Driving Bedford's new TM
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Trevor Longcroft has first crack at a new heavy
DRIVERS will like Bedford's new TM heavy truck. That is clear from my first drive in the model this week in Portsmouth, Straight after a handing over ceremony at United Serviees Garages, a Bedford main dealer, I had a brief opportunity to drive a TM 3250 coupled to a 12.2m (40ft) refrigerated van senii-trailer, which, however, was empty.
Unladen weight of the tractive unit is 5.5 tons, of the complete outfit 14.85 tons. The short test-route included 5 to 6 miles of A27 dual-carriageway just outside Portsmouth.
Getting in and out of the high cab is made easy by three well positioned steps, and once inside the cab [was struck by the neat, functional design of the dash, which has only four gauges, from left to right, the rev counter; tachograph; combined engine warning, indicator light and minor gauges and an air-pressure guage.
Drivers will appreciate the firm suspension seat covered in cloth, though the passenger, who has a fixed seat, might find his side too firm for comfort when on long journeys.
Minor controls such as the indicators, wind-screen wiper/ washers and lights are neatly clustered around the steering column. I particularly liked the stubby gear lever which falls nicely to hand. Coupled with defined close gate p the short lever pei fast, slick changes completed — thou: vehicle was still stiffdriven it had cover than 400 miles.
Pulling away fro was accomplished fuss in third gem quickly shifted throt nine-speed rangegearbox to top ge normal running. The change button is loci top of the gear-lever The cab seemed to insulated against noise, and acre conversation could b understood.
The steering whee almost h"orizontally compared to those o 32-tonners is high, rel the driver. Neverth( quickly warmed smooth, precise actic Unladen ride wa: with no bounce, p vibration being felt cab when the vehicle the road.