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BE CAREFUL OUT THERE • On 29 August a Volvo
Page 100
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F7 pulling a heavily laden tri-axle curtain-sided trailer passed my vehicle (a humble Leyland Sherpa) on its way from Trafford Park to join the A5. It had to stop at a set of traffic lights, which at this point put the vehicle only a mile from its own depot.
As the artic approached the lights, I noticed all was not well with the centre axle wheel on the offside.
This was confirmed as the vehicle pulled away on to the A56, the wheels were not rotating in a circulation motion, in other words they were on the way off the studs.
I turned my vehicle around and after several sets of lights I managed to catch up with the artic and pull in front of it and stop it safely.
I walked back to the vehicle and explained about the wheel to the driver, who thought he had seen smoke coming from the side of his trailer and was in the process of stopping anyway.
We both went to the nearside centre axle and I could see that most of the wheelnuts were loose and I actually turned one with my hand in both directions with no effort at all.
The driver seemed surprised and summoned help from his firm on the in-cab telephone.
The vehicle was heading for the M63 at Stretford and then across to South Manchester and beyond.
Just think of the.consequences of a vehicle losing a pair of wheels on a busy motorway. Lost wheels is not a complete mystery, so come on drivers, check those wheel nuts, for your safety and that of everyone else.
S Mooney,
Pendlebuty, Manchester.