U.T.A. Bulk Cement-carrying Prototype
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VVORKING to close dimensional limits, a specialist vehicle for bulk cement carrying has been produced by the Ulster Transport engineering works at Belfast. Attached to the Larne depot, it is operating on behalf of the Cement Marketing Co. (Northern Ireland), from Magheramorne, Larne, to Coleraine, a distance of 48 miles.
For this particular traffic, a payload of 12 tons was required with an overall height that would enable the vehicle to clear the 9-ft. 8-in, bridge at the works entrance. The body had to be completely enclosed with means of loading from an overhead chute, and discharge by tipping from the rear door. The completed unit needed to be suitable for employment over a route where in places the surfaces are poor and gradients are awkward. The design department decided to use a Leyland Hippo chassis with powerassisted steering and twin air-line braking, the body being built integral with two 8-in. by 3-in, full-length rolled, steel channels.
The removable top canopy has a 2-ft.wide aperture for filling purposes, running to within 1 ft of the overall canopy length and enclosed by an aluminium alloy cover. At the front of the body is a worm reduction box which, linked to a 1-in.-diameter shaft, enables the hatch cover to be operated from ground level. Overall dimensions are: length, 16 ft. 10 in.; width, 7 ft. 111 in.; laden height from ground (with canopy), 8 ft. 8 in. A twin-ram tipping gear is fitted.