G The company I work for operates a
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large fleet of articulated and fourwheeled flat vehicles. Gross vehicle weights are approximately 22 and 14 tons respectively.
Owing to the fact that the company does not operate its own recovery( vehicle, brokendown vehicles which can be towed home are towed by any vehicle which is handy at the time.
Therefore, could you please assist me with information on the following: (a) may one articulated vehicle tow another?
(b) may an articulated vehicle be towed by an empty four-wheeler?
(c) may an articulated vehicle tow a flat vehicle?
(d) what is the law regarding a small vehicle towing a larger and heavier vehicle?
AIn answer to your questions (a) to (c),
a normal articulated vehicle may not tow another articulated or rigid vehicle, neither may a normal rigid vehicle tow an articulated vehicle. The reason for this is that in each case, when being towed, a vehicle is legally classed as a trailer and an articulated outfit is legally classed as two trailers, so that in question (a), three trailers would be towed, in question (b) two trailers, and the same in question {c). Only if the towing vehicle was classed as a locomotive that is a vehicle not constructed to carry a load and which has an unladen weight of more than 7.25 tons — would it be legally possible to tow two or more trailers.
There are no restrictions, apart from normal safety considerations, on a small vehicle towing a larger and heavier vehicle, so long as the combination does not exceed 18 metres in length and a maximum gross train weight of 24 tons.
aCould you give me details on the future
trend of power units for commercial vehicles with reference to the petrol engine compared with the diesel, the different types of diesel engine (ie vee-type or inline), gas turbine engines, the use of fuel injection, liquefied petroleum gas as a propulsion fuel and any other power unit that is likely to be introduced?
ADiesel engines have a better fuel con
sumption than comparable petrol engines because of the inherently more efficient combustion cycle. Because of their lower running speed and lack of ignition system, diesel engine life is generally better and maintenance costs are less. Of increasing importance is the diesel's lower carbon monoxide and lead content in the exhaust gases.
Horse power is a constant derived from speed and torque. A low-speed in-line diesel tends to have low hp but good torque characteristics whereas the vee configuration has high speed and low torque. Any given horse power can be derived from either type. The vee tends to be lighter and because of its lower torque can use lighter gearboxes and axles.
The gas turbine engine is still a relatively unknown quantity, it is nowhere near as advanced in its evolution as the diesel. Even so it looks a very likely engine for the future. Its main attribute is light weight. Successful turbines producing 400 bhp but weighing only 1000lb (less than half the weight of the equivalent diesel) have been built. Slow pick-up and lack of engine braking are its main disadvantages. Some gas turbine power units are undergoing operational trials with the major oil companies.
All diesels have fuel-injection systems to overcome the extreme cylinder pressures involved. Injection may be direct into the cylinder or indirect into an antechamber.
Most big diesels use the direct-injection method as this gives the best fuel con sumption results. However, there is more use made of indirect injection at present as this method gives better smoke control owing to better fuel/air mixing.
At the moment LPG is very popular because it is possible to get diesel engine levels of operating costs from a petrol engine and despite the Government's recent decision to tax LPG at 11+p per gallon (half the rate for petrol and diesel fuel), there will still be significant cost savings in its use. The equipment is expensive and heavy, and were it not for the operating cost benefit LPG would soon die out as an alternative fuel for vehicles.
The Stirling engine is the only other power unit that could be suggested for vehicle application. Experimental engines of this type have been run in Holland and America and they do have certain advantages: they are almost noiseless and can use a wide variety of fuels. The Stirling engine, or external cycle engine as it is sometimes called, depends on alternatively heating and cooling a continually circulating operating fluid.
QWe are putting a tower wagon into
service in the near future but can obtain no clarification as to whether the driver of this vehicle will need to hold an hgv driving licence. The vehicle is a fourwheeled Ford 01000 chassis fitted with a Simon Engineering Co hydraulic platform extending to 85ft. Could you advise us about the hgv driver's licence and what class of excise duty applies?
AAs the vehicle weighs more than 3 tons
unladen and complies with the C and U Regulations and cannot be classified as engineering plant, the driver will need to hold a Class III hgv driving licence. So far as excise duty is concerned, thi vehicle is classified as a goods vehicle IT virtue of the Vehicles (Excise) Act 197'
Schedule 4 paragraph 9 (1) which state "tower wagon means a goods vehicl into which there is built, as part of th, vehicle, any expanding or extensible con trivance designed for facilitating th erection, inspection, repair or mainten ance of overhead structures or equipment and which is neither constructed nc adapted for the conveyance of any loac except such a contrivance and article used in connection therew ith.
However, you will not be required to pa duty based on the full unladen weight of th vehicle complete with its hydraulic platfornUnder paragraph 5 (1) of the same schedule makes it clear that only the unladen weight c the vehicle without the platform is used i calculating the amount of annual duty payable Paragraph 511) states:
"A mechanically propelled vehicle constructed or adapted for use and used fo the conveyance of a machine or contrivanci and no other load except articles used ii connection with the machine or contrivance not being a vehicle for which an annual rat of duty is specified in Schedule 3 to thi Act, shall, not withstanding that thr machine or contrivance is built in as par thereof, be chargeable with duty at the rat which would be applicable if the machine contrivance were burden and were not in cluded in the unladen weight of the vehicle.'
CIIs it correct to assume that to clai Bank Holiday pay, one must work b day preceding the holiday and the day afte AIt is not a condition, so far as the Roi
Haulage wages council Order RH94 concerned, that the driver should work on t day preceding the holiday and the clay followir the holiday to claim the holiday paymen However, many companies have agreemen or conditions of service which state that if ti employee is absent from work for any reasc other than ill-health, payment for the Bar Holiday will be withheld.
CI What is the legal position of a pers4 who owns 32-ton artics and has o tamed an hgv licence Class I without takit the test, but as yet has not driven such vehicle on the road?
AAny such person who obtains a licen
by completing a certificate of experien knowing full well that he does not have expt ience of driving a 32-ton attic on the road, h done so fraudulently and has placed himsi liable to severe penalties if the facts ever con to the attention of a Licensing Authority.