The spirit moves for BP
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• BP has invested £1/2 million in five ERF E14-32TT-drawn NE! Thompson Tankers 32,000-litre artic combinations for its London terminals and has an option on another £2 million worth later in-the year.
The five, bottom-loadable tandem-axled white spirit tankers are designed for working at up to 38 tonnes GCW and will replace older top loading 30,000-litre tank trailers that are restricted to 32 tonnes gross.
While the day-cabbed tractors have BP's standard Cummins Super E320, Fuller RTX11609A gearbox and Rockwell S-160E rear axle drive line, all five tankers are built to NET Thompson's latest 'Hi-Stability' lower height design.
Within their 3.05m (unladen) overall height, the new tankers have a greatly lowered (1.80m laden) centre of gravity. This is achieved by adopting Hendrickson Norde's Mk6 low-height tandem rubber suspension arrangement for the running gear which comprises twin RO-R TMT 2251013MX axles, each rated at 9.4 tonnes and complete with 265/70R 19.5in tyre equipment.
In addition, NEI Thompson Tankers, which is part of the Rolls Royce group, mount the five-compartment aluminium alloy stepped tank on an aluminium girder frame redesigned to couple with standarilheight tractor units.
Extensive use of aluminium throughout helps keep the tanker's tare weight down to 5,460kg (unladen). With the fully equipped ERF E14's tipping the scale at 7,560kg, liquid loads of between 28,900 and 32,000 litres can be carried depending on the products' specific gravity.
With an overall length of 10.56km (9.31m, kingpin to rear), BP's new tank trailers are slightly longer than the 32tonne tankers that they replace but, says transport administrator Mike Nickels, the extra capacity makes them much more cost effective. Although the five have not undergone the same extensive trials and testing programme undertaken by Charles Roberts Engineering for its innovative Lowmax tanker, BP is satisfied that Thompson's new design will more than meet its operational criteria.
From BP's experience, it expects them to have an inservice life of at least 12 years and to get over 800,000kms out of the vehicles before they need a major overhaul.
Tank fittings include Emco manlids. Alfons Haar footvalves, dipsticks and vapour recovery equipment together with Drum cargo delivery and control. For BP, Thompson has enclosed the faucet valves (API's), vapour recovery couplings and overspill socket within a full-width cabinet. This replaces its original guard bar but retains the pneumatic safe-lock system connected to the trailer park brakes to ensure adequate safety when unloading.
French doors
• French holding company Fontenay Finance has acquired Henderson Mobile's Romford, Essex and Blade I, Holland vehicle shutter door factories.
Fontenay also owns the French door builder FIT.