Signs of thaw in British reefer market
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; ALWAYS been the aim of acturers and distributors to anticipate the customquirements and nowhere more apparent than in the
of refrigerated vehicles I for the distribution of lble goods.
loy of Congleton's contrito the heavier end of the is its latest Insuliner deto carry chilled freight.
; a re-modelled front bulkn which a Petter PDL 50EE nted with an external eve' and the return air flow is d into the top,12in of the section of the interior. ows the operator to make urn use of loading space, s increased by 15 per cent he previous Insuliner ghtweight, sidecurtains easily pulled aside and to assist side loading access Boalloy have devised neat swingpast pillars which provide extra entry space when using a forklift.
In addition to the rear loading and side delivery operation, a moveable bulkhead can be fitted which allows both chilled and dry freight to be carried during the one operation.
Although clearly not in the freezer class, it will maintain temperatures down to 0 degrees Centigrade and at £21,900 it offers the road haulier considerable versatility in covering several different market conditions.
At the other end of the scale is Southfield's Urbanloada curtainsided body which is mounted on a Ford Transit. This will suit operators who run a non-hgv local delivery operation requiring quick access.
Extensive use of aluminium for the floor, body corners, front bulkhead and roof reduces the weight of the body considerably to around 320kg, which gives a corresponding payload increase for the operator.
Nicknamed Urbie II by Southfield, it carries many of the virtues of the larger version such as load-bearing sidecurtains which have a broadmesh polyester web reinforcement maintaining them under tension.
Operation of the sidecurtains is made by releasing the overcentre catches and sliding the curtains along the roller tracks. The relative ease with which this can be carried out will only enhance its position in the market.
Its lightweight rear roller is of aluminium construction with some use of plastic, but the top and bottom roller tracks are of steel to give added strength.
Designed for most chassis in the under 31/2-ton range, each one can be converted at Southfield's Loughborough coachworks in four hours at a cost of £1,500.
• Many vehicle and trailer manufacturers are producing models which have the facility to convert to the proposed higher weights. Craven Tasker illustrates this by exhibiting its latest taperbodied Task tipper trailer.
While its body and chassis are taper profiled, the suspension units are mounted, parallel to the ground and its overall height is maintained level along its entire length. Its body specification includes an increase in capacity to 50cuyd to suit the higher weights.
The body tapers from 1.68m to 1.98m (5.5ft to 6.5ft) at the rear and has internal dimensions of 2.29m (7.511) wide by 9.14m (30ft) long.
The interest shown in lightweight drawbar trailer combinations is demonstrated by the system displayed by Ray Smith Demountables, and manufactured to order for the House of Fraser.
Leyland Boxer vehicles are specified to provide sufficient power to carry out the long, haul operation.
Although rated at 12.55 tonne gross, it will operate at 8.75 tonne gross carrying a body which can be exchanged with the lighter Leyland Terriers to carry out the local delivery operation.
Welford offers all-round versatility with its Bedford 4x4 chassis-mounted Pesci P777 hydraulic truckloader. It is powered by the 8.2-litre 205 TD engine giving 152.7kW (205bhp) at 2,500rpm and 682Nm (502Ibft) torque at 1,600rpm.
Produced for the Central Electricity Generating Board's south-western region, it will be used to pull a trailer-mounted 10-ton winch as well as general haulage both on and off-road. Its rear-mounted hydraulic loader is on a demountable frame from which the vehicle can be withdrawn, to allow it to function normally as a cargo vehicle.
Among the smaller tipping vehicles being shown is the 1.6cum {2cuyd) Tipmaster conversion on the new Talbot Express 1700-Series chassis cab. Powered by the front wheel drive two-litre petrol engine, it develops 57kW (76.9bhp) at 5,000rpm and 155Nm (114Ibft) at 2,500rpm. Its compression ratio is 7.5:1 and runs on two-star petrol. The price of the conversion is £1,374.