So as I posted in my other thread, I have gone full career change and got my Class 1 HGV licence. I've now been driving almost two months full time through an agency for Evri, based at their depot in Warrington (about 10 minutes away from the care home where Dad is now, what are the chances?).
Anyway, I went for my training over in Deeside with Andy Swan Driver Services - a family run training company. Rather unlike me, instead of giving them a call or email, I drove over there and had a good chat with them about what I wanted and what they could offer. They settled my mind and I enrolled on their "Car to Class 1" program. First up, Medical before I can apply for my provisional licence. That went well (not). Failed on high blood pressure, so it's back to my doctor who I haven't visited for over 20 years.
Tested BP at home - normal. Tested BP at surgery - normal. So, after discussing with the GP I was tasked with taking my BP readings twice a day for a week and returning to the surgery with the results. All results normal so returned to se my GP again and he diagnosed "White Coat Syndrome". He wrote a letter explaining that all subsequent BP readings were normal so I returned for Medical take two. Failed the BP test again, but with the letter from the GP, was passed for the medical. Great news! So, applied for my provisional and booked my theory and driver CPC test modules (and the all important Tacho card).
In the meantime, before the White Coat diagnosis, the failed medical shook me so I decided to do something about it and got out on the mountain bike almost every day - doing 6-8 miles a day. I was blowing out of my backside the first couple of weeks but my fitness has improved no end now and my legs are like tree trunks
Also lost over two stone in weight so much trimmer and fitter now.
So, passed the theories no problem and on to the practical lessons. It was a 6 day course of 4 hour lessons with my test on day seven. I'd be driving a Volvo FH500 (lovely truck to drive and got quite attached to it!).
The first hour was a bit scary, just climbing into the cab and realising the sheer size of the things was a shock. First 20 minutes with the instructor driving around the industrial estate where they are based then I was behind the wheel. Slowly got used to the size of them and how they handle. A mix of motorway, town, residential streets and smaller country lanes around the Wrexham area and really enjoyed the learning process. Day 7 came along quickly and it was time for my test - which was over before it began. When the examiner checked the truck, he found a nail in one of the trailer tyres so the test was cancelled. Rescheduled for a fortnight after - which is not ideal being away from the cab for two weeks then going back straight into your test. They were brilliant though and took me out for a two hour drive before my test which really settled my nerves - and I passed! Can't fault them, the instructors and everyone were fantastic from start to finish.
So, finding a job - this is the hard part. Not many companies take on new pass drivers, so after a few weeks of trying companies near me I contacted an agency who supply HGV drivers to Evri in Warrington. I went for my driving assessment but struggled reversing a trailer onto a bay (you don't do any reverse training for your test, only a reverse "S" test which you'll probably never use in the real world - which I passed first time too). I thought that was it - but to be fair to Evri, they were fantastic and brought me back for some reverse training with one of their in house driver trainers. I spent a whole day on reversing practice with an instructor at their trailer storage site in Widnes and even spent the afternoon shunting trailers over from Warrington to Widnes.
So I went back for another driving assessment a couple of days later and smashed it. So that's it - I've been working full time for them since. A mix of trunking between Evri depots and collections from customer sites (which can be a live bay load, a live manual load with a pump truck and forklift or trailer drop and swap). Absolutely loving it, and well into the swing of it now. Been to places such as Maidstone, Cardiff, Carlisle, Glasgow and North Wales - with more local collections around the Manchester area. Even spent a day at QVC with multiple trailer swaps so went into the Technology office to have a chat with my former colleagues.
The trucks are a mixed bag. The worst though are the CNG powered Ivecos (the new S-Way and the older Stralis). The older ones are in a right state and utter shitboxes, the newer S-Ways are better but still not great to drive and seriously lack power. Struggling up hills with even a light load isn't fun.
Thankfully, they have a varied fleet and also have a load of diesel powered units from DAF, MAN, Mercedes and Renault (not driven any of the Renault units though).
The MAN units are the nicest to drive and the best interior (it's basically VW and recognise some of the switchgear in the cab from my car!). The DAF and Merc units come a very close second - just the Iveco units I don't like. Italian build quality, need I say more?
I prefer the longer runs but they can be quite tight on driving time (maximum of 10 hours driving time in a day). Not had a night in the cab yet as they are quite rare but I've got an emergency night out kit just in case.
At the end of a shift I'm tired, dirty, sweaty......but absolutely love it
MAN TGX at a client in Glasgow - driven a few times now and my favourite one to drive.
DAF XF at Carlisle depot - a close second to the MAN.
Merc Actros at a customer site in Dundee - again, nice to drive just not as nice as the MAN.
A newer Iveco S-Way gas powered unit. Better than the older Stralis units but still not my cup of tea.
the older Stralis units. They’ve lived a hard life and you can tell.
