A Weeks Diary

It's been over a year since my last blog so I guess it's time to either carry on with this rubbish or delete the site. Let's carry on for the time being and see how it goes :-)
On the driving front nothing much has changed but work wise there could be a few changes. More of that another time; maybe!

So let's get the party started with a quick diary of the week before last.

Monday.

The alarm clock went off at 02:15. After all these years it is still a shock to the system.
It takes a good 45mins to get my brain into gear after a very strong coffee and a quick shower. Where did the weekend go to? I didn't get half the jobs done that I had planned.

A 17mile drive into work, collect my paperwork and keys, hitch up, and I'm then ready to hit the road to Aspatria in Cumbria.
Pass Scotch Corner after the usual boring two hour drive along the A1 and it's over the A66 to Penrith.
At this time of year it's a glorious drive over the Pennines with the sun just rising behind me. Going in the other direction is a steady stream of Irish and Scottish hauliers heading south.
A one junction dive up the M6 and it's overland towards Wigton and Aspatria, the only distraction being the hundreds of rabbits who just sit in the road. Please move Bunny. At the very last minute they always get out of the way. I hope!

Swop trailers at our customer at Aspatria and head over the short distance to the small port town of Silloth on the Cumbrain coast. The road at best is narrow with just enough room to pass an oncoming car but at times shrinks down to just enough room to pass between the hedges. It can get interesting if a truck comes in the opposite direction but for a change it's all clear.

Slip into the yard where I'm making a collection with just a couple of minutes of driving time left. Twenty minutes later I'm loaded and move round the corner to have a cup of tea and a bacon buttie. I don't often buy from 'Burger Vans' but I must admit I treat myself here.
The couple who run this van are just such a friendly pair that I feel guilty not to stop. A friendly chat, good well priced food and they never fail to wave when it's time to drive off. Customer service at it's best.

Four and a quarter hours later sees me back in sunny Alfreton. Fuel up, do my paperwork and head home. Something to eat; grab some rubbish on TV and bed.

Tuesday.

Another early start sees me off to our factory in Corby.
A blast down the M1, off at Leicester and a run through the early morning gloom to my drop off point.

Have a good old chat with the forklift driver. Another happy worker.

Load up with pallets for a customer in Mansfield. When I get to their yard, that is tight at the best of times, I find major building work going on. I wind up the builders and they do their best to wind me up as I try and tip and then turn around amongst all their crap.

Back to the yard and an early driving finish as myself and two other drivers have a meeting with senior management regarding possible job losses. Happy days.


Wednesday.


A short local run kicks my day off. A full load of foam blocks to one of our customers in Ilkeston. Drink coffee and watch the heavily loaded freight trains roll past as I wait to get tipped.
All blocks off and it's along to the garage that services (!!) our trailers to drop mine off for some much needed work. No trailers to collect so it's a solo run back to the yard. Can't help blowing away a souped up Citroen Saxo at the lights. Childish? Oh yes, but fun!

My next load for a distribution centre in Bradford isn't ready so it's yet another cup of coffee and a chat with a couple of our other drivers who are also waiting for their loads to be got ready.
I'm booked into Bradford for 12:30 so need to be away by 11:00 if I'm going to get there on time.
Time drags slowly. There is a problem on the production line. 11:00 comes and goes.
At 13:00 I'm loaded and on my way; the customer will not be happy. Get to my drop two hours late and book in at the gatehouse. I say sorry and wait for them to turn me away. They don't. Even the yard shunter smiles and points to my loading bay. Bradford is happy today even though it's pissing down!

Into the back of the trailer with a pump truck and 24 pallets of mattress toppers are soon unloaded.

Back to base, then home.

Thursday.

Yet another short local run to Long Eaton outside Nottingham.
50 rolls of foam soon off-loaded then back for another load to Barnoldswick in Lancashire.

Or not.

The production problems have carried on and after waiting 5 hours for my load it is decided to cancel the run for today. Coffee overdose day. Just over one hours driving. Not happy.

Friday.

Another run down to Corby, take the empty trailer to the garage and a solo blast to the yard. Hardly worth going in, still it's Friday so an early finish is always welcome.

Next week I'll be on shunting duties. More to follow...........................................................................

I've not posted for a long time.

I have been back on the road for just over a year and I'm still enjoying it.

The intention was to just let this blog fade away but I've decided to keep it going and update it at regular intervals.
Moans, groans and general observations along with some input from outside sources. 
First update coming soon.
You have been warned!

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.

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.

'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.