Page 109 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"
P. 109
I received his phone call, it was now quite late at night. Michael explained that the lorry
just would not go again without work and could I collect him.
This latter part of the tale he reminded me recently was indelible in his memory because
he ended up walking all the way from
Dunham almost to Lincoln, over 10
miles, before I found him!(Picture of
Lincoln from direction of Dunham.)
The next day was Saturday. We needed
to get the lorry back. It had to be towed!
I was out somewhere loading and Albert
(our only other HGV driver) was on his
rest days.
We called in Colin, my brother in law,
who held an HGV licence and had not
driven his lorry for a couple of days. He
had driving hours to spare.
Colin and Michael proceeded to Dunham in Albert’s Maxiload with a rigid tow bar.
If they were to bring the Ford home its engine would not be running so there would be no
brake effort. It had to be on the end of a steel bar so the other lorry would provide all the
stopping and starting etc.
All set up, they set off and
ran up the approach to the
toll bridge at Dunham.
Colin in front in the towing
vehicle paid his dues and
moved off, completely
forgetting that behind him
was another vehicle,
attached!
The toll booth operator was apoplectic. Michael sailed past without stopping and with his
hands in the air!
The toll booth bar was raised again in the nick of time and two lorries got thorough for the
price of one!
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