Well it took me 8 weeks but I finally did it, left my plate on a trailer I dropped 100 mile from base. Silly me, I had come close a couple of times and ended up on my hands and knees retrieving it from the trailer stuck up against a bay.
Luckily today they sent me back bobtail so I didn’t give the wasps a open goal for a fine.
In my defence they were meant to unload it while I waited but once I got on there they said they didn’t have time so just leave the trailer and I was just thinking right I’m out of here and never gave the plate a 2nd thought.
Won’t be the last time I lose a plate I suppose but I surprised myself that I made it 8 weeks b4 I did lol
Luckily I’ve only been doing class 2 work up to now ( for the last 2 years ) so nothing like that has ever happened to me but when whenever i start thinking about doing class 1 i can get myself worried about all the checks that need doing, plate, sueies, 5th wheel, dog clip, legs ect.
Apparently there is an easy way to remember it which ironically I’ve forgotten he he he, it goes something like:-
B
L
A
N
K
Brakes.
Legs.
Air lines.
Number plate.
And something else.
.
.
Well-Jell:
Luckily I’ve only been doing class 2 work up to now ( for the last 2 years ) so nothing like that has ever happened to me but when whenever i start thinking about doing class 1 i can get myself worried about all the checks that need doing, plate, sueies, 5th wheel, dog clip, legs ect.
Apparently there is an easy way to remember it which ironically I’ve forgotten he he he, it goes something like:-
B
L
A
N
K
Brakes.
Legs.
Air lines.
Number plate.
And something else.
.
.
It’s not that difficult I wouldn’t worry to much abt it, it’s when your routine gets broken up that you can make a silly mistake so I’d say if that happens start your system all over again.
Leaving a plate on ain’t the end of the world especially if you go back solo, they should have spares in the unit but they keep them back at the yard where I work for some reason.
I’d go for your class 1 if you can because Ive found the work a lot easier than class 2 especially physically the only thing I found tough was the reversing but I’m alot better now than 8 weeks ago so eventually that won’t be a problem.
Brake
Legs
Air Lines
Clip
Kingpin
will now become …
Brake
Legs
Air Lines
Numberplate
Clip
Kingpin
cribs76:
Well-Jell:
Luckily I’ve only been doing class 2 work up to now ( for the last 2 years ) so nothing like that has ever happened to me but when whenever i start thinking about doing class 1 i can get myself worried about all the checks that need doing, plate, sueies, 5th wheel, dog clip, legs ect.
Apparently there is an easy way to remember it which ironically I’ve forgotten he he he, it goes something like:-
B
L
A
N
K
Brakes.
Legs.
Air lines.
Number plate.
And something else.
.
.
It’s not that difficult I wouldn’t worry to much abt it, it’s when your routine gets broken up that you can make a silly mistake so I’d say if that happens start your system all over again.
Leaving a plate on ain’t the end of the world especially if you go back solo, they should have spares in the unit but they keep them back at the yard where I work for some reason.
I’d go for your class 1 if you can because Ive found the work a lot easier than class 2 especially physically the only thing I found tough was the reversing but I’m alot better now than 8 weeks ago so eventually that won’t be a problem.
Good point there: don’t let yourself be distracted when dropping or picking up trailers. It’s far too easy to omit summat. Drivers with years of experience still ■■■■ up occasionally.
When I’ve finished what I’m doing I always stand still a few steps away from the cab, and just do a quiet mental check list.
If anyone is there I just tell 'em to shut up for a few seconds.
^^^ Yup.
Ignore anyone who speaks to you or any other distraction during (un)coupling procedures, don’t need to be nasty just ask them to give you two mins whilst you do the biz, any proper lorry driver will understand and not take it personally.
You do not have to follow the same routine as everyone else, but the stated routines are pretty good overall but we all add our own little twists* on the theme as we go along.
What tends to throw you is if you change tractors and the catwalk steps are on a different side to which you are used, this doesn’t happen very often as almost all i use are on the nearside now, but think doubly carefully if you do find a unit with the steps on the offside because it disrupts your routine, which is when things go ■■■■ up.
If you do get interrupted, start again from the dog clip and always work your way around the vehicle in the same direction every time.
The one really important thing that gets overlooked after hitching up and before you drive away (i always do this before even putting the dog clip on*, whilst i’m down there anyway as it were 
), is to shine a torch up the 5th wheel’s bum and check that bar is sitting across the kin pin, and not as can very rarely happen sitting on it.
Yes this happened to me just the once in over 40 years of artics, fortunately summat didn’t sound right when i connected up and checked underneath and saw with mine own eyes, sure enough there was the king pin large as life sitting on top of the closed jaws, dog clip engaged everything 
If you’re not too sure what you are looking for, make a habit of checking regularly and the once in a lifetime event of it not being in place will be visually shouting out loud.
The one really important thing that gets overlooked after hitching up and before you drive away (i always do this before even putting the dog clip on*, whilst i’m down there anyway as it were ), is to shine a torch up the 5th wheel’s bum and check that bar is sitting across the kin pin, and not as can very rarely happen sitting on it.
This is something I definitely 2nd, I always shine a torch up her skirt and have a quick look that the kingpin is engaged into the 5th wheel, takes abt 5 seconds and it gives me peace of mind that my trailer will be behind me all the way to my destination barring a mechanical failure. Just watch you don’t bang your head while you are under there.
With regards to the number plate when driving solo either in the yard or on the road I make sure the number plate is on the dash in full view so I can never forget to put it on the back of the trailer and also I know that I’ve taken it off the back of the trailer.
bald bloke:
With regards to the number plate when driving solo either in the yard or on the road I make sure the number plate is on the dash in full view so I can never forget to put it on the back of the trailer and also I know that I’ve taken it off the back of the trailer.
That’s a better idea than what I came up with, I drilled an hole in the plate put some string through it and I now wear it around my neck when I’m not tugging a trailer…
cribs76:
bald bloke:
With regards to the number plate when driving solo either in the yard or on the road I make sure the number plate is on the dash in full view so I can never forget to put it on the back of the trailer and also I know that I’ve taken it off the back of the trailer.
That’s a better idea than what I came up with, I drilled an hole in the plate put some string through it and I now wear it around my neck when I’m not tugging a trailer…
you have to wear a trailer plate as a necklace,just to remind you not to forget it…really?
carryfast-yeti:
cribs76:
bald bloke:
With regards to the number plate when driving solo either in the yard or on the road I make sure the number plate is on the dash in full view so I can never forget to put it on the back of the trailer and also I know that I’ve taken it off the back of the trailer.
That’s a better idea than what I came up with, I drilled an hole in the plate put some string through it and I now wear it around my neck when I’m not tugging a trailer…
you have to wear a trailer plate as a necklace,just to remind you not to forget it…really?
Really? Now your not been serious are you??
Take the one off the back of the unit and put it on the trailer to save £30 
Wheel Nut:
Take the one off the back of the unit and put it on the trailer to save £30
I thought of that but our unit plates are rectangular and the the trailer plate holder is square unfortunately, but I’ve drilled abt 30 plates now as I drive a different unit most nights so I’ll stick with my yellow necklace… :-p