I had about 10 yrs driving in the 70/80s for 5/6 firms,always fancied summat else, and got to thinking that never once did I get asked which motor I would like to drive.Of course with most you know your mount will be the old nail in the corner what else would you expect.However there were a couple of times I was overlooked n a new starter would jump over me to a newer/ better one or I would do the same to longer serving driver.
just wondered what you guys experience of it.Did anybody have a boss who gave him a choice or even better asked him what motor they would like them to buy him. must be some not many Ithink
I was once offered a new FL10, fresh out of the box. I politely declined and said “I’ll stick with my old Atky.” 290 ■■■■■■■■ 9 speed Fuller. It didn’t have a sleeper cab, I’d removed the passenger seat and I could make a comfortable bed. It was a great old motor but eventually it had to go and and then I was a Volvo driver. My god, the cab was like a rabbit hutch, I never did like the motor.
grumpy old man:
I was once offered a new FL10, fresh out of the box. I politely declined and said “I’ll stick with my old Atky.” 290 ■■■■■■■■ 9 speed Fuller. It didn’t have a sleeper cab, I’d removed the passenger seat and I could make a comfortable bed. It was a great old motor but eventually it had to go and and then I was a Volvo driver. My god, the cab was like a rabbit hutch, I never did like the motor.
pulled into the yard one afternoon with my pride n joy atky 220 ■■■■■■■ 10 spd road ranger loaded with bricks desford to brighton return bricks e. grinstead to notts, a good payer. dieseling up boss saunters up says"take your pick of one of the three new uns round the corner". takes a look yep 3 leyland octopus with 500 engines in em. i,d had dealings with these things before so said to him “i,ll stick with my old gal if you don,t mind” “I don,t mind at all” he replied “but it,ll will be half way down the M 1 by the time you,re taking one of them three to load at Desford so n so is having it” That were that then.O woe was me what a thing she were but thats another tale another day
Standard procedure last in and that was the way it stayed until someone came behind you and bumped you up the seniority ladder you drove what you were given ,all the long term men had the new motors,and ■■■■ got passed down, after time you would get a decent motor[maybe] if you acted like a prat you would just wait and in the end go-away to another company and it all would start over again,unless all the motors were rubbish,and a cowboy outfit.you went else where…
Tilcon (at Ballidon quarry at least) had a policy of the long serving drivers getting a new truck about every three years and their old one got passed to the new starters. Then, after three years, they also got a new one and the lorry (six years old by now) was disposed of. However when I got my first new one in 1986 it lasted me nearly eleven years as Tilcon sold the transport off to our old TM and new trucks were thin on the ground, I did get one more new lorry but jacked after 12 months and started with the next firm on a ten year old one again! 
Incidently, when I was offered my first new one I already had a weeks holiday booked (only stopping at home though) and the TM told me to cancel it as he didn’t want anyone else on it and it had to go on the road that week. So, being a good lad, I cancelled my holiday and got my new lorry…then booked a week off for the following week! That didn’t go down too well haha. 
Pete.
I have to admit to have been very lucky in that I’ve liked all of the lorries I’ve been given except two- an old Leyland Freighter (although it went like the proverbial off a shovel!) and a two-year old Renault Premium which gave me such a dodgy back that I ended up having physio every week in the firm’s time.
Of course you,re all right,there has to be a pecking order or anarchy reigns along with black looks.
I was given an Albion reiver bathgate cab the new addition to the fleet but 2yr old,it had been on the firm for 2 weeks n the guy who got it 1st couldn,t sus the gearbox so it had been parked up.mine was up for plating so they put me on it with warning not to use the 2 speed button cos it were faulty.Any way after a bit o trial n error found out 2speed only worked on 4/5/6th boss said keep it, only been on for em for 5mths. Much ribbing gaffers boy n blue eyes etc the lad who had it 1st never recognised my existence after that,the prat.The moral is theres no good comes of jumping the pecking order
Retired Old ■■■■:
I have to admit to have been very lucky in that I’ve liked all of the lorries I’ve been given except two- an old Leyland Freighter (although it went like the proverbial off a shovel!) and a two-year old Renault Premium which gave me such a dodgy back that I ended up having physio every week in the firm’s time.
