I went into this fully accepting that as a new driver with zero experience I am not in a position to be fussy. I’m willing to work awful hours for terrible money short term so that in 12 months time I stand a better chance of finding a permanant job. I think I may have lucked out already, but time will tell I guess. I did refuse tramping but offered permanant nights (Sat & Sun included) as a compromise. I’ve been lucky with the agencies so far, was fully expecting to get dropped in it at the deep end 
Well done, and thanks, on starting this thread. I’'ve been looking into it all, but finding it hard without speaking to others in the same situation.
I was getting the impression that you had to sign for a whole package with training companies, but now thinking I can do it step by step.
Got my licence prior to 1997. I’m a bit confused on the 35-hour CPC and Mod2 + Mod4, so would appreciate some advice from someone. Was thinking I had a choice, but now someone has suggested I have to do the 35 hours anyway.
What stage: done all the research, but haven’t bitten the bullet yet. Was thinking Class 2 at first, but now thinking of going straight to Class 1, though it may be frowned upon by some.
Where are you located: Oxfordshire
Why: similar reasons to yours. I’ve spent so many years in an office, fancy learning a new life skill
What kind of work: like you, the longer trips appeal more than multi-drops in town centres
Pre 1997 car licence means you already have LGV C1 so you can do the 35 hours now
You can get a digicard now
You can do the 2 initial driver cpc tests instead of the 35 but it is a pain to try and book them and they are pass/fail - the periodic is attendance only and can be done online
driveress:
So…What stage are you at and how are you getting on?
Where are you located and where are you doing your training? (If you want to say)
Why do you want to be an HGV driver?
What kind of work do you want?
Hi guys, so here is a bit about me and how I am getting on:
What stage: I did my medical on 30th October, mod 2(case studies) on 22nd December and my theory and hazard perception on 19th January. I used lgvtheory.co.uk/ and Theory 4 in 1 app on my mobile, found them very useful and passed without any problems. Got an assessment drive tomorrow so looking forward to that.
Where: I live in Lanarkshire and am doing my training with Jim Mair Driver Training in Ayr. I contacted a few training companies near me from a list of recommended schools on here.
Why: I work in the Building Trade (family business) and decided that it would be a good idea to have a back up plan. I have always loved driving, passed my car test in 1996 and motorbike in 2004. Getting my hgv license has always been one of my goals.
What work: I would be looking to pick up some weekend shifts. Would try anything to begin with to get some experience but trunking would be my preferred.
Papaya - Glad you enjoyed your first drive in an artic and got on well!
I encountered alot of roundabouts and was shocked with how much of a blind spot the wing mirrors cause
That’s exactly what I thought on my assessment drive. Did you have a bouncy seat? I didn’t like it 
Hey Norbert Daggett - Thanks for joining us. Do you think we should rename this thread January 2022 Old Newbies
?
Good luck to everyone here in your training and early driving careers. I look forward to hearing of many test passes and new jobs in the coming months, and maybe having a cuppa in a truck stop/RDC/layby with some of you at some point in the future too!
Definitely - we’ve already had 2 first time passes this week - C (jimmea) and a C+E (Stu675)
ROG - thanks for keeping an eye on us and checking in. This pre 1997 issue came up for me today too - if only I had checked this thread first I would have found the answer here! Out of interest, why are Mods 2 and 4 difficult to book?
Wow jibber - what a great story! That’s what I for one want to be writing in a few month’s time 
Hey goiko and stuart1 - thanks for joining us.
We seem to be a pretty geographically diverse bunch with a recurring theme of career change before it’s too late. You do feel like it’s only you, don’t you, so it’s great to find some supportive like minds.
Have a great weekend everyone, and lurkers, come on out, we know you’re out there, you don’t have to be over 40
ROG:
You can do the 35 hours cpc now (perhaps online) as you have C1
You can get your digicard now
Thanks Rog, I’ll be doing the CPC hours online, hopefully at weekends so I don’t have to take too much time off work. I want to get the theory out of the way first though. I was going to wait until I had completed the CPC hours before I got my digicard but it’s probably not a bad idea to order it now.
ROG:
Have you considered the forum sponsor
PSTT is top of my list, I’d have to take advantage of their residential offer as it would be a bit far to travel each day.
ROG:
Have you checked out the link in my signature below
Yes I have, although I haven’t read everything yet, there is a lot of info! Thank you and all others who contributed.
driveress:
Hey Norbert Daggett - Thanks for joining us. Do you think we should rename this thread January 2022 Old Newbies?
Thank you driveress for starting the thread to entice us lurkers out of the shadows!
Shout out to the pre 97 crew, there are more of us here than I expected, it’s definitely nice to know there are others in a similar situation.
driveress:
Out of interest, why are Mods 2 and 4 difficult to book?
Given the choice I probably would have taken mods 2 & 4 but I’d rather spend 35 hours learning than on hold to the DVSA!
Thank you driveress for starting the thread to entice us lurkers out of the shadows!
That’s OK - I decided I had to be brave! Nobody replied for days but it’s great that it’s finally grown in the way that it has.
