29/01/15

Since I couldn't have my truck today and the spare was still not back on the road from the previous night.  The poor mechanic was at work until half past ten waiting for the wrecker to get in with the broken truck.  But that's the fun of being a mechanic.  So the long and short of it was that I ended up driving the pickup, great!  First job was a collection from Malton store for delivery to Kirkbymoorside store.  Somehow the pallet got to the wrong store, there's a surprise! But its all in a days work for a long suffering delivery driver.  The second load was twenty four sheep troughs to three farm customers.  The first was in Farndale, a nice place but a horrible place to drive round.  The second drop was at Cawthorn which is a place so small that nearly isn't a place at all.  But it is slightly easier to drive round than Farndale, but not by much.  The third and last drop was at Ugthorpe which is slightly bigger than Cawthorn, just.  A drivers life would be much easier if farmers bothered to put farm names on the entrance to their premises, they wouldn't need to look so surprised when a truck turns up in their yard asking this was the place on their delivery note.  They don't seem to realise that just because they know where they live most other people don't.  After making the deliveries and because our transport manager didn't seem to know what to do with a driver who hasn't truck I used a half day holiday and went home to paint a bedroom.  See you tomorrow.

Farndale West in the snow, a beautiful area but a propper b...er to drive round.

Farndale ducks enjoying the snow. The need look happy, they don't have to drive round the place.

28/01/15

The day started well and gradually slid down hill. It is now 8:16 pm and I'm still North of Scarbrough, waiting for a tow truck. For reasons best known to itself the truck I'm driving decided that it didn't want to start after I had completed my last delivery of the day. That was half past four and I'm still  here. What fun. See you tomorrow.

27/01/15

As predicted, Malton store first load.  All went well, though it did make for a late start as I can't get in before eight and its only about four miles from base.  But I got back in good time and the second load went on easily enough and I was away again just after ten.  First drop was Carlton store, second drop was a mill drop of three tonnes of layers pellets in half tonne bags.  (They were all stood up when I arrived at the drop, thanks mainly to the load straps.) The third drop was half a tonne of feed in twenty five kilo bags to a farm at Newport.  The last drop was a farm drop just North of Leeds.  I'd never been to the farm before but I had asked one of the other drivers and had been given directions.  As it turned out I was glad of the directions as the farm down a track and wasn't visible from the road and, of course, there was no name on the end of the drive.  No clue there then!!  But thanks to the advice and the sat nav I found it easily, the drop was good enough even though it was all to take off by hand.

The road with no name on the entrance, thankfully it was the correct road.. Its at times like this that I hope for room to turn round when I get to the farm. There was.

26/01/15

Back to work after a busy weekend, the older I get the more I seem to find to do.  I'm sure that somehow I'm getting life wrong.  But I am enjoying it so it's not so bad.
My first load today didn't seem worth bothering to take.  Three reclaimed railway sleepers to North Duffield and one cattle feed ring to Pollington, a very small load. Then a collection of horse feed from Penistone, once again not a full load, only six pallets.  I ran out of driving hours on the A64 and had to pull off into one of the parking spaces.  I hate taking a break on the side of the A64 as non of the parking spaces are far enough off the road to avoid being rocked by the draft from every passing vehicle.  But I endured it for three quarters of an hour and didn't spill my coffee.  Back at base I unloaded then collected my tickets for my second load.  The second load was only six tonnes of feed for Kirkbymoorside store, again not much of a load but it's all in the name of work.  Back to base where I managed to load all but one pallet for my first load tomorrow.  It is a full load for Malton store, mostly consisting of fencing posts.  Since I can't get into the store before eight in the morning I intend to give my truck its weekly wash.  You wouldn't believe how filthy it is.  See you tomorrow.

