Lorry plate help please?

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Pidge

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Just got back from Oz, and have finally ploughed through mountains of post. Nothing re my lorry needing to be plated on the 7th feb. Are they supposed to send something through? Where can I find out where to take it? Sorry to be 'blonde' but this is my first lorry and first plating.
 
If you lorry was done last feb, it will not expire until the end of this month
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No they don't send anything through. What size is your lorry? Check the dates as the 7th Feb is probably the day it was plated and underneath that it should say that the plate won't run out until the last day of the month - so 28th feb. I always take my lorry back to be plated in the first week of the next month so for you say 1st march and then your new plate won't expire until 31st march and you get an extra month free - hope that makes sense. If you took it back 28th feb, it would run out 28th feb.

You need to take it to a VOSA test centre, which is good as they aren't a garage and won't fail your box to make money like some car garages might do.

I've only got the bristol test centre numer 01179661419 but they will probably be able to tell you your nearest or google?

I always take the box myself and then fix anything that needs sorting. It works out cheaper that way - but is quite scary driving over the pit. They will also let you do minor repairs on site, so take some spanners with you or smile nicely at the other lorry drivers as they will all try to help you as well - this only works if you are a woman.
 
thanks for the quick replies guys, much appreciated.
God I hate being blonde, have just got the cert out and it is valid till the end of feb 07. Dieseldog you are fab
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At least that gives me a bit more time to get it booked in. what is driving over the pit? think I may have to dress up a bit and perhaps wear a bit of make up (only wear it once in a blue moon now) and smile at some nice truckers
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Is it worth getting a new battery as it failed to start yesterday and had to be jump started, it was then fine. It had been stood outside in all this bad weather since the end of December as horses were on hols in Cotswolds whereas at home it is totaly under cover.
 
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Guide%20for%20Horsebox%20Owners.pdf

That's VOSA's leaflet on getting your horsebox through the test. The thing that I was told is to make sure the underneath is as clean as possible as it gives a good impression. Oh and be nice to them - they're only doing a job and if you piss them off they WILL find something to fail it on.


"Driving over the pit" They have a big inspection pit and want you to park over it so they can have a good fiddle with the underneath of the lorry - it feels like it's a yawning chasm going to swallow you up. Take a deep breath and look at the nice man directing you rather than the awful hole!

As for the battery, it's not checked at plating (neither is the inside of the horse compartment nor the floor or anything like that) so you only need to replace it if it's causing you a problem - do check that all the cells have enough water in before deciding it's duff though - they are not cheap.

Good luck
 
Worth getting booked in sooner rather than later as know when one of the guys up the yard tried to book his in there was a 6 week wait!!! (luckily mines only a 3.5ton so has a normal MOT).
 
thanks Jemina, useful booklet. As its a 7.5ton tilt cab do I still need to drive over the pit? it sounds scary. Never had any problem with starting the lorry since I bought it in April even after being left for a month but normally its under cover.
 
Yup you still need to drive over the pit.

I found that they were all very helpful when I told them that I was very nervous and that I'd not had to do this before and that I'd done the best job of preparation that I could - mind you the next time I went back they took the micky something rotten because as I got to the testing station the rad blew and dumped all it's water. They agreed to MOT her with no rad after the engine cooled down and when I started her up the clutch went! (Turned out to be a split plastic pipe - no big drama). So I was there three times in as many weeks! And she had to be towed home twice. Which is a good point, if you are nervous about your lorry passing do check that your breakdown cover will cover collecting from the testing station if it's given a prohibition notice. Mine was covered which was lucky because with the brakes in the state they were in there was no way they wanted me to drive her ANYWHERE!