pretty much the same for me ROF. Except for one I just got in em n earnt my shilling. The one that did for me weren,t the octopus but an Atky 8 wheeler tipper.It were 2 yr old when I was given it,I was doing cartwheels down the yard after boss told me it were a looker n i,d always fancied it.Anyway got in next day n off we went my god what a let down. I,d come off erf 180 with 6 DB box this had ■■■■■■■ 205,I think, n the go pedal were heavier than the clutch by the time I got out t,other end I could hardly walk.But that weren,t the worst bit it had DB 8 spd in it. Whoever invented that should have been made to drive it for the rest of his worthless life.By day two I,d come to hate it with a vengeance had a quiet word with boss after a decent interval,day 3, 2 choices I took 2nd un n jacked
What was the problem with the DB eight speed range change box then? We had one in a Sed Ak 400 (it came new with a DB six speed but was changed under warranty) and I thought it a decent 'box but you had to hit the gears spot on unlike a Fuller which you could ‘feed’ into mesh?
I never had a lorry I didn’t like, although the 3000 series Foden I had new was a pain in that various items like the air seat and the voltage dropper didn’t work right from new and were never sorted and the taildoor and rollover sheet on the Wilcox body were a blooming nightmare at times! 
That truck did try my patience at times for the 12 months I had it.
Pete.
Can,t give you a “it were this or that” with the box Windrush. Folks say it wasn,t a good box with ■■■■■■■■ dunno.With the db 6 it all felt leisurely n smooth although there were gradients where 1/2 a gear would have been nice. Felt with db8 alot o cog swapping for nowt.Having said that I,d had leyland/fuller n foden 12sd before that which I always felt were fine boxes so maybe it were me,maybe not good in atky mk 2. Had fuller 9 in ERf n Atky thought the shift in ERF loads better. dunno, maybe me ready for a move.Whatever I made sure I never worked 1 again
I was the opposite to the normal , hadn’t been on the job long , last to start and there was a brand new foden unit with the 290 ■■■■■■■ , 9 speed fuller stood in the yard . When it was painted up the boss told me it was mine on the first of the month . I asked him why and was told because you’re the only one with a class one licence . I had that lorry for 7 years until it got traded in . dave
rigsby:
I was the opposite to the normal , hadn’t been on the job long , last to start and there was a brand new foden unit with the 290 ■■■■■■■ , 9 speed fuller stood in the yard . When it was painted up the boss told me it was mine on the first of the month . I asked him why and was told because you’re the only one with a class one licence . I had that lorry for 7 years until it got traded in . dave
Bet you a pound to a pinch o you know what that there were comments/looks.Like I said as if the boss ever asked you,why would he he pays his money n makes his choice.The man that bought the 3 octopus certainly paid the price.Best bit he knew I,d been on for a crowd with 6 of the things.one out of the 6 made 60,000 without engine prob.He were a ■■■■■■■ man up till the engine strip down/swap period n not long after he were ■■■■■■■ man again.How do bosses decide what lorry? Is it price/looks/engine?Some had fleets all much the same n others had all sorts.
Theres bosses on site who can let me know,also if they ever asked a man which one they fancied cos nobody seems to have been up to now
It was the Boss and the set up that mattered to me. The motor was the tool to do the job. I was paid to get there and back - keep the customer happy and stay safe. I spent more time driving than I did worrying about space in a cab or sleeping arrangements. There was always digs to use in the old days and they were as much of an adventure as going somewhere I had never heard of. My favourite wagon is the LB 76 and second the Mk5 AEC. I did Continental in both - and F88s and 110s
None of them were cosy or huge by todays standards, but I would get in one now and go to the ends and back just to get that feeling of freedom again. To answer your question - I was interviewed by a prospective Boss on the Friday, and on the Monday I started driving the motor I had admired standing over the pit in his ramshackle garage. It was mine - a Ford Transit 175 diesel with a Perkins engine - 2 yrs old. I was well happy. I averaged 1500 miles a week in that old girl and she never let us down . Whether 10 drops in London or up and down the Rhonda valleys with 12 drops for the Miners Hospitals. Jim.