23/01/15

Friday wasn't particularly interesting.  A full load to Kirkbymoorside store followed by a full load to Carlton store and area with only one delivery which was well out of the way at Wragby.  The snow has gone, thank goodness and though there was a frost first thing it soon disappeared.  I was ready for the weekend, though the week has gone quickly I have a busy weekend planned, painting our son's bedroom, ditching and burning the thorns that I cut down to get into the ditch.  What fun!
See you Monday

22./01/15

Back to driving today, but while I was seed dressing yesterday the garage stole my truck on the pretext that it needed a service.  I got lumbered with our oldest DAF.  While it is two years younger than my Merc it doesn't have a diff lock and the roof line of the body is lower, too low.  I wouldn't be able to complete some of the collections that I regularly collect.  Also the fuel gage doesn't work so unless you know when it's been refuelled you have to fuel it every time you get in.  But despite my grumbling the day went well.  All drops completed and the collection from Walden Stubbs collected and back in the yard just after five.  With luck my truck will be available tomorrow.  Oh happy days.  See you tomorrow.

21/01/15

This was the only road to my first seed dressing customer, great.  It got better.  The address provided for the customer was wrong by about fifteen miles, if I'd known that I wouldn't have had to drive along this road.  Sometimes our office surpasses itself with its own efficiency.,  But I did finally find the correct address and got there about an hour late.  The rest of the day went fairly well and I got the job done for all three customers.

20/01/15

A fairly ordinary day for the time of year, very little frost and only a little snow left.  Not that there was much thank goodness.  So far as I'm concerned it's best on Christmas cards and nowhere else.  Helmsley store first, a full load.  Carlton store and area next, only four drops in total and all easy enough, though the last has a very tight gateway which required a shunt to get in and out to avoid taking out one of the gate posts.  But all was well and I left the both gate posts in tact and upright.  The roads are filthy at the moment and my truck is in bad need of a good wash, I only washed it last week.  Tomorrow I'm seed dressing again, hope it's a good day I'm not keen on working outside in the snow.  See you tomorrow.

19/01/15

Today has been strange.  I hadn't loaded on Friday night, I hadn't even got unloaded never mind loaded.  But it gave me something to do first thing this morning.  I didn't get everything on my loading tickets on as I ran out of space and would have passed my weight limit by two tonnes at least. But I eventually got loaded and set off.  My first drop was a South Duffield, an easy farm drop, all was lifted off by the customer.  The second drop was Carlton store, which accounted for half the load.  The next drop was another farm drop, a twenty foot cattle feed barrier and what a numb thing that was, it had to be handed off. Then off to Dewsbury, yes that's correct, Dewsbury.  Never been there before but there's a first time for everything.  Somehow I managed to find the farm first attempt and I even managed to get into the yard with no problem.  Its always a bit hit and miss finding a new customer for the first time and discovering if the yard is accessible or not..  Then off to Armthorpe for a household drop, I've done that one before but I still used the sat nav.  Next off to Belton Fields near Hatfield, I've done this drop fairly often and the customer has a loader, it's a good drop.  Leaving only one drop, a farm drop at Everthorpe.  I was there by half past four, the customer was in the yard with a loader, no problem.  Then about an hours drive back to base.  All in all a long day.
See you tomorrow.

Malton in the snow.

16/01/15

Friday, the end of the week.  It was an easy enough day.  First load was a full load to Malton store most of the load was picked but I was fourth in the que to load which meant that I couldn't get in to start loading until one of the others loaded and pulled out.  But I found a spare fork lift and started gathering the feed that wasn't picked.  So no time wasted there.  I was loaded and away by a quarter to eight which gave me time to get to the store as it opened at eight.  Tipped then back to base and loaded for Carlton store and area.  One store drop two farm drops then collection from PD Ports at Howden followed by my final two farm drops.  The only irritating thing was that I ran out of driving hours on the way back and had to stop.  I had taken my first break slightly early at Carlton store as I thought that would give me enough time to complete my work and get back to base.  I was wrong, very irritating.

Another week over and the length of daylight is growing thank goodness.  I hate going to work in the dark and returning home in the dark, I don't get to see my orchard from Sunday night to Saturday morning.  Not that there's much to see at this time of year and I only finished planting on Christmas day.  Seventy trees, I'm not sure what I'm going to do if they all fruit together in one year.

See you on Monday.

This was my first farm drop and it was supposed to be flat packed.  I wonder what happened?

