Hi guys and gals I have landed a new job on containers, nowt special there I hear you say, well to me it is as I have never done containers so what stuff would I need extra and above what I would take to work for a curtainsider. Thanks in advace
Hi,
1, Watch for top heavy boxes they can tip you over on round abouts etc.
2, Make sure your slider skelly is locked
3, Make sure when you put boxes on you check your twist locks are all fastend
4, Have good TV/Laptop and DVDs and buttys while waiting to get boxes on and when tipping them
Cheers Welly
A selection ov cheap padlocks, a proper container lock/clamp. A few cont seals " these should be supplied by firm. A hammer and crow bar. For deformed doors ect. And a few good books, as i remember doin lots ov reading in Felixstowe / Southampton / tilbury…ect i cant think of owt else apart from a good coat and go steady when delivering u wont know how its loaded, top heavy, uneven weight dist… Gud luck m8 
If you don’t already carry one - a hammer (preferably a club hammer 3lb-5lb). Container door handles can be stiff and often need a bit of ‘gentle’ persuasion.
A sleeping bag, some good CD’s, a few good books (or a kindle) and the patience of a saint.
Is that ex pmp welly, now of that women’s clothes shop. Mentioning no names…■■
Like said before a lump hammer is a good piece of kit to have, along with a piece of hollow steel pipe ( for the doors), & a short steel ‘peg’ comes I handy to move any problem twist locks. Make sure your doors are facing the correct way for each box & get your seal number off the first box if you are collecting both from the same place & your first one is doors to the rear! !!. Don’t forget to undo the twist locks before you back onto the slot, you don’t want your truck dangling when the crane picks it up, something to read or watch dvd etc, a change of clothes & sleeping bag , wash kit , baby wipes incase of ‘fog’ or break down. Wet weather gear. Biro’s as they tend to disappear quickly by the dozen on night shift !!, torch or head torch like a miners type that fits on your head.
Now …enjoy your new job
Handball tips can be 6 to 8 hours.Boxes come from exotic places that have insects,snakes and spiders.
Some get fumigated with gas then wait for it to disperse before staff unload it.
Paint and varnish boxes are left to vent too.Takes time.
I had a bike on boxes and went off for a ride.Gave them my phone number to call when empty.
China clay in Devon or Cornwall.Conveyor belt to load or shovel tractor.
Southampton port is Vbs or vehicle booking system.Your boss will book you on line.
Isle of Grain is the same as Thamesport.
Buzzer/pager to call you in while sat in the cafe with a brew.The road there is twisty so steady Eddie on that one.
A few miles away is a small hamlet with a pub and fish and chip shop.Park by Maritimes yard and walk.
Felixstowe is easy to get lost,ask for a map or ask drivers if not sure where to go.Big port.
Bristol is Avonmouth depot.
Truckstop is Avon Lodge off Third Way.Decent food.Clean showers.Choice of breakfast items.Bar open at night.
Avonmouth village by foot as hotel by the train station.Happy hour and decent food and loud music.
Can park a lorry by the hotel.Chinese and Indian nearby and family pub with meals opposite the cop shop.
And not forgetting that faithful piece of string, or cable tie, for when the door stays are missing.
If you’re in Southampton gate 20 & got time on your side effects break, at the foot of the bridge the Harley D shop on the corner has a fantastic selection of bikes to go look at & they have great breakfast bar in there, well worth a visit & across the road there’s a Maccy D, Kentuky, tesc extra & a 24hr a mile up the road , & a bus route into main town shops if you have a day or two on stop
As said above really, but as fellow container driver I have found the hammer and a piece of string to tie the doors back are the most useful things to have. I did today have a box which even the hammer wouldn’t make the doors shut, luckily I also carry a big lump of wood which with some leverage with the wood I got the doors to shut (wouldn’t like to be the guy who has to next open it)
If stuck for the night in Southampton,there is a leisure complex within walking distance from the dock gates.Cinema there.
If its a handball unload who’s job is it to unload? driver or company that you deliver too?
Ady Williams:
If its a handball unload who’s job is it to unload? driver or company that you deliver too?
Delivery point unless extra cash is on offer! 
toby1234abc:
Southampton port is Vbs or vehicle booking system.Your boss will book you on line.
Isle of Grain is the same as Thamesport.
Buzzer/pager to call you in while sat in the cafe with a brew.The road there is twisty so steady Eddie on that one.
A few miles away is a small hamlet with a pub and fish and chip shop.Park by Maritimes yard and walk.
Felixstowe is easy to get lost,ask for a map or ask drivers if not sure where to go.Big port.
Bristol is Avonmouth depot.
Truckstop is Avon Lodge off Third Way.Decent food.Clean showers.Choice of breakfast items.Bar open at night.
Avonmouth village by foot as hotel by the train station.Happy hour and decent food and loud music.
Can park a lorry by the hotel.Chinese and Indian nearby and family pub with meals opposite the cop shop.
maritimes yard is closed now in fact there is hardly anything in grim anymore so chances of going up there is slim
if you get sent to london gateway its the same system as southampton but you need a card you can drop onto the dock 15 mins early for your vbs best way in is off the a13 sighned for shell haven and follow the sighns
cliffton 27:
toby1234abc:
Southampton port is Vbs or vehicle booking system.Your boss will book you on line.
Isle of Grain is the same as Thamesport.
Buzzer/pager to call you in while sat in the cafe with a brew.The road there is twisty so steady Eddie on that one.
A few miles away is a small hamlet with a pub and fish and chip shop.Park by Maritimes yard and walk.
Felixstowe is easy to get lost,ask for a map or ask drivers if not sure where to go.Big port.
Bristol is Avonmouth depot.
