30/01/14

Today was one of those days that pass and that's all that can be said of them, they have passed. It wasn't a good day or a bad day, just a work day. For farm drops, a store drop and a mill pick up. There was nothing remarkable about any of the drops so I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say they all went OK. The collection at Stubbs Walden was routine and the run back to base was good.  All in all as rather boring day, but don't start feeling sport for me, boring is good, it's exciting that is often a serious problem. See you tomorrow.

29/01/14

It was very wet overnight as it has been for the last days, or possibly weeks.  At this time of year in the UK we tend to forget that it can go for more than forty eight hours with no rain and the very idea of a drought seems to belong to another world.  Below is a typical farm track, the sort that I travel on a daily basis, my overalls are constantly muddy and the truck is just as bad, but I must remember things will get better.

Today should have been easy enough but the drop that I would have done first didn't want me until after ten this morning.  The reason being that the customer doesn't like getting out of bed, not that I ever see the customer so I don't really see what difference it makes to him.  Unless the sound of the truck entering the yard wakes him up.  Anyway because of this I had to go out of my way and make another drop first then come back.  So my first drop was a farm drop near Cawood, I didn't see the customer but it didn't matter and I made the delivery of two sheep troughs and one sheep ring feeder and I was away quickly.  My second drop was another farm drop at Thorganby, again it was a small drop four cattle licks and four bags of minerals, again I didn't see the customer.  Third drop was called a farm drop but it isn't a farm any longer, its more an equestrian fantasy land, this drop was a little harder, two twelve foot wooden gates and a wooden gate post, once again I didn't see the customer and had to take the gates off myself which I did after a bit of a struggle.  Then at last back to the drop which should have been my first drop, the man who can't get up.  By this time it was after ten but the customer still wasn't in evidence, probably eating his breakfast.  But this time there was help unloading, twenty five bales of wood shavings, no problem.  Three drops to go all farm drops and I was supposed to be at the last drop by one in the afternoon.  Next two drops at Foggathorpe, the first was six cattle licks and twelve gate hinges, the customer was there, this customer usually is and he always helps.  Backed into his yard and made the drop quickly enough and onto the next drop.  This drop is to people both I and my wife know well and have known most of our lives.  This was only two sheep hurdles and was the completion of a previous order.  It didn't take long and I spent a little time talking to the customer, while we were talking I heard and then saw a buzzard.  This might not seem unusual but I have known this area all my life and there weren't any buzzards in the area ten years ago.  Then on to my last drop at Eastrington, I had to have a half hour break before reaching my last drop.  The track in the photo above is the track to the farm, I took the photo on my way out.  I was supposed to be there after one and it was quarter past when I got there, I was met by the customer in a forklift as I pulled into the yard.  Better and better.  Five tonnes of sugarbeet pulp shreds came off and I was on my way out of the yard just before half past, that's how it should be.  I then had just over an hours easy run back to base.  Next load was only twenty bags of stud nuts and a bag of carrots to a stables.  I left the truck in the yard and loaded the pickup its much easier to get into the yard.  As usual when I got to the place I was treated with the normal arrogant condescension I have come to expect from this particular place.  Funny thing, the bags didn't stack very well and I'm nearly sure the stack will fall over fairly soon, strange how that often happens at places like this.  ;-)

28/01/14

Waiting to load at Penistone. This US always a good load. First load of the day was to the Helmsley store. The second load was split between Malton and Carlton stores, no other deliveries today. Just this collection then back to base. Easy day if all goes well.

27/01/14

Not the best place I have stopped for lunch, but not the worst. Now for an unrelated grumble, sorry, but I feel this must be said.  Other than the grumble and getting wet loading the day wasn't bad. Carlton store and four farm drops, Skipwith, West Haddersley, Balne and Sykehouse, all easy enough. Then a mill collection, six tonnes of pet food from a mill at Pollington and a two hour wait for loading. But I was prepared, I went with ample patience, two apples and plenty of reading. Two hours after getting in I was on my way again, back to Carlton store to collect four tonnes of horse carrots to go with the pet food back to base. Job done!  :-)

I am used to using internet banking and am usually happy with the procedure, but yesterday when I attempted to log onto my account I was unable to proceed to my accounts without accepting terms which I feel would result in me
receiving an increase in spam from the bank and others.  I was not presented with any way to bypass this option.  This means that I am unable to use online banking.  When I called the help line they were unable to bypass this option for me and let me have access to my accounts.  Why ask me to accept terms that obviously aren't optional.  In my view this is extremely bad practice.  For the moment I would advise everyone to avoid the Bank of Scotland and as I suspect this is a part of the Lloyd s banking group as is Halifax it might be best to avoid them as well, though I'm not sure if they offer a similar non option.
I am unhappy enough about this to change banks if the situation isn't resolved.  The only thing I will say in their favour is that so far the android app on my phone isn't giving this problem.
Has anyone else come across a similar non option which they feel unhappy about accepting?
I did finally, after some insistence, get hold of a very helpful man called Dave who could understand my concern and gave me a some faith that he would pass on my concern.  So in the end I am reasonably happy that something will be done about it.

27/01/2014
As an add on to the above, I would say that after spending some time on the phone I got through to a gentleman called Dave. He checked that what I said was correct and promised to get back to me.  Dave was as good as his word and has just got back to me. Apparently what I was seeing was correct and intended and there is no way round it.  I think the Bank of Scotland and possibly Lloyds banking group as a whole are being arrogant and stupid, they will offend customers with this attitude. Dave aside I am very unhappy with the situation and if it isn't removed I will change banks as a point of principle. I freely admit that the offer may be great, I don't know, I haven't checked yet.  I may like it when I do read about it and I may choose to accept the terms if I am able to assure myself it won't lead to more spam. But I will not be forced into hastily accepting terms I haven't been given time to check before I am allowed to get to my accounts.

24/01/14

Yesterday was so unnecessarily irritating that I couldn't be bothered to write it up last night.  Having had a good sleep and feeling much happier, though not about yesterday, I will write it up now.  The day started very badly, I was loaded the night before but my first load was to one of our local stores, namley Helmsley.  Its not that I mind delivering to the local stores, I don't, in fact I enjoy it.  It's that I don't like making these deliverys first.  The stores don't open until eight so we aren't able to unload before then, this doesn't matter if the next loads are local deliveries but if the next load is further afield the driver ends up being deprived of an early start for no good reason, and especially at this time of year I find that the delay means I am making the last deliveries with little or no daylight.  Even this doesn't matter if you know the drops or they are well lit, but as many of our drops are on farms the outside lighting is often minimal and farm yards offer numerous hazards that you won't find in a normal yard.  Anyhow my first drop, as mentioned, was the Helmsley store at eight in the morning, I was there in good time and had the sheets open as he pulled the forklift into the yard.  The delivery was quick and I was back at base in about an hour and a half.  The second load wasn't a big one in weight terms but some of the items were bulky and awkward to handle.  I haven't expained our delivery system, we are sent out on our own and have no forklift on the back of the truck so for heavy of bulky items we rely on help from the customer or up until this week we would use the customers loader if we had permission.  This week we have been banned from using the customers loaders with or without permission for insurance reasons, but that isn't part of my day.  The second load was one store delivery and six farm deliveries.  Two of the farm deliveries cuased me some concern even before I set off, one was a delivery I hadn't made before, though I knew the area and the other was a delivery to a council run farm that I suspected might close early and it was to be my last drop.  The first drop, ten twenty five kilo bags of hen food, was easy enough, a bit of a fiddly tight reverse in but it was all acomplised OK.  The second drop was Carlton store, only a single pallett, which was quickly lifted off.  As I was about to run out of driving hours I had to stay at Carlton for my official break, and it was one of those days when I would have rather not stopped but I had no choice.  So three quarter hour break over off to my next drop, it is a drop I have done often enough at Breighton, though I have described it as a farm drop it isn't really, its usually about thirty bags of horse food.  This drop involves a narrow entrance a turn in a yard and backing down about two hundred metres of single track lane, then handing off the bags and wheeling them into a stable on my sack barrow.  All was accomplished easily enough and off to my next drop at Thorganby.  This drop is easily accessible and the yard, though muddy is big enough for a safe turn for out, the drop was only three buckets of feed supplement for horses so I had put them in the cab to save unsheeting again.  Trouble, the customer or perhaps someone else was having a shoot, the helpful people had all but blocked the track with vehicles, leaving me about six inches either side between a ditch and a vehicle, slipping into the ditch would have been all too easy.  I did manage to squeez through avoiding both the ditch and the parked vehicle but I wouldn't have wanted my hand between the truck and the parked vehicle.  Drop done I had to run the same gauntlet on the way out and once again did it without any damage or slipping into the ditch so far so good.  All the while I am concious of time and daylight slipping away.  I rang the next customer, this was one of the drops giving me concern, with his explination finding it was easy enough, I backed down the drive as directed and rang him again to let him know I was there, this drop was at Wheldrake.  He proceeded to give me a detailed desctiption of where he wanted the gates putting round the back of his bungalow garage, this is four fifteen food heavy duty cattle gates.  When I asked if there was any help the answer was no!  Even getting these things off the truck is a struggle on your own and this idiot expected me to carry them round the back of his dewlling!  I didn't even try, though I did get them off and leave them in a neat pile on his drive out of the way. Off to the next drop.  The next drop was a good drop at Acaster Malbis, I knew the drop and it was only ten fence posts and a fifty metre roll of wire netting, this was acomplished easily enough with minimal fuss.  Off to the last drop, the council owned farm on the outskirts of Leeds.  Before setting off I rang the number I had been given on the delivery ticket to check if they were able to accept delivery and give them an estimated arrival time of just after four.  I thought I would still have enough light to navigate the narrow gate way by then.  All I got was the answering service of the mobile network operator, not very helpful, but I left a message giving my estimated arrival time and asking them to ring back if this wasn't convenient.  Since I had no other contact number I left it at that and set off along the A64 towards Leeds hoping there wouldn't be any hold ups and I would have sufficient daylight to get into the yard safely, the sky had been heavily overcast all day and this wasn't helping the fading light.  But I got there OK and navigated between the two imposing stone pillars which for the entrance with no problem, I would estimate that there was about six inches to spare either side but the approach is straight so its easy enough.  The council farm sits in a public park and there is an ample car park and turning room when you get to the car park at the end of the drive.  When I got there there was noone about and the woman whose phone I called hadn't rung back so I tried again with no response.  The only number I could find was for a builder who was working on site so I rang him and he was able to give me another number.  This time someone answered and though he wasn't on site he said he would send someone to see to me.  Quarter of an hour late a rotound man in a yellow high vis jacket turned up in a pickup.  After establishing that I hade come all the way from Malton he conceeded to let me in through the locked gate while explaining that everyone had gone home and there was noone to help me unload.  I refrained from stating the obvious, he was there, I think the effort may just have killed him off.  So, even though I was well and truly cheesed off by that time, I managed to shut up.  The entrance to the farm was narrow and bounded by high brick pillows and also on a left hand bend, great.  My truck has a fairly long wheelbase and a poor lock!  I did get through and how I managed not to catch the right hand post I have no idea, but I didn't.  By this time I was in such a bad mood that I fairly threw the goods off, the goods included two three part galvanised steel cattle feeder rings, bulky and heavy, not fun on your own.  The large man had, by this time, dissapeared into the distance in his pickup.  He may have got the impression that I wasn't a happy bunny by the clashing sound of the offloading, perhaps that caused his quick departure!  Oh well I got the damned things off sheeted up and out of the yard with no further problems.  By the end of the day I was feeling that I had been defecated on from a great height by both my boss and two of the customers.  On my way back to the A64 I received a call in reply to the message I had left over an hour and a half before to ask if I had managed OK, she also said that there was noone there because they finnish at half past twelve on a Friday, noone told me.  I was polite and reasonably cheerful but I don't know how, my immediate boss, the transport coordinator had left work when I got back.  That was probarbly a good thing as I will still have a job to go to on Monday and if he had been there I might not have.  Oh well that's life sometimes.  See you on Monday.

23/01/14

Today has been rather tedious so I won't bore anyone with my drops. I was on my way to Fishlakes for a farm drop when I noticed a sparrow hawk using the truck as a beater. When I first noticed the Bird it was flying below the banks of a ditch, keeping just in front of the vehicle. It occasionally lifted out of the ditch and flashed across my front to the other side of the road keeping very low all the time. It must have kept this up for over a mile before giving up and crossing a field on my right.  I have seen this behaviour in sparrow hawks before, with trucks and tractors. They must often have success catching small birds flushed by the vehicle, though I haven't seen one make a kill this way.
We have had a lot of rain in the UK during the last couple of months, many of the local rivers are over their banks. Crossing the Derwent between Sutton on Derwent and Elvington today I had a good view of the flooding while waiting for the lights to change on the bridge.

22/01/14

Another day, loaded the previous night so I didn't need too be at work until six thirty. First drop Carlton store, then a house drop in Barlow wild bird food and dog food for a very pleasant gentleman. This drop is always a pleasure. Next to North Duffield and a farm drop with wood preservative. Then Kellfield with a sheep trough and a hay rack.  Lunch of coffee and a Kitkat. Had to stop as my driving hours were about up.  Then another farm drop, this one was a new one, at Fairburn. It was a good drop, unloaded with a fork lift. Then back along the A64 to Murton, another new drop for me, down a lane called Bad Bargain Lane. I wonder how and why it earned a name like that. There must be a good story behind a name like that.  The four hundred gallon cattle drinking trough I dropped off here is going to be dug in as a pond liner!  Back to base and collected a part load for Malton store, the second-hand to go there today. Short run back to base a and started loading for morning. An easy enough day really. Well let's see what tomorrow brings, no more rain I hope.

21/01/14

Nothing particularly inspiring about today. Late start, 7 am, first load to Malton store. I realised last night that there was another load going as well. The other driver didn't know this! Guess who got there first :-) . Second load to Carlton store, one farm drop at Burn and one site drop at Acaster Malbis. Farm drop was all by hand; forty bales of wood shavings, but I did get help so it was easy enough. Last drop was only six fence posts. Then back to the yard and once again I got loaded for morning. Easy day with dry weather, let's see what tomorrow brings. One thing I should start doing is to take more photos and add them. I think it would make this blog more interesting.