45 Minute break on the way back from Glasgow at Annandale Water services on the M74. Was pretty busy on this occasion
Be warned, I‘m going to bore you all with truck related pics from now on
Anyway, I went for my training over in Deeside with Andy Swan Driver Services - a family run training company. Rather unlike me, instead of giving them a call or email, I drove over there and had a good chat with them about what I wanted and what they could offer. They settled my mind and I enrolled on their "Car to Class 1" program. First up, Medical before I can apply for my provisional licence. That went well (not). Failed on high blood pressure, so it's back to my doctor who I haven't visited for over 20 years.
Tested BP at home - normal. Tested BP at surgery - normal. So, after discussing with the GP I was tasked with taking my BP readings twice a day for a week and returning to the surgery with the results. All results normal so returned to se my GP again and he diagnosed "White Coat Syndrome". He wrote a letter explaining that all subsequent BP readings were normal so I returned for Medical take two. Failed the BP test again, but with the letter from the GP, was passed for the medical. Great news! So, applied for my provisional and booked my theory and driver CPC test modules (and the all important Tacho card).
In the meantime, before the White Coat diagnosis, the failed medical shook me so I decided to do something about it and got out on the mountain bike almost every day - doing 6-8 miles a day. I was blowing out of my backside the first couple of weeks but my fitness has improved no end now and my legs are like tree trunks
Also lost over two stone in weight so much trimmer and fitter now.
So, passed the theories no problem and on to the practical lessons. It was a 6 day course of 4 hour lessons with my test on day seven. I'd be driving a Volvo FH500 (lovely truck to drive and got quite attached to it!).
The first hour was a bit scary, just climbing into the cab and realising the sheer size of the things was a shock. First 20 minutes with the instructor driving around the industrial estate where they are based then I was behind the wheel. Slowly got used to the size of them and how they handle. A mix of motorway, town, residential streets and smaller country lanes around the Wrexham area and really enjoyed the learning process. Day 7 came along quickly and it was time for my test - which was over before it began. When the examiner checked the truck, he found a nail in one of the trailer tyres so the test was cancelled. Rescheduled for a fortnight after - which is not ideal being away from the cab for two weeks then going back straight into your test. They were brilliant though and took me out for a two hour drive before my test which really settled my nerves - and I passed! Can't fault them, the instructors and everyone were fantastic from start to finish.
So, finding a job - this is the hard part. Not many companies take on new pass drivers, so after a few weeks of trying companies near me I contacted an agency who supply HGV drivers to Evri in Warrington. I went for my driving assessment but struggled reversing a trailer onto a bay (you don't do any reverse training for your test, only a reverse "S" test which you'll probably never use in the real world - which I passed first time too). I thought that was it - but to be fair to Evri, they were fantastic and brought me back for some reverse training with one of their in house driver trainers. I spent a whole day on reversing practice with an instructor at their trailer storage site in Widnes and even spent the afternoon shunting trailers over from Warrington to Widnes.
So I went back for another driving assessment a couple of days later and smashed it. So that's it - I've been working full time for them since. A mix of trunking between Evri depots and collections from customer sites (which can be a live bay load, a live manual load with a pump truck and forklift or trailer drop and swap). Absolutely loving it, and well into the swing of it now. Been to places such as Maidstone, Cardiff, Carlisle, Glasgow and North Wales - with more local collections around the Manchester area. Even spent a day at QVC with multiple trailer swaps so went into the Technology office to have a chat with my former colleagues.
The trucks are a mixed bag. The worst though are the CNG powered Ivecos (the new S-Way and the older Stralis). The older ones are in a right state and utter shitboxes, the newer S-Ways are better but still not great to drive and seriously lack power. Struggling up hills with even a light load isn't fun.
Thankfully, they have a varied fleet and also have a load of diesel powered units from DAF, MAN, Mercedes and Renault (not driven any of the Renault units though).
The MAN units are the nicest to drive and the best interior (it's basically VW and recognise some of the switchgear in the cab from my car!). The DAF and Merc units come a very close second - just the Iveco units I don't like. Italian build quality, need I say more?
I prefer the longer runs but they can be quite tight on driving time (maximum of 10 hours driving time in a day). Not had a night in the cab yet as they are quite rare but I've got an emergency night out kit just in case.
At the end of a shift I'm tired, dirty, sweaty......but absolutely love it
MAN TGX at a client in Glasgow - driven a few times now and my favourite one to drive.
DAF XF at Carlisle depot - a close second to the MAN.
Merc Actros at a customer site in Dundee - again, nice to drive just not as nice as the MAN.
A newer Iveco S-Way gas powered unit. Better than the older Stralis units but still not my cup of tea.
the older Stralis units. They’ve lived a hard life and you can tell.
45 Minute break on the way back from Glasgow at Annandale Water services on the M74. Was pretty busy on this occasion
Be warned, I‘m going to bore you all with truck related pics from now on
Last edited:
