2nd Week in Artic :D

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
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Good evening folks!

Well I’m now back in the artic! Last time I was in it was November.

Thought I would do another little diary for everyone to read.

Monday 9/2/15
Start 0630
Finish 17:30
Run : Denbigh

Only one drop today. Got into yard and only had to strap the load down. 17 tonnes of plasterboard and powders. Strapped, secured, sealed. Time for a quick refresher. Jump into cab familiarise myself. Onto the daily checks. Out the yard for 0730.

Don’t think I mentioned this in my last diary, but we have to reverse out the yard. Managed to mess it up, but a quick shunt soon sorted it.

Into BP for some fuel…still turns my stomach seeing how much I put in.

Got about half a mile out from the drop and the road became very narrow. I was following the signs to this site so I was going right way but decided to take a walk up and scout the area. The road eventually opened up and I saw a patch of land on my left I could reverse onto and unload.

Bumble up and park. Meet with contact and point out where I am going to unload.

As I pull the curtains back an elderly gentleman comes over and says “you can’t park there my friend, it’s private land”

“Ah right…well I’m not causing any obstruction and it’s really the only place I can unload”

“You can drive on site, they have them little wagons on site all the time”

I just took a step to the side to let him see the whole truck.

“Aaah…well that is a bigger wagon. Ok you can unload there”

“Thank you very much”

This polite approach may do me in good stead as I’m there again tomorrow.

Begin unloading. Takes about an hour with the Moffett. This Moffett comes with extendable forks so you don’t have to open the other curtain.

Leave site around 11:15. Pretty uneventful drive back to base. Break at 12:20.

Any other runs boss?

Nope.

Stand an chat with couple other drivers whilst they get loaded for 2nd run before I know it, it’s 14:30. Bring wagon into yard. Try and fail to spin it in the yard. Maybe tomorrow.

Get sent out in the van. Boo. Come back to load wagon for tomorrow

Two drops in Denbigh then colwyn bay. Hopefully it’s got a bit more to write about as I think today they just gave me something to readjust to driving the artic

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Tuesday 10/2/15
Start 0630
Finish 1630

So I was out the yard again for 0730 , had to do a quick change on the load.

Nice drive this morning to Denbigh. Hit a bit of traffic but nothing major. Hit first drop around 0930. Denbigh hospital just by the pearl or marble church.

Nice and tight this drop so perfect to give me some practice reversing around corners. Get approx 8 x 8 ft pallets off. On my way for 1030.

Arrive at next drop at high field park or something like that at 1100. Bit of countryside driving. Was nerve shaking at some points so I took it easy.

This nice farmer man followed me up the track. Picked up the fact I had parked on his land again. I feel bad for doing it but once again he was kind enough to let me take off the load. Only 4 pallets. I did say I would talk to my office to send this stuff up on a rigid as an early morning drop.

Turn and burn. Handy little ■■■■■■■■■■■■ at the bottom of the road so I sneak in for my 45.

Arrive at colwyn bay around 1345. Horror of a drop as there is no way I can reverse up the street from the main road. So I drive in and hope for the best. This drop was right in the middle of a street. Blurgh I hate these drops in the rigid.

Find a little road to reverse into. Then pull across the road into another side street then reverse onto the road. Like a giant T motion. Thanks to the lad stopping traffic. Shout out to the bus driver saying “rather you than me” and a couple of V’s for the boy racer who almost took out the front of the wagon.

Finally get back on the way for about 1500. Land back at HQ at 1600.

Loaded for eccleston, 2 in Preston, , 2 in Blackpool!!

11/2/15
Start 0630
Finish 1630

Wanted away early this morning so I was out the yard for 0700 and at first drop for 0830. No one on site so a quick chat to the forkie. Points at where he wants me to drop it, signs the note and tells me if it needs moving he can sort it later.

Away for 0900. Arrive at my next drop at 0930. Meant to be there for 10 but it was 6 x 8ft pallets so quicker I can get in and out would be grand. On site guy flags me in , park up and begin the unload. Another little tight drop but my contact on site was sound helping me spin the dam thing round. Away for 1030.

Next drop is a deepdale valley park. By a football stadium that I guess was Preston North end? Quick hand ball drop. Then a handy 15 min break.

On my way to Wickes Blackpool. Arrive at 1200. Again another quick turn around and out the gate by 1215. Have my 30 min break. Always try and catch PMQ’s find the whole thing daft and highly entertaining.

