 mins we have it loaded, travelling height checked at 4.4 metres and ready to roll. Time for a break, change into shorts and T Shirt. At 1055 we pull out of the docks and away we go.
First destination is Derval Truck Stop, just manageable in 4 and half hours.
Being Cat 2 Convoi means we have to follow a set route, avoiding motorways and peage, so our route winds away through countryside and villages, Great fun with a wide on !!!. this is where the Convoi Pilote earns his money, I have advanced warning of anything in my way, oncoming vehicles, Especially other wide stuff as we all use the same routes, pedestrians, parked vehicles, overhanging trees, badly placed sign posts , etc etc… With a good Pilote up front I can use as much of the road as I need,
He also stops traffic at the occasional roundabout where I need more room and its easier to go the wrong way round, than risk damaging the Mobile.
After 4 and half hours we make it to Derval and its time for more Coffee and a shower.
50 mins later and away we go, this leg we have Nantes ring road to fight our way round. As well as designated routes we also have time bans on Various sections, The Nantes ring being one of them, No Convoi between 1630 and 1900 hrs… we arrive there at 1645 and decide to chance it, we do this route regularly and know where we can push our luck and where its better to wait it out.
Once round Nantes we head for Cholet on dual carriageway, then the dreaded roadwork’s, the contra flow is very narrow so to avoid this we take a detour round it via an industrial estate, 3 roundabouts wrong sided and we are back on route, its now a steady drive through various villages to Vendrennes and stop for the night, Nice FREE parking in the village with lawns, trees and picnic tables.
Mobile checked for damage, scratches etc… Only takes 1 stray twig hanging off a tree to do some serious damage.
All ok and a quick chat with Terry we decide we are leaving at 0530hrs as we have a time ban at Libourne to work in to the day, This one you cant bend!!
Total drive time 8hrs50. and 602 kilometres avg 68kmh !!! 21 roundabouts and 5 tight hairpin bends, Not a bad day
Time for home made chicken casserole and a cool beer to wash it down with. Early night and see what delight tomorrow brings.
Day 3
Wake up to a wet day at 4.30am, breakfast and flask filled for the day, cab tidied and walk round checks done and ready to roll just after 0530.
Quiet roads and just coming light, drive for about an hour and pull in for coffee and cr*p and away we go, roads now starting to get busy but making good progress through small, tight villages and dozens of roundabouts that are a feature of our Cat 2 route, the N137. a
Another coffee break and fuel at Claude’s near Pons and that’s our 45 done and we can get through Libourne before the 1130 >1400 Convoi time ban and we set off in the direction of Langon and our destination a Holiday Park at Gastes, another 45 done before we get on the tight back roads to enable us to get in and out as parking places for something of this width are hard to find.
Weather has got a bit better and we arrive and tip in the sunshine, Paperwork done and Terry’s van is loaded on the trailer for the ride back and no doubt plenty of sleep for him while I pedal back up the motorway. He has earned his rest, this job would be impossible without him, He knows the way in to most of the places we go to, every tight spot…and coffee shop…
We jump on the motorway at Lipothey and head north until out of hours just north of Bordeaux.
Total drive time 10 hours, and 570 kilometres, dozens of roundabouts, and about 6 of them had to be done the wrong way round to avoid signs etc.
Another good day and only 8 hours tomorrow to drop the truck off and a weekend at home, ready for another one from Hull next week
This is the first diary/blog I have done, but enjoyed reading others and thought I would give it a go.