20/01/14

Back to work this morning, the car was frozen up and so was the truck.  I had to scrape the windscreen of the car before setting off to work.  It was a bit easier with the truck as I was in the loading area I just started the engine and left it running while we loaded.  Nice warm cab when I got in.  It was just before half past seven when I left the yard, the sky was starting to lighten illuminating the patches of low lying mist giving the countryside an ethereal appearance in the gradually strengthening light.  Tree tops looming above the mist patches on the edge of the A64.  Carlton store first drop, easy enough, leaving a chemical drop that I couldn't have left at the customers premises without a signature.  Catching some customers in can be difficult sometimes.  Second drop was a farm drop near Cawood, thirty bags of mineral supplement for addition to feed, and yes there was a man with a loader, that's what I like to see on a Monday morning.  Come to that I like to find a man with a loader any day.  Third drop was another farm drop near Brough, no man with a loader so I stacked the thirty bags of sheep feed on the trailer the customer usually stacks them on.  Then a stop for lunch before going to Howden Dyke for a collection of five tonnes of bagged dicalcium phosphate for the mill.  Then onto my last drop; a farm drop at Kelfield, this was a single item drop.  An eight foot lamb creep feeder, easy enough for two people to take off by hand.  This drop would have been my first but because I was fully loaded the feeder had to be palletised and stacked on top of my load of feed.  I didn't feel like handing it down from the top of the load, much easier to get it dropped down with the forklift at Carlton store.  Back to base, to hand in my paperwork and collect my tickets for tomorrow. Unfortunately the first load of the day is to Mallton store, this isn't a long run but I can't get in until eight in the morning which means I have a late start.  It would have been better for my working day to deliver my second load first but mine is not to reason why.  Oh well I get a lie in in the morning until ten to six, so at least there's some advantage.
All in all its been a good day at work, with clear sky's and no rain and that's got to be good at this time of year in the UK.  Got home in reasonable time and cooked a pheasant Coq au vin  for myself and my wife, though I say in myself, it was very good and there's enough left for another meal.  See you tomorrow.

17/01/14

First load was to our Kirkbymoorside store, about eight tonnes. Was there with the sheets open when they arrived. Easy enough tip, and loaded with empty pallets and waste plastic to go back. Also some mole traps that were missing their triggers, hence not able to be set. My return was delayed as our wonderful computer system was throwing another wobbly fit.  It is the worst till and stock controll system I have ever seen. Second load should have been easy, three farm drops, one store drop followed by a mill collection. I knew all but one of the drops. Luckily, as it turned out, the collection was reallocated to one of my colleagues. Loaded easily and out of the yard in time to complete at least the first two drops before lunch. All went we'll until I joined a queue on the A1079 to get over the Shiptonthorpe roundabout. It took over an hour to criss the roundabout.  The idiots have put a full set of lights on it and they aren't even working on the road, only at the sides. I suspect that with a little thought they wouldn't have needed the lights at all. Once through that the rest if the day went we'll, but I ran out of driving token and had to have a break before my first drop. Found the first farm drop thanks to a lady leaning out of a window to give me directions. I knew the next two drops, they were easy enough.  I left the Carlton store until last as I needed to collect the stack of empty pallets, one empty cage and, believe it or not, four tonnes of reject bagged carrots. The run back to base was without incident, but I got a call and was diverted to the Malton store to deliver one tonne of aforementioned carrots. Back at base, handed in oh delivery tickets and was told the second drop should have been a tonne of sheep feed, not ten bags. I had thought ten bags was a small delivery but this is an irregular drop for me as it is on the edge of my usual area so I don't know the customers buying habits as well as I do my regulars.  The ticket said ten so I took ten. Going back on Monday with the other thirty. I did manage to get the rest of the carrots and empty pallets offloaded before night so I have a clean start on Monday.  See you Monday.