Land at last drop for 1300. Another quick handball. Gone by 1305 and back into ha for 1415.

Start getting loaded at 1500 for a really good Welsh run tomorrow, next thing I hear is crunch!! Forkie has bent the curtain bar. Oh god!!

Had to inform my boss who didn’t take to kindly to this information. Load taken off and instructed to head to our local garage first thing in morning.

So that’s the previous two days. Enjoying this week up to now but there is still time for that to change haha.

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v.interesting - keep it up :slight_smile:

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Very interesting read this. Who do you work for and where are you based?

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Thanks Zeethron.

Donnogs - I’m based in Liverpool and work for a company called CCF. Been really lucky getting this gig as I was inexperienced but they where willing to give me a start and train me on a Moffett.

12/2/15
Start 0630
Finish 1630

Get into the yard and remember I need to go to local garage to get pole fixed. So quick brew and out the yard for 0650. Road was nice and clear and the lights where on my side. Get to garage at 0700. Garage owner arrives, good guy even for a Wigan Warriors fan :wink: , and backs me into yard. Struggled with my reversing this morning. 4 or 5 shunts to get out the yard then about 3 attempts to reverse into garage yard.

Pole is sorted for about 9 so back to HQ to get loaded. Forkies where like a pit crew. Handbrake wasn’t even on and they had me curtains open (wheeeey) and loaded. One for Chester , two for Denbigh.

Out the yard for 0945 nice little drive up to Chester drop. Good site to go to, forkie is sound and always unloads without fail. Land at Chester drop for 1030. 4 lifts, but with his heavy duty monster forklift he can do it in two. Away for 1045.

Trundle down to Denbigh to that site again. With the farmer. Before I venture into the countryside I pull over and get some fuel for the wagon. Enter the countryside and notice a little butty van. Don’t very often stop at butty vans but I was peckish and it was 11:45 so I thought to take my break early. Had a nice chat to the butty van guy about the old egg chasing and dislike for the wendyball.

Got to site for 1245. The farmer had once again followed me up but I didn’t park on his land no no. I blocked the road. Hand on heart there is no where else to park. Quick chat to him , again, and off he went.

Spoke to the site manager and said

" no where on this site for me to park an artic?"
" why? are you in an artic? "
“Uh…yeah…got just under 11 tonne of dry wall powder here and I have been up here twice this week in it”
“Aaah so your the guy getting me in trouble with the locals”
“How’s that?”
“We aren’t allowed Artics up here, we told the lads working on here when ordering to request a rigid only”
“So it’s not me getting you in trouble, it’s just your lads not following your instructions”
“Suppose, can you tell your company?”
“will do”

With that I dropped his powders and quickly made tracks to last drop for about 1345.

Get to third drop in Denbigh. Went to Denbigh infirmary. Only have like two small items for them. Again no where really to park other than on the road. Hazards on, Mk1 HiViz urban camo to make sure all cars could see fatty over here.

Meet up with my contact "oh, I meant to cancel this…we found some " brilliant. Sign here where I have written “don’t want” , thank you much. Time for a nice drive back to Liverpool.

Drive home was un eventful. I listen to the archers but I’ll be dammed if I know who is who, what’s going on. But I like it.

Back at yard for 1530. To be told I won’t me getting loaded till morning. That’s fine. Don’t know where I am going yet. Informed my manager and the transport manager about the 2nd drop. So I hope they take the information on.

Chat with the lads and a brew then clock out.

Had a rough day with reversing. But I have taken it as experience in not getting flustered.

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As long as it all gets done and nothing gets broke you’ve done ok fella,we all have off days reversing I got to my 1st delivery this morning and although I have been over 100 times before for some reason the 8ft gate post seemed to have some sort of magnetic pull on my trailer as I had to take 3 attempts to back in because the trailer seemed to want to connect with the gate post…either that or my reversing was ■■■■ but I’m sticking to the 1st reason :smiley:
I’ve been driving class 1 nearly 10 years now lol

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Sorry I’m late with my diary entry.

Start : 0630
Finish 1730

Fridaaaaaay ( the thirteenth) woo hoo!
Had to wait till 0900 to leave as one of my drops had stuff missing which was being delivered from British Gypsum that morning. But it finally arrived and off I went.

