Day 1
Happy New Year – but it’s the same old me, I’m afraid. After a seasonal two weeks off I’m chomping at the bit to get back at it, so it’s up to HQ near Aberdeen for a trailer to Motril on the southern coast of Spain.
As soon as I arrive at the yard the guvnor is straight out to see me with a handshake and a chat. Michael is full of old-school ways and will always come and see the drivers when we visit the yard; it’s the Essex International way of doing things. He tells me the curtainsider will be loaded in the morning, so I make full use of the wash and stand at ease.
Day 2
Up around 7am, I join in a cuppa and chat with some of the other drivers while the office sort out my paperwork. They inform me I’ll be shipping Portsmouth to Santander on Saturday, so it’ll be a nice steady run down, calling into Leicester to drop off a few crates. All the drivers muck in and help when loading so in no time at all I’m loaded and heading south along the wet Scottish roads, undoing all the cleaning I’d done on the lorry.
It’s a nice clear run down the A90 and the A74, with only a bit of snow round Beattock. After a chat with the missus on the blower, we arrange a 45-minute date at Penrith Truckstop; she’s buying tonight before she heads up to Scotland. At times we are like ships passing in the night and, after a clear run down, I park up not far from my delivery.
Day 3
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Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Truck & Driver.
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Well forked Daf
Remember, we like to cover all sorts of different trucks here at T&D – like this impressive new CF rigid complete with Moffett Mounty forklift
King of the hill
Moving heavy equipment off road calls for a truck with plenty of power and traction, which is why M&J Plant chose a mighty 6x4 FH16 750
Time Machine 2015-2019
It’s the final part of our series on the history of UK haulage. Let’s look back at those innocent times before that pesky virus turned up
Original and best
There are few trucks which have been customised to the level of the Scania 143, but let’s not forget that the standard product was pretty awesome just as it left the factory, like this rare 420
GOING ALL THE WAY
Simon Rogers got behind the wheel as soon as he was able to, and nearly 30 years later, his company is going from strength to strength, with a striking all-black, top-spec Iveco S-Way 570 the latest addition to the fleet
Abnormal loads
In the distant past, when dinosaurs roamed the planet, truck drivers were a very different breed, made from sterner stuff than us mere mortals
Range change
After a gap of 13 years, Renault trucks have reappeared in the unique colours of MacRitchie Highland Distribution. T&D takes the high road to Inverness to meet owners, Donald and Catriona MacRitchie
Cutting a dash
Freshly showered and munching a healthy egg and cress sarnie in Gloucester North services, Chris has a Foden update
Air we go!
On Saturday 29 May at 6pm, 240 drivers gathered with their trucks at South Mimms Services for a parade to raise vital money for Essex & Hertfordshire Air Ambulance
A Cutt Above
From coal to turf to fencing and loads more, there’s not much the Calcutt fleet hasn’t transported over the years
