1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192 
Point of difference
Page 71
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Family firm James of Stokesley in North YoRshire has found an unusual market niche — it deliv€ tailor-made used vehicles.
The 30-year-old business James of Stokesley sells 300 used trucks and trailers a year, with 50 vehicles going through its dedicated bodyshop with the Sterling Coachworks brand, headed up by Antony James.
While one-stop-shop body construction is a main part of the business, senior partner Adrian James says the company has also moved into the overseas and export markets, turning the business into an all-rounder.
After starting up in Bristol the business relocated to Stokesley, North Yorkshire, 10 years ago and started the truck bodybuilding shop.
In the past four years, it has expanded to design and sell bodies for trailers and drawbars, but specialises in heavy plant beavertails and removals van bodywork.
The chassis-cabs are bought in via private or direct purchase rather than by using auctions or bulk acquisitions, and bodybuilding is also carried out on new vehicles from the manufacturers.There are 30-40 vehicles in stock at any time.
On our visit this week a Mercedes 7.5-tonner was having a narrow body fitted for tight width regulations in Jersey; a second 4x2 rigid was being stretched; and an 8x4 rigid was having a drt-m kir coupling fitted.
Current stock A Volvo FL6 18 4x2 rigid with a sleeper cab has a low-profile double-slope beavertail on 285/60 tyres, offering a 9.0-tonne payload potential.W922 LAJ arrived straight from the manufacturer, was plated in 2000 and has clocked up 203.000km. It has a 250hp engine with eight-speed transmission and runs on air suspension.The 27ft body has hydraulic ramps, pneumatic air support legs. and a heavy-duty winch capable of pulling 9,0001b. Asking price is £25,900 (ex-VAT).
The company's other core area is removals, and W480WMA is a Daf CF85 380 with a sixdoor loadspace built on the chassis, catering for six standard furniture containers.This started life as a tractor, but has been stretched.
The 380hp engine, impressive for 18 tonnes, has a 16-speed gearbox and 240.000km on the dial.The 4.0m-high body is fitted behind a three-berth sleeper cab with a tailor-made pod fitted to the cab, The price for this vehicle is £45,900 (ex-VAT). •