15/01/15

Today has been a good day, Windy, bright and no rain.  The wind made for difficult sheeting of the truck but other than that no problem.  The day consisted of six farm drops and a drop at Carlton store followed by a collection from Friendship estates then back to base.  Because I was loaded the previous night I started half an hour later as ever when I do this I ended up working until six.  Saw another two buzzards today, I'm now seeing them almost daily.  Twenty years ago they were a rarity, seen every couple of years or so.  Things change.  See you tomorrow.

14/01/15

A sunny wait at Cherry Tree Mill, Pollington.  It took a whole packet of Polo's to get loaded but it was a nice day for a wait.  I like collecting from this mill, the staff are pleasant and the yard is tidy and there is not a scrap of mud in sight and never a puddle to be stepped in.

The rest of the day went well and I even got loaded for tomorrow.  Tomorrow doesn't look as easy but that's tomorrow.See you tomorrow.

13/01/15

No driving today, or at least not delivery type driving.  Seed dressing again, three customers six tonnes of barley at the first, two tonnes of oats at the second and three tonnes of barley at the third.  All three customers are regulars and all are good to work with.  I had problems at the first job, after bagging the first half tonne I didn't like the looks of the treatment, it looked inadequately dressed.  I was correct in this, when I checked the application rate it was well short of the target rate.  The pump was set as I had set it previously for the same chemical at the same rate, it didn't work.  All I can put it down to is the chemical being cold and flowing much more slowly.  Once I had corrected the rate I treated the first bag and a half again.  Every thing went well for the rest of the day.  The first and second customers were on the Yorkshire Wolds, it's always a pleasure to drive over the wolds, even on a dull day like today.  I don't know what it is but the rolling landscape of the chalk wolds has always given me a good feeling, almost as if I'm coming home.  There is no reason for this as I was born and lived on the lowlands of the vale of York.  In reality I would find the lack of ponds, streams and ditches make the wolds a little to dry for my liking.  So the feeling I get as I drive the undulating wold roads with open views and farms nestled inside ancient shelter belts is beyond my understanding but non the less real for that.  See you tomorrow.

12/01/15

The first seed dressing of the year.  Well I say seed dressing, it was more seed cleaning as there was no chemical to be applied.  I checked the machine before starting out for the customer and the generator set started OK.  The trouble is no one knows why it decided to start OK instead of spluttering and beeping at me.  I got to the customers farm pulled up and switched the engine off while I found the customer.  The damned thing wouldn't start, that's the truck engine not the generator set.  I found the fault quickly enough, a broken battery terminal, and with the use of a cable tie and a pair of mole grips it started. I finally managed to get into working position and get set up and started.  Beans first, only four tonnes but I took it carefully and everything went well.  Triticale next, only a tonne and a half.  The first tonne went well, then it started to rain.  I got wet, the grain got wet and two of the intake augers stopped in protest and it was still raining.  What fun!  The rain finally slowed and stopped just as we managed to persuade the last of the grain through the machinery.  Lastly one tonne of barley.  This went through easily, the rain had stopped.  Once again I had fun starting the truck but I did manage it and got back to base with no further problems.  Straight into the garage and left the problem with our mechanical geniuses whilst I loaded my truck for a delivery to Helmsley store.  Very useful people, mechanics, without them we wouldn't be going anywhere for long.  The drop at Helmsley store was easy enough, I was back at base by half past four.  I'm seed dressing again tomorrow, eleven tonnes in total for three customers the only problem is that included in the eleven tonnes is two tonnes of oats.  My lucky day!  See you tomorrow.

09/01/15

That was the first full week of the new year just gone and normality has returned in full force.  Thank goodness!  It's not that I dislike the festive season its just that it always seems to get in the way at the end of the year before you can get along with life.  Friday went well, the first load was a full load to Kirkbymoorside store which isn't a long drive from base and if I'm loaded the night before, gives me an extra half hour in bed.  I enjoy sleeping I should do more of it, infact that would make a good new years resolution.  The second load wasn't complicated, mostly fencing timber to Carlton store for stock with only one farm drop at West Haddersley to one of my regular customers.  Then a collection of one IBC full of fish oil from Old Gool to go back to base.  I got back in time to unload the fish oil and check the seed dresser for Monday.  Guess what?  The generator set wouldn't start, battery OK but something wrong with the electrics.  Wonder if our mechanical geniuses will get it started for Monday.  Don't know what I'm doing on Monday if it won't start.  No doubt I'll find out on Monday morning.  See you Monday.

