Wash and brush-up at Brighton
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IN A YEAR which has seen massive cuts in local government spending power and equally impressive increases in local rates, many householders find themselves having to pay out more for the same service, and many municipal engineers are in much the same predicament. Last year, engineers responsible for the purchase, operation and maintenance of vehicles used on public services were concerned at the increasing cost of buying and running their equipment, and since then this country has seen levels of inflation undreamed of 12 months ago.
A number of municipal engineers will certainly be faced with the prospect of keeping older vehicles which would normally be due for replacement and of spending increasing amounts of money in order to maintain them, No doubt they will look with envy on their colleagues with money to spend on new equipment, for as one engineer put it—if the money is available, now is the time to buy; vehicles and equipment will never be so cheap to buy again as they are now.
New features
Certainly for those with the money to spend the manufacturers of specialised municipal equipment offer a wider range of choice than ever and looking forward perhaps to a better time are showing models to tempt municipal engineers at this year's Institute of Solid Wastes Management Conference at Brighton, June 10-13.
Although many of the exhibits will already be familiar, there are new features on a number of stands mainly in the form of detail improvements to existing designs.
A new all-purpose vehicle system designed to fill the gap in transport fleets which has previously been filled by overpowered expensive vehicles has been developed by BTB Equipment Sales, and will be making its debut at this year's exhibition. Known as the Ant, it is based on a three-wheel chassis cab unit for high manoeuvrability. It is said to combine the advantages of lowcost operation with the versatility of custom-built body styles.
The vehicle on BTB's stand will be an articulated salvage unit; other body styles available in the new range include drop-side truck, tipper sideloader, gully emptier and a Luton van.
BTB is also showing Econ Zero C bulk gritting machines on Bedford and Commer chassis and a 4545-litre (1000gal) capacity gully emptier on a Ford D 1311 chassis cab. For areas with restricted access the BTB line up is completed by a Streetwalker 590-litre (130gal) gully emptier.
For engineers already looking towards winter Econ Engineering Ltd is demonstrating a sophisticated gritter which uses a miniature electronic speed-control system to obtain fully automatic speedrelated discharge.
Electrical signals from the controller (which responds to power feed back from tachogenerators) actuate electrohydraulic control valves of the hydraulic motors powering the feed conveyor and spreading spinner.
The spreading density is maintained automatically at a proportion relative to the road speed of the vehicle.
The basic power source of the gritter is a new diesel/ hydraulic system entirely selfcontained on the gritter body, enabling the whole gritter to be dismounted from the vehicle. Connection to the cab mounted control box is by "plug-in " electric lead.
Remote control of the spread pattern is an optional extra and a manual override facility on the controller is a standard feature.
This year for the first time at a Solid Wastes Management exhibition, Yorkshire Vehicles will be exhibiting the " Patent" Gully Emptier wi blow-back. The vehicle's sta dard specification now includ blow-back facility w i • controls on the gully pi' water ring vacuum pus driven from the gearbox pi an hydraulically operat local compression system a non-tipping ejection dischall The patent power-pa, system of the pto drive ai water-cooled pump is also us, in the company's range of ce. pool emptiers and efflue tankers which are available capacities from 2262 18,103 litres (500 to 4,000ga The major advantages of t orkshire pump introduced St year are its cool running td very low friction losses, hich make it particularly :tractive to operators of highIpacity effluent tankers.
The alternative Yorkshire E" range continues untanged for this year. Stanrd features features include blowick, and tipping discharge ad proven air-cooled ptoriven exhauster pump.
Principal exhibits on the olba Ltd stand will be the olba R200 and R400 rotary towploughs, which the manutcturers claim represent a ew generation of such iachines. The principal feature f both machines is the use f one engine driving through hydrostatic transmission for ie carrier vehicle and through mechanical transmission for ie rotary plough. Control dur snowclearing operations is y a single lever.
