Rodney Maynard

Well don't plan on buying one or spending over 2k to do the training. 

That would nice but no farmer I know will let you use there equipment.

I appreciate the update with Cat H training from Nick at Tanks Alot. I did drop my interest for a while. Earlier this year phoned a local company in Norfolk again as found out he had a tracked agricultural vehicle and was training with it. Ask about finally doing my Cat H and Cat G. My mouth dropped when he said 1800 pounds for Cat H and 2300 Cat G. If anyone knows anyone who can do a special deal for please get in touch would be much appreciated. Ps not paying that lol 😆 

Doesn't suprise me and I can't see them existing by then. 

I haven't contacted dvsa but with the driver shortage on hgv side I think tests for G and H will be put on the back burner or changed at some point. I would to do both of them but can't see it happening. I think the only way you might get the a H licence is asking a farmer for his challenger or own one yourself and chances of getting a test at present pretty low. 

Yeah that's my current job. 

43 minutes ago, Jimy2bins said:

Hello, I'm looking at doing my h license aswell but think the price doubling in the last few years is disgusting.  From what I understand about what nick mead has said is, he was told by dvsa that they will only do it using the tracked tractor now and it has to be in traffic. I can understand that buying the challenger tractor and the cost of the rubber tracks mean he was looking at increasing the price. Not sure if the tester will come to you anymore.  They were going to do away with the h license, but realised some people do need it so just decide to make it a lot harder,  I suspect to put of Joe blogs from getting it to drive military stuff on the road. If anyone has found anything recently that is concrete please share. 

I was told that dvla were considering getting rid of the cat H and the F tractor and put them under the hgv license. My info came from a museum as he wants to do his and a local company who trained Cat h and G road rollers can't get insurance to do Cat H anymore. Not sure how concrete it is and nothing on the dvsa website. 

1 minute ago, SirLanceUK said:

When I did my h it was in an Argocat which had handlebars... but I know Nick told me they weren’t allowed to use it any more, so they sold it and brought a huge tractor thing

I thought as long as it had tracks it was OK 

2 minutes ago, Oh Five said:

Just a slight off-set on this topic.  If someone is looking for a vehicle to start providing training for the H Licence, how about using on of these?  

https://uk-tracks.com/models/tinger-track-2/

The website says that they can be road registered.

As the vehicle is 'steered by tracks',  does it matter whether that is by levers or 'motorcycle handlebars'.

I'm sure these would be legal.

1 hour ago, terryb said:

it is exempt from being road legal for the test, as the H licence is legally required in certain instances, ie unloading and loading tracked plant where it involves crossing or travelling roadways

I have asked about this and was told it has to have a registration plate, insurance, and tax if applicable because you could go on the road. I know some people have stated they never went on a road but you can't guarantee that. 

2 minutes ago, Diana and Jackie said:

Your problem will come getting insurance, you can be added to someone else's who owns and drives a class H, but as a learner you are unlikely to get insurance to drive on a public highway.
I taught a friend to drive my CVRT, from Europe as a learner on my insurance, cost about £50 for a i

Yeah that's when your in a catch 22 and wouldn't have a problem paying any administration costs like that but alot of farmers don't want to risk their machines which I can understand to a point. Always keeping my eyes open and never know something may come up. 

Yeah worth a try thanks. To be honest I would just like the equipment and I could teach myself I know what they do on the  test and what is expected. I spoke with a ex trainer few years back and said if your paying anymore then couple hundred pounds doing cat H and G tests your getting ripped off. He put a load of people through  using plant machinery which was road legal but stopped doing it and did try and persuade him to help but nothing as doing other stuff now. 

Yeah I don't think it's a hard test but if you take it seriously and prepare right. You never know what sort of examiner you going to get one that is experienced in tracked vehicles and ones not lol. 

Yeah I know I was a bit confused about that. I hold lorry and bus and H test doesn't compare with them at all. 

3 hours ago, terryb said:

I would begrudge paying such a huge amount for a H test that lasts about 45 minutes! May I suggest you read 'the official DVSA guide to tractor and specialist vehicle driving tests' (HMSO publication) this shows exactly what the H test entails, book your test ( I think its still £62) the examiner will come to you or a place of your choosing. Preferably use your own vehicle if it is road legal, or at worst, rent a mini digger.

inexpensive, easy, and you don't have to put up with all the BS! 

Yeah have tried this route with plant companys but is finding equipment that is road legal. I can rent equipment but none of  it road legal and they won't help you to make it legal  not interested but haven't given up just yet. 

That's them and yes only 1 day course and that use to be 660 pound. When phoned up about it and asked if they would do it for 500 as private didn't want to know and then said they had stopped doing it for now but still advertising it. Then few months later the price nearly doubled. I don't mind paying 500 odd to do it but not in the thousands just a rip off. The cat G will be more of a challenge as not alot places that do it. Essex steam museum used to do it for 580 pound on a diesel but when I contacted them this year they had stopped doing it a while back. 

2 minutes ago, MatchFuzee said:

Total Driving, based in East Anglia. 

Prices
6 Hours (1 day) – £1112 (Suitable for LGV/PCV driver)
10 Hours (2 days) – £1812 (Suitable for non LGV/PCV driver)
Prices include the practical test fee of £62.

https://www.totaldriving.net/other/h-tracked-vehicle-training/

Looking at their prices, Tanks-Alot's 2 day £1,200+VAT course doesn't look so expensive. 

 

For help with a G licence, you could try a local steam club or rally. I'm not suggesting that you take a test on a steam roller but I have seen diesel rollers at shows. 

53 minutes ago, Daftrucker said:

Please post how you get on as I'm still interested 

Will do 

Fair point will make some phone calls to see if any could help. Thanks 

I'm sure museums don't train or let you use equipment to train to valuable. That would be great at tanksalot with tractor crawler but I can't justify 1200 plus VAT. Another place in Ipswich area has cat h training vehicle ex military vehicle and price not to bad compared to most but then doubled it to what tanksalot charge. I tried to haggle but they were not interested at all and found them not very nice to deal with. 

Most probably have been hit with changes so understand the frustration. I want to do it for arigculture side of things not tank use. 

Yeah about right. My class 1 cost me 1100 pound but a few years backs now and I already had the my cpc through acquired rights. 

Yeah Svt didn't sound very happy to be honest and never got a explanation about why they stopped training at their centre. Obviously covid a part of it but most training company's are running now but probably can't get the examiners maybe not sure. 

Tanksalot are in Northampton and don't mind travelling but 1200 pound to do a course. My hgv and pcv training didn't cost that lol. 

Yes spoke with this company but they have stopped testing and training on their site. They just send out instructors to people now and basically told me that's life lol. Asking local farmers tried that not interested either to busy or won't risk the machine which I can understand. I have been down the plant route but none of my local firms have equipment that is road legal and not interested in helping really even when I have offered to pay.