After the pleasure and relief of ripping up the ‘L’ plates yesterday, I was back in the real world of class 1 driving today, and my first trip in an artic – the training vehicle was a drag-and-draw Scania, which is a very different beast indeed.
Although I’ll still be regularly driving the rigids in our fleet, my role has now been expanded so that I can cover additional duties as and when required. This will provide more variety and experience, which is a bonus. My nominated artic for those duties that require a larger truck will be this ’53 plate Actros with a nine-car trailer:
This is an impressive truck, with 440 bhp that means plenty of power on tap when you need it. The cab interior is positively luxurious after the Iveco, and extras such as electric everything, cruise control and aircon make it a nice piece of kit to spend your day in. The gearbox takes some getting used to – a semi auto tiptronic computer, which is basically a switch on the end of the driver’s seat armrest, although it must be used in conjunction with the clutch, an odd combination indeed. Push the switch forwards to go up a gear, and backwards to come down. It’s easy to get confused and select the wrong gear, because when you’re used to a manual, the motion when going through the gears is forward then backwards then forwards again and so on. Not in this! Once you’ve done for a bit, it is quite easy. But equally easy to get complacent and then forget ..... The other thing to remember is that gear changes are much slower than a manual, as the computer needs to think things through. If you push it forwards too quickly, it just jumps out of gear and buzzes angrily at you, which is just what you need when pulling out onto a roundabout. The Iveco I regularly use has to be banged into gear, so a much more delicate approach is needed in the Actros.
For my first run, our senior driver who knows all the tricks about handling these vehicles accompanied me. It’s not just the obvious length and trailer cut-in factors that the driver needs to be aware of – the most fearsome object is the front of the top deck on the trailer that overhangs the cab (known as ‘the peak’). At a junction or turning, as the cab goes one way the peak goes in the opposite direction - so lamp-posts, traffic lights and road signs all become potential targets. Funnily enough, speed cameras are low enough for the peak to pass harmlessly over the top – another sign of Government priorities on the roads.
I found driving and steering straightforward enough, but that overhanging peak is frightening stuff indeed! On a 90° turn, it hangs out a full car length, so it’s not something to be taken lightly. Fortunately I’ve not driven an artic before, so by starting from scratch in transporters I’ll be better placed than drivers who are familiar with conventional artics, as I have no preconceived ideas as to road positioning and turning. The training trips – two runs to Peterborough and back – gave a good taster of what to expect, and I thoroughly enjoyed the outings. Reversing into the yard at Peterborough was a bit of nightmare, as it took two rather cockeyed reversals plus a shunt on a busy road – I was rather hoping for a graceful single 90° sweep from the road into the yard, but instead of Swan Lake I provided the waiting motorists with the HGV equivalent of Bambi on ice. All good fun, and you have to learn as you go in this game. All I’d say to the impatient car drivers who tooted their horns – would you rather wait five minutes while I shunt, or should I rush it and take out your front wing? Your call.
Although I’ll still be regularly driving the rigids in our fleet, my role has now been expanded so that I can cover additional duties as and when required. This will provide more variety and experience, which is a bonus. My nominated artic for those duties that require a larger truck will be this ’53 plate Actros with a nine-car trailer:
This is an impressive truck, with 440 bhp that means plenty of power on tap when you need it. The cab interior is positively luxurious after the Iveco, and extras such as electric everything, cruise control and aircon make it a nice piece of kit to spend your day in. The gearbox takes some getting used to – a semi auto tiptronic computer, which is basically a switch on the end of the driver’s seat armrest, although it must be used in conjunction with the clutch, an odd combination indeed. Push the switch forwards to go up a gear, and backwards to come down. It’s easy to get confused and select the wrong gear, because when you’re used to a manual, the motion when going through the gears is forward then backwards then forwards again and so on. Not in this! Once you’ve done for a bit, it is quite easy. But equally easy to get complacent and then forget ..... The other thing to remember is that gear changes are much slower than a manual, as the computer needs to think things through. If you push it forwards too quickly, it just jumps out of gear and buzzes angrily at you, which is just what you need when pulling out onto a roundabout. The Iveco I regularly use has to be banged into gear, so a much more delicate approach is needed in the Actros.
For my first run, our senior driver who knows all the tricks about handling these vehicles accompanied me. It’s not just the obvious length and trailer cut-in factors that the driver needs to be aware of – the most fearsome object is the front of the top deck on the trailer that overhangs the cab (known as ‘the peak’). At a junction or turning, as the cab goes one way the peak goes in the opposite direction - so lamp-posts, traffic lights and road signs all become potential targets. Funnily enough, speed cameras are low enough for the peak to pass harmlessly over the top – another sign of Government priorities on the roads.
I found driving and steering straightforward enough, but that overhanging peak is frightening stuff indeed! On a 90° turn, it hangs out a full car length, so it’s not something to be taken lightly. Fortunately I’ve not driven an artic before, so by starting from scratch in transporters I’ll be better placed than drivers who are familiar with conventional artics, as I have no preconceived ideas as to road positioning and turning. The training trips – two runs to Peterborough and back – gave a good taster of what to expect, and I thoroughly enjoyed the outings. Reversing into the yard at Peterborough was a bit of nightmare, as it took two rather cockeyed reversals plus a shunt on a busy road – I was rather hoping for a graceful single 90° sweep from the road into the yard, but instead of Swan Lake I provided the waiting motorists with the HGV equivalent of Bambi on ice. All good fun, and you have to learn as you go in this game. All I’d say to the impatient car drivers who tooted their horns – would you rather wait five minutes while I shunt, or should I rush it and take out your front wing? Your call.
A very interesting post indeed. I got well crossed up initially with the Actros gearbox, you seem to have taken it in your stride. I have never driven anything like your transporter, so didn't know about the peak problems. As if negotiating roundabouts wasn't hairy enough!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about your test and remembering that my instructor always used to comment on my right turns, observing with relish, that I had executed a "Swan neck"...I didn't see how else to do it with a ruddy great trailer hanging out back. On my test, despite trying my best, I had to do the same swan neck, and turned to the examiner to see what he was making of it. Afterwards I asked about the dreaded manouvre and he said that if I knew a better way to do a right turn, would I let him know! I'm sure it's all down to who you get as an examiner...and instructor!
Couldn't agree with you more, Iain! My instructor for my class 2, up in York, was ex-Army and used the Windsor Davis school of tuition - "I'm going to find your fauts and hammer them out, one-by-one". And he did; it was great because each bollocking was so memorable that when you did the same manouvre again, his words stuck in your mind. On my test, all the way round the course, I could hear Eddie bellowing in my ear, and did everything perfectly. These days, I think people are just too 'nice' because they're worried about comebacks and complaints etc. If I do it wrong, I want to be told in a manner that I'll remember - don't say, 'Oh, you could have done that better.' Gets you nowhere, whereas a good rant really teaches you. And if someone don't like being shouted at, I'd say that maybe trucking isn't the best career move!
ReplyDeleteAll of our drivers use the swan neck on a right hander as well, I started learning them on Thursday. As my instruction was in a wagon and drawbar, everything was different, so basically it's back to square one. I've a couple of days off, but hope to have some artic adventures blogged shortly!