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Page 52
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by Les Oldridge, TEng ICE!), MIMI, AMIRTE
Trailers (4)
THE previous three "Trailer" articles have dealt with the dimensions, weight, wings, springs, brakes and tyres on trailers, the attendants which are needed when they are drawn and the conditions when passengers may be carried on them. This week my subject is their speed limits; some trailers' speed limits are varied by the Motor Vehicles (Variations of Speed Limits) Regulations 1973, and the Motor Vehicles (Speed Limit on Motorways) Regulations 1973. The speed limit for a motor car adapted to carry not more than seven passengers exclusive of the driver or a goods vehicle or passenger vehicle not exceeding 30cwt unladen weight drawing one trailer is now increased to 50 mph provided the following conditions are complied with: (a) The kerbside weight of the drawing vehicle must be legibly marked in a conspicuous position inside the vehicle or outside the vehicle on its left or nearside. In the case of the trailer being a living van, or if it is not a living van or a load-carrying trailer, its maximum gross weight must be legibly marked in a conspicuous position on the left or nearside of the trailer. These weights may be stated in imperial units or in metric units but the same units must be employed for both the drawing vehicle and the trailer. If metric units are used the weights must be stated in kilograms.
(b) A "50" plate must be exhibited at the rear of the trailer and kept clean and unobscured. The plate may be circular or elliptical with white, silver or grey figures on a black background. If circular the plate must be 4in in diameter and if elliptical must be not less than 2in. in height and 4+in. in width. The figures must be not less than tall and I lin. wide and the width of ever part of each figure must be at least 5/16=u. The space between the nearest part of the t ,vo figures must not be less than fin.
(c) ' following weight ratios must be observe,1 (i) where the trailer is a living van its maximum gross weight must not ex ceed the kerbside weight of the drawing vehicle; similarly where it is a "braked" load carrying trailer its laden weight must not exceed the kerbside weight of the drawing vehicle.
(ii) where the trailer being drawn is an unbraked load carrying trailer its laden weight must not exceed 60% of the kerbside weight of the drawing vehicle.
(iii) where the trailer being drawn is a braked trailer but is neither a living van nor a load-carrying trailer its maximum gross weight must not exceed the kerbside weight of the drawing vehicle (this requirement is aimed at such things as compressors mounted on trailers). Where such a trailer is unbraked it must not exceed 60 per cent of the kerbside weight of the drawing vehicle.
"Braked trailer" in these regulations means a trailer fitted with brakes in accordance with C and U Regulation 70 which I dealt with in a previous article. "Kerbside weight" means the weight of the vehicle, including any towing bracket with which it is equipped, a full fuel tank and radiator but with no persons on board and with no load other than loose tools and equipment which it normally carries.
If all these conditions are not complied with then passenger motor vehicles and trailers falling within these classes are limited to 40 mph.
Goods vehicles drawing drawbar trailers not falling within the 50 mph class, as I have described, are subject to a speed limit as follows:
Miles per hour (a) Heavy motor car drawing one trailer 30 (b) Motor car over 30cwt unladen weight drawing a load-carrying trailer with unladen weight exceeding 5cwt or a trailer which is neither a living van nor a load-carrying trailer which has an unladen weight exceeding 1 5cwt 30 (c) Vehicles drawing more than one trailer 20 (d) Vehicles not fitted with pneumatic tyres drawing a trailer or trailers exceeding 1 ton arid vehicles drawing trailers not fitted with pneumatic
tyres 20 (a) Vehicles not fitted with resilient tyres and vehicles drawing trailers not so
fitted 5
Motorways limit
The speed limit on motorways for vehicles drawing trailers has been varied by the Motor Vehicles (Speed Limit on Motorways) Regulations 1973. Any motor vehicle towing a drawbar trailer with less than four wheels or a close-coupled four-wheel trailer is now permitted to travel at 50 mph unless the drawbar vehicle is under 30cwt new, and if it was not being used on a motorway it would be subject to a speed limit of 40 mph or less. To put the position more simply, if the conditions set out previously with regard to the "50" mph plate and the observance of the weight ratios between the drawing vehicle and the trailer are observed then the 50 mph limit applies on the motorway as well as on ordinary roads.
Next week: The lights, reflectors and direction indicators which are needed on trailers.