Vehicle Inspectorate at Work
Checking Coaches on the M6, also the RAF on Guard, Steven HGV, and John O Groats Bus.

The Vehicle Inspectorate have a job to do, making sure that we get safe Coaches and Heavy Goods Vehicles to drive. From my own experience I am well aware of the pressures even on good companies, but, safety is paramount, always!
I can recall having problems getting a company to attend to items which needed attention, however they just kept saying, next time your back in base,,,, next time never came,,, ,,, so what happened to me next was very very handy,,, I was on the hogs back down near Aldershot when the Ministry man pulled me in for a check,,,, he went over my vehicle and found all was well,,,, when he was finished and about to sign me as all clear,,, I said, if I tell you some faults, will you write them down for action,, but not record that I had told you,, he looked at me dumbfounded,, well I said to him,, I don’t want to drive a vehicle that has faults, no more than you want me to,, its the boss that’s the problem,, but if you write me down for action within 7 days, I shall get these fault corrected at last. The inspector looked at me still as if I was joking,,, but he agreed,, so I pointed out the faults,, he readily agreed and wrote them down for attention,, I was happy,, he was happy if surprised,, but we both wanted the same thing.

On another occasion I was northbound from Bletchley to Blackpool with a part load for Milady Toffee, The M6 had opened the day before, this was its first stretch from Penkridge, Staffs, to a point past Charnock Richard Services,, where they had a real Transport Cafe originally. I first went to the toilet, then for a meal and my break period which was required. On finishing I looked at my watch,, it was not on my wrist,, I had left it in the toilet,, some kind driver had handed it in to security. I went to the security chap who returned the watch, and required I signed for it, then I went on my way.
On arrival in Blackpool I pulled in to offload, and the Man from the ministry asked for my log book,,, Hell!,, In had not filled it in when I stopped, I assured him I had taken a break, telling him about the watch, it was timed handed in and out, he said he would check, and told me not to forget again.

Great Thoughts seem to be going around, as driver, police, Inspectorate get together!


This Bus is up at John O Groats, cutting across the north east corner on a single track road, Quite different from Hyde Park Corner.

Here we have some admirers looking over an HGV that has quite a paint job.

James Young of Lybster sent me this Pic, taken at Scrabster harbour by Thurso.

Ah! now this is where you cant park or even enter, an RAF base. Here we have a young man doing his job for Queen and Country, I jest not readers, if you think the words were meant to be light, I can assure you they were not. I have done my bit, and my son has done his bit, for some there is a risk, believe it. To a more sombre point, even the vehicle inspectorate cant go in here, not even GOD, unless he (or she) has a 1250 or equal pass! Cos that young man will stop them, believe that!

This is a 1024 image available as a wallpaper if you right click on it.