Given the choice I probably would have taken mods 2 & 4 but I’d rather spend 35 hours learning than on hold to the DVSA!
True I called today to try and get a reference number off them and the line goes dead as soon as you press the extension you want 
I’ll hopefully make some progress with sorting it next week.
I passed Module 1 today
Well done! So can you book your practical training now?
All the theory tests passed before Christmas. Got my 3a test on Friday. Going from a B licence straight to C+E.
driveress:
I passed Module 1 today
Congratulations, you’ll be glad to get it out the way. Did you manage to get your mod 2 booked?
BedfordJ5:
All the theory tests passed before Christmas. Got my 3a test on Friday. Going from a B licence straight to C+E.
How you finding it, have you got date set for mod 4 and 3b.
Well done! So can you book your practical training now?
Congratulations, you’ll be glad to get it out the way. Did you manage to get your mod 2 booked?
Thanks! Yes, I will hopefully get the practical training booked in this week.
I was initially disappointed that my mod 2 hadn’t been booked in for today as I had been led to believe I would be doing it and therefore I’d been revising for it. However, I’m coming around to the idea of periodic Driver CPC now, so will get that booked in as well. I guess I’ll apply for my Digicard too.
All the theory tests passed before Christmas. Got my 3a test on Friday. Going from a B licence straight to C+E.
Good luck BedfordJ5!
driveress:
Thanks! Yes, I will hopefully get the practical training booked in this week.
I was initially disappointed that my mod 2 hadn’t been booked in for today as I had been led to believe I would be doing it and therefore I’d been revising for it. However, I’m coming around to the idea of periodic Driver CPC now, so will get that booked in as well. I guess I’ll apply for my Digicard too.
I was the same with cpc, didn’t know which way to go, but training company offered me mod 2 booking so I took it.
I applied for my Driver card on Sunday and it came this morning. Couldn’t believe how quick it came.
driveress:
I guess I’ll apply for my Digicard too.
Digicard will come very quickly. And then just start on its 5 year expiry. I know it’s exciting getting what you can, [emoji3] but you might want to hold off.
True! All this waiting is good practice for driving work I suppose
Hi All,
I’m a bit late to this post but since I have enjoyed reading about other newbies, I thought that I would tell my story.
I passed my car test in 1985 so I had grandfather rights and had C1 and D1 entitlements.
I passed my Bus (Cat D) licence in 2000 but I never did the CPC training when it came in but I did do the medicals and renewed my licence when required.
I retired from my main job in July 2021 and as I had always wanted to obtain my LGV licence and pursue different driving opportunities, I started the process.
I already had my provisional Cat C entitlement from when I obtained my Cat D provisional entitlement so I could get straight on with LGV Hazard Perception and Theory tests. I soon found that there was a severe backlog of DVSA test spaces so I had to travel from my home in Argyll on the west coast of Scotland to Stirling in the central belt, a journey of about 2.5 hours, to sit the tests. I got a cancellation appointment for the Hazard Perception test at the end of August and did the Theory in October and passed both first time.
I was originally planning to do the Cat C licence but after the Government changes I thought I would just wait until after November and go straight to C+E. In the meantime, I decided to do the 35 hours CPC training and I did this with a company called Simple CPC via Zoom. I spread the days over a couple of weeks but I thought it was a good way of getting the CPC card as it avoided the delays in getting a CPC Part 2 Case Studies test booked through DVSA and it also avoided doing the CPC Part 4 practical Demonstration test. Additionally, doing the 35 hours with Simple CPC gave me a CPC card that is valid for both Bus and LGV driving whereas doing CPC Parts 2 and 4 would have just given me a LGV CPC card.
After doing some research, I booked my C+E course with Ritchies Training in Glasgow. As I already had Cat D and experience with large Agricultural vehicles, I was booked in at the start of January for a 4 day course with the test on day 5.
The C+E course started on Monday January 3rd and the 4 days went well and I actually enjoyed negotiating an Artic round the streets of Glasgow. Unfortunately, on day 5, the test day, Glasgow was covered with a blanket of Snow and all tests were cancelled that day. This was a bit of a set back as I was all geared up for the test but nothing could be done about it.
Due to my commitments, I was not able to book another test date until Friday 28th January but after some refresher training, I passed the C+E test with no faults and I was very happy with that.
My new driving licence actually arrived today, less than a week after passing and as well as getting Cat C, I also gain Cat D+E the C+E pass. So now I am going to investigate doing some holiday cover driving work with some of the companies near where I live and see how that goes.
I would certainly recommend Ritchies for LGV training, my instructor, Cammy, was excellent and all the staff in general were very helpful.
Hi MacNic
Congratulations on your pass! You must be extra chuffed considering the hold up. I hope you’ll report back on your first shift driving an LGV.
MacNic:
I was not able to book another test date until Friday 28th January but after some refresher training, I passed the C+E test with no faults and I was very happy with that.
driveress:
Hi MacNic
Congratulations on your pass! You must be extra chuffed considering the hold up. I hope you’ll report back on your first shift driving an LGV.
Thanks and yes I was definitely extra chuffed with the pass after the 3 week delay. I’ll surface again to let you know how my first LGV job goes.