Love Will Tear Us Apart

This might seem a little odd but I'm going to miss the old girl. I know it wasn't 'my' truck but it certainly felt like it was.

http://youtu.be/AO36YpDWKaw 

The music for this little video is by Darren Poyzer. It's his take on the Joy Division classic 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'.

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Darren Poyzer

http://www.poyzer.com/

Goodbye CDZ. Hello YWO.

05:00 on a Saturday morning and a motly crew of drivers gather in the canteen at work.
Destination. Peterborough.
The mission. To collect 10 new trucks.

Shunter Shane has drawn the short straw and is going to be our mini-bus driver for the trip down. Glad it's not me. Who wants 10 back seat drivers?
Just after 06:00 we set off and after a brief stop off at a transport cafe to fill up with bacon butties we soon arrive at the dealers. After a short wait we are issued with our keys and head off into their large yard to collect the trucks.
First problem. The truck Neil is collecting is missing a vital part.

 

Yes, they have not fitted the 5th wheel. The fitters there have to put down their mugs of tea and do some work.
Problem number two. Phil's truck has a flat battery. More action from the men in the garage.
We sign for the trucks and as they have very little fuel in the tanks we head off in convoy to Peterborough Services to put in 50 litres each to get us back to our yard.
Problem number three. They do not accept our fuel card.

What are we going to do about fuel lads?

A quick chat on the forecourt and it's back on the A1 to the next service station. So running on fumes we head off.
Problem number four. Phil finds out that his truck will only do 50. Guess he will win the fuel economy prize!

We pull into the services and 10 trucks grab every pump available. The families in the 'American Diner' are treated to 15 minutes of chaos as bemused couples out for a Saturday drive find their petrol station invaded by a bunch of badly dressed truckers.
It did cause a stir with all the kids though. They loved it. As did the owner of the garage who had an unexpected sale of 500litres of diesel. Smiley faces everywhere.

A quick blast (except Phil) up the A1 and we soon got back to the yard and spent the next hour filling up with both diesel and Adblue.

I'm going to really miss my old DAF, CDZ. We have had many a good time together and she has only let me down a couple of times :-(

My new baby

The new and the old

I'm not looking forward to trying to keep this clean

Mercedes Axor

For the past couple of days I've been driving our hired Mercedes Axor. We have this until our new trucks get delivered in June or July.

I had thought that our ones would be the same as this but I am beginning to think that we are getting a more basic version. Ho hum.
One thing I know will be missing is the manual gear change button. We can't be trusted to use it correctly.
So it's full auto gear change or nothing.

The dashboard is neat and does it's job but I'm not sure how long it will keep it's 'as new' condition as the finish feels a bit cheap. This picture makes it look a little blue/green, the colours below are nearer the mark.

Much better curtains than the DAF. These let in far less light.

Radio, tacho, interior lights and night heater controls are located above the drivers head.

Under the bunk there is plenty of space for odds and sods but unlike my CF it is a pig to lift up. A couple of small gas struts on the Daf make it easy to lift one handed sitting in the drivers seat. The one on the Merc has nothing so you have to get up and heave it up and then secure it in the open position with a strap. Cheap and nasty but I suppose as a basic cost cutting fleet truck savings have to be made and it all adds up.

So something like this will be my work place in the future. Not the XF Super Space Cab of my dreams but suits the job I do now.

Odds And Sods

Finally a couple of weeks ago 'The Beast' made it to the million mark.

It's been a hard slog to get there as we no longer do long journeys. 350 to 400k a day is about the norm these days.
It looks like I will only be driving CDZ for another couple of months as new trucks are on their way. We have been told they are Axors. I'm going to miss my little DAF.
We have had an Axor on rental for a month or so. Can't complain about it. Does it's job and the auto box seems to work quite well; not as good as an I-Shift but not bad.

Could have done with the extra height in the cab when nights out were common but beggars can't be choosers.

Coffee time near Skipton

I've been thinking about the dreaded DCPC recently. Our company says they are going to sort something out but...........................................
Time is dragging on and I'm seriously thinking about just going ahead and getting the hours credited myself. £80+ a 7 hour session seems to be about the going rate round here. Still, I paid for my own HGV and CPC so I guess this is just another expense to cover if I still want to do a job I like :-((
I wouldn't mind if we were highly paid professionals but as, not a lot above minimum wage, drivers is sort of pisses me off! To be honest though, I do think some sort of training other than the driving test is called for.
I had a 'conversation' with another driver recently. 20+ years in the job and he knew sweet FA about the rules and regs regarding speed limits and drivers hours.

There still seems to be a problem with me replying to comments (or I'm just being thick and doing something wrong) so sorry if you haven't heard back from me.

Two Weeks Under My Belt.

The last two weeks have flown by and I've enjoyed every minute of being back on the road.
I really haven't cared what I've been given.
Today I had a 45 between Ilkley and Skipton. Made myself a coffee and had a little doze in the sunshine. Perfect!
Even the VOSA crew who had set up camp outside Skipton Golf Club waved me on, when for a second I thought they were going to pull me over. Cheers chaps.

The only thing that has come close to pissing me off is quite a few car drivers on the motorway who insist on doing just over 50. I know fuel costs an arm and a leg at the moment but come on. Why buy a Merc if you can't afford to run it? Still, to give them credit, most have been flashing trucks back in and not just sitting alongside your rear wheels as many like to do. Damn. I keep reverting to 'Moaning Trucker' mode. I'm trying not to whinge but it's hard :-)

'The Beast' (aka MV54 CDZ) is still chugging along. I'm sure the Turbo is going to explode soon but for now it's still plodding along. I've started to clear the 8 months of grease from the catwalk and body but it's a long and messy job. Some might see this as a little OTT seeing as it's a fleet motor but who cares? I'm not going overboard and getting out the polish every time I stop, just a little TLC.

