Trucking memories.

UKcheckpoints.info

Yesterday at 04:41 ·Rocked into Dover last November..

A joint operation with Border Force and Port of Dover Police uncovered a fully loaded HGV missing a wheel, hub and brakes during an inspection 
The driver admitted he’d lost the wheel two days earlier but had no idea where or when it happened. The vehicle was taken off the road and fully repaired before being released, making sure it was safe again.

This brings back memories. I had a big heavy lump on my stepframe trailer, to deliver to Ireland. Two of us travelling together, Mark was behind me. Suddenly he came on the cb radio and shouted for me to pull over and stop. There's something not right on your trailer. Luckily there was a layby just there that I could get into. He pulled in behind me. 

We both got out to have a look. A double set of wheels were missing on the nearside centre axle of the three axle trailer. No sign of them. If this happens while in transit they usually run away on their own. Could be anywhere. 

I dropped my trailer there and carried on to Pembroke Docks with Mark and his load following. We were due to load onto a boat that evening. At the docks Mark couldn't get on the boat because his load was too high. That meant staying there all night and getting the morning boat which could accommodate him.

I rang my boss, it was before we had mobile phones. Boss said go back to the trailer and they will send a tyre fitter out to me. Find the wheels and he will put them back on the now hanging on the ground axle. 

Mark came back with me and we looked for the wheels. We could only find one, they had run off into a wood somewhere. 

The tyre fitted came and said he could not attach one wheel, there needs to be two. He had a plan. Chains, hooks, and tensioners were deployed. Luckily in heavy haulage we always carried the equipment that we might need. 

Attach the chain to the opposite side of the trailer bed with a hook. Run it across to the other side, jack up the hanging axle and run the chain underneath it and take it back across the bed to to the other side. Another hook would hold it there after a tensioner was used to pull it tight. It lifted it enough so it wouldn't drag on the road.

I drove to the docks like that, about an hour away. Parked up next to Mark, and we both got on the boat in the morning. Then drove to the delivery point, and with both trailers unloaded we got the crane to lift mine up onto Marks. He piggybacked that back to the depot in Leicester, and I drove back solo. 

I doubt that an emergency like that would be easily solved now. 

Catch ya later.   ilona