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out with a an
The IRTE's annual trade exhibition bowed out in a grand manner with a fine display of vehicles and accessories. This was the last Telford show—next year it will merge with the SMMT's Commercial Vehicle show and the RHNs TipCon at the NEC.
Report by Bryan JarVIS, Corm Barnett and Peter Lawton. Photography by Richard Connelly.
• Grahams of Gildersome, Leeds, showed off one of its latest curtainsiders. Along with the usual double gusset plates in the roof corners and down each side, it features a bolt-on aluminium roof that cuts down on build time and knocks £4L10 off the cost. Normarrton flush doors with single-locking bars form the rear closure; 30 similar trailers are running with the Warrington-based M6 Trailer Rental fleet.
• All Isuzu trucks are now supplied with a new security package as standard. It comprises a Scorpion immobiliser arid Alpha Dot security marking, which identifies the truck and its major components. Microdots with a unique PIN number, suspended in a liquid base, are painted in 24 locations, and the number is stored against the YIN on the Police National Computer.
• The BPW self-steering trailer axle made its UK debut. The German-built axle has an ingenious king-pin design which provides passive hut positive straight-ahead positioning; it is fitted with IIPW's small (370mm) discs. Also new to BPW is a range of body-building hardware under the Hostel name, which includes all air-operated roof-lifting strut for curtainsiders,
• Montracon's array of new products included a neat air-operated lifting roof system for operating at two different heights, and a buckle-less curtain system that uses hand-operated linkages concealed below the side rails. The system is divided into two, one down each side, to allow access to the front or rear load space; it uses a series of pivoting levers and brackets to release the strap clamps for the driver to open the curtains. Montracon also showed off its new lightweight 34-pallet curtainsider with triple Merc/Hendrickson disc-braked axles, alloy wheels and Pacton sliding roof. Tare weight is 6,250kg.
wi Cartwright's display included a new concept for Safeway; a Scania drawbar rig capable of carrying MI UK pallets. It is one of three outfits that will run between Scotland and Tamworth. The 8.13m and 7,29m bodies both feature Carrier refrigeration, Whiting rear shutters and Polyfont panelling—a hydraulic bridging ramp allows forklift throughloading. The Volvo FM? "Weetabix Express" uses Cartwright's new strapless curtain design. It works via air cylinders and gas struts under the raves—seven sets down each side, with a receiving rail for the special strap hooks. For vertical tensioning, the hooks are engaged and a push-button turns the rail. Normal ratchets tighten the curtains horizontally.
• Cummins' new ISM engine range is based on the existing M11, but comes with a new 440hp top rating delivering 2,-100Nm—a level of torque normally found in engines in the 460hp-470hp band. It also has more powerful data-capturing electronics, linking to other chassis control systems and its new RoadRelay Remote communications system. Standard features include dual-pulse fuel injection for better idling and engine response; a new four-stage waste-gate turbocharger; and improved oil filtration, extending drain intervals to 60,000km.
• Chassis Developments' unusual hinged car transporter conversion, based on the Ford Transit, is now being built with increased UK content in an attempt to make the price more competitive with conventional vehicles. • Renault chose IATE '99 for the world show debut of its new Mascott range of light trucks. The chassis-cab on display was a 130.65, denoting the all-new 125hp, 2.8-litre common-rail turbo-diesel engine and a GVW of 6.5 tomes.
• With an eye on the third-axle conversion market and 41tonne operation, GranningLynx has introduced its 700 Series. The 7,500kg axle is equipped with Knorr-Bremse disc brakes and can be supplied with a central or offset propshaft-clearance drop. m Foden showed off its new Alpha tag-axle option for operators of rigids who want extra manoeuvrability and less lyre wear when running light. With its 8.0tonne front axle the new A3-6L, which is offered with Cat or Cummins engines rated between 275hp and 380hp, looks ideal for 26-tonne diminishing-load applications. Foden also displayed its latest Fodex data collection system, which can include global positioning, infra-red sourcing and a range of security features. Visitors were reminded that Foden now offers the Cummins C-Series • Graylease of engine at 280hp and 300hp in two and three-axled rigids.
Immingham is the first UK user of Carrier's new Vector fridge unit; over the coming months Graylease will be monitoring the fridge's performance closely against the 250-odd other reefers in its fleet. Like this one they comprise Paneltex bodies on SU trailer chassis, but with Thermo King fridge units. Graylease is working closely with Spalding-based Heritage, and has established a rental depot in the area. The Vector unit's diesel engine drives straight into the generator with no belts or clutches; it features longer, curved condenser coils with greater surface areas than before. *The Allison 1000 Series automatic transmission made its UK debut at the IRTE show. The electronically controlled box is designed for trucks from 4,500-9,000kg GM, with an input torque capacity of 705Nm. Standard specification is for five speeds, overdrive and lock-upon second to fifth ratios and a park pawl, but an extensive list of options includes four speeds with direct top, and provision for a PTO and four-wheel drive.
