Nlo steer From rear
Page 19
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ALING magistrates are to ?cide if a self-steering axle is A r t of a vehicle's steering /stem in a case which could aye wide repercussions for erators of three-axle vans. Tate and Lyle Transport Ltd roup standards manager Ian Matthews and driver Imes Thornton submitted leas of not guilty last week to aarges of using a van with iccessive rear overhang and of verloading its rear axle.
The overhang question deends upon whether the Bed.)rd TK's Ceschi-type Primse self-steering axle inuences the steering or if it Mows the path of the front theels.
If it is a steering axle, the verhang is measured from le midpoint of the driving xle to the rear and is within le legal limit. If it is not, the verhang is measured from a Pint between the two rear xles, and is excessive.
Models were produced in ourt to illustrate the function f the axle, and the van was arked outside for inspection. The prosecution claimed hat the axle makes no conribution to the course folawed by the van. The Ceschi xle turns in response to the urning of the front wheels. it laimed, but could not work ulependently.
nstability
Tate and Lyle said that the xle does influence the Leering and that the effect is le same as that on such twin Leer vehicles as Bedford TK rewery lorries and \'AL oaches.
Traffic policeman Stephen ;rownridge told the court that is eye was caught by the an's apparent instability on a oncrete surfaced road in ireenford, Middlesex in .lovember 1976.
It appeared, he said, to be ,ouncing up and down at the front "like a battleship."
He suspected that it was overloaded and of incorrect dimensions, and ordered driver James Thornton to drive it to Yeading test centre.
P.c. Brownridge alleged that the Ceschi axle, plated at 3.7 tons, was switched off and bearing no weight. The rear axle, plated at seven tons, was supporting nine tons in hundredweight sacks.
Overhang
He said also that the vehicle was difficult to steer because the front was so lightly laden.
P.c. Brownridge said that the rear overhang was 2.6m (8ft 8in) and that the wheelbase (taken from the midpoint of the front axle to the midpoint of the two rear axles) was 3.3m (lift).
If the Ceschi axle is nonsteering, the overhang should be 1.9m (6ft 6in), or the wheelbase 4.4m (14ft 6in), he said.
Mr Matthews was questioned about Tate and Lyle's development of Ceschi-axled vans in 1967/68.
When asked if the company would have proceeded without Ministry of Transport clearance, he replied, "Not at all. To the -best of my knowledge and investigations, the company did all that it could to ensure that this unusual machine met all legal requirements."
He said that the question of dimensions had been raised twice before, in Northamptonshire in 1972 and the West Midlands in 1976, but the matter appeared to end after conversations with police.
Mr Matthews added that, of a fleet of 1,000 vehicles, there were 60 with Ceschi axles. There had been around 160 at one time, but articulated vehicles were replacing them as they fell due for replacement.
The case continues.