Didnt think you were allowed to use rope hooks for securing a load any more.
Goes against Vosa/Hse recomendations now doesnt it!! 
Suedehead:
Didnt think you were allowed to use rope hooks for securing a load any more.
Goes against Vosa/Hse recomendations now doesnt it!!
I heard you couldnt use ropes any more to secure a load i dont know if this is true but having said that strap the load sheet it and cross a rope front and back to keep the wind from getting under well thats the way i`d do it but no doubt some may disagree
captmarvel:
this is how it should look.
Is the load cartons of Carnation Milk from the factory next door to the Dumfries Depot ?, A very tidy job indeed, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
captmarvel:
this is how it should look.Is the load cartons of Carnation Milk from the factory next door to the Dumfries Depot ?, A very tidy job indeed, Regards Larry.
All the Carnation cases were handballed on in those days Larry,so I was told,and a centre ridge was made down the middle to run any rain off.There was an Inter City ERF artic on contract to Carnation in the '60’s that was driven by Willie Ferguson ( a Scotsman) and he lived in Milnthorpe,his loads were indentical to that Cally 8 wheeler.They then started to handball the cases onto pallets as forklifts started to be used more especially at the new RDC’s that sprang up to serve the big Supermarkets,Libbys factory in Milnthorpe followed a similar pattern to Carnation with regards to moving over to pallets.Cheers Dennis.
Dennis
That back end flysheet, it looks a bit sloppy to me!
Need to be better than that at Smith’s. Go down the road with the Big J 240 with a trailer finished like that and you’d be the talk of the wash-hoose, as we Glesga Keelies say!
Alex
alexsaville:
DennisThat back end flysheet, it looks a bit sloppy to me!
Need to be better than that at Smith’s. Go down the road with the Big J 240 with a trailer finished like that and you’d be the talk of the wash-hoose, as we Glesga Keelies say!
Alex
Awa’ and boil yer heed Alex! 
Here’s a sight for sore eyes Alex,part of the loaded trailer rank in Milnthorpe depot circa 83/84,not a Tautliner in view,which by that time was a fluke as we had quite a number running by then.Anyhow,get your bib and brace on,roll yer sleeves up and give these loads " a coat of looking at",making minor adjustments (very minor! or you’d have a big hairy arsed shunter after you! 
) .Brings a tear to the eye looking at that line up compared to to-days high tech,sterile,operations.Hope you are well,regards,Dennis.
I’m fine Dennis. Hope you are too.
Slainte’
Alex
I remember starting with Russell Bevan in Newport, circa 1999, told him id never roped and sheeted, and he replied, “not a problem”. What did i get on the Thursday??, a flat rack, to load crated tiles out of Monmouth, for Avonmouth dock!
I remembered the basics the old man had taught me, back sheet on first etc, but going down the A449, the load was like 6 geese in a belt tent, however, I got the load safely to the container port, and as the weeks went by, picking tips up here and there, the task got a lot, lot easier.
One final anecdote tho, I brought a roped and sheeted load down from Corby tube works, around 6 months later, and if i say so myself, it was as neat as it got. On arriving at Avonmouth, Graham (Buddy), from C J Morris admired my load. But a top chap, by the name of Dai Coles, brought me down to earth with “Did you sheet that?”, when i answered yes, I got the retort, “well Its not bad for a tipper driver”
Fifteen or so years later, Im glad I can Rope and Sheet, but glad I haven’t got to these days!!
first class sheeting there dennis backloaded with your lads for years rope sheets man and boy and can vouch reels staggared on end are one of the hardest to get right cheers bob
Hey, My dad wasn’t a long distance driver and even didn’t like trips to the end of belgium.So when the first trailers came in from Britain first Antwerp then Zeebrugge, he moved to pull them.The first were W.E.Reeve trailers but went up in George Hammond.At the age of 13 I roped and sheeted trailers in advance if it was busy,so drivers could pull a trailer more a day. Then it was still with ropes instead of straps and 3 sheets. Not what we were accustomed here only 2 with stretchers instead of a peace of cord to attach them and no ropes but stress cables.After a while I had to learn new drivers how to do it,but most left me alone after some hours. When allowed to drive I did it too, but with an eye looking a the drivers leaving of for weeks. So I moved to long distance work and after seeing much of Europe and a bit further. And a bit as my dad not be a branded long distance driver,I moved to cement hauling untill my last day on the road. And the norm here is if you can keep up driving cement a month,you will be it for ever.But I can understand the young drivers nowadays don’t want to do it anymore,if you can earing the same for less labour.After all I am up to now pride to have done it and still can it if…
And it had something if you looked at you roped and sheeted trailer and seeing on the road driving some with a sheeted parachute behind them.