16/01/14

Thursday stated well and got worse, but I suppose that was the only way it could go. Got yesterday's load off and went back round the yard to the loading point. Started loading, the load was a good one for a Thursday and would have kept me working all day but I would have had time to load for tomorrow. Not to be! The man came round to find me Ann's he did find me! One of the other drivers didn't turn in, I lost my good collection and got lumbered with his, which was more urgent apparently.  Finally got loaded and out of the yard for just after eight. Two farm drops at Heulagh easy enough accept the road I wanted to take was closed, the diversion was made up by putting ink on a spider and letting it loose on the map. Well finally got the first two drops of, and avoiding the diversion invented by one off hells minions and got to the next drop. Whistle, a few narrow roads but I got there, the drop was small but I had to have a signature as it was chemical. From Wistow to Carlton store, ignoring the Sat nav as I ! expect it would have taken me through Selby, not good. At Carlton started unloading all well until the cage, which was badly stacked, fell off the forklift. Oh well shit happens, at least I wasn't driving the damned thing.  While at Carlton I had a rethink, and redistributed the last three drops giving room to collect my two pick ups. First collection at Goole, one tonne fish oil and five tonnes bagged soya. Second collection two tonnes of dicalcium phosphate. Like all docks Howden Dyke is strange, first I couldn't get in for a moving crane. Second problem a very tense weigh bridge operative who claimed our company hadn't ordered the goods. A little strange considering he had the order reference on file. After he had a battle with the printer he finally gave me the collection ticket, only slightly grudgingly. Finally loaded OK and weighed out, off to final two drops. Second to last was a farm drop at Spaldington, easy enough. Last drop a tonne of feed to a farm drop at Bielby, good drop, forklift waiting off in five and away back to base by half past five. No idea what is happening tomorrow, don't need to know until morning, not interested until then. Friday tomorrow

15/01/14

Another busy day. Got loaded in reasonable time and away just about half past seven. First drop Carlton store. Scrounge a coffee, thank goodness, usually take a coffee to work and drink it while loading. This morning I had to stop quickly in the first village and my coffee landed on the floor, the lid came off. A driver is no good without caffeine in the morning. Second drop a farm drop with a tight back in, took two shunts this morning, should take one. Did get help this morning, usually don't even get spoken to at this drop. So the help was a surprise. Second drop was another farm drop, I rang before hand and the customer was waiting with a fork lift, good man.  Last drop was twelve fencing rails to a private house, turned out easy to find, thanks to the sat nav.  Then a mill collection sat Standon Mill, Stafford. This is the furthest we usually go, about two and a half hours from base. I have done this collection before and as I usual it was a good load. The only trouble is that it involves a lot of motorway driving, which I don't enjoy. Back to base just before six so it wasn't a bad run. All in all a reasonable day.

14/01/14

Bad day form start to finish, one of those days where I am left with the feeling that it would have been better if I had stayed in bed, you know the type of day perhaps.  For a start I was loaded for Kirkbymoorside store the night before.  As I have mentioned before the stores don't open until eight, so I didn't get a good start to the day.  Ok I was unloaded quickly and back to base with no hassle but it was half past nine before I was loaded again and on the road.  The load would have had a total weight of thirteen and a half tonnes if I had loaded everything on my tickets but I gave up at ten tonnes as I'm supposed to.  I had to leave off the stock for Carlton store and go with what I could get on.  First drop, a farm drop, the farmer wasn't in, the gate was locked.  When I rang the customer he said he wouldn't be back for an hour but it would be OK if I came back later so I went to my next drop.  About half a mile short of my second drop, on a single track road with no way of passing, I came across another truck parked in the road delivering goods to a house, the driver was unable to back into the drive so he had no choice.  I was able to give him the good news that he would be able to turn round about half a mile up the road, he seemed very relieved.  I suspect he hated driving in the countryside as much as I hate driving in cities.  Next drop a small drop to a farm at Fenwick, easy enough except for a tight gateway but I missed the ditch by a few inches so OK there.  Stopped in the yard as my driving time was up and called my next drop to give estimated arrival time.  Next drop, another farm drop and one of my regulars, there was a coffee waiting as soon as I had opened the sheet.  I like this delivery.  A bit of motorway next M18 to M62 to Newport and back about three miles to Gilberdyke for a mill drop, four tonnes in half tonne bags stacked two to a pallet.  These things are very slippery and need strapping well to stay upright, I managed it and they all came off quickly.  Once over the weigh bridge I called my next stop a collection of drainage pipe at Howden, it was just after four by now.  They said I should be OK, trouble was when I got there our office hadn't informed them what I was supposed to collect, since it would have taken over an hour to gather up and I suspect they were ready for home they offered to run the goods to our store so I was away quickly enough.  So on to my last drop, which would have been my first drop.  Wasn't able to contact the customer on his mobile and his house phone was engaged so all I could do was turn up and hope.  He was in and it was a forklift tip so the last tonne came off easily but it was half past five by then.  Back to base, all other drivers were away by then so I parked nose up to the gate to the loading area, at least I'm first in the queue tomorrow.  It wasn't that any particular part of the day was very bad but as a whole it was irritating.  To cap it all I suspect the letter waiting for me is the speeding fine from the second of Jan, great.  But I've had enough of the day and I refuse to open it until tomorrow, at least it won't irritate me all night.
See you tomorrow.

