"Morrismoans"
Its very clever because it goes up to Glasgow on the train, the track runs at the back of this warehouse.
I had never seen roadworks in a distribution centre before though!
After my early morning drop here I was asked to drive up to Scunthorpe and I saw this converted prison truck which brought new meaning to the saying "Jail Bird" ! you need to look closely at the writing on the back.
I have been in the 26 tonner all week and that means a lot of beer delivery's.
I have a lot of drops in Sainbury's and this one was just off the M25 and was for 6 am
All the Sainsbury's I have visited have been ran like military bases. Every one is very helpful and really polite but the rules are very rigid.
The damage was still in evidence.
I was lucky on the way but new I had to be cute on the way back to avoid all this traffic,
that was caused by this crash.
The picture of the crash was taken in my mirror when I was trying to take a picture of this red Ferrari.
I was up North for the first time with this company on Thursday for more Sainsbury's military base delivery's.
My last drop was at the Airport in Manchester.
I got the goods off in record time and on the way out took some photo's of this ancient fleet.
Back up north again tommorow with more beer and wine.
It started at 6.30 am and was due up in St Helens for 8.30.
I was going to cruise up the M6 at 50 mph and arrive in plenty of time for the drop. Luckily though I am fanatical about traffic reports and listen to every one I can find , I even have a DAB radio and listen to traffic radio all the time .
I heard that the M6 north was closed at junction 4 so I had to use the M1 and then go through stoke which added a bit of time on and threw lots and lots of roundabouts into the mix making it a much less leisurely drive.
I got to my drop about 30 minutes late but they didn't seem to mind and I was tipped ok.
It did put the rest of the drops back a bit though and made all my other times slots a little bit tighter to make.
That adds stress and also phone calls from the boss when he sees the little dot on his screen that represents me standing still 30 miles away from where I am meant to be.
I was eventually finished missing allocated slots and ready to come back down the M6 and that's when I made a fateful decision.
I was feeling cheated for a few reasons partly because I hadn't been able to have a proper tacho break where I could use the facilities and eat something. I had to park in a lay by instead.
I also felt cheated because I wanted to cruise down the m6 to our base that is at the bottom of it without throwing it around any roundabouts and negotiating traffic lights and gears. I was feeling lazy.
I should of turned off at stoke and went back down the M1 to a collection at Maegan park for 4.30 but I couldn't get a space in the services at Sandbach or Knutsford so I carried on past my junction and though Id get to a services further down and then M6 all the way back.
The M6 though Birmingham from 8 to 4 was absolutely solid. It was so hot my head was spinning, my t shirt was sticking to my arms and my neck and my trouser felt like they were cementing themselves to my body in front of my eyes.
The whole motorway was ground to a halt so that a few workmen could throw a little bit of sand on some spilt fuel.
It took me two hours to get through a four mile section and then I ran straight into the roadworks.
I didn't make my collection and had to get up at 4 am today to collect it for "Morrismoans"
That's where I write this now.
I have been at this drop since my booking time of 8 am and still haven't got any closer to being tipped. I haven't even got through the gate yet to start waiting !!!
This is Haulage
For the whole of this week I have been driving at a maximum speed of 52 MPH and I have to say it gives you a whole new outlook.
I usually drive on the limiter and pass everything that gets in the way or let everything fly by if they need to.
This week I have chilled out and because the lorry cant go any faster so I have tended to sit on 50MPH.
It means I don't have to worry about all those camper vans, trailers and Morrison's trucks in lane one, I just hang back and trundle along to the drop at a nice leisurely pace.
I have been in the precise and often frustrating world of supermarkets distribution centres this week and I have to say I have been very impressed overall.
Some are better than others and Sainsbury's in particular stand out .
At the bottom of the pile has to be Morrison's.
I arrived at what looked like a lorry park in Northwich and found out it was in fact the queue to get in to the queue.
You then have to navigate your self through a series of parking bays and get into position to see a giant screen with numbers on it. Imagine the casualty department at the local hospital where they give you a number and it seems that no matter how long you wait it never gets any closer.
Driving the bigger trucks has shown me a different side of the haulage industry because we do similar drops to the arctics.
I have done the odd supermarket on the 18 tonnes but to do them everyday is a whole new experience.
I cant imagine having to come to the same places every week, sometimes every day and wait in the same lines and follow the same stupid rules and read the same stupid notices and meet the same stupid people.
It would send me crazy. I like being in and out of different trucks because it gives me a more varied work week.
Imagine what lorry day would be like if I was on a designated run?
Went to Crewe on Monday , went to Crewe again on Tuesday, Wednesday in Crewe it rained on the way !! Thursday in Crewe the truck really needed washing.
It wouldn't really work, so for now I think I'm happy to float, even though its a pain not having the same truck all the time.
At my work place the truck is the run , you take a particular truck and they do particular jobs, so if you get your own truck you usually get your own run as well.















Recent Comments
Don Jacobson on 'Roadcookin': Just want to thank Danny for his kind words. We really want to help you tackle the weight problems
Ships on Time for a new truck - but what model?: I'm not sure but Volvo seems to be one of the best trucks I have seen. Sometimes the price is higher
parcellink on Sat-Nav - can I trust it?: Hi What i can say is that i have had a tom-tom for the last 5 years and i'm really happy with it.
Mike Presneill on Open letter to my MP: Dear John and readers, Continental rebates ? Please go to www.transaction-2007.com this is what w
Jimmy Quinn on oppression (or is it regulation) : I Could nt agree more with John Smyth. I was in a R.D.C. in Dublin recently and presented myself at