Son of Bruce at IRTE
Page 16
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• Making its debut at the Institute of Road Transport Engineers' show today (Thursday) is a front-wheel drive, sixwheel, low deck delivery truck.
The rigid vehicle, which takes many of the ideas first developed in the "Bruce" truck, has been designed by Frank Bennett, and built by Leighton Buzzard-based Chassis Developments, in a project backed by Bass Brewers.
The light reinforced plastics cab is made by Walter Alexander, and is already used on the Britannia refuse truck built by Jack Allen.
The vehicle is currently awaiting Type Approval at MIRA, and is scheduled to enter in-service trials with Britvic Soft Drinks immediately afterwards.
A Perkins Phaser six-lit 134kW (180hp) engine powers the truck, though it is fitted back to front and linked to a ZF six-speed automatic gearbox with a ladder drive train. The driveline operates through a steep-angle double joint
which helps to give the truck a 450 steering lock. This, together with self tracking on the rear axle provides the truck's very good turning circle, even with a 6.8m Boalloy side access body. The chassis height is only 825mm; small rear wheels help to keep the loading deck below one metre. Bass claims the design provides about 200mm of additional interior height over conventional designs, and a lower centre of gravity. When the Boalboy body is fitted, the design is expected to offer a 12-tonne payload on 19 tonnes gross.