Tank was too near the front
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• Fines of £3,000 imposed on Keighley-based Watkinson Lifting & Transportation for two overloading offences have been quashed on appeal to Oxford Crown Court. The court heard that a vehicle belonging to the company, operating under the Special Types provisions and carrying an Army tank, was stopped in a routine check on the A34. When checked on a dynamic axle weigher, the tractor was found to exceed its permitted gross weight so the outfit lost the protection of the Special Types order. The company was fined £2,400 fora gross overload of 17,910k9 (73.43%), and £600 for exceeding the permitted train weight by 43,160kg (113.5%). The driver was granted an absolute discharge. For the company, Andrew Woolfall said the main contractor had subbed the job out to Watkinson. The outfit had been loaded by military personnel and the tank had been placed too far forward. The vehicle was plated for Special Types operation up to 80,000kg—if it had been loaded correctly no offence would have been committed. If the tank had been being moved by the Army or by the main contractor there would not have been any prosecution because of Crown immunity. Quashing the fines, and substituting an absolute discharge, Judge Mowat said she considered that no blame attached itself to the company. There was no reason the company should be penalised because the Army had loaded the vehicle incorrectly.