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23rd May 1996, Page 28
23rd May 1996
Page 28
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Page 28, 23rd May 1996 — Bigger, better and busy
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This year's IRTE Telford show was bigger than ever and, despite chilly weather, attendance was high enough to put smiles on the exhibitors' faces, write Bryan Jarvis and Toby Clark.

Much of the chassis manufacturers' activity centred about the middleweight sectors; Mercedes showed its latest 7.5-tonners; Leyland Daf the 55 Series and MAN the M2000.

Body and trailer builders concentrated their efforts on improving build structures in a bid to reduce lead times as well as tare weights. More use is also being made of higher grade steels for strength and lightness; RTS Trailmaster and SDC being typical users.

SDC's new top-opening curtainsider chassis remains all steel, and being of high yield strength it doesn't detract from the company's reputation for building sturdy trailers.

Using CAD it retains a 12.5-tonne neck but beam flanges are slimmer towards the rear with fewer crossbearers. Add aluminium air tanks, legs, hubs and wheels and the unladen weight drops to 5,750kg.

• The 55-Series line-up stole most of the limelight on the Leyland Daf stand but this new 240hp (177kW) FA65.240 chassis will certainly interest operators of middleweight drawbars. Rated at 28 tonnes GCW it is some 750kg lighter than an equivalent 75-Series and comes with day or sleeper cabs. The new model, complete with Abel drawbar system, was appearing for the first time in the UK.

• Seddon Atkinson launched the Strata 340 at IRTE, now fitted with Cummins Mll power and ZF's synchromesh box. But its most spectacular vehicle was this 12m Strata 210 6x2 rigid, running on M6 coning and signing duties for Cumbria's Contract Services; it can create a twelve-mile contraflow in one go. A Whiteacres crew cab is matched to a Fleming & Taylor body, Drinkwater air suspension, mirrors with wash/wipe, a retractable rear sign—and a 15mph reverse gear.

• TIP is evaluating the benefits of this Quick Access concept curtainsider from Southfields. The design dispenses with traditional straps and buckles, replacing them with straps which are bonded to the curtains' inner surface and hooks that attach directly to the trailer's side raves. Buttons on the sides operate 16 air cylinders (eight per side) under the body which actuate longitudinal tensioning bars in the raves and take up any slack in the curtains. Southfields believes that the smooth sides should have a slip-streaming effect which cut fuel bills. • Volvo's "Superturbo" FL618 appeared at the IRTE: this 32-tonne tractive unit has the D6A250 engine, which is turbocharged and supercharged to give maximum low-rev torque and a 250hp rating. Other Volvos on show included the FH Globetrotter XL and a 6x4 variant of the FL10-360 equipped for waste disposal work.

• Like other supermarkets, Safeway prefers its reefers to project a hygienic image on the roads so a spoiler device on one of its Montracon dualcompartment semi will be monitored with considerable interest. Its tail-end top fairing mounts on a stainlesssteel roof plate with matching side cappings. The device is designed to change airflow characteristics and the air pressure across the back to protect the rear shutter and keep the rear of the body clean. • Building the CargoLiner bodies at the end of Iveco Ford's Langley factory has brought BoaHoy well deserved rewards. Securicor has ordered 100 75E155 7.5-tonners and 70 17-tanners; another 60 are destined for Smith Self Drive with 30 demonstrators for IFT. Boalloy is building 10 a week but marketing director Jim Gibb expects that figure to triple by the end of 1996.

"There's a big potential out there," he says.

• Hays Distribution's I Bur curtainsider tares1 tonnes and is one of ti to use ROR's prototypt braked axles. Other ni features include a gals steel front, pre-assemE wiring loom, and a ne design. Light, shallow gers at 1.53m interval full length alloy J-sectil replace the usual cross ers: they are overlaid 1.5x2.5m 28mm birch panels on galvanised t fixings. Don-Bur has rE opened a trailer plant Milton, Stoke on Trent capacity of 150 trailer month. • Mercedes-Benz launched the Euro-2-ready LN2 range with this EcoPower 814. This 7.5-tonner has the new 1K900 engine: 4.25 litres, four cylinders and twelve valves putting out 134hp (100kW). The 817 model boasts 168hp (125kW) and a new sixspeed gearbox. The new engine reduces overall weight by around 100k9; both variants are available with Mercedes' Konstantdrossel engine brake.

• Leyland Daf's 55 Series appeared for the first time as a tractive unit. The FT55.210—pictured here drawing an air-suspended Don-Bur trailer on 19.5in wheels—could replace 17-tonne rigids on urban delivery duties and bulk liquid applications, while it looks set to challenge Volvo's FL6 in existing markets. • With a large fleet of mainly demountable bodies Kell°, wanted a shunter with a difference. With help from the b builder Cartwright, Dennis Specialist Vehicles and sister c ny Reliance Mercury combined to produce this modified cabbed rigid. With its narrow rear axle, 2.22m over the and Cartwright lifting frame it is well suited for moving Intermodal and K-boxes around the Kelloggs depot. Cam with its TV monitor the prototype is believed to have cost around £70,000: ERF is said to be building one along thE lines. • Since their debut at Hanover two years ago BPW disc braked axles have been fitted to some 150 trailers on the Continent, but this SDCbuilt curtainsider is the first for UK operation. It was built for service trials with TIP using 22.5in wheels but BPW has 19.5in versions under development.

• York Trailers and TransDek's jointly built twin-decker will enable Bathgate haulier MRS Distribution to achieve high operating efficiency on its contract with Van den Burgh. With the deck, which is rated at 10-tonnes, set in

the midway position the trailer has room for 52 pallets of tea on the outward journey. Then, with the deck raised out of the way, it returns with a full load of instant soup. An order for up to 50 is in the offing.

• Cummins has added to its natural gas engine range with this CNG-powered C series, rated at 251hp. The 8.3-litre spark-ignition engine features a Ford-sourced engine management system and a water-cooled turbocharger to cope with higher exhaust temperatures. It weighs the same as a comparable diesel.

• Scania's 4-Series turned up at Telford with the bread-andbutter P-cab, shown as a flat-roofed day cab and a sleeper {pictured). The driving environment appeared very pleasant, with a double row of overhead lockers, a threesection single bunk and a hanging wardrobe. The 4x2 tractive unit has a 340hp DSC I I engine and GR900 ninespeed sync hro box.

• Fitted with a 1.5-tonne Century 211 extendible underlift, single winch and Lantern body system, it's easy to see why this 6.2-tonne Isuzu NPR chassis is popular among light truck recovery operators. Lantern is pressing Isuzu UK to bring in its factory crew cab but, with a long delay likely, it is planning to have one built locally.

• There was a Telford airing for Hendrickson's slim beam HN402 rubber suspension (which offers an 80kg weight saving) and laser alignment-friendly HT250E air suspension. Hendrickson also announced a hydraulically actuated air-sprung rear-steer axle for 6x2 rigids which was developed with Dennis. It promises three times the tyre life normally achieved with 6x4s and improved manoeuvrability. Twelve have been ordered since it was launched in Germany for dust cart applications. The system will add E9-10,000 to the cost of a 6x4 rigid. Hendrickson is busy making its own tubular axle beam that takes the OE wheel station and matches up with the air suspension—a twinwheel design is also in the pipeline. • The Nexus coupling system which routes air and electrical feeds neatly via the vehicle chassis began with the Christian Salvesen fleet; now Power and Motion of Lincoln is offering it to the entire industry. Umblical and Boom versions are offered by several truck makers: P&M is developing a system that includes hydraulic feeds for drawbar applications. It retails at around £650.

s. Marflex has redesigned its flush-sided Ultimate curtain system, replacing its previous ratchet buckles with an over-centre rave hook fitting. The new clip reduces the amount of leverage needed to secure the drapes, particularly on longer bodies.

Curtain straps are still bonded on inside and it takes a TIR cable. Prices are similar to those of Mar(lex's traditional curtains.

• If the MAN M2000's standard L cab doesn't give you enough room, try Hatcher's Sky Cab. The GRP conversion costs around £2,200 and adds 135kg to the weight, in exchange for 790mm of headroom, an extra bunk and three lockers. • Most imposing vehicle at the Show? ManWeb has ordered eight of these Mercedes U2150L Unimogs for work on live highvoltage power lines. The Simon Access 13036 platform has a working height of 12.5m and is insulated to 69kV. The 12-tonne chassis has a central tyre inflation system and new Dunlop SP 19 455/70R24 tyres. Mercedes estimates that around 60 similar vehicles will be sold this year.

• Chanc police fu could mc time rigf WV Con availabli shelf as cost mull vehicle. I ed at up 3,850kg and accc dates a squad w six miscr the back Features a steel g polycarb window! potato-p exhaust • Along with £1.0m worth of Speedlir tainsiders TIP is taking one of Fruehau sliding-bogie skeletals. It uses a pc Double-C bogie locking device, on seen in CM's Trailer of the Year 1995 titian, that combines fifth wheel and I mechanisms to avoid the use of mon tional locking pin arrangements.

• MAN introduced the M2000 middleweight to UK operators with this pair of 17-tonne 4x2 rigids, featuring the basic L and the larger M cab sizes. Both versions are available with the 221 (162kW) Euro-2 6.9-litre engine, E six-speed gearbox and standard f disc brakes.

Tags

Organisations: Chanc police
Locations: Lincoln

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