Truckstop is Avon Lodge off Third Way.Decent food.Clean showers.Choice of breakfast items.Bar open at night.
Avonmouth village by foot as hotel by the train station.Happy hour and decent food and loud music.
Can park a lorry by the hotel.Chinese and Indian nearby and family pub with meals opposite the cop shop.maritimes yard is closed now in fact there is hardly anything in grim anymore so chances of going up there is slim
Really?
I can’t say that’s a shame, used to hate taking a loaded container to Grain, bringing one out was ok though.
Too many adverse cambers and hills, mpg’s used to plummit.
Cafe was pretty good there though tbh, and if everythings gone quiet, that will certainly change.
waynedl:
cliffton 27:
toby1234abc:
Southampton port is Vbs or vehicle booking system.Your boss will book you on line.
Isle of Grain is the same as Thamesport.
Buzzer/pager to call you in while sat in the cafe with a brew.The road there is twisty so steady Eddie on that one.
A few miles away is a small hamlet with a pub and fish and chip shop.Park by Maritimes yard and walk.
Felixstowe is easy to get lost,ask for a map or ask drivers if not sure where to go.Big port.
Bristol is Avonmouth depot.
Truckstop is Avon Lodge off Third Way.Decent food.Clean showers.Choice of breakfast items.Bar open at night.
Avonmouth village by foot as hotel by the train station.Happy hour and decent food and loud music.
Can park a lorry by the hotel.Chinese and Indian nearby and family pub with meals opposite the cop shop.maritimes yard is closed now in fact there is hardly anything in grim anymore so chances of going up there is slim
Really?
I can’t say that’s a shame, used to hate taking a loaded container to Grain, bringing one out was ok though.
Too many adverse cambers and hills, mpg’s used to plummit.
Cafe was pretty good there though tbh, and if everythings gone quiet, that will certainly change.
yea Mcandrews moved onto the dock from tilbury after a fall out and for a while i was constantly fulling 45s out of there for k&n minworth etc
hated stoping up there although the showers were decent
spoke to a subbie last week he said the weekend before he was in there and he would be surprised if there was 100 boxes in there i cant say its a shock everytime i went there the place was slowly falling apart havent been up there for over 6 month now
cliffton 27:
waynedl:
cliffton 27:
toby1234abc:
Southampton port is Vbs or vehicle booking system.Your boss will book you on line.
Isle of Grain is the same as Thamesport.
Buzzer/pager to call you in while sat in the cafe with a brew.The road there is twisty so steady Eddie on that one.
A few miles away is a small hamlet with a pub and fish and chip shop.Park by Maritimes yard and walk.
Felixstowe is easy to get lost,ask for a map or ask drivers if not sure where to go.Big port.
Bristol is Avonmouth depot.
Truckstop is Avon Lodge off Third Way.Decent food.Clean showers.Choice of breakfast items.Bar open at night.
Avonmouth village by foot as hotel by the train station.Happy hour and decent food and loud music.
Can park a lorry by the hotel.Chinese and Indian nearby and family pub with meals opposite the cop shop.maritimes yard is closed now in fact there is hardly anything in grim anymore so chances of going up there is slim
Really?
I can’t say that’s a shame, used to hate taking a loaded container to Grain, bringing one out was ok though.
Too many adverse cambers and hills, mpg’s used to plummit.
Cafe was pretty good there though tbh, and if everythings gone quiet, that will certainly change.
yea Mcandrews moved onto the dock from tilbury after a fall out and for a while i was constantly fulling 45s out of there for k&n minworth etc
hated stoping up there although the showers were decent
spoke to a subbie last week he said the weekend before he was in there and he would be surprised if there was 100 boxes in there i cant say its a shock everytime i went there the place was slowly falling apart havent been up there for over 6 month now
I used to love the ‘automatic’ lifters, if your box was under the 2nd crane it was guaranteed to break down and give you a nice 5hr kip 
waynedl:
cliffton 27:
waynedl:
cliffton 27:
toby1234abc:
Southampton port is Vbs or vehicle booking system.Your boss will book you on line.
Isle of Grain is the same as Thamesport.
Buzzer/pager to call you in while sat in the cafe with a brew.The road there is twisty so steady Eddie on that one.
A few miles away is a small hamlet with a pub and fish and chip shop.Park by Maritimes yard and walk.
Felixstowe is easy to get lost,ask for a map or ask drivers if not sure where to go.Big port.
Bristol is Avonmouth depot.
Truckstop is Avon Lodge off Third Way.Decent food.Clean showers.Choice of breakfast items.Bar open at night.
Avonmouth village by foot as hotel by the train station.Happy hour and decent food and loud music.
Can park a lorry by the hotel.Chinese and Indian nearby and family pub with meals opposite the cop shop.maritimes yard is closed now in fact there is hardly anything in grim anymore so chances of going up there is slim
Really?
I can’t say that’s a shame, used to hate taking a loaded container to Grain, bringing one out was ok though.
Too many adverse cambers and hills, mpg’s used to plummit.
Cafe was pretty good there though tbh, and if everythings gone quiet, that will certainly change.
yea Mcandrews moved onto the dock from tilbury after a fall out and for a while i was constantly fulling 45s out of there for k&n minworth etc
hated stoping up there although the showers were decent
spoke to a subbie last week he said the weekend before he was in there and he would be surprised if there was 100 boxes in there i cant say its a shock everytime i went there the place was slowly falling apart havent been up there for over 6 month nowI used to love the ‘automatic’ lifters, if your box was under the 2nd crane it was guaranteed to break down and give you a nice 5hr kip
In the olden days you didn’t need a break down to get a 5 hour kip, that was a normal day! Haha.