Also on show will be the .olba range of demountable nd permanently mounted bulk ritters, which feature .rchimedean screw feed and mapIetely sealed hoppers to revent spillage of corrosive ?reading material.
1WR system Whale Tankers Ltd has dded another first to its imressive list of specifications : le Whale remote control gully mptier is now available with IWR (dirty water recycling). he new system slackens sedilent by forcing water into le gully at the same time as . is being lifted by suction trough the gully arm. In adition to simplifying and shorming the time worked at ach gully DWR saves on ehicle tank capacity. Because irty water is used for breakig up and agitating trash, the ipply of clean water is kept m: gully resealing.
Charrold Ltd is showing a ew conveyor belt gritter for trger capacities from 4.5cum icuyd) to 9.1cum (12cuyd) rith single or twin spinners m. spread widths up to 18.2m 30ft). On this model, the feed elt is aligned by chains, rhich, it is claimed, overcome ny risk of belt slip or wander, nd allow the belt to be reloved easily.
The company is also showig the Charrold Mk IV deiountable gritter which offers impficity of operation and la intenance.
Laird (Anglesey) Ltd will ave two of its large Shark 2fuse collection vehicles, one with bin lift attachment, on display.
Laird is also showing a new smaller version, which is now in production. This has all the well-proven components of the larger size vehicles but is available with 8.7cum (111/2cuyd) capacity, giving a compressed capacity of 22.9/24.4cum (30/32cuyd) of free refuse. For authorities requiring a smaller more manoeuvrable unit a smaller body of 6.8cum (9cuycl) is also available.
The range of container handling equipment from Vapsco (London) Ltd is being exhibited including a new 14AL artic lugger which offers payloads up to 24.4 tonnes (24tons) with the interchangeability of prime mover and trailers offered only by articulated units.
Vapscor is also showing its conventional range of container units and a new range of static compactors.
Jack Allen (Motor Bodies) Ltd is displaying six of its well-known line of vehicles which include 9.9/38.2cum (13/50cuyd) domestic refuse collectors with standard or Lowline crew cab, bin hoist refuse collectors of 15.2/61.1 cum (20/80cuyd) capacity and 19.1/76.4cum (25/100cuyd) capacity open-back domestic refuse collector, Also showing is the SAM Colectomatic Big Bite industrial refuse collection vehicle fitted with a Darlington winch which is capable of handling a 7.6cum (10cuyd) skip.
What is claimed to be one of the most complete ranges of refuse collection equipment in the UK is being shown by Arenco-Alite Ltd, which has screw compaction vehicles from 19.1cum (25cuyd) up to the 53.5cum (70cuyd) intermittent loading type on its stand.
The intermittent loading bulk bin-lifting vehicle is capable of lifting various sizes of cylindrical and rectangular containers.
Atkinsons of Clitheroe are showing trailer-mounted gritters, one a steel-bodied unit suitable for use with an agricultural tractor. They feature conveyor feed and twin spinner discs driven from the towing vehicle pto. New this year is a lightweight design in grp with stainless steel chain conveyor feed to cut down corrosion; the hopper has a 1.5cum (2cuyd) capacity. Both spinner disc and conveyor are driven from one of the road wheels through a mechanical gearbox. Dennis Motors Ltd is exhibiting a representative selection of municipal vehicles including the Bulkmaster, and intermittent 2-stage automatic hydraulic compression loading refuse collector with dual crushing action. Also on display will be the Alleycat, a special narrow vehicle available in two wheelbases, which is designed for work in narrow alleys, and the Paxit 50/70 designed for highspeed loading. The Dennis range also includes gully and cesspool emptiers up to 4,525 litres (1,000gal) capacity.
Derbyshire Commercials Ltd is exhibiting the BH 10000, a French-built cesspool and gully emptier with remote drain cleaning control, and the British built Comm-Sita 6000 refuse collection vehicle of 16cum (21cuyd) capacity, which offers volume reduction on refuse from three to eight times.
