TRUCKING HISTORY SPECIAL THE GOLDEN AGE OF ROPING & SHEETING

Great video for all old school drivers in this video we showcase the golden age of roping & sheeting.when driving was a skilled job anyway with that in mind we take a look at trucks and fleets that used flat beds & flat trailers please comment.press the like button or not and enjoy the video thank you for stopping bye

[@brucestratton7185]

Being an old truck driver seeing the knotes in the rope bring back old memories. Truck drivers now days could not do the knots

[@nigelbevan8449]

I'm 62 years of age and still tramping... Yep, I still no how to do dolly knots, double dollies, half hitches, spider knots and I still remember how to splice the ends of the ropes so the rope doesn't fray...

[@bmwnasher]

@@nigelbevan8449 Me too, I Had a sailor teach me splicing, in the 80s I went on petrol tankers, no more knots.

[@nigelbevan8449]

@@bmwnasher Yes, it's something that you rarely see now.... Tell the younger truck drivers these days about rope knots, they look at you as if there is something wrong with you bud....

[@bmwnasher]

@@nigelbevan8449 So true, I had a driver's mate couldn't understand how I kept clean with muddy wet ropes.

[@Rob-on-the-Road]

@@bmwnasher How the fuck did you do that, I'd pull the rope tight and get my face covered in muddy 'piss' water splats? You were obviously better than me but I was just a young 'en back then?

[@heimdallgsd]

Thanks for reminding us of good old days , hard work but more friendly . Yes wet & black ,sleep across the seats on a board , no night heater or sleeper cab yet we all kept at it .

[@russlambley139]

Ooooh I remember bein with my dad in late 70/early 80s truckin,,I learnt to sheet n rope at 9/10 yr old,,best years of my childhood

[@PaulGoulding]

There was a lot of skill and pride in the job then , I started in 86 this video brought back a lot of good memories thank you .

[@Rob-on-the-Road]

I was '86 too, Truckin' twins? But I learnt from my Dad, I'm second generation ride along 'shotgun son' .

[@peterfrazer1943]

I helped a mate out in1990 and did months driving for him. He taught me how to rope and sheet. It was a feeling of pride when you looked at your Truck with a good lashed down load. As some said, it was a tough job in the high wind and rain but my you managed. It's not often these days to see an empty flat bed on the road with the sheets rolled up and lashed down over the back axle.

[@darrencollins5091]

My old man taught me this dying art when i was 10 years old. Hairs still stand up on my neck when i see a lovely roped and sheeted load. Proper lorry drivers!!

[@villainjohnnoel8075]

Hi there,yeah i get the same feeling.

[@Rob-on-the-Road]

I learnt the same way brother and it wasn't golden, but the guys that did it were precious and made of steel!

[@stevewebster317]

Roping barrels on end, now that was a skill! Taught to rope and sheet at Dodd`s Transport by Ted Cousins. Roy Dodd told me; "No such thing as an unsafe load `til it hits the floor"!!!

[@nickwillobey2205]

All those 😍 beloved memories...all gone now!!!

[@fettlerjohn3419]

Good post thanks 👍🏼 ✨. Its strange but emotionally it's a bit like watching the old sailing ships, a sort of majestic link to the past. I roped n sheeted for a couple of years before I was issued a torque-sider and ratchet straps. Yeah this vids triggered some memories of frozen sheets n blow lamps on the diesel pipes.. The old driver I replaced started his driving career on horse drawn wagons just after ww1. I remember Dutch drivers coming in our yard and climbing up on top in wooden clogs, no idea how they did it! The Dutch always had nice units though, unlike the Spanish who would turn up in falling to pieces worn out old yank trucks with threadbare sheets n ropes (pre eu investment). PS I still fold me tarps up properly ☺️..

[@normanbarwise1386]

It was all about pride in your driving wagons loading and roping and sheeting if you could get a palletised load you thought it was your birthday it was hard work I started on a Bedford 5 ton t k for a produce firm at 18 that was my apprenticeship on ropes and sheets and progressed to the big stuff in the winter going up to Scotland I was told don’t forget to take a rope spanner with you the older drivers will know what it was happy days (I don’t know about that) we did it anyway best wishes to all the old pedal pushers. norm

[@truckinghistorymydiecastco5274]

Thank you for sharing your memories hope you are enjoying the channel 👍 ☺️

[@tilerman]

I remember as a 15 year old, over 40 years ago, my dad drove an artic carrying reels of copper wire. When the reels were dropped on the trailer the trailer visibly dropped from the weight. And then my dad through ropes over and through the reels and then done this 'thing' with his hands, so fast, and created a knot. He then pulled on the rope, with actually not much effort, and the reels of copper wire became unmoveable on the trailer. As a kid i was fascinated, how did that happen. On another note. The lorry was shared with other drivers who didn't take as much care of the vehicle as my old man. He wouldn't leave the yard until the cab, inside and out was washed down. Silly old sod!

[@MrJonah53]

Dolly knots are so easy to do, once you know, but to watch someone for the first time, is like WTF.

[@tilerman]

@@MrJonah53 I didn't know they were called dolly knots. And watching my old man do them was like, WTF. He was so fast. But what really amazed my young mind was the strength and tautness of the rope holding these reels of copper wire. It's probably hard to describe in a comment but how does one undo a dolly knot? I can't seem to remember how my dad undone one.

[@MrJonah53]

@@tilerman I would pull it down tight, and then do a twist round the trailer hook, undoing was just a reverse of that.

[@MrStabby19812]

My friend would appreciate your old man cleaning the cab out. He's found disgusting toilet bottles etc left for him.

[@benitopussolini544]

Piss jugs,can't beat em!

[@TheByard]

Late 60s early 70s I drove a 7 tonner ERF with a 5 pot Gardener lump and crash box, Before that it was a 3 ton Thames Trader and a Morris 5 ton all flat beds. The company was a civil engineering firm that specialized in tunneling and the loads I carried were the day to day materials used on the job, the plant had to be chained down and I had clips made to fasten the chain hooks to the chassis for extra strength. I've seen a photo of the ERF and its been fully restored painted grey and sign written as Chas Brand and Sons, Civil Engineering Contractors, 33 Welbeck St. London. I'd love to speak with the new owner. As I made maybe 30 trips from the co.'s plant yard in Colliers Wood, S. London to a new tunnel project un der the rivers Severn & Wye. With the center shaft at Beachley. So I headed down the part built M4 to Chepstow.

[@alexrobinson2281]

A lot depended on the quality of your equipment , the weather , and how much time you had . If you were only going say 50 miles they just got thrown on , 300 miles and you made a tidy job . I’m sure many modern day drivers could do it , just they don’t get the opportunity. Great video , thanks

[@glenjones6980]

Did bits and bobs of sheeting over the years but nothing regular and then did around 20 years transporters. I did a bit of RDC work with tautliners but always preferred something that I could stand back and admire knowing it had taken a bit of effort and skill to complete.

[@nickwillobey2205]

Preston's of Potto.....still trucking on!

[@Onthemove6801]

@nickwillobey2205 Prestons of Potto still going and still going strong! I was on a self-drive around Yorkshire when I came across their depot in Potto. I went into reception (much like the entrance to a country mansion) to ask if I could take some photos. While I was there two of their extended trailers loaded with steel girders left en route to my own area down south. The Potto depot is huge as is the trailer park on the opposite side of the road. Great photos!

[@williamboot9307]

Brought back great memories. It was hard work especially if you had a high load and pirouetting on top in a wind, you had to be careful you didn't fall off; then coming home black as a crow. The last few years when I worked on curtain siders I sometimes wouldn't even have to get into the back of the trailer for weeks on end. I still miss those days roping and sheeting but things are so much more efficient and safe now.

[@richardpattison5525]

Great video. How many drivers these days can rope and sheet..????? Not many..

[@nigelbevan8449]

I can, and I'm proud of it... The younger lorry driver these days wouldn't know what a dolly knot is....

[@MrJonah53]

I watch quite a few trucking vlogs on YT, and although most drivers have an idea about roping/sheeting, none can put that idea into practice.

[@leenewman4344]

Do lorry drivers know how to sheet down anymore? Some of those loads are a work of art, especially how they managed to get the companies' names straight!

[@stevefox6074]

those were the days enjoyable soaking wet cold no gloves but very profesinal all ways look better than tautliners used to carry plts fish paste washing machines steel coils rolls of paper roping and sheeting the dollys were always perfectly in line old age truckers very professional no sleeper cabs rock on still away from home all week .

[@james-to9vh]

Done a lot of ropes and covers here in republic of Ireland p and o flats was hard work retired now brings back the memories get no driver to do that now and there right

[@krakatoa1200]

I must be honest and say that some of those pictured, were not really up to scratch, but others looked great,, I took great pride in my roping and sheeting. when I started an older driver called Percy James, helped me a lot, and every time i roped and sheeted afterwards his words were in my ear. no flapping sheets, all the dollies at the same height, tidy folds back and front, etc etc.. Great times back then. Usually, the next job was to get to the Windrush for breakfast.

[@geoffjones9899]

i remember the windrush transport cafe back in the 60s great memories

[@nigelbevan8449]

Unfortunately, no longer there, its residential now... Oh Lord, they used to do a bloomin brilliant brekky there....

[@krakatoa1200]

@@geoffjones9899 Hi Geoff, when BRS more or finished, I did a night trunk from Monmouth to London every week night, and luckily the Windrush was still open until quite late, there used to be some dodgey dealings going on there some nights, but yes, what a great time to be a driver, not tachos no GPS we knew where we were going and got the job done.

[@krakatoa1200]

@@nigelbevan8449 Hi Nigel,, I bumped into an old driver mate last weekend and he did tell me that it was now residential such a shame, it was a great cafe and friendly staff ( ginger for one, do you remember him?)

[@geoffjones9899]

@@nigelbevan8449 yea brilliant and really good value for money and them big mugs of tea haha excellent place the windrush sadly i dont think theres a lot of those old transport cafes left now mostly the motorway services bloody rip off merchants they are

[@TheByard]

Good to see the Free Foresters Atkinson @2:27 There depot was in the Forest of Dean Gloucestershire and had an ancient charter granted by a King, name???? The allowed anybody born and bred with the borders of the forest to graze sheep and pigs in the forest without charge. To take fallen timber from the forest as long as one man could carry it with out help. Free Forest Transport also said it also allowed transport on the road with out having to pay road tax, how long they got away with out paying I don't know.

[@simonwhyld3003]

Was there ever a golden age of roping and sheeting? Perhaps if the weather was good, no wind and you had dry sheets and ropes that were in good condition and a complete set of hooks, you were always fighting a losing battle. Favourite cafe was the Frying Pan on the A303, open 24 hours until it burnt down.

[@nervo6321]

You could always tell when a Leyland Roadtrain went the other way on the motorway even in the dark, by the distinctive whine.

[@Dan23_7]

I’m going to watch this later 😁😁

[@julie652]

If you can doo one on Morris young transport Perth Scotland that would be well appreciated 👍👍

[@julie652]

❤️ your videos watch them all the time

[@truckinghistorymydiecastco5274]

Thank you glad your injoying the channel 👍 ☺️

[@trevorwanless5983]

Using backscotches carrying chocks all part of the job pigs ears oncorners good memories

[@topcat4759]

The days of proper British trucking. Although never a driver myself have heard many say it was quite a skill to rope everything down and make the load safe. Modern day curtain siders must be a doddle in comparison. Have several diecast flat bed Ford Transcontinental and Scammell Crusader models, sadly that's as close as I will get to the real thing! Being sat behind a desk all day not the same.

[@themayorofdipshittery3646]

Back when drivers had skills , helped each other and took pride in their work.

[@rfrf4420]

Very good

[@villainjohnnoel8075]

Hi from France, although i live in France now i grew up in Australia and started my driving career back in the late seventies.In Australia we call it tarping. I've seen more bad tarp (sheeting) jobs in England than good ones (sorry),here in France it's even worse,guess that's why they invented Tautliners. But yeah it's an art.Lost and forgotten forever now.

[@truckinghistorymydiecastco5274]

Welcome to the channel my friend i hope you enjoy the videos

[@Rob-on-the-Road]

We all have to learn? I've seen sheets flapping in the wind like a fuckin galleon in full sail. Sailing for the setting sun, freedom's their best friend, brothers of the highway, children of the wind? God bless you, brothers of the highway! X

[@villainjohnnoel8075]

@@Rob-on-the-Road hi there,bit like that old Hank Williams song "lost highway".

[@nickwillobey2205]

When driving was a professional game!

[@johndunley4071]

I learnt to rope and sheet age 14 went shunting in port talbot steel works try throwing a sheet full of ice this is a dying art give me sheets I'd be happy

[@truckinghistorymydiecastco5274]

Thank you sharing your memories

[@susansullivan9255]

Company im working for still does roping and sheeting. Hauling steel and fertiliser..

[@Rob-on-the-Road]

Ropes won't hold steel, chains it is ? And a reinforced fuckin headboard or 'headache rack' as the Yanks call 'em?

[@MrTNR]

Where are the photos of sideway rain and wind trying to hold onto the flysheet with chapped hands, with your hands bleeding from tightening the ropes with figure eight knots. And what is a forklift?!!!!

[@stevewebster317]

Whatever became of Robsons of Carlisle? they were once a common sight right up to the 1980`s.

[@Rob-on-the-Road]

Some good sheeting there, others, could do better! 😉

[@benitopussolini544]

Shocking that many drivers these days can't tie rope. convenience, humanitys downfall!

[@jasongentle6446]

How many trucks drivers today can do wagon knot 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤔🤔🤔

[@waynekerr3399]

Wouldn't mind a pound for every Dolly knot ive tied

[@loukendall2871]

Ask the new drivers now 🙄 they won't have a clue

[@tilerman]

They wouldn't no, but never the less, they still carry out a vital role.