FYI the testing place I use is a giant shed. You park up outside till called and then drive to the front of the shed. They have a good look round the lorry and tap it's wheels and chassis etc and check that the outside looks ok, they also check windscreen wipers, lights, indicators and time to get the brakes to pressure etc. Then you drive it forward into the shed and over the pit. They position you next to a speaker so you can hear any instructions they give you and they have a good look underneath and check the steering by waggling it about. Then you drive to a set of rollers (still in the shed) and they test the front brakes, then you move forward so the back wheels are on the rollers and they test the back brakes. And I think that's it apart from waiting for them to bring your certificate out after you have parked up round the back.

Hope this helps
 
thanks Jemina, sounds like you had an eventful time! That's brilliant re what actually happens, doesn't sound quite so bad now. Do you load anything on your lorry as the leaflet mentions loading it so that the brakes can be tested accurately but with 2 horses weighing 1150kg between them I think I might struggle to recreate that
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The first time she went the brakes failed (dramatically - they couldn't understand how I'd managed to drive her!) and I was advised when I took her the second to time to load her up. I was in a bit of a difficult position as because she had a prohibition order I wasn't supposed to go anywhere except to the testing station by the most direct route. Luckily we had a load of railway sleepers and we loaded her with 12 of those. I have no idea how heavy she was - couldn't get to a weighbridge.

I'm now told not to bother loading up unless she fails on the brakes - in which case the extra load my help the brake reading in some way.

If you phone your testing station and tell them that this is your first time and to be gentle and please could they advise then hopefully they will tell you what the preferred practice is at their testing station. I really don't think most of them are bothered!
 
bloody hell, how did you manage to get 12 railway sleepers on? Will ask them when I ring to book in, thanks ever so much for your help. Just hope it passes ok now!
 
can't even imagine moving one let alone 12. will definately ask them if I need to load anything in it before taking it down.
 
I've never cleaned my lorry before taking it and they've never moaned about it being dirty. One year it failed the emmissions test, so the tester got in and did the accelerator bit for me and it passed. They are really nice. They try very hard to pass a horebox as they appreciate that we all drive at zero miles per hour once a week. I got a new battery for mine this year and it was £56 with vat so they aren't that bad, might be worth getting a isolator fitted or removing the fuse to the tacho whilst its parked up.
 
mine has gone in for its plating now well plan is will be plated in first few days of feb anyway. It wouldn't start so had to be collected by my mechanic who thankfully got it going.

I never take mine in personally due to time/conveinance etc but have a very good friendly lorry mechanic who does it all. I have only had it fail once in 5 years and that was on something relatively minor and passed on resubmission a few days later when sorted.
 
cool, the battery doesn't sound too bad either I thought it would be mega bucks! Ok now that sounds too technical for me, I am blonde after all
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to stop the lorry I have to pull a knob out and can then take the keys out. I have to push the knob in before it will start, is that an isolator? what does the fuse to the taco do?
 
Love going to the testing station is lots of fun.

But i do agree about driving over the pit...if I think about it now, my tummy starts to flutter. So long as you do exactly what they say, whilst directing you over it, you'll be fine
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just how big is this pit thing then? is there much room for error as I've now got images of driving into the pit!
 
It's not particularly wide, but it is difficult to judge your positioning over it, whilst driving. I tend to grip steering wheel, pull scarred face and follow man's instructions!

Am very relieved when it's over for another year.

Although last year had to go back for brake retest and drive over it again, to get to brake testing rollers
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ooh dear think I may have to play on the dumb blonde aspect and get some help methinks! I've only just mastered reversing it under the hay barn next to the other lorry. There is only about 2' either side of lorry and wall.
 
i was told by the testing station that i didnt need to load the lorry up for its test. mine failed on brakes and had to be towed home,next time one of the brake lights was working as and when it felt like it so it failed again but i was allowed to drive it home myself that time! the 3rd time i took it i had a youngish bloke do the testing and he took the p something cronic, ie cringing and covering his eyes as i drove over the dreaded pit, generally winding me up something cronic ,and i dont tend to get wound up easily but this was the 3rd time id taken it..by the end of it i had to tell him to step back a foot before i lumped him one!! lol. glad its only once a year it needs doing!
 
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