WILSON TS
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Wilson TS's 13.6m triaxle Multideck took top honours in the Dry Freight category, which will come as no surprise to the operators of the zoo-plus examples which are working for a living. An all. bolted cantilever second deck allows the trailer to carry 52 pallets with no supports obstructing the side aperture. This allows cargo to be loaded and unloaded quickly, reducing the risk of accidents.
Operators can specify fixed, butterfly or vertically sliding decks for maximum flexibility. The butterfly deck can be flipped upwards so that oversize pallets can be accommodated and, uniquely, its air locks can be operated from ground level.
At least one judge was surprised at the Multideck's weight (8,700kg), having assumed it would be much heavier.
With its power-operated folding sides, and in TNT livery, Cartwright's tandem-axle SafeSide trailer looked impressive. The judges were initially concerned about the amount of stress likely to be suffered by the rear corner pillars, and about how well the gas struts that assist the lifting of each side panel would per form, especially in cold weather. However, TNT says it has experienced no operational problems, and there is no evidence of stress or cracking on the rear corners.
The main advantages are the speed of loading and unloading, improved security and safety in operation. Any risk of injury associated with the use of curtainsiders (see Safety category and Fleet Focus, CM 15.21 March) has been eliminated, as has the need to repair curtains damaged by steel stillages.
Boalloy's Magic Box Sliding Door Van impressed the panel. Some judges were worried about its additional cost, complexity and weight when compared with a traditional curtainsider, but they conceded that sliding doors give added security. Again, there is no risk of injury when opening and closing the trailer.