Back to school today for me. Any drivers involved in cross rail has to do a seven hour induction to work on it. I believe you are allowed five visits to site without one to get round the many one off deliverys.
Got a few mates who have done it already and it’s mainly about how not to kill cyclists but just another cost for hauliers.
Only good thing is counts as seven hours cpc training.
We did our course in tottenham court road. Boring is an understatement. The trucks also have to be crossrail compliant. here is a list of the things the trucks need.
Strobes front of unit.
Strobes rear of trailer.
Front sensors on the nearside like parking sensors
Warning this vehicle is turning left when you put on indicator.
Fire extingisher in cab
stickers on nearside warning cyclists and pedestrians not to go that side.
Fresnel lense fitted on nearside.
Long sleeve orange hi viz
orange hi viz trousers
FORS sticker on windscreen
crossrail card in window
must carry your card you get from course
total pain in the arse. But 90% of our work are crossrail sites
You actually need an audible warning to say the vehicle is turning left? Beggars belief. Cyclists will pay no more attention to that than they do the flashing orange lights that mean the same thing.
starfighter:
You actually need an audible warning to say the vehicle is turning left? Beggars belief. Cyclists will pay no more attention to that than they do the flashing orange lights that mean the same thing.
yes, 
New Law. Musst be in 5 different Language (Not English,but you can)
Think its Polish,German,French,Hindu and Bengaly or somethings.TM knows anywhy himself 
Yep afraid so. And mine goes beep beep this vehicle is turning left in a really loud American tone!!
Flashing indicators are no good for blind cyclists!
Has no one considered that cyclists might get squashed turning right from a one way street?
I now know how not to murder cyclists to death now. Didn’t learn nothing new just a pointless box ticking excersize.
As others have said my lorry has had the kit fitted at around a grand.
Doesn’t matter to to me as its all paid but I’m the only company driver on it our other four on it are owner drivers and this expense and so called extra skill the driver now has isn’t expressed in the rates.
What’s a FORS sticker and why is it in the windscreen when your vision isn’t meant to be impeded? My TM told me that Crossrail want underrun bars on tippers aswell ffs. Why don’t companies stick together and tell these stupid customers where to go? We were treated like crap by T5 Heathrow lot, our firm gave them our home addresses, doctors address and employment history. I was asked less information to get my Raf Brize pass.
Muckaway:
What’s a FORS sticker and why is it in the windscreen when your vision isn’t meant to be impeded? My TM told me that Crossrail want underrun bars on tippers aswell ffs. Why don’t companies stick together and tell these stupid customers where to go? We were treated like crap by T5 Heathrow lot, our firm gave them our home addresses, doctors address and employment history. I was asked less information to get my Raf Brize pass.
FORS is (as far as I know) a TfL endorsed, jumped-up, 21st Century version of the old car sticker “Traffic Wardens are nice people - back in 5 mins” but it requires registration and some kind of management systems audit rubbish. There’s even different grades of it, wooh! This particular piece of wooly brown-nosing involves major schmoozing of quite a few different agencies if I’m not mistaken though, not just the social misfits who attend to parking. Again, I could be wrong but that’s my take on it. All corrections gratefully accepted (apart from FORS-ites). 
FORS - Freight operator recognition scheme, 3 levels bronze silver and gold.
My guvnors looked into getting me and my wagon crossrail approved, but when they realised the cost, and how much timber they would have to sell to make it worth while they decided against it.
Owen
done this course at tottenham court road a boring day,wait till you get to the afternoon they start telling what suspicous cars and vans to look out for on site due to terroism,althou the hours do go towards your cpc,and after i had done it we was running into the tottenham court road site for about 3 months spent many a night parked just of oxford street,in a side street in one of cross rails parking bays.
pleanty of nice scenery around 
I think I’d lost the will to live by then lol. Still I got the card we are doing a bit at Liverpool st.
Between this and the Olympics I spend more time dealing with numptys who can’t speak English trying to get on and off sites than driving the lorry.
Just been told today that my lot are looking into this 
I’m considering buying back my old W - reg 6 wheeler and going owner driver, non LEZ compliant they’d not let that in
8wheels:
Just been told today that my lot are looking into thisI’m considering buying back my old W - reg 6 wheeler and going owner driver, non LEZ compliant they’d not let that in
A huge hole is being dug under London, your lot are looking into it!
I’ll get me coat
A huge hole is London
Fixed that for you
The ironic thing is that although our business is diggers and plant the chances of us putting any of it on Crossrail are pretty slim. I think it is being considered on a haulage basis lugging equipment in and out for other contractors.
Well all the sites are a total pita. we are doing a lot of loads into Durwood street and Cambridge heath road. 18 metres on rear steer trailers, very tight to get in.
Every time we go there EVERYTHING is checked to make sure its all present and correct, even down to the spare bulbs we have to carry!
daleyboy:
Well all the sites are a total pita. we are doing a lot of loads into Durwood street and Cambridge heath road. 18 metres on rear steer trailers, very tight to get in.Every time we go there EVERYTHING is checked to make sure its all present and correct, even down to the spare bulbs we have to carry!
Uuuurrrgh… Glad I’m not a part of it. I wouldn’t mind a go on that tunnel borer though!