13/01/14

We had a lot of rain over night, but by the time I got in my car to go to work it has started to freeze and I had to de ice the windscreen.  At work for six this morning as I had to unload last Fridays collection of wild bird food before I could start to gather my load for today.  It was about quarter to eight by the time I got out of the yard with my tickets confirmed.  First drop Carlton Store a fifteen minute break then on the road again to a farm drop at Wragby  near Wakefield, quite a long way out for one of our regular customers but the run was easy enough even though the last couple of miles is down a very narrow road with high hedges on either side so I have to proceed with caution as even in a truck I can't see round the corners.  I should have taken a photo.  The drop was easy enough ten fifty metre rolls of fencing wire, soon off loaded and on my way again.  Next  drop a farm drop at Healaugh, a tonne of sheep licks to lift off by hand, but the farmer helped so it didn't take long, I had to have a half hour break after tipping as my hours were up.  Break over and off to Bilbrough about three miles away.  Problem, got started down the road I wanted to take and found a road closed sign so I could go no further, I had to turn round and go back.  I did wonder why they hadn't put a road closed sign on the junction, but who am I to wonder that?  After that all went well except for about ten cars badly parked on another narrow road, I had to put a wheel on the grass, which isn't a good plan at this time of year but I managed to keep going.  The drop at Bilbrough was another farm drop and this time the man had a loader ;-)  Oh happy driver!  next drop was a garden centre on the side of the A64, the drop was only three rolls of fencing wire so it didn't take long.  I had driven past the drop earlier in the day but if I had gone in at that time I would have had to turn right onto the A64 on my way out, not a good plan at the best of times and worse at rush hour.  Last drop was a farm drop, one tonne of cattle feed, the farmer had a loader. Yes!  It did take a little time to find the farmer but once I found him the rest was easy.  Then back to base, I actually managed to get loaded for the morning but the problem is it is a single drop to our Kirkbymoorside store and it doesn't open until eight, this makes a very poor start to the day, but that's a drivers lot.

10/01/14

Busy day, started at seven this morning as I had most of my load on the previous night.  I had to wait for one of the other drivers to come in as they were bringing in the product I needed to complete my first drops.  First drop was the Malton store went well, that accounted  for about eight tonnes of my ten.  The next two drops were racing stable drops and as usual the stable staff weren't in evidence as soon as I turned up.  Neither drop was large and they didn't take long, only about a dozen bags each and the carry wasn't too far.  The third drop was a farm drop down a one way track about two miles outside Norton.  The drop was forty bags of lumped rock salt, this is used as a supplement for cattle in lick form.  The trouble with the produce is that the lumps are large and the weight of each bag can vary wildly from twenty kilos to just over fifty kilos and the salt rots the bags very quickly, all this makes the product horrible to handle.  Thankfully there was a loader on the farm so the whole lot was lifted off as one :-)  Oh what a happy driver!  Back to base for next load leaving my last drop on the wagon as I was passing the road end on the way out of Malton.  Loaded again quickly as there wasn't much to pick, but while I was in the yard I took a collection ticket from one of the other drivers as I would finish my deliveries within a mile of the collection.  First drop for the second load was a farm drop, twenty sheep hurdles and nineteen bucket holders.  The farmer had just started lambing and the hurdles are used to make temporary pens to hold the ewes and new lambs.  next drop was our Carlton store, didn't refuse the offered coffee while I was there, ready for it.  Bought a sausage roll for my lunch, nothing near as good as the bread, cheese and olive oil of the day before.  Last drop was a private house at Gilberdyke, only ten bags and the customer was available to help so the drop was quick.  Turned round and travelled  about a mile to my collection, ten tonnes of wild bird food.  I find it amazing how much wild bird food we sell, it is the type of feed that people put on their garden bird tables.  We must collect at least two loads every month.  Back to base by twenty to five and collected my papers for Monday sorted them in delivery order all but for two drops which I don't know and will look up on the map on Monday before loading.  I didn't manage to get unloaded but it is locked in the compound and will be safe until Monday.  Nothing of note to report for the day, the two runs were easy enough and the roads were clear for a Friday, though I did make an effort to avoid passing any schools at both entry time and leaving time.  Apart from the safety aspect the queues or parents in cars outside schools at the beginning and end of the scholastic day are horrific and I often go well out of my way to avoid them.  That's about it for the week.  See you on Monday.  I will try to take more photo's to add to the words.

