More New Vehicles for Birds Eye Fleet
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THE largest addition to the fleet of Birds Eye Foods, Ltd., consisting of 14 new 12-ton long-distance refrigerated vehicles, many incorporating new constructional methods, is now being put into operation. Three examples were on view at the Woking depot on Monday together with two small vehicles designed for distribution work between S.P.D. depots and customers.
Whilst the 14 long-distance vehicles have been built to Birds Eye specification. they are operated on contract hire. "It is not Birds Eye policy to invest large sums of money in long-distance haulage," said Mr. Peter Thompson, transport manager."Our business is the production and selling of frozen foods— not long-distance haulage, which we leave to the specialists." The contractors concerned are Road. Services (Caledonian), Ltd. (six vehicles), J. Wyatt of Diss (three vehicles), Howell. and Harper, Ltd.. Lowestoft (three vehicles) and J. Tubby, Ltd., I.ow-estoft (two).
Three of the vehicles built by Norwich Coachworks, Ltd.. have the highest thermal efficiency of any tested by girds Eye; approximately. 79 per cent. The insulation consists of expanded polyurethane with a heat transfer rate of 1150 B.T.U.s per hour in an ambient of 90° F. with an internal temperature of 0° F. In contrast, Mr. Thompson said that only four years ago the rate of heat transfer was around 6,500/7,000 B.T.U.s per hour. Refrigeration is by dry ice in bunkers. Floors and-walls are aluminium.
The three vehicles built by Norwich Coachworks are based on B.T.C. articulated trailers hauled by A.E.C. Mercury tractive units.
Five vehicles have been built by Mann Egerton. Ltd-, of Norwich, with B.T.C. trailers. and with Leyland Super Comet prime movers. The insulation is Plasticell. giving a heat transfer of 4,000 B.T.U.s per hour. The floor is of glass-fibre and the walls aluminium. Thermal efficiency is about 75 per cent.
The six vehicles operated by Road Services (Caledonian), Ltd., have been built by Holmes Alexander, Ltd., Dumfries. Five are insulated with expanded polystyrene and one with polyurethane. Two are fitted with Thermo King mechanical refrigeration and the others with dry ice in bunkers. The thermal efficiency is 65 per cent. and heat transfer 5,400 B.T.U.s per hour. Built on Scott trailers, the outfits are hauled by. Leyland Super Comets.
The distribution vehicles' operated for Birds Eye by S.P.D. use mechanical refrigeration because of the number of deliverics undertaken each day. The two
vehicles on show at the Woking depot each provide a payload of 31 to 31 tons and the " container-in-body " units are mounted on Bedford 5-ton 151-in.-wheelbase chassis with 300-cu.-in. oil engines. