Spanish flyer

Russell tells us about his first big run of 2020, a nine-day sortie to Spain in his powerful Scania S730

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