First drop was at guildhall street in Preston. Honest to god , I got to that by the seat of my pants. It was all “no stopping, no unloading, no loading” but had no choice to stop. Saw a traffic warden walk past. Stopped to ask what I was doing, just explained the situation and she was happy to let me stay as long as vehicles could get past me.

Went off to 2nd drop with the main load. Just under 11 tonnes of plasterboard and dri-wall adhesive power. By this point it was 11:30 and I knew I would struggle to get it all off and find some where to park for me break. At which point the forkie came over and said “don’t worry drive, I’ve got nothing to do so I’ll unload you. I can put it where I want it as well” YEEEEEAH BOOOOIIII!! So I sit on break listening to the radio whilst forkie unloads me. Away for 1230 and of to Blackpool Travis Perkins. Another nice easy job just one lift of 250 pieces of metal. Away for 1400. Off to Burscough.

Again another easy drop on an industrial estate. 6 packs of tiles on one pallet. Away for 1500.

Back to HQ for 1545 , quick tidy up of the straps and the cab, loaded for Monday and away for 1730.

Been asked to drive it on Monday as the regular driver is still on holiday so I was happy to do so :slight_smile:

Friday flew past me. Really enjoyed this week. My run for Monday is looking fun. 2 plot drops and 2 one pallet drops to keep me busy. All I need to do Monday is put half a tank of fuel in and I’m off.

But for now , I’ve enjoyed my Friday night beers, now looking forward to my Saturday night beers.

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Glad you are enjoying it mate-I cant wait to get out of P&H!!! Class 1 test 10th March-fingers crossed lol.

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Interesting read for us newbies about the world we are hoping to enter . :slight_smile:

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ckm1981:
As long as it all gets done and nothing gets broke you’ve done ok fella,we all have off days reversing I got to my 1st delivery this morning and although I have been over 100 times before for some reason the 8ft gate post seemed to have some sort of magnetic pull on my trailer as I had to take 3 attempts to back in because the trailer seemed to want to connect with the gate post…either that or my reversing was [zb] but I’m sticking to the 1st reason :smiley:
I’ve been driving class 1 nearly 10 years now lol

Having just passed my class 1 and gone out to pick up a load 24hrs later and everything going great until I got back to the yard and stuffing up reversing onto the bay due to the magnet in the wall :smiley: it’s nice to hear that it is not just me and that even experienced guys can have fun :smiley:

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eagerbeaver:
Glad you are enjoying it mate-I cant wait to get out of P&H!!! Class 1 test 10th March-fingers crossed lol.

Best of British to you fella!

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Gillberry:
Interesting read for us newbies about the world we are hoping to enter . :slight_smile:

Thanks mate :slight_smile:

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I had a drop on my manifest today that filled me with horror as I’ve been lucky and it hasn’t cropped up yet, til today. Ok, ok it’s only a baby at 7.5t but I’ve only been driving since mid December (just saturdays). Anyway I got to the drop which is a tight reverse down a long drive from a narrow street, just as I lined myself up a car came down the street but I thought sod it I’m committed now and smiled at him and started the reverse…and did it in one :grimacing: I was so pleased, all those times I was relieved to not see the drop on my sheet! I bet next time I’ll probably stuff it right up :blush: The funny thing was I then had another drop I’ve never been to and it was even worse, a reverse on a tight fast bend between boulders and then theres two brick piers to get through, but I managed it. It’s all a learning curve so they say :smiley: I’d love to drive artics one day.

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sammy770:
I had a drop on my manifest today that filled me with horror as I’ve been lucky and it hasn’t cropped up yet, til today. Ok, ok it’s only a baby at 7.5t but I’ve only been driving since mid December (just saturdays). Anyway I got to the drop which is a tight reverse down a long drive from a narrow street, just as I lined myself up a car came down the street but I thought sod it I’m committed now and smiled at him and started the reverse…and did it in one :grimacing: I was so pleased, all those times I was relieved to not see the drop on my sheet! I bet next time I’ll probably stuff it right up :blush: The funny thing was I then had another drop I’ve never been to and it was even worse, a reverse on a tight fast bend between boulders and then theres two brick piers to get through, but I managed it. It’s all a learning curve so they say :smiley: I’d love to drive artics one day.

Congrats on working your way through the awkward situations! As you say, all a learning curve.

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Thanks :smiley: And keep up the diary entries it’s interesting.

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CCF? Is that Commercial Ceiling Factors? We get you lot all the way down 'ere in t’south!

So glad you’re enjoying the artics :grimacing: