Ford Cargo 1715
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The first proper truck I drove as a qualified Class 1 employee was the Ford Cargo 1715. I used the 17-tonner, built in 1981, for multi-drop work across the South West.
Despite competition from the noisy cab, a woefully poor engine, the ‘try a gear, any gear’ gearbox, and freely rotating wing mirrors, it was the steering that remains long in the memory.
Half-a-turn play on the steering wheel, combined with the turning-circle of a ferry, made it a genuine challenge. Keeping it on the A37 Yeovil-Bristol road was my first battle, followed by trying to park in the city centre, negotiating roundabouts and careering down the M5 like a bull in a china shop.
The worst was left to last, and I still get nightmares from the series of ‘close shaves’ on the A39 Bridgwater Street road and the harrowing faces of oncoming drivers as the truck pitched violently from left to right and back again.
I take credit for getting it back in one piece, and subsequently drove it for six months before leaving. It’s surprising what you get used to.
Kevin Swallow (deputy technical editor)