Winter sunshine

08/01/15

I've had a long run round today for only four drops.  I was hoping to get back to base in time to take a second load to Carlton store, not a chance.  But apart from that the day has been pleasant with no rain and the promised wind has been noticeable by its absence.  All in all not a bad day with nothing remarkable about it. See you tomorrow.

07/01/15

Only one load today, but what a load.  It took just over two hours to gather it up and get everything safely loaded.  A great part of the reason for the time loading was the amount and shape of the timber I was carrying.  One of the bundles was an awkward size and shape, out of proportion to its weight. The whole load was a bit of a jigsaw but after a couple of changes it went on and was safe.  In contrast to the problematic loading the deliveries went well, starting with a swap of product at Acaster Selby, I had managed to deliver the wrong type of supplement lick yesterday.  My new years resolution should be to check every item before and after loading to avoid any more mistakes for the rest of the year.  Some hope! But here's to the intention.  My last delivery was a farm drop at Wragby near Pontefract, this drop accounted for nearly half the load and included the aforementioned awkward pack of timber.  I was glad to get that off the truck.  The ride back was without incident, even the A64 was reasonable for a change.  I got back to base just after 4pm and had time to load for tomorrow, once again with fencing timber as a large part of the load.  See you tomorrow.

06/01/15

Today has been a long one, it usually happens like this,  if I don't need to start early because I have loaded the night before and the first drop is for one of our closer stores I end up working late. Today was no exception, my first load was loaded on Monday night and the whole of the load was for our Kirkbymoorside store which is te second closest to base.  I started at half past six this morning so I got an extra half hour in bed.  Trouble was I paid for it, I only got a half hour lunch and I didn't get finnished until six pm, brilliant.  The second load was for Carlton store and five farm drops followed by a collection from Friendship estates.  For all my grumbling the day went very well.  The weather was overcast this morning but the sun came out this afternoon, just in time to half blind me as I was driving to the collection.  I am beginning to notice that the day light is starting to increase, thank goodness.  But it will be a couple of months yet before its light enough to work outside when I get home.  As I'm driving I am looking for the first snowdrops but there's nothing in sight yet.  I know we can get another savage burst of winter yet but the days are starting to feel better as the light increases.  See you tomorrow.

05/01/15

The start of the first full week back, thank goodness, you can have too much time off.  Perhaps I'm a miserable old git but I've always thought of the Christmas and New year ceebrations as a block at the end of the year that prevents me getting on with life.  But now things are back to normal.  The first proper day back started badly.  I was loaded on Friday night and ready for an early start this morning, I even had time to give my truck a new year wash.  It's as dirty now as it was this morning so that was a waste of time.  The first drop was to a customer that I hadn't been to before, but despite the fact that there was no farm name visible I found it OK.  It was then I read my delivery instructions and discovered that I should have called the customer in advance.  Oh well, I rang anyway and got no answer, after the second attempt I decided to come back and try on my way back in.  Carlton store involved a cup of coffee so that was a great improvement to the day.  The second drop was another farm drop but this one was a regular and went well.  Then a shop drop at Brigg, the only irritation being that as I had to go back on myself to complete the first drop I had to give up on a ride back over the Humber bridge.  I enjoy the drive over the bridge, but it wasn't to be. I finally made it back to the first drop and this time met the customer and completed the drop.  As it turned out he had been milking cows at half past one in the morning, hence he was catching up on some much needed sleep when I called first time, don't blame him.  I got back in time to get loaded for the morning. See you then. 

02/01/15

Well that's it then, another year over and a new one begun. And back to work. Not a bad day for the first day at work in 2015. If the year gets no worse that'll do me. It was a bit of a bit of a ride round but everything went we'll and I even got loaded for Monday. See you then.