.
Today i passed C+E artic with full size 45 foot trailer.
Just waiting for ROG and his fireworks now.
I received my class 2 fireworks three years ago and have been waiting patiently to be able to receive my class 1 fireworks.
.
Congratulations! Always good to see our Trucknet customers pass.
All the best for the future, Pete 
.
Thanks Pete.
Massive appreciation to Cliff and Melanie ( my class 2 and class 1 examiners ).
Also massive appreciation to Chris MC ( my instructor both times ).
Thanks ROG, I’ve been waiting for that for 3 long years, it’s good to finally see it on screen.
.
Well done pal I was there when you passed 
Just waited for my first lesson with Paul. Now three days later I am nervously waiting for my test tomorrow 1st thing in the morning
Good luck in your future endeavours
All the best for test tomorrow. Hope it goes to plan!
Pete
Ondrej:
Well done pal I was there when you passed
Good luck in your future endeavours
.
Thank you so much, i’ve waited a long time for it.
Just try and stay calm and relaxed on Monday and try and not let it get to you too much and you should have it in the bag.
Good luck.
.
YES YES YES Cat is in the bag haha so happy. Sadly It wasn’t easy at all I had to fight for it all the way since I was taken on one of the worst tightiest test routes but managed two minors ( I was convinced I failed untill I switched off the engine )
Life is good.
Anyway big thanks to Paul the trainer It was absolutely faultless and I would love to go for pint with you for sure. Top Bloke
Congratulations! Also shows the importance of not trying to work out if you’ve failed or not as you’re driving around. Concentrate on what you’re doing and let the examiner decide.
All the best for the future, Pete
.
That’s great news, well done.
It can be hard to put in a good drive while worrying and been so stressed but you have to try really hard.
Pleased you passed as well.
Good luck for the future and future job roles.
I’ve already applied for 4 jobs online ( not how i normally do it if i have just passed ) and a large class 1 haulage company near who run fridges on supermarket work, curtainsiders, walking floors and flatbeds have emailed me and want me to go in and see them tomorrow.
Fingers crossed.
.
Hope it goes well for you. Pete
Ondrej:
YES YES YES
.
Thanks Pete, that’s nice of you to care.
.
Peter Smythe:
Congratulations! Also shows the importance of not trying to work out if you’ve failed or not as you’re driving around. Concentrate on what you’re doing and let the examiner decide.All the best for the future, Pete
Congrats!
Good advice Pete. I was convinced I’d stuffed up my CE cos the trailer tyres kissed the kerb. Was very tempting to throw in the towel at that point. But I passed with only a couple of minors.
Thanks Pete, that’s nice of you to care.
Haha, I’ll let you know when I stop caring. Not anytime soon!
I was convinced I’d stuffed up my CE cos the trailer tyres kissed the kerb.
Classic. But it’s highly unlikely that kissing the kerb with the trailer would be a serious fault. The exceptions would be if it was a really easy turn or that excessive speed was a factor in the inaccurate steering.
But, as I said, remember who has got the pen (or the i pad these days). Just concentrate on the drive and dont try and mark yourself or second guess the examiner’s decisions.
Pete
.
Just a quick update.
Turns out the guy who wanted to see me can’t take me on as am a new driver, even though i put that in my application, C.V and covering letter, turns out nobody reads that crap anyway.
I’ve applied for a few other jobs, mainly night trunking into Scotland.
I feel quite limited these days, i normally turn up knocking at their door asking for a job but not sure how welcome I’d be turning up at their door these days, I’d probably just end up getting chased.
.
Yeah, wanted to say that normally you will get zero replies if ur new pass. I would look at different job pages not only indeed. Try search phrases, such as class 1 new pass on totaljobs - it will search the keyword through job adverts. As you will find out it will produce not so good job offers with around £10 p/h. Nothing to be excited about however its experience after all and within 6 months or so will have a better chance for sure. I contacted my agency and told them the good news and have been told do not quit your current class 2 job. At the moment I will try to get the odd Friday leftover class 1 job they may have for me and just chill.
Then
I went to see my boss at work let him know I passed the test and I may have some odd weekend work as a sidekick and guess What, I have been offered W+D training within company ) I think it would be stupid to turn it down so I happily accepted the offer.
The only downside is I have to wait for the bloody plastic card to arrive also I really enjoyed the arctic and now hoping that W+D will be fun to drive and reverse as well
Anyways thank you all for kind words and hopefully it will work out well for both of us
I really enjoyed the arctic and now hoping that W+D will be fun to drive and reverse as well
W+D is generally easier to steer as the trailer will more or less track the prime mover (the front bit). For reversing, the trailer will react MUCH quicker than an artic. This means tiny steering movements to get a bend going. It is also easier to catch if it bends a bit more than you planned. Just turn into the trailer, as always, but dont mess about. The trailer will go wrong more quickly than an artic but it’s easier to catch it again.
To couple a drawbar trailer requires more accuracy than an artic. With an artic you have the V on the 5th wheel and it will couple provided the king pin on the trailer is somewhere in the V. But a drawbar is a hook and eye and wont couple up unless it’s within a small tolerance. Cameras are sometimes fitted. It’s essential to get lined up as straight as possible. In a perfect world it should be difficult to see the sides of the trailer as you’re dead in line with it. If you can see any of the headboard of the trailer in either mirror, you’ve got it wrong. You must go forward and line up again.
Hope that makes sense, Pete