Scania wears a bonnet
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
MI The haulier who has bought the only bonneted Scania 1113 tractive unit in Britain will show it at Tipcon as part of Scania's research into a UK launch. Ray Dorney snapped up the bonneted tractor after it was displayed on Scania's stand at the Birmingham Motor Show, and put it on the road in January. The left-hand-drive two-axle T113ML was brought over from Sweden.
He has agreed to show it at Tipcon in Harrogate in May; it will appear on Humbersidebased Weightlifter's stand. Scania is keen to give the truck maximum exposure, but slow sales of tractive units this year — they are down over 50% on 1990 for the first 10 days of February — are making them cautious about a full launch.
Adding a new model involves expensive Type Approval preparations, although Scania said after the Motor Show that it would consider offering the
269kW (360hp) bonneted T113 if 100 operators expressed a "strong interest" (CM 18-26 October 1990).
Bonneted tractors have not been sold in the UK since the 1960s. but they have a great deal of image appeal, particularly with small hauliers, and offer advantages in maintenance access. The cab is also roomier. Their drawback is that the longer bonnet eats into load length although for many tipper and tanker operators the trade-off is acceptable.
Domey, who runs Dartfordbased Haig, says the longer 4.9m wheelbase makes it ideal for off-road work. Donley runs three other tractive units; a MAN, a Volvo and an ERE The bonneted Scania, which replaced a forward-control R113, hauls animal feeds and aggregates from Scotland.