Here some pics.
Cheers Eric,
Very tidy sheeting on these Volvos. Nice square loads are the best to do. This is my attempt this week with 28 ton of sand in one ton bags. Not my tidiest sheeting but as the fly sheet was bigger than the sand (it was made for fertiliser) I had to tuck the sheet under itself at the chock rail. Please be nice with the constructive critisim 
There would be 10 to 15 trailers per day,just like this one,loaded every day by our shunters at the other side of the line Steve !!Cheers Dennis.
Very Very tidey Dennis, You must must have been very proud when you looked out of the office window & saws some proper sheeted & roped trailers, But of course having said that, You must of had some good lads working for you to say the least, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Very Very tidey Dennis, You must must have been very proud when you looked out of the office window & saws some proper sheeted & roped trailers, But of course having said that, You must of had some good lads working for you to say the least, Regards Larry.
I’m not “BS ing” Larry but we employed some fine shunters over the years,they didn’t want long distance or nights out,great! but they were prepared to load,or tip,as many trailers as was required to keep the operation running smoothly.Over the years we had shunters operating in Milnthorpe,Barrow,Garstang,Flint,Irlam,Rochdale,Disley,Radcliffe,Cullompton,Daventry,Dunstable and Gravesend.I can honestly say that we had the right Lads for the job and never once did we have to question the quality of their individual “work”.On the odd occaision a distance driver had the “cheek” to say “Oh! a sheet tie came loose on the M1 on T120”,he would get the stock answer,well how about you doing a week shunting to demonstrate how improvements can be made to our S&R standards? End of conversation! I have always had the greatest respect for shunters as their job was sheer graft,but the finnished article was a treat to behold,as no doubt you will agree !! Cheers Dennis.
Very true Dennis, A lot of people must have envied you in those days, Because speaking from my own experiences when I first started on distance work in the 50s, Sheeting & roping was top priority, & If I didn’t do what I was told & shown to do, I would have been out of a job, But I took notice of the great blokes I had the pleasure of working with & I earned their respect, & certainly new a good sheeted load from a bad one, Regards Larry.
Not only did Bewicks have lads who could sheet and rope they also had decent sheets that could cover full loads of pulp and reels. I remember seeing loads of reels covered with four or five sheets. Bewicks only need one which made it a much tidier job.
Ste Burrow:
Not only did Bewicks have lads who could sheet and rope they also had decent sheets that could cover full loads of pulp and reels. I remember seeing loads of reels covered with four or five sheets. Bewicks only need one which made it a much tidier job.
Always Two main sheets and a Fly if required Steve !!!You’d pull a bollock trying to lift one massive main sheet !!Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Ste Burrow:
Not only did Bewicks have lads who could sheet and rope they also had decent sheets that could cover full loads of pulp and reels. I remember seeing loads of reels covered with four or five sheets. Bewicks only need one which made it a much tidier job.Always Two main sheets and a Fly if required Steve !!!You’d pull a bollock trying to lift one massive main sheet !!Cheers Dennis.
You would with them old Reed sheets,the old green ones eh with a square on the end,bloody hard work remember 
Bewick:
Ste Burrow:
Not only did Bewicks have lads who could sheet and rope they also had decent sheets that could cover full loads of pulp and reels. I remember seeing loads of reels covered with four or five sheets. Bewicks only need one which made it a much tidier job.Always Two main sheets and a Fly if required Steve !!!You’d pull a bollock trying to lift one massive main sheet !!Cheers Dennis.
Aye too true Dennis. A bit more manageable with two mainsheets. Especially on top of a load of Andrex to Thurrock.