Tunbury Primary School gets Artificial Grass – part 2
The first day on site
Arrival – 9.48 Hours at Tunbury Primary School in Kent
“What possibly could go wrong”? I thought as I pulled into the gates at the school 15 minutes later than planned. Everything was the answer. This is how my day rolled out on my first day on this school artificial grass project…I wished I’d stayed in bed!
9.50 – Large van with 3 man team followed me in the grassmobil through the school gates
9.58 – Took the wrong turn and got stuck in a small overfilled car park.
10.07 – After a few complex manoeuvres we were out and found the caretaker who pointed us in the correct direction.
10.15 – We exited the school as directed, to where we could access the area at the rear of the school.
10.18 – Caretaker comes round but doesn’t have the key to get us under the height restriction barrier, so access via this way isn’t happening as he cannot get hold of the key today.
10.21 – Caretaker informs us we can access via the fields round the other side of the school.
10.28 – A few complex manoeuvres later we are back in the small car park where we started from 45 minutes ago.
10.37 – The caretaker arrives back round to show us the way, it is here he informs us that a tree has come down in the storm and is currently lying across the area to be grassed and to enquire if we were any good with a hand saw!
10.39 – One thing at a time! We drive down a very narrow gravel handmade road to the fields…yep; I think you can kind of get the gist of what is going to happen next.
10.46 – I drive my car across the field to see a big tree smothering the area to be grassed.
10.53 – Dave from my install team runs across the field to tell me the van is stuck.
10.53 to 10.57 – Expletives.
10.58 – All hands on deck trying to move the van.
11.30 – We decide I should drive back to my yard and get another van to tow it out.
12.15 – I arrive back and try towing the big van with the little van…
12.18 – The smell of a burning clutch wafts through the air.
12.37 – We give up, it’s not moving.
12.52 – After talking to the AA I’m kindly informed I’m not covered, as it’s not on the road but they will send someone to get me out at my cost.
1.30 – The boys eventually start work on the area getting timbers in place around the perimeter, these had to be carried on shoulder across the playing field from the stranded van.
2.45 – After a chat with Miss King who quickly realised I was half way to having a breakdown things started going our way.
2.48 – The rain stopped.
3.05 – The chap turns up with a 4 x 4 and pulls my van out in 8 minutes.
3.13 – I hand over my card details to the tune of £408 (ouch ouch ouch).
3.27 – Miss King informs us all the keys and permission has been organised for the top dry car park for Tuesday.
3.30 – I ring my skip, aggregates, and hire company to tell them the good news.
3.37 – I leave the boys to finish up and head home not going over 20 mph on the motorway in case a crater opens up and swallows me.
To be continued…
