Transport for pigs, ponies and pintas at the annual Dairy Show
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By R. D. CATER LVESTOCK carriers, milk floats— and some valuable new ancillary equipment—were at Olympia from Saturday to Wednesday in the transport sections of the annual Dairy Show.
An extremely well designed lift-off cattle body was shown by G. C. Smith (Coachworks), of Long Whatton, Leics. The body was constructed from the patented Smithalloy planking which is tongued and grooved and provides for a wall thickness of 0.75 in. The extrusion used cannot distort or be damaged by livestock, This company showed three livestock trailers—one with a removable upper deck for sheep or pigs—while Rice, of Cosby, Leics, was also exhibiting trailers in this category.
Among the Rice exhibits was a unit called the Farmers Hunt Mk. III, mounted on close-coupled axles and capable of carrying two heavyweight hunters or several cows. It, too, can alternatively be fitted with an upper deck making it suitable for carriage of sheep or pigs.
It had a mild-steel underfrarne, fourspring tandem suspension and extrudedlight-alloy bodywork, and is available in a number of variations.
Electrics, too Once again, electric trucks were displayed on the stands of Smiths Delivery Vehicles Ltd., W and E Vehicles Ltd., and Austin Crompton Parkinson Electric Vehicles Ltd.
Shown as a chassis last year, the W and E 50cwt model was exhibited this time as a bodied vehicle. It has a 7ft 9in. wheelbase and a swept turning circle of 17ft 3in. Complete with batteries it weighs 3 tons and provides for a payload of 2.5 tons. It can be supplied with alternative final drives giving maximum speeds of 14, 17 or 20 mph.
This vehicle is largely maintenance-free, having sealed-for-life king-pins, rubberbushed spring shackles and a Layrub propshaft. Laminaire rear springs are fitted to cater for light running.
Seen for the first time on the stand of Morrison-Electricar was a 2-ton dairy truck. This was equipped with a four-speed series controller with delay action contactors. The light-alloy deck is I lft by 6ft 2in. and provides space for 36 crates per tier. A glass-reinforced plastics canopy extending from the rear of the cab provides weather protection for the load. The driver's cab also is of reinforced plastics and glide-in doors are an optional extra. Also shown on this stand was a truck equipped with the Unimec underfloor mirror (CM, October 6). This provides unrestricted rearward vision beneath the vehicle— as a child safety measure—and can be retracted to protect it from road dirt. A very valuable fitting.