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Earlier this month, more than 4,000 tapdancers with Roy Castle in their midst became Record-Breakers at Manchester's G-Mex centre. Last week half that number softshoe-shuffled around the latest developments in temperature-controlled vehicles and equipment at the seventh annual TCS&D exhibition.
• BOC Distribution Services had its new Eclipse semi-trailer on display, built in conjunction with systems supplier Transfrig and trailer manufacturer GRP Massey.
It combines mechanical and cryogenic refrigeration to accurately maintain multi compat tment temperatures and is aimed at the secondary distribution market.
It uses liquid nitrogen to drop the temperature rapidly to -25°C if necessary, switching over to Transfrig's quiet, undermount mechanical cooling unit for inter-urban running between deliveries.
Eclipse, which can be applied to trailers with up to six compartments has fully integrated control over internal temperatures, with automatic or individual switching between the two systems.
The first tri-section Eclipse trailer begins fleet evaluation next month.
With the accent on ensuring maximum shelf life for perishable products, BOC's Freshtrailer incorporates both temperature and atmosphere control.
Its INTAC silent atmosphere control system, which will be available generally early next summer, uses the latest pressure swing adsorbtion technology to extract nitrogen from the air and is made by FDT of Salzburg. It manages temperature, humidity and ethylene levels within the trailer as well as the mix of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen.
Atmosphere control is via liquid nitrogen and liquid carbon dioxide and as both displace oxygen, the driver must observe a strict routine.
An initial purge balances the atmosphere in under two hours ensuring that the produce carried remains fresh longer.
A coding panel beneath the Thermo King SW( front-mount unit (it can work with other makes) informs the driver of conditions inside.
Fraserborough-based Gray & Adams which opened a L2.0m, 5,600m2 panel factory earlier this year built the show exhibit.
Thermo King's SMX SMART reefer, which uses the latest Isceon 69L refrigerant looks set to become its standard unit if US sales are an indicator.
SMART is available in the UK from early next year.
Once a trailer is laden, the system runs through a full pre-trip self-diagnostic routine telling the driver via a large LCD coding panel of any problem.
It continues to monitor performance on the road.
Options include a data logger and interfacing tracker, temperature modulation and fresh air exchanger.
This removes the ethylene responsible for hastening the ripening of fresh fruit.
Carrier too has new units from its Ultra nailer model to its Supra range for overcab use on rigid trucks.
The Ultra has 20% fewer parts, uses the latest generation of micro-processor control and is encased in composite materials.
There is also a new Mistral T850 unit for 9.0m semi and drawbar trailers.
Frigoblock's offerings included a new HK36SL upright freezer unit, weighing just 548kg, for semi-trailers and a shallower remote evaporator the FE11-26.
Eberspacher surprised visitors with its K-range of roofmounted chill or freeze units made by Kysor in South Wales for panel and car-derived vans.
They will be backed by 31 UK dealers and will be available from 1 January.
There were several neat Citroen C15 van-based ATP classified refrigerated vehicles on display such as Lamberet's Evolution 11 and Wilsdon's Savane 32 conversion (see page 29) but Anglian Developments' Transit 190-based Majestic reefer was the sleekest of all.
Based on Ford's low-cost platform cab the shapely tripleskinned monocoque GRP reefervan is one of 12 body variations.
Pizza carrier Tolona showed a 13.4m Chereau reefer fitted with M&G's improved RideRite suspension control system. This uses air already in the suspension system and maintains deck ride and docking heights automatically.
Because it works from the ARS's 0-10krnlh band the brakes can be applied without affecting the ride height. RideRite can also include suspension dump and axle lift options.
Truck Panels, which is part of the Stoke-based TCT group, displayed its new Polar Master insulated body kit built on to MAN's new L2000 7.5 tonne 8.153F chassis cab.
The Polar Master spans 3.5 tonne rigids to full-sized semitrailers, the 7.5 tonne version weighs 750kg and there is a range of aerodynamic extras available including a cab collar available.
Walsall-based Topmark, which has moved into refrigerated truck rental, shared its stand with Transliner which showed off its third Transit 190
reefer for Saxby.
The 3.0m Le Capitaine body's neat piano-type door hinges and new overlapping metal-free seals give the rear end a nearflush look.
Simark Engineering, maker of load restraint equipment and moveable curtains for reefer body interiors had a new universal load restraint-cum-decking beam or garment rail system on view.
It had a novel rotational cross-over junction enabling the beam to be moved from a vertical track to a horizontal one anywhere within the vehicle.
In addition to the Ross & Bonnyman internal tail-lift within a Solomon-bodied 7.5tonner for Ice-Pak of Heckmondwyke, there were several new lifts on show.
UK agent Brookside Engineering showed Dhollandia's slider unit for short overhanging vehicles; Henderson Mobile had a new Hydris Ultra-Light CP800; while a BRS Rental MAN 17 tonner had Ratcliffs RV1507 unit with all aluminium platform, Ray Smith's RSZ retractible comes in quick-fit form for fitting in under four hours.