back in the early-80’s,my motor at Carryfast was a Sed Atki 400,Gardner 180,DB 6sp/eaton 'box,superb motor(YRP 64S),loved to bits.one day i was told take it up to Dewsbury and swap it for my new truck.
got up there,the chief said,‘this one’s yours Yeti’…ERF ‘B’,same set up as my SA…what a heap of sh*** that was 
by the time i’d got back to NK,i’d had enough of it,and asked for my SA back…never liked ERF’s since 
Well JMC nearly there I think but would you have got that one if you,d not fancied it? Yeti you prove my point given motor without any choice /option. Wouldn,t be so bad when you got one you didn,t get along with if the boss asked you if your,e happy with it. Never got that question either
This is how daft it can get!
Started for Tarmac Cliffe Hill on Scammel after 6mths onto Lreg S39 nice tool , one of four, bit over power steered I always thought but no matter. She were 4 yr old n had big scratch mark dead middle of view line, granite dust I suppose. Had a word with fitter said “no chance! Surely you can sort it n we,ll put a fresh one in” I said “I might have shattered screen next fri wouldn,t it be a good idea to order one” “yes you may well be right I,ll order one today”
come off M1 at Markfield pulled over onto hard shoulder put blanket over drivers side got jack handle n give screen a good thwack.I were like summat off Tom n Jerry the vibration when down my arm thru my body south thru both legs across h/shoulder n into lorry tyre. My god didn,t realise how tough these things were. Any way next thump job done. About 3/4 weeks later the T M put me on sister of, chap off that went on to another sister of, that driver had finished n new starter went on mine ■■!! And as you can guess my fresh one had scratched windscreen. Buggar
Now all four motors were identical so what were all that about?
Hi, Carryfast Yetty. we bought YRP 70 S ,exact same spec did us proud,Cheers Barry
at my last firm I had four brand new motors over nine or ten years and was offered several more new ones but declined.(my 06 plate daf cf I had from new- I had a new Volvo FM a few months before that and asked if I could have the daf as I didn’t like the Volvo. had the daf for over five years,blinding lorry,didnt want a new one, but was forced to have one due to the looming London low emission zone…gutted I was) got a new Volvo fmx when the daf went,it was ok but not nearly as comfortable ,and not nearly as good off road thanks to the I shift box.and the brakes were dreadful.
at one firm I “inherited” a 113 Scania that was ten years old at the time-one of my favourite lorries I’ve ever driven 
ive driven old Leyland freighters/constructors,daf 2100/1900 ,ford cargo,man F90 etc and they’ve all been old and uncared for when I got them but I enjoyed driving them,
the only one ive actually hated to drive was the hino I had about four years ago-I still have to drive it every now and again,still bloody awful lol.my mate has a restored Bedford tk artic,and its far nicer to drive than that poxy hino.really.
Well Andrew a result I,d say.Didn,t think they,d be many. How could they be, if drivers had choice can,t begin to imagine what some of the big fleets would be like. It would send the boss round the bend!
I started off with a Foden, one of those ones with the narrow cab. Nobody told me they were non synchromesh 
but by Christ I was chuffed when I mastered it. The rev counter needle didn’t work so I’d have to play it by ear and hope I was playing the right notes at the right time.
The exhaust brake was a rubber button on the middle of the floor that did nothing more than make a soft ■■■■■■■ noise. Praying to the almighty slowed you down faster.
Why I’m still fond of that thing now I don’t know, I’d like to drive one again for a bit for old times’ sake but keeping it, no thanks.
More Ale:
I started off with a Foden, one of those ones with the narrow cab. Nobody told me they were non synchromesh
The exhaust brake was a rubber button on the middle of the floor that did nothing more than make a soft ■■■■■■■ noise. Praying to the almighty slowed you down faster.
Why I’m still fond of that thing now I don’t know, I’d like to drive one again for a bit for old times’ sake but keeping it, no thanks.
I know what you,re saying M Ale god knows they,re only lumps of metal, but I.d give a fair bit to have another bash in my old gal Atky 220 ■■■■■■■■■■■ were a easy start addict 9 mths of the year n 6th gear were a no no, you had to lean on door to get it,not good.But we had some good times together n earned some good shilling. Almost certainly best left in the past like most if not all girlfriends/lovers.