09/01/14

Very wet overnight, I have  no idea of exactly how much, I don't have a rain gauge in use.  At one time I checked a rain gauge every day, that was when I was involved in growing potatoes.  Started loading just after six, thankfully the rain had stopped as some of our loads are picked from outside. One problem first thing; I was squeezing between two pallets of cattle licks to check what the product at the back was and I brushed against the pallets.  Yes I ended up with a wet backside just after six this morning; great!  But I digress, the load was Carlton store, three drops, exchange of a slightly bent sheep trough and a mill pick up. The load took a while putting together so it was after seven thirty before I got on the road.  The sky was just starting to lighten as I set off the rain held off and I had a good run into Carlton even though the traffic was heavier than normal, especially on the A64.  The A64 is usually fairly clear west bound from Malton to the A19 at this time of day.  East bound is a different matter, all the traffic makes for slow progress at that time in the morning.  Dropped around eight tonnes of animmal feed and timber at Carlton then from Carlton to West Haddlesey,  one tonne of pig feed to drop and one slightly damaged sheep trough to exchange.  Good drop even though there was no forklift but it was an easy carry.  From West Haddlesey down the A19 over the M62 and continued down the A19 to Askern then to Fenwick for the next drop.  One tonne of horse feed and seven horse licks, pulled up right outside the barn door, a very easy carry with help from the customer!  Back up the A19 then inland to Walden Stubbs for a mill collection of horse feed.  Driving time up just before arriving at mill for collection so I stopped in a quite lay-by that I have used before only about a mile from my destination.  The lunch stop was slightly spoilt by the rubbish that had been dropped in the hedge bottom.

Why are people not able to take their litter home?  People who abuse our beautiful countryside in this way shouldn't be allowed the privilege of  being allowed out in it.  But apart from the litter I had a good lunch.  The collection was good, there weren't any other trucks in before me so I was loaded quickly strapped up and sheeted down and on my way.  Last drop at Hemmingbrough, a small single cattle drinking trough.  Looking at the drive I decided to back in as I couldn't see if there was turning room in the yard, as it turned out there was plenty of room, but it wouldn't have been the first time if there wasn't room to turn.  I hate backing out onto a road, even if I am being watched out.  An easy run back to base, off loaded the horse feed and for the first time this week I managed to get loaded, that is all except six bags of horse feed that is coming in with one of the other drivers in the morning.  All in all another good day.  Friday in the morning and I have because I'm loaded I get an extra hour in bed.  Yes!

08/01/14

Earlier start today, wasn't loaded the night before so I was at work by six.  Not a big day, one store drop one farm drop and a mill drop.  There would have been two more drops but the product wasn't available.  The feed mill is busy, which isn't unusual at this time of year but we seem to have gone from steady to busy in very short order.  I suspect farmers are being cautious, the winter last year was wet, cold and long, many of them had to buy feed for much longer than normal as they were unable to turn stock out, the ground was too wet and the grass wasn't growing.  Back to today, the first drop was Carlton store, the second drop was a farm drop, because my truck has a long wheel base and a poor steering lock it isn't possible to back right into the drive.  All I can do is back off the road and barrow the feed in, not far, about twenty yards is all.  Did the tonne in five loads, eight bags at a time, some people pay gym membership I get my exercise and get paid for it, lucky me.  ;-(  Third and last drop was a mill drop near Brigg, this involved a two way trip across the bridge.  "The Bridge" for those who live in Yorkshire is the Humber bridge, or in our Yorkshire dialect "t'umber bridge" at the time of its construction the longest single span suspension bridge in the world.

"T'Umber bridge"  for those not from Yorkshire "The Humber Bridge"

Sorry about the photo it was the only chance I had to stop and take one.  I always enjoy a trip across the bridge, I have no idea why.  The countryside at the other side is wonderful farming land.  Wold land but wold land with a greater soil depth than the Yorkshire side of the wolds.  Anyway I hadn't done this drop before but it was easy to find and well organised when I got there.  As I said to the lad on the weigh bridge, I'd be happy to go there again.  Good run back to base, had to stop for lunch on the way as my hours were up, crusty bread, cheese, small plum tomatoes and a bit of olive oil to dip the bread in all eaten in a quiet lay by in the countryside, a great lunch while listening to a comedy on radio four.  What more can a driver ask for?  Back at base nothing else doing for the day so I spent the remainder of the day helping picking stock in the warehouse.  No rain to speak of all day and part of it spent in sunshine driving country roads, all in all a great day.

Took two better photos of the bridge, my wife and I walked it on Saturday, neither of us has ever done this before. The experience was well worth the effort.

