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Hauling 40ft containers time for a new deal?

23rd February 1968
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Page 23, 23rd February 1968 — Hauling 40ft containers time for a new deal?
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

by John Darker • From a number of sources I hear reports that the carriage of 40ft containers in this country is to be regularized. Hitherto, haulage of standard 40ft containers has been specially authorized by the Ministry of Transport and there has been a total ban on their use within five miles of Charing Cross, London.

It is believed that all dispensation certificates issued so far by the Ministry expire on February 29 and the operators concerned hope that the Ministry will from March 1 waive the Metropolitan central area prohibition and authorize unrestricted operation by suitable artic outfits. This would be to accept the near certainty that the proportion of 40ft containers moved internationally will rapidly increase in the next five years.

Mr. Tom Shimmins, traffic manager of MAT Ltd., Barking, has used 40ft containers on Continental operations for the past seven months. "There are no problems with 40ft containers in city traffic", he told me, "but access to customers' premises is sometimes difficult. Many big exporters are rearranging loading bays to accommodate artics with 40ft containers. Other customers ask us about turning circles and we are glad to tell them the minimum manoeuvring space required".

Mr. Shimmins thinks commercial vehicle and trailer manufacturers have not given sufficient thought to the operational problems when 40ft containers are carried. "Many design engineers from large manufacturers have been to Barking to talk over our problems, and this co-operation has been generally fruitful. But there is still a lot of development work to be done and other operators should help in the formulation of specifications for prime movers and trailers."

He would like to see all vehicle or trailer platforms used for container haulage fitted with twist locks. "I am frankly appalled to see the inadequate restraining ropes used by some drivers to secure containers to lorry platforms. The public is unnecessarily at risk. I have seen several containers come off vehicles, fortunately in rural areas, with no loss of life. But if things are not tightened up there will certainly be an outcry if people in town are killed by a container falling off a lorry".

Mr. Shimmins is surprised that trailer makers have not thought of some obvious operating problems. "Often", he told me, "we will take a 40ft container to the docks and return with a single 20ft. In my view this should be secured "amidships". At extreme front or rear, road handling is affected adversely; yet twist locks amidships are not always fitted".

Semi-trailers used for 40ft containers should have dual king-pins, in Mr. Shimmins' view. Some manufacturers, he feels, allow just sufficient swing clearance between the fifth-wheel and the cab but the jockey legs are sometimes forgotten.

He does not like sliding fifth-wheel designs. These, he believes, encourage bad weight distribution. Mr. Shimmins insists that the hauliers would be the chief sufferers if sliding fifth-wheels became general. "The simple fact is that the haulier cannot now buy the equipment he needs for the job".

Dual king-pins are essential for complete utilization of traction under all loaded conditions, in Mr. Shimmins' view. He welcomes the increasing use of steerable trailer axles and favours the 6ft rear axle spread—

common on the Continent—as against just over 4ft spread of some other makes.

Some artic equipment on the market for hauling 40ft containers suffers "terrific whip" on the road, says Mr. Shimmins. He feels that more intensive research by trailer and vehicle manufacturers with containers loaded or part loaded under operating conditions is mandatory.

Because of the wide variety of equipment used on international services MAT specially briefs its Barking drivers on the handling characteristics to be expected. The company maintains close liaison with its European associates—there is a Swiss MAT company—so that a driver collecting a loaded trailer at Felixstowe, Harwich or Tilbury knows precisely what will be required of him. Much damage to equipment could occur, for example, if drivers were not aware of reversing techniques with steerable rear axles.

MAT has much experience of operating dual-purpose containers. Mr. Shimmins thinks manufacturers of the specialpurpose trailers should provide adequate stowage for tilt superstructure, preferably in a lockable box beneath the trailer. He stresses that a detailed inspection of equipment is necessary after each trip overseas.

For the future, he hopes the Ministry regulations will allow 15+ metre overall length so that two 20ft containers can be carried. And he believes operators should be able to buy new equipment suitable for operating for a life of seven or eight years, without any modifications.

Tags

Organisations: Ministry of Transport
Locations: London

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