After a few months of bus lessons with Mike from Cotswold Green, the time had come for my 1 1/2 days of "official" training, followed by the test on the second afternoon.I arrived at the training centre near Stroud at 8am and met my instructor, Will, who explained that unfortunately the coach was in Cirencester, so we had to drive over there to start with. We got there and found the coach we would be using, and found the next problem: no "L" plates ! A quick trip to the local garage sorted that out, and eventually we were ready to go.
Will explained the controls particular to this coach, and we set off towards Gloucester, where the majority of the training would take place. The lessons spent with Mike paid off, as I was fairly confident with using the gears, and also with the size of the vehicle, and we headed through Cirencester and out onto the A419 to Gloucester.
When we arrived in Gloucester, we started going round areas likely to be travelled on the test, with Will telling me how specific things had to be done in order to win the approval of the examiner. After about 2 1/2 hours, we stopped at a food wagon, and had a cup of tea and a break from driving, then it was off back to the training centre at Stroud, for maneuvering practice in the yard.
After reversing the coach around the yard between cones, and stopping in a small yellow box several times, we were back out for more normal road training around Gloucester. At the end of the day, we went back to Cirencester to drop the coach off, and then I went back to the Cotswold Green yard, but I was too tired to do any shunting, so I went home !
The next day started well, with a good drive from Cirencester to Gloucester, and then off around some more test routes. we then went back for more maneuvering practice, and a few tries at emergency stops. After lunch we headed over to the test centre, and as we got closer, I got more and more nervous! We met up with Mike at the centre, as he was very keen to see what happened at the final hurdle !
The examiner kept me waiting for about 5 minutes, but I thought it prudent not to complain ! When he arrived we went out to the coach and he explained how the test would go. First up was the "S" shaped reverse into a marked bay, which went fine until I drove into a shadow and lost sight of my marker on the wheel arch - luckily I managed to lean out the window and regain my bearings, and completed the task successfully.
Next up was the emergency stop, where I had to accelerate up to 20mph and then stop in one coach length. This went without incident and we then went out onto the road where we ended up behind several Gypsy caravans being pulled by horses. This held us up for about 10 minutes, but once we had got round them, the rest of the tent went very well, and I was incredibly relieved when we got back to the centre and the examiner told me that I had passed !
Mike and Will came over to join me, and after a quick chat with the examiner, the "L" plates were removed from the coach, and I drove back to Cirencester, with my two trainers as my first passengers I had carried as a qualified driver !
Back to the Cotswold Green depot then, to pass on the good news to Rob and the others. After a coffee and a chat, I headed for home, where my lovely wife had baked me a celebratory cake !
