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BOB FLETCHER is a highly skilled Float Driver, based in England. He operates throughout the UK, and all of Europe. His 35+ years in this business has gained him an enviable reputation among his peers. GCS Johnson Ltd, his employer, has just presented him with a new custom built SCANIA tractor, for his exclusive use. With most of the time being spent on the continent, it came equipped with left hand steering.
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No time has been wasted putting this new SCANIA to work, it is racking up the miles (Kilometers) as you read this.
While BOB works for GCS JOHNSON LTD. he has to be prepared to haul anything, anytime to almost anywhere in the UK, and EUROPE at a moments notice. That is part of the price you have to pay for having the expertise.
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Actually this particular pipe is the stack off of my little "B-61 Mack" tractor. It put out so much horsepower that this stack was the only thing around that could take the heat. (Now, if you believe that, there just may be no hope for you.)
THIS IS BITS & PIECES, YOU MIGHT SAY.
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Photo on left, --- Is part of a crane that was loaded in Amsterdam, for delivery in Ipswich, England. --- The photo on right, is part of a Liebherr Crane waiting on the docks at Sunderland to be loaded, and shipped to China. (Only a part of the crane, the rest to follow.) |
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A LOCAL MOVEMENT --- A PART OF A TOWER IN SOUTHERN IRELAND.
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The move from the factory to the docks, had to be done on a Sunday morning. The hydro and phone service had to be cut off, so the wires could be removed to allow the loads to pass. |
The roads into the town were all blocked off for the movement. There were five trucks in all, and they loaded Saturday for the move on Sunday morning. The town of Arklow was at a stand still for around two hours while they made their way to the port. First went the 500 ton crane, and then Bob followed one hour later. Bob hooked up to a 10 axle trailer for the heavy load, but this one, somehow turned out to be a light load of only 78 ton. It was almost like running empty.
| The left photo, is of the load turning into the small docks. With no space to maneuver on the docks, the far right photo shows reversing the load to bring it around, and position it for the crane. As in that trucking song, "IT TAKES 40 ACRES TO TURN THIS RIG AROUND", in this case it takes about 1.5 km (1 Mile) to turn this one around. |
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Here is a photo of their pilot van that escorted Bob to Tilbury. They are now allowed to have their own escort on certain roads in stead of using the police. Now and then the powers that be, will change a rule for the better.
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Bob was asked to meet up with another driver who requested to be at home for the weekend. Obliging, he caught up to the driver and made the switch. The driver agreed to cover for Bob sometime in the future, whenever the need arises. |
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The load was a generator from Middlesbrough, Teeside, to the Tilbury docks for shipment to America. The generator weighed in at 93 Metric ton, (204,600 lbs) and was 3 metre (approximately 10 ft) wide X 12 metre (39 1/2 ft) in length. The photos were taken on the docks.
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On a quick trip to Europe, Bob got to try out his new tractor. The photo on the right, was a 42 ton X 5.50 m wide crane cab to Antwerpen, and then returning from Holland with the cement silo, as shown on the left photo.
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It is just beginning to snow, while they wait patiently for their ship to come in. (To cross the Channel) The far right photo, is a 48 ton reel of cable being delivered down to Southampton, for shipment to the USA.
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DICK TURPIN (HIGHWAYMAN) RIDES AGAIN, IN THE FORM OF THE MOTORWAY SERVICE AREA PEOPLE. |
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Bob was wheel clamped at a motorway service area recently. Normally they don't pay parking for an abnormal load, but they have now started a new system and they must pay. There were no notices to say that oversize loads must pay to park. They came at 2.15 am and clamped him while he was sleeping in the bunk. They returned at 7.00 am waking him up to tell him that he had been clamped, and must pay £200.00 cash to be released,or £300.00 if paid by credit card. The police could do nothing, so the company had to pay this before they could move on. This is how the SERVICE AREA PEOPLE introduced a new CLAMPING system in England. |
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NOTICE THE YELLOW CLAMP BETWEEN THE DRIVE WHEELS.
UPDATE ON THE CLAMPING
As for the wheel clamping --- After returning home Bob being a professional, made it a point to contact these people, and protest their actions. Amazingly, after extensive communications, and explanations, Bob's company received a full refund for his endeavour. The managing director of the car clamping company made it a point to send Bob a letter from him stating, "that abnormal loads do not pay", proving that managing directors can be human and will listen to the under dogs. Once again professionalism, and diplomacy such as Bob's went a long way to make life a little easier on the road.
This page just barely scratches the surface of BOB FLETCHER'S long career. You just have to go to his own web site to view some strange and huge moves.
A TYPICAL AVERAGE TRIP COULD GO LIKE THIS, ------------
Starting off by going to the Tilbury docks (Which are not to far from London) a 93 ton generator, again for the States. When returning home, that damn phone rang, and wanted him to ship out to Holland (tonight) with a Komatsu Digger.
Monday night was spent on the ocean waves, in a force 9 gale. Hopefully you do not get seasick while hanging on to your lunch and drink, while at the same time trying to keep them from ending up on the floor.
After unloading on Tuesday, and checking in with the company office, he was directed to go to Amsterdam, and pick up a 40 ton crane, to ship back home.
Wednesday night, the dreaded cell phone rings again, with another change of plans. Leave the trailer at the docks, motor on to Belgium to meet up and assist another company truck that had broke down. There were two trailers to be delivered to the Antwerpen docks. After unloading crane cabs for China, he then headed back to Amsterdam. Once there, load the counterweight and the crane boom, to be shipped back home.
Another phone call, again changing plans. Now off to a place called Breda, in Holland to pick up another trailer to load a crusher in Antwerp, to bring home. He ended up at the ferry that night, with three loaded trailers to bring back. The next day (Sunday) with any luck, should put him home in time for lunch.
Along with the force 9 gales, he also ran into, and through a snow storm, and yes, the whole country came to a stand still. This was just an average trip, that the man of experience could handle without too much difficulty. COULD YOU????
With the advent of cell phones, satellites, and other modern communications, It is getting harder, and harder for one to hide out from the boss.
..........OR A NOT SO TYPICAL TRIP COULD GO LIKE THIS..........
THESE PHOTOS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
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THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL LOAD, FOR JUST ANY DRIVER TO BE
JOGGING AROUND TOWN WITH.
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Everyone has taken an unmarked path to get to where we are today. Bob started collecting his expertise at a very early age, progressing through some hard learning experiences. To compare his route in life to yours, just ---
Click on here ----- BOB FLETCHERS PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY ----- and go direct.
------ Great float drivers, are a special breed of man, and hard to come by. ------
---------- William (Diesel Gypsy) Weatherstone RETURN TO HOME PAGE
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