Roll on Monday and a quick blast down the M1 for a delivery to Leighton Buzzard then back to the yard for a local to Rotherham. International Trucker!

It's Good To Be Back.

Today was my first day back driving a truck since the DVLA gave me the okay last week.

I was given a nice easy, short run to get me back into the swing of things. Alfreton to Huntingdon and back.

How I have missed getting up at 02:30! Over the last few weeks I have been setting my alarm to go off earlier and earlier each day to try and get my body used to it. Sort of worked.
Arrived at the yard and after getting the paperwork for my load I went and sorted my truck out. I'm back in my old truck, CDZ. Good news for me but the only reason I am back in it is that the driver who has had it since my heart attack is now off work seriously ill. I wish him all the best.

It felt very strange driving up the road but after a few minutes and only a couple of duff gear changes I was really enjoying myself. Sitting in loads of traffic on my way out of Huntingdon didn't bother me. The sun even broke through the mist as I headed back north along the A1. It was the best I've felt in ages.

The months haven't been kind to CDZ. Rust is starting to appear in loads of new places. She really does look her age. I might still get to take it over the million mark though.

I've got another easy run in the morning. Can't wait!

I think I'm happy

Today I got the news that I've been waiting months for. The DVLA have finally said that I can go back to driving for a living. I should be jumping up and down and punching the air; it's all I've really wanted.
But I'm not. Pleased, yes. But this isn't the way I thought I would feel.
So much frustration has taken it's toll. The endless phone calls, letters and missed deadlines has been hard to take. I'll stop moaning now.

Not sure what sort of job I've got to go back to. My old truck is with a new driver and there aren't any spares. Guess I'll be 'Holiday Cover Boy'. So this weekend it will be sorting out my crap and getting ready for Monday. It might even mean some new videos on Youtube.

I wasn't looking forward to today.

I was dreading today. An appointment to see Dr Gunn in Sheffield.
When I had my stents put in at Papworth they had seen another artery that was partially blocked. Because of it's size and position it had not been possible to put another stent in. At the time there had been some talk of a bypass operation but they decided to wait and see if things improved with the other artery now being fully open.
I really wasn't sure how things would go.
Off I went to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.

A short uphill walk in the cold and slush from the tram stop and I arrived a little out of breath. Blood pressure check by a nurse. Ok; but a little low. Then off for an ECG. Sitting for half an hour waiting for the test and my head was spinning. I just wanted it over and done with. Off with my shirt and on my back on the bed while electrodes were placed on my chest and ankles. I've had this done so many times that it felt quite normal and routine. Before I knew it I was on my way up to see my consultant with my ECG printout. I sneaked a look on my up but it meant nothing.
A short wait and I was in to see Dr Gunn. We had a short chat about how things were going and how I felt. He turned a little serious and said 'if I didn't know you have had a heart attack I would never guess from this ECG. Everything is working fine. I can see no problems'.

I left the hospital a happy man. No further appointments needed but he let me know that if I had any problems in the future he would be there to help.

I walked down to catch my tram and just kept on walking. Heading through the city centre I treated myself to a Breakfast Pasty from Cooplands the bakers. Billions of calories and stuffed with fat. Lovely!
The sun was shining and even Park Hill flats looked good!!

Some of the medical staff who helped me. The NHS at it's best. Thank you.

East Of England Ambulance Service.

           Control room staff.
           Ambulance crew

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn.

          All the staff in A&E.
          Doctors and nurses, M.A.U dept
          Doctors and nurses, Pentney Ward
 

Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire.

          Doctors and nurses, Hugh Fleming ward
          Dr Nick West and his Angioplasty team

Royal Hospital, Chesterfield.

          Dr Clare Hawley
          All the staff in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Group,
                    David Sandler, Janice, Elaine, Amanda, Nicola and Pat

 Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield.

         Dr J.P Gunn and nurses

and all the countless back room staff.

'Trainee Lab Rat'

It's now over half way through January and still no good news from my dear friends at the DVLA. I had another letter from them yesterday putting the blame on the delay at the feet of my consultant.

So now I have two institutions that I have to hassle to get my HGV licence back. It's a never ending saga of phone calls and letters backwards and forwards between Swansea, me and my consultant. I'm sick of it. A classic case of one step forward and two steps back.

The company I work for; Recticel; have been really good so no complaints there. They could have kept me away as I am not able to do the job I was employed for. All credit to them for at least finding me something to do and continuing to pay me at my old rate. It's still a kick in the lower regions not being able to do the job I love.

This last week has seen me swopping the transport office for the new delights of being a 'Trainee Lab Rat'.

For the last week I have been working in our companies testing lab. Goodbye diesel and timed deliveries and hello, Tensile Stress Testing. I'm using maths that I haven't used in nearly forty years!

One good side of this is that I have learned more in a day than I have over the last five years on how our company operates. It's been an eye-opener.

Setting fire to foam to see how your sofa would behave in a fire is just one of the things that have kept me busy. Pulling, crushing, heating and weighing foam samples before they go to customers has been a real change to my daily work.

Good fun and it's got my brain working. Work out the density of a piece of foam in kg/m3. Work out the percentage stretch before reaching breaking point etc etc. It hurts your grey cells at first but soon becomes dead easy :-)

My tales of self pity are rather pathetic though compared with what others are going through. One of my fellow drivers, Paul C, is in hospital following major surgery to his brain. It makes my problems seem very small compared to what both he and his family are going through. I really must make the effort to go and see him this week.

Over and out for now.