• Ratcliffe Tail Lifts launched the Quickfit range of retractable cantilever lifts at Telford. The lifts are supplied to bodybuilders fully assembled, ready to be clamped to the bottom flange of the chassis rail, considerably reducing build times. Ratcliffe also displayed some of its range of custom-designed rear closure Lifts, including a simple manual version built to Ryder's specification on a Transit. NI Those innovators at Raven Trailers have been at it again. Hard on the heels of their extending skeletal and brick trailers comes the Genesis extendible curtainsider. The idea is that once the rearmost 3.7m of load has been delivered on urban multidrops the trailer can be shortened from 13.6m to 10m, creating a compact city trailer with the manoeuvrability of a rigid. This operation is said to take less than five minutes, with curtain security which matches a conventional trailer's.
• Renault was at Telford with the first right-hand-drive example of its mobile bedsitter, the Privilege Single Gab. In this cab, which is designed for longdistance tractors, the passenger seat and bunk are replaced by a flat raised floor area with a sofabeti, 350 litres of in-cab storage and space for an underbed fridge. The design was inspired by research showing that a passenger is rarely carried on long-distance operations; but the sofa is equipped with a seat-belt, just in case. Renault has already taken several orders. • Southflelds was among IRTE exhibitors to show a buckle-less curtain design with simple pushand-clip clasps, but centre stage on its stand was devoted to its new Body Armour fabric for curtainsiders. This is a singlelayer fabric with an integral fine-woven mesh of zinc-coated steel filaments, aimed at deterring an opportunist thief's sharp blade. it will inevitably be more expensive than conventional fabrics, but this should be offset by long-term savings in repairs and maintenance.
• Having bagged the RAF order for 2' Pinzgauer 6x6 ambulances, and having sold others to two UK fire brigades (Hampshire and West Sussex), Steyr Puch's UK agent, Automotive Technik, has now secured type approval for the Sprinter 120hp-engined SuperG single/crew-cab chassis. These carry a full manufacturer's three-year warranty. The company's next step is to establish a network of about eight specialist dealers in the UK.
• To reduce the need to reposition rear lights, the power pack of the DL500 taillift from DEL Equipment (UK) is integrated into the cross-rail assembly The DLO), which is designed for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, has an aluminium platform with a capacity of 500kg. • General Trailers (Crane Fruehauf) is investing /2,5m in upgrading and expanding its Toftwood factory site, but this inevitably spells the closure of its North Waisharn site. In future all van and curtain-sided trailers which might have been built at North Walsham will produced at the developed Toftwood plant. • Marking Isuzu's entry into another new market segment, this NOR 7.5-tonner features removals coachwork by Marsden Vanplan, including a new roof pod. The compact shifter carries three standard removals containers.
• Sandtoft, South Yorkshire haulier AE Wilson celebrated 25 years In the business with this new Leyland Daf XF95 Series which is ready to take advantage of the more favourable VED rates for drawbar rigs. At 40 tonnes gross, this 3+2 combination, with the trailer, bodywork and crane mounting all courtesy of Wilson's own workshop, carries nigh-on 26 tonnes of bricks or blocks for a combined tax rate of 12,340 for the unit and 14.30 for the trailer. This is more productive than Wilson's eight-leggers, which for /4,400 VED only manage 19-tonne payloads. Wilson's first new truck was an old A-rag Super Mastiff at 180hp—a far cry from this 430hp T-reg machine!
• Dennison graced the final IRTE show with three new products: a sliding-bogie skeletal weighing just 4,500kg; an even lighter straight frame "arrowhead" ISO-tank skeletal at just 3,660kg; and its very own 13.7m curtainsider trailer design. The body has a one-piece 130mm cant rail with single central pillars and Eurofront flush bulkhead. Wraparound drapes open from either end with novel easy-to-use front tensioners. It's one of 30 for Transrent running on Mentor disc braked axles and FL9000 suspension, and tips the scales at 6,500kg.
• Shell Direct, the oil giant's consumer delivery subsidiary, has joined with Renault to create this "concept" safety tanker. The 26-tonner's equipment list would fill a whole page, but its chassis spec includes a steering third axle, ABS, traction assistance and full air suspension. Avoidance of low-speed collisions is a priority, with a fully glazed passenger door, extra mirrors, proximity sensors and CCTV. The fuel delivery equipment makes use piffle latest advances in safety and ergonomics. • Clayton Commercials' latest milk tanker design avoids the use of top manlids for cleaning, with all the safety implications, by the clever use of a side aperture. Importantly for the milk trade, it provides the operator, In this case Unigate, with much better access for a thorough cleaning of the interior. This Foden Alpha 3000 six-wheeler, with its 16,500-litre single-compartment stainless-steel tank, is one of 30 for Unigate; it features a positively steered rear axle to give better access to difficult farm sites.