13th June 2021 The start of the Churchill Fellowship Trip 2018.
Goodaye all, I will continue on with some of the videos from my Churchill Trip. The trip started at “Convoy in the Park” at Donnington Raceway north of London. I got a small site for a stand, put up my banners and went searching. I did many videos during the trip, some good and others not so, but this first one here, was my second attempt. I spoke with John about industry problems and solutions, he nominated rest areas as the worst, I do have photos of some of the laybys, but most have to pay for sites and one driver told me it cost him 50 pound for one night close to London, but all you get is the spot, no shower, no meal included or anything. A shortage of drivers, lack of representation for drivers and even cargo theft. One fellow had his curtains slashed in roadside parking bays twice in a fortnight.
The second video is of truck city at the show. Not a Kenworth in site here, but there were two in another spot, one of them originally owned by Burt Reynolds. They are not allowed to tow trailers, just can be driven to shows and if you see some of the roads, including the one into the raceway, you would understand why. They take their artwork seriously don’t they and all must be scared of the dark??
The truck racing was pretty good and I will show a short shot next week. The entertainment was good and the stands and crowds seemed to have a good time. I spoke with people at the DAF stand and they do very well there. At that time there were new rules to come into place for trucks entering London itself, you had to be able to see virtually down in front and beside the truck and if you could do it with mirrors or cameras, that was initially acceptable, but would not eventually pass the proposed next step of the laws.
I did visit the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and as John says, it is more a group for the bosses than the drivers. It seems they are pretty much on their own and have problems with overseas, untrained drivers coming into the market from Europe and also, the issue of then having both right hand and left hand driver trucks operating on their roads.
The photo attached is of a rig that went past me when I did visit the RHA and the next is one of the laybys, not much to write home about there. The stories from the drivers mostly told the sane tale, lack of facilities, not listened to, but meant to carry and deliver for all.
I am working on the next TIV, now due off the line in Melbourne at the end of this month. Mostly going to plan, but both the ancillary extras and my recovery, will likely see it on the road in August, but with an interim set of trailers till the new ones come perhaps in November. Never give up is the motto. More updates and videos next week. Cheers and Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.
TRUCKRIGHT 