Week 2 - Drivers mate

Mon - Down to depot 42 at J4 on the M65 for 7am (Eeek !!!) and presented myself to the Ops Mgr (as instructed by the trg centre) to which he says, "Who on earth are you ?" "I'm from the Trg Centre, Becky contacted you on fri pm" says I. "First I'd heard of it" says he ! Ah ! Normal service is resumed ;-)

Anyway, teamed up with a chap called Steve and his 04 plate MAN with, straight 6 speed box, a roller tail door and curtain sides and off we rattled towards Leyland & Preston. Saw quite a variety today; deliveries to businesses (large & small), private addresses and even onto a building site with a pallet load of hydraulic hoses. Really impressed with where he took the wagon ! Down narrow streets and even into cul-de-sacs where he managed a 5 point turn in a space I may have struggled to turn my car !
Apparrently Steve has been with Nightfreight for about 4 years and was taught to drive by no less than the same guy as me ! (Gary the fireman !) Anyway had a great day out, although not sure if Multi drop with a Class 2 wagon in and around busy cities is for me. Got my hands dirty, can now open & close a curtain side and had a good rummage round Comet & Currys in Preston during the tacho break. Thanks Steve. The items on the racking (photo left) are axles at the Leyland truck factory ! Tue - Back out with Steve again today. Another really enjoyable day ! On the road by 0730 with region of 20 drops to do around Leyland & Preston. Had everything unloaded and first collection done by midday ! Hours tacho break then out to Clitheroe for the daily UPVC collection (Ultraframe with the lime green wagons) and back to the depot for 1600. Hoping to be going out with an artic driver tomorrow.

Wed/Thu - Out with a Class 1 driver. Had a fantastic time, he gave me a commentary on just about everything he was doing, road position, turning circles, reversing etc. Alll very informative. Now I suspect if you went out with a general haulage driver you may never uncouple the trailer. Well, I lost count of the number of trailers we dragged over the 2 days. Somewhere around 10 to 12 I think. So I got plenty practice with the sequence of coupling/uncoupling. Enjoyed travelling a little further afield rather than zipping around small areas doing multi drop with the Class 2. But either has to be preferrable to the 50-70 item drops that the 7.5 ton guys do !!! Pictures below are the Nightfreight Depot (42), the Artic unit getting a daily inspection, couple views of the rig and a typical artic trailer handle and parking brake !