07/01/14

Busy day.  First load to Malton Store, a very full load.  Malton store is only about five miles from base so it was a short run.  Back to base for second load for Carlton store and two farm drops and one merchant drop.  One irritation, I had to go back to Malton store to collect forty hooped net stakes, if I had been told earlier they could have been collected while I was there the first time.  :-(  The store manager asked me to collect him some horse feed from one of the other stores on my travels as he had run out and there was non in the mill.  Then to Gate Helmsley store to collect a further ten hooped net stakes to complete an order and the required horse feed for Malton store.  First drop Carlton store, as usual with our stores all was lifted off with a fork lift, nice and easy, also collected one bag of dog food for Malton store as they don't hold stock that brand. First farm drop at Eggbrough was a good drop, pulled up right outside the door and off loaded by hand with help.  There was only about a tonne and a half and it didn't take long and had the added benefit of giving me a bit of much needed exercise to work off a bit of Christmas dinner.  The next drop was a merchant drop at Gilberdyke.  Even though the tonne was weighed and bagged I had to weigh in before unloading and out after unloading.  I can understand anyone weighing in bulk or unweighed bags but this level of checking for a weighed product seems a little unnecessary.  This is especially true as the product was palletised and the weight of the pallet can vary greatly.  Oh well that's the way of the world and the man who works the weigh bridge is Ok.  The last drop was a farm drop but was only three fifteen kilo bags of dry complete cat food so it didn't take long.  Then back to Malton store with the ten bags of horse feed and bag of dog food.  All in all a busy but easy day all had gone well and the weather had been clear and not too windy, then I got back to base! ;-(  It seems that I had driven past one of North Yorkshire's motorist taxation vans a little too quickly, don't have a clean licence again and will be financially worse off.  I would point out that I wasn't in a built up area I am careful when passing through the villages and towns.  True I was speeding and I had no reason to be doing so, my own fault, or slip in concentration.  But I find it irritating considering some of the driving I see people get away with.  That's my grumble for the day, I have no intention of turning this blog into a set of grumbles and moans so please accept my apologies for this one.
Back to a more interesting subject, I haven't seen any hares in the fields yet, I usually start seeing them sometime between now and the middle of February, unfortunately at the same time as they become more visible they become more active and many end up dead on the road.  Perhaps I haven't seen any hares because they know something I don't, perhaps winter will be back with a vengeance but I hope not.
Here's to tomorrow and whatever it brings.

06/01/14

Monday again.  The distance in time between Friday and Monday always seems shorter than expected.  I think weekend time must be quicker than week day time.
Anyway most of my first load was loaded on Friday, the remainder, bagged horse feed, hadn't been made by the time I was ready to complete loading this morning so I had to go without the last two drops.  First drop Carlton store, and that accounted for nearly eight tonnes of a nine tonne load.  I got to see the sunrise on the A64, well the first glimmer or daylight, I was on the A19 by the time the sun hit the horizon heading south.  After heavy overnight rain the day dawned bright and clear, drying the road as the day warmed.  Second drop was a farm drop, but only a small one at Thorne.  Third drop another farm drop at Hive, a tonne and a quarter of bagged feed, all lifted off with a loader :-)  The entrance is a little tight for my truck and I put the back wheels on the grass turning into the drive, but with this truck I always have to when I deliver there.  Managed an early lunch after this drop, it made my driving hours fit for the rest of the day and since I was passing my Mothers front door why not?  She does make nearly the best sausage rolls I have ever tasted, the best are made by my own fair hands ;-)  Well that's enough bragging from me.  The fourth drop was another farm drop but again was a small one, at Foggathorpe.  The last drop was five bags of hen food at a private house, had to back down the lane to the house but it was an easy back for a change so no problems.  While sheeting up again I received a call from our transport manager directing me to a pick up of ten bags of dog food from the Gate Helmsley store.  Other than the fact that there were tow trucks in the yard and I had a bit of a wait to get in, it all went without problem and the day stayed fine and the roads dry though there were black clouds on the horizon all day.  Second load into Malton store and a collection of empty pallets back to base.  The feed that I was unable to collect in the morning for my two drops still wasn't ready and I now need at least another tonne of the same feed for my first load on Tuesday so I didn't load for tonight and went home early to cook tea.  All in all an easy day for a Monday but on the bad side there wasn't anything exceptional to report.

03/01/2014

Not a particularly busy day.  Was loaded the night before and I couldn't get into my first drop until 8am so I didn't start work until 7am.  The load was one store drop and two farm drops, all without incident.  Then a run west on the M62 and down the M1 before turning off to go to Penistone for a collection.  Back to the store to collect two more pallets before going back to base to load for Monday.  An easy day but things will start to get busier on Monday as the year gets started properly.  The only incident of note was coming up behind a car travelling at 40 mph on the M1.  Sometimes I think a minimum speed limit would be a good idea. Weekend next.  See you Monday.

02/01/2014

My first day back at work in the new year.  The first load was only three drops, the first to one of the companies stores and the other two drops were to local farms.  Neither of the two farm drops were particularly arduous, and I have delivered to both farms before.  The  only thing of note was a slowly decaying rulley standing abandoned in a field on the edge of the farm track.

I think "Rulley" is a local or Yorkshire name.  A rulley is a four wheel trailer with the front two wheels mounted on a turntable. This style of trailer was in regular use from the time when horses were used on farms until the end of the 70's or just after.  I come across them less and less often now. When I do they are usually parked where they were last used, slowly decaying and often overgrown with brambles.  To me they represent a memorial of things past and though I find the sight of a forgotten rulley slowly decaying slightly sad I do like to see them peeping out from the summer nettles.