Eagle Engineering Co Ltd is showing models from its wellproven municipal range including the Compressload refuse collector, the gully emptier, a sludge tanker and the Retreever refuse collector. This machine is particularly suitable for paper and plastics waste; it features side loading, intermittent packer plate and ejection discharge as standard.
Edbro Ltd is displaying its Duo-Loader system introduced last year. Based on the Bucket Loader hydraulic skip-handling system, it is designed for the economical collection of small loads from multi pick-up points. The version on show has a main skip capacity of 8.8curn (11i.cuyd) and a secondary skip of 2.1cum (2 icuyd) capacity. Edbro hydraulic equipment will also be featured on many of the other exhibits.
Glover, Webb and Liversidge Ltd is again featuring its Grenadier which needs little introduction to local authorities. Built of aluminium, alloy and steel it features hydraulic horizontal discharge. Also on show will be •the Musketeer 19/60 and the Dual Tipa popular machine with many operators and now celebrating its 20th birthday.
Harbilt Electric is demon strating examples from its range of pedestrian-controlled electric street cleansing vehicles. Driven by a 1 Op traction motor powered by a 24V lead acid battery they can travel at a comfortable walking speed and climb gradients of one in five. They can be supplied with aluminium side loading, end tipping or bin type bodywork.
Lacre Ltd will have on display a range of refuse collectors from 13cum (17cuyd) (airspace) and the Packmaster with compaction capabilities up to 350kg/cum (1000 lb per cuyd). These units have low loading full-width hoppers.
Double crush
Multilift Ltd exhibits will include the AOA 760 and AOA 600 suitable for fitting to 24.3 tonnes (24tons) and 16.2 tonnes (16tons) gvw chassis respectively. The double-crush high performance compactor will also be on display with two models from the Metropac static packer range.
In addition to its unchanged range of mobile equipment, Powell Duffryn is showing for the first time the Transpack 7 transfer station static refuse packer.
Redland Ltd is showing an articulated trailer tank with nominal payload of 19,240 litres (4,250ga1) capacity. The tank is self loading via an hydraulically driven pump and the mild steel tank has been constructed to safety standards well in excess of present requirements.
Shelvoke and Drewry Ltd will be showing the NT Revopak Mk II fitted to a doubledrive chassis; this machine has a free air capacity of 16.8cum (22cuyd). Also on show is the NY Mk II version for operation at 16.2 tonnes (16 tons) gvw with 13.7cum (18cuyd) capacity body, and the 11.5 tonnes (11.5 tons) gvw NN Revopak Mk H which is particularly suitable for work in confined spaces. The company is also showing its NN 5000-litre (1100gal) gully/cesspool emptier.
Smiths Electric Vehicles Ltd will be showing examples of the Cabac 75 street cleansing vehicle with 2.7cum (31cuyd) capacity side loading or bin carrying bodywork. The bin carrier can accommodate up to 15 heavy-duty polythene bins.
Telehoist Lid will be showing its popular CH 501 Load Lugger with 12.2cum (16cuyd) container. Detailed modifications continue to be made, and this year the loading boom arms have been strengthened and the geometry has been improved. The Telecon, a low-cost container handling system for use with agricultural/industrial tractors is also shown. The system is designed to pick up and handle containers up to 4.5 cum (6cuyd).
The Tri-Pak range from TrCity European Sales Ltd is represented by examples of transportable and static compactors. The company has signed an exclusive agreement with A.C. Penman Ltd, man facturer of the Penman Rani demounting system, which already widely used in indu. try. The system is claimed offer a 50 per cent greater pa: load than conventional roll-or roll-off containers.
Ailsa Trucks Ltd's refuse cc lection vehicle is based Volvo's F86 chassis with Cil engine, designed to prodtu low noise and exhaust emi sion levels. The show vehic has a crew cab of steel an glassfibre construction provii ing a "stand-up" height rei compartment.