How common is it that when picking up a trailer the driver will have to supply his/her own lights and lenses. I never heard of this until doing my lessons. Aren’t the offending trailers fitted with them when they are made or do they just get nicked??
Depends on the type of work, Some container work you will have to carry a couple of sets of lenses and bulbs and some work where the trailers are unaccomnied you will need lenses and bulbs. Have to admit it is a right pain as you can be sure you never have the right type of lenses and then you find the bulbs are twins rather then singles etc, etc.
I must admit I’ve not heard of this, sounds like it could be something that was done years ago (ie before the EU laws) and is not done anymore 
Would the company your working for know of this and provide you with the correct ones/fitments ect. or are you expected to have these already. Actually I guess the later as my instructer said to join them all with a bit of string so if one was to fall off it would still be connected to the others thus saving you money as you haven’t got to keep replacing them. 
I have not done any Container work for a few years now but it was always a given that you carry lamps and lenses when picking up skeletals, and you always took yours off again when dropping them, be surprised if anything has changed much 
mrpj:
I must admit I’ve not heard of this, sounds like it could be something that was done years ago (ie before the EU laws) and is not done anymore
you’ll need to do some container work m8,it’s done on a daily bases 
Is it only containers then that this happens on. Not curtainsiders etc…
kitkat:
mrpj:
I must admit I’ve not heard of this, sounds like it could be something that was done years ago (ie before the EU laws) and is not done anymoreyou’ll need to do some container work m8,it’s done on a daily bases
Interesting, like I said I was completely unaware of this, is it a problem to do or easy?
I used to carry two types, the round ones that push fit into the rubber bases, you have to make sure these pop into the bases properly otherwise they fall out and the square ones that need a screwdriver to secure the screws in the base. Carry both Rear light/Brake and Indicator lenses and a selection of lamps or a lamp kit.
Have to say that in the last couple of years the need to carry lenses seems to have gone down a bit, I can only think of one company down here that I have had to carry them for (I am an agency driver), Most of the time if you need them they will be in the wagon, otherwise just ask. Most trailers now have lenses that are screwed on, seems to be less and less of the “rubber mounted” type around. Does mean that I have to carry a small tool kit now so I can change the bulbs when they blow.
I’ve always carried small hand tools in my bag, long nosed pliers, couple of different sized screwdrivers and a small hammer, always served me well.
Always found the long nose very useful for straightening the pins in trailer plugs where Driver’s have not been too careful with them, seems to be a particular problem with ABS/EBS plugs.
I ve been container driver of the year 7 months on the trott 
But im no expert,
I have never had to change lamps and/or lenses on my skeletal all the time ive been doing boxes 
and I dont know anyone else who does
I carry spare lightbulbs,but so does everyone
bikemonkey:
I ve been container driver of the year 7 months on the trott
Surely that would make you driver of the MONTH 7 times on the trot??
If you work for, or do agy work for Roadways you’ll have a bag in the unit somewhere with lenses and bulbs.
It’s easy-peasy to fit the lenses and the bulbs. Just watch out for the type of bulbs needed. Some are single contact and some are double. Have a peer down the hole and you’ll be able to see which bulb you need. Small bulbs in all the holes you find except the indicators and brake lights which take the big ones. Don’t put big ones in the tail light holes as they’ll shine too bright and look like your brake lights are on all the time.
Watch out with some circuits too. When you’ve only put the bulbs in on one side you might find that the brake light flashes on and off. Don’t be alarmed by that until you’ve fitted the rest of the bulbs as this usually cures the problem.
If the clusters are fitted with string, make sure you loop it round a fixed part of the trailer chassis too, to stop them from falling off.
Theres a groupage trailer which runs most days from DHL Brum to Antwerp. Owned by U.V.E.X. I think. When this trailer is left for loading the bulbs and lenses are always removed and replaced when it is picked up the next day.
Calv
WHAT about makeing a LIGHT BOARD up as this would make your it
simpler i belive BRIAN YEARDLEY DOES THIS WITH HIS trailers
and MURRPHITTS did the same when they were going,before NORFOLK
tok the firm over,so i do not know if they carried on with the same system
or not.
Its one of those things that were part of a drivers cab kit before sat nav and television 
If you did ferry trailers from the docks, the minimum was a set of round and a set of square rubbolite lenses, single contact and double contact bulbs and maybe a couple of side marker lens. plus a set of palm couplings
There are many trailers now with light lens that are screwed on so they tend to get nicked less often. Either that or the lenses are covered with a safety cage which is a right pain if a bulb blows.
The company will tell you what you need.
A good tip though is gather as much useful stuff as you can, a couple of olives and a few nuts and bolts can save you a lot of time