Towing test - after 1997!

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Lissie2

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So just after info re cost etc. How many lessons did you have beforehand? Im rubbish spacially and predict that towing a trailer won't come naturally lol. What does the test involve? How much were lessons and how much was your test? Thanks x
 
The courses round here (Newcastle and Northumberland) were about £400-£600 for a 2 day course and included the cost of the test xx
 
At over a hundred quid a pop you don't want to fail.

I passed with no faults but had done a lot of towing with my own trailer. I had one lesson with an instructor to brush up on stuff then did the test in his set up (very important).
 
Depends on prior experience to the training

With experience it is possible to do it in one day - AM training with PM test

WHY DO YOU NEED TO DO THE TEST because if only got one horse then you can with the right set up tow on your current B licence - see post number 2000 of the top link in my signature below
That post also includes the B+E learner supervising rules
 
thanks ROG. I'm in Cambs. Not planning o do anything until next year... Just doing my research really. So, I have a VW T26 gross weight is 2600kg. Will need to tow a 500 kg horse. What single trailer could I buy to legally tow? X
 
Lissie2 said:
thanks ROG. I'm in Cambs. Not planning o do anything until next year... Just doing my research really. So, I have a VW T26 gross weight is 2600kg. Will need to tow a 500 kg horse. What single trailer could I buy to legally tow? X
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NONE because with a GVW of 2600 it only leaves a max plated weight for a trailer of 900

To tow on a B licence with a 500 horse and a trailer with an empty weight of 675 (bateson derby) down plated from 1700 to 1200 would mean a max vehicle GVW of 2300 = a bit tight so I would recommend GVW 2200 for vehicle and 1300 for trailer

conclusion = B+E test or lower GVW vehicle
 
Cost me about £600 all in, did five hours training in one day and then another hour before the test the following morning.

Spent a lot of time shunting a truck and trailer around the yard to figure out the reversing a little bit beforehand so I wasn't completely new to it.
 
I did mine after a one day course which was really only a half day course as it turned out and I did it with a friend so we got it for a discounted price of £295 inc. test fee instead of the normal £355. We did the training together in the one car with the instructor. I had no road towing experience but had spent a lot of time with a borrowed trailer practicing the reversing manouevre. I wouldn't have passed if I hadn't done that and I'm fairly confident about my general driving. I think if you're a bit wobbly anyway and especially with the spacial awareness issue I would go for a longer course. It was actually not an easy test and I found the whole day quite stressful as did my friend. But we did both pass and I only got 2 minors!

Very much depends on if your general driving and road awareness is good and if you can get plenty of reversing practice in beforehand as to whether you go for a one day course or a longer one.
 
The test is ridiculously easy, but needs you to do things their set way. I had two half days of training followed by the test. To be honest, the instructor and I were bored driving round and round as I'd been towing for months on L plates with Dad.
 
I did mine last year, £300 including test fee with a half day training before it. We've got a small 4x4 and trailer I could tow on my B licence so I went out a few times before to practice my reversing!
 
I was £315 this year for for my test and 5 hours training on the morning of my test. I did practise the reversing manoeuvre a few times at home and general driving prior to my test which helped! I paid £20 to my instructor for an assessment on how much training I would need before the test.
 
Wow, that's a lot of money!

I had one lesson at start, then spent ages driving with trailer on L plates to shows etc. And practiced reversing on yard. Spent a lot of time practicing manoeuvres and parking in asda car parks :p
Then had second lesson day before test to make sure I had no bad habits. Passed!
Think cost £150 lessons & test together.
 
I teach it and tend to show a pupil (candidate) how to do the hitch/unhitch and the reverse exercise. Then depending on what they require, I suggest the go away and practice it all and come back nearer to the test. I encourage them to spend time (if they've got access to a trailer/tow car) to practice towing.

On the day of the test you'll arrive at the test centre, park up and wait for your examiner to call your name, you'll then answer some questions on the car/trailer (show me/tell me) do the reverse exercise, go for a drive which will include an independent drive (usually following simple instruction like follow signs for A23 London) once back at the test centre you'll do the unhitch/hitch exercise.

Bare in mind that this is the pattern the test usually follows but at a busy test centre if there's more than one test at the same time the order of the test will vary otherwise you might have quite a wait before you get to do your reverse and sit watching someone do it.

Costs vary depending on where in the country someone is and how each instructor conducts the course, some will do it on an hour by hour basis or other's will do it on days/half days. Generally if you've never towed before you'd need approx 2 days inc the test.

Hope that is of some help.
 
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