13th - 17th October 2008

Things have gone very quiet of late, not really anything great worth blogging about as we've had all three of us scratching about for work. In truth the work that has been there could be done by 2 drivers. This is a worrying prospect for a last one in driver with not quite 2 years service against a 25 year and a 32 year's service.

Then one day I had a bright idea, we occasionally get some transport for Hewdens at Dagenham who seem unable to keep a regular driver. We never work direct but through another transport company who give us the scraps. I did loads for them last year, and the other drivers have done some bits this year. It was a conversation with one of my colleagues who'd done a day for them a couple of week ago that gave me the idea, I suggested that Danbury hire me out as a supplied driver until they found someone full time. This suggestion does carry the danger of proving that they can do without me, but I felt it was only a matter of time anyway. However the important fact is that I can bring in some revenue to cover the expense of paying me.

So I found myself last week being inducted into Hewdens and now having to try and adapt my way of doing things into something that's similar to their way of doing things. When it was my wagon it was my rules, their wagon their rules now.

Monday
I leave home at 0630 at rattle off in my newly acquired van (acquired from the surplus at the yard) and it's a half hour run down to Dagenham to Hewdens yard. I'd loaded up on Friday and have got a 2t dumper at the front and a 7mt Telehandler behind. These pair are going to a sports ground in Chingford.



It's a bit tight to get to, and impossible to get into so I have to park about 300 yards away and drive the machines down the road to the ground.



It's back to the yard now to reload, I've got another 7mt Telehandler and a 1.5t mini to sit on the tail. It's all familiar stuff, another Scania 6 wheeler, Andover body etc. but there are some differences to get used to. Mostly that's the 4 over 4 gearbox - not a huge problem as our other 6 has got one but the 260 engine seems a bit lacklustre after running a 420.

I'm off through the Blackwall Tunnel and heading for the Old Kent Road although I must have forgotten to pass go and collect £200. It's a retail park and I find myself behind Argos to drop off the mini.

My next job is the CAT TH330, that's only going to Rotherhithe which is about 5 minutes away, it's a machine swapover and I'm collecting a JCB 540-170 which is a 17m lift. That's the biggest lift machine available although it's smaller physically than the CAT equivalent which weighs a whopping 15t.




On my way back whilst having a brew (the kettle has been moved with me) at Blackheath Common I figure that it might be a good idea to check the height as I need to come back through the 13'4" Northbound Blackwall Tunnel. I'm just under 13' so I'm OK to use it, I'm not thrilled about it though as it's a horrible journey through with the corners in the tunnel. You have to keep in lane 1 as there are height restrictors in lane 2, they disappear at the bends to allow you to cross into the other lane but you have to watch out for stray car drivers.

Back at the yard, the JCB comes off and I head out empty after finishing off my break. I'm going in the City proper this time, and I make amazing progress and arrive at Fenchurch Street (another Monopoly one) in half an hour which is incredible. I've got a 5mt Telehandler here and it's in a building that's being constructed. It's a bit of a job to thread it out but eventually I get it out no thanks to the boss eyed bloke who was trying to help me.

On the way in through Wapping the outbound traffic was heavy because of roadworks so I decided to head out through Whitechapel (that's the brown squares done) and it takes an hour to get back. I leave the yard at 1630 having done the grand total of 150km today

15th - 19th September 2008

Monday.
0645 Start. A bit of a catch up this morning with my mate who was off last week and off out about 0715 to Leaden Roding. We've a machine and driver on a bridleway maintenance contract and we also get to move the rest of the plant. Sometimes it's three trips other time only two. Today I'm in luck and their are only 2 dumpers plus our Yanmar 75 to move. First on is one of the dumpers and the machine and I follow the grab lorry across to Henham about 1 mile away from where they were last.



We took a different route to the two I used before and still it ends up being about 35 minutes give or take a minute. The machines are at the end of a long track and it's a long bumpy reverse to get there from the farmyard. Once I'done it's back to Leaden Roding to collect the other dumper and back via a 4th route which is also a 35 minute journey.



This time I unload in the yard and drive the dumper down the lane, this is easier if a lot less comfortable.

BAck to the yard and home at 1545.

Tuesday.
0645 Start. This morning looks a bleak for work, both of us on the 6 wheelers have got one job each for today. Mine is collecting a Hyundai 55 from Tolleshunt Knights near Tiptree for a groundworker.



It's just the machine with one bucket, nice and simple and before long I'm off on my way with it to Broomfield Hospital. By the time I get to Boreham Interchange they are on the phone chasing it, 20 minutes later when I get it there they have decided that actually they can manage without and could I take it back. At least I hadn't unstrapped it. So it's back to the farm and park it back where it came from.



There may or may not be a dumper to move for them later but the keys are not with it at the moment so I make my way back to the yard. Whilst at the yard I notice one of my tag axle tyres needs replacing and I find a usuable tyre in our container. I've got another job to go to so I call at the tyre shop enroute and get them switched over. I'm off to Gillingham in Kent, where I'm loading another Kermit green Hyundai 55 with just one bucket. This always happens with these machines, I don't see one for weeks on end and all of a sudden there's loads of them. I was expecting a dumper with this but on my way down I passed our lowloader with their 13 tonner and was pleasantly surprised to see it on the trailer.

My journey back to Essex is thankfully clear, and I take the machine back to their yard in Cressing. That's proper handy as the dumper is now available at neighbouring Silver End. It's about 5 minutes away and the guy arrives with the key as I am backing in.



It's quickly loaded and whisked off to Tiptree. Back to the yard for a 1715 finish.

Wednesday.
Yard bound today, nothing really to note.

Thursday.
0715 Start. Yeserday I decided that replacing some of the timber boards on the ramps would be a good use of time, the timber has worn to such an extent that it is lower than the metal and now provides very little grip. We'd run out of the screws to fix the floor and a trip to the local body builder has turned up screws that were not man enough for the job. Some got ordered from Andover Trailers any were due today but until they arrived I'd have to manage without.

There was another problem this morning, a large diesel stain underneath the tank seemed to suggest a fuel leak. However it soon became apparent that the yard had been turned over and fuel had been stolen from all three wagons. We estimate that we had 500+ litres of diesel taken, which must have been pumped into 5 gallon cans and hefted over the gate.

Although the ramps were stripped down they still have the steel ladder rungs and it's still usuable and before long I'm sent off to Purfleet to collect one of our 3CX's from a tarmac plant there. It's taken back to the yard and I'm straight back out to get a 5t machine from round the corner. I'm still not done yet though as there is another 5 tonner near Writtle to collect.



You can see the missing boards (or rather can't) on the ramps in this picture.

Back at the yard, the screws have arrived and once the machine has been offloaded we drag out the hardwood flooring that I'd cut yesterday and screw down into place. It's a bit of a rush as I've got another job to go to, a couple of machines at Sible Hedingham (where I top up with 365l of fuel) there's a 5t JCB and a JCB Robot (Bobcat skidsteer) these are down a very narrow lane and have to be secured whilst standing on the vehicle rather than alongside. Time is pressing and it's off to Heybridge to unload. Finished at the yard 1645.

Friday.
0645 Start. First job this morning is a run over to Tiptree for the 1st of two loads. There's various bits and bobs to load and it's really a Hiab job but he's busy and we're going to improvise. There are 3x 1200mm concrete Milton rings and a 'biscuit' to load, these are loaded with the 5 tonner on site and are due to go back to the groundworkers yard along with a skiploader where I will unload myself with their forklift. Well that's the plan anyway but it's got two problems, firstly to unload by forklift they need to sit on pallets, pallets are not big enough and are likely to collapse. The other problem is that they couldn't get the forklift going earlier and there would be a chance I'd have to jump start it. So i revert to my plan which is load everything on board together.

First on is the rings which sit up front by the headboard, it's making my slightly wide but I've got a permit (OK it's supposed to be for indivisable loads, but hey)
Next on is a 2t Komatsu, this has to be loaded so it is just right on the edge so I can squeeze a skiploader alongside. Finally the Hyundai 55 has a place on the back with the buckets squashed in the middle. Sometimes I surprise myself, and I'll class this as a good load. It's taken a while to sort out but it will save returning and therefore the time on the road. I'm off to Felsted with this lot to unload at their yard.







First job is to unload the 5 tonner off the back and drop the buckets.









When I Say it was tight, I meant it!


Not much room for error.


Next off is the skiploader which is carrying the buckets for the little machine and is staying here anyway.




The 2 tonner is shunted to the back, the ramps folded up and the truck moved so I can reach across with the 5 tonner and lift the rings off with the chains and pins they have loaned me.






Once the rings are sorted, the buckets are reunited with the little machine and the bigger one is reloaded on the back. I'm off to Rettendon now and it's a simple matter of tracking the machines off when I arrive.



Back at the yard I'm reloaded with a 3CX which is off to Purfleet to the same place I collected it at yesterday. I'm back about 1500 and there's a couple of machines to load up for Monday before heading home at 1615.