Week Beginning 19th October 2025
“Storm Benjamin, Flat Tyres, and a Cherry Picker Showdown”
If there’s one thing you can always count on in this line of work, it’s that no two days are ever the same. From wrangling with rogue trailer tyres to testing out new cherry pickers, this week has been full of action, problem-solving, and a few good laughs along the way.
Monday – Garage Tetris and a Family Afternoon
The week began with the kind of weather that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally moved to Scotland. Rainy, cold, and miserable, perfect conditions not to be in a cherry picker.
So, instead of braving the elements, I spent the morning tackling the chaos in my garage. Since moving out of the chicken shed, everything had been dumped back in there like a game of DIY Jenga. Half a day of tidying later, I could finally walk in without tripping over something or swearing under my breath.
After that, I carried out a roof survey near Hoveringham, looking at a few chimneys, ridge tiles, and hips. Once the report was sent off, I swapped the hi-vis for family time, it’s half term after all. We took a trip out to Sports Direct in Shirebrook, did a bit of shopping, and made the most of a quiet afternoon together.
Tuesday – Flat Tyres and Field Fixes
Tuesday took me to Richardson Street in Derby, where I met a roofer (Harry) to investigate a leak near some ridge tiles. Parking was a bit of a nightmare, imagine parallel parking a truck and trailer on a street the width of a chocolate digestive. I managed it… sort of. The curb bit back, and one trailer tyre went pop.
Despite that, we got the cherry picker off and inspected the ridge tiles, only to find they were watertight. The real culprit was a vent pipe inside the loft, so we put everything back together and sorted it. Tyre repaired, I headed to Woodborough Road for a quick roof survey, too busy to work safely that day, so I decided to come back another time.
Finished off in Tollerton, finally installing bird mesh around solar panels for a returning customer, a job I quoted over a year ago. Proof that patience sometimes does pay off!
Wednesday – Gutters, Paint, and a Bit of Tree Wrestling
Midweek meant kicking off my annual maintenance week at Trent College in Long Eaton, something I’ve been doing for eight years running. Armed with the spider cherry picker, I got stuck into clearing gutters and tackling high-level maintenance around the school.
I even lent a hand to John the painter, helping him finish a red section on the science block apex that had been missed previously.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper day without a bit of cherry picker drama. The protective trays for the hydraulic hoses fell off twice, once because they came loose, and again because I managed to get tangled in a tree. Fixed both times, with only minor muttering.
Thursday – Storm Benjamin Goes Missing
The forecast promised a battering from Storm Benjamin, so I came prepared for battle, new Gravity coat from Dassie, waterproofs, and wellies courtesy of Granite Workwear.
Except… Storm Benjamin never turned up. Not a gust, not a drop. I spent the day clearing gutters at Trent College, sweating away in full rain gear under calm skies. Still, the job’s coming along nicely and the gutters are looking spotless.
Friday – New Toys and a Rip-Roaring Success
Friday started with a promise kept, I let Hannah get her morning walk in before heading out. A small delay that paid off in brownie points.
First job: removing the wooden tool box from my cherry picker trailer so I could head up to Promax in Barnsley and collect a Platform Basket 2095 Spider Cherry Picker for testing.
The team at Promax were brilliant, letting me spend time in the yard learning the controls, removing the basket, testing narrow mode, the works.
Then it was back to Nottingham to put it straight to work at Nottingham High School, repairing slipped lead on a hip run. The 2095 performed beautifully, smooth, steady, and precise. A rip-roaring success.
Before heading home, I popped into The Park Estate Nottingham to survey some cracked cast-iron downpipes, then swung by Devonshire Drive in Sherwood to inspect some chimneys. A long day, but a good one.
Saturday – Clock Towers, Tight Gaps, and Tesco
Rounded off the week back at Trent College, using the 2095 to reach some awkward spots. First job: fixing bird spikes on the clock tower, an area I’ve never been able to reach with the 1890 Pro. Then I tested its narrow access skills, squeezing through an 850mm-wide gap to clear gutters in the quadrant. The machine handled it perfectly.
After that, it was time for the ultimate test of endurance, Tesco with the wife. Because even after a week of storms (that didn’t show up), machinery, and rooftops, the real challenge is keeping Hannah happy.
Weekly Round-Up
Another week of mixed weather, mechanical battles, and maintenance wins. The Platform Basket 2095 impressed me with its height and agility, but whether it can knock the 1890 Pro off its perch remains to be seen.
From Derby’s curbs to Trent’s clock tower, it’s been a solid week of graft, laughter, and problem-solving, just how I like it.
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👕 Workwear Sponsored by Granite Workwear
If Storm Benjamin had actually shown up, I’d have been ready for him – waterproofed, windproofed, and smugly dry in my Dassie Gravity coat from Granite Workwear.
Instead, I spent the day sweating in full storm gear under clear blue skies.
So whether it’s sideways rain, blazing sun, or a surprise Tesco run, Granite have me covered — quite literally.
