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John Liddicoat FIX Tasking Managing The nature at FTX Logistics

22nd December 2005
Page 49
Page 49, 22nd December 2005 — John Liddicoat FIX Tasking Managing The nature at FTX Logistics
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work means it needs a specialist Tasking Manager. That man is John Liddicoat who spent 22 years in the Royal Corps of Transport.

sort out the movements of the fleet," says Liddicoat. "I notify the police, councils, and highways and bridge authorities, The Army gives us a minimum of five working days' notice before we transport tanks" Every month he looks after 60 individual transport projects in the UK. FTX also has vehicles in Germany and Iraq.

The work carried out by FTX is highly specialised and in-depth planning meetings are held once a month The huge gross weights involved mean the quickest routes are rarely usedweight restrictions often call for lengthy detours, The King trailers could easily accommodate two or three light armoured personal carriers, says Liddicoat. But the Oshkosh units and trailers have been specially designed to carry much bigger vehicles-main battle tanks. FTX Logistics' 20-year PH agreement is to specifically handle heavy armour.

Long convoys are split up. "We break them up into what we call 'packets'," says Liddicoat. "Having one big convoy would be crazy; we assist other road users." The FTX driver must ensure the tank is perfectly positioned. 'If it is slightly cockeyed it can affect the truck's balance." Challenger 2s are loaded front first, with their turrets faced backwards, while the big self-propelled guns are reversed on. Tanks and other armoured vehicles are dense pieces of equipment. Knock an HGV cab with your knuckles and you'll hear a hollow metallic sound. This does not happen with tanks. They are made from thick, steel armour.

Three "light" armoured vehicieseight tonnes apiece fell from a low-loader when it jack-knlfed on the M6 in June 2003. The accident had nothing to do with FTX Logistics, but it does highlight the nature of handling military loads. Five people were killed. Photographs of the incident show demolished cars; the armoured, tracked vehicles locked unscathed.

The Challenger 2 is in a different league: 72 tonnes of solid metal. It has been subjected to a more rigorous reliability development programme than any other tank in the world. In the same vein, Liddicoat says that it, and the King trailer; have been put through an intensive series of tests. The G forces of any tank movements on a moving trailer have been scrutinised. Tanks are chained and shackled before transit, and speeds are kept to a minimum,

Tags

Organisations: Royal Corps of Transport, Army
People: John Liddicoat

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