• With seven worthy category winners to pick from, the
Page 75
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
judges faced a daunting task choosing the overall winner and Commercial Motor's Trailer of the Year 1995.
Although a winner in a single entry group, Maxilode's Extendaslide thoroughly deserved its high points count and Wisbech Bulk System's earned its category laurels too. There was plenty of support for two other high quality designs: Lawrence David's Traccess curtainsider and Abbey Roadtanks' superb Magyar edible product carrier.
Another tanker in the frame, Clayton Commercials' reefer with its unique cooling system, also left a lingering impression but after a great deal of discussion, debate and much deliberation two finalists emerged from this pantheon of engineering excellence—Houghtons Parkhouse Coachworks' Professional and Wilson Double-Deck's City-Deck.
The votes were shared equally between the two and judges spoke vociferously in favour of each.
Whereas the City-Deck was very original and would speed up city delivery times by up to 40%, the Professional was designed to be kinder to transiting livestock. And with animal welfare so much in the news this was seen as a major benefit.
The City-Deck bristles with innovation and makes load handling so much easier; the Professional's triple deck system has a dual lifting system in case one fails to work. The raising decks eliminate stresses on animals being loaded, the inner environment is much more bearable on them in transit and veterinary staff can gain clear access to them on all decks.
It took a second vote to separate them but, as much for its contribution to the welfare of animals in transit as to its high degree of engineering quality and design, the title of Commercial Motor's Trailer of the Year 1995 goes to Houghtons Parkhouse Coachworks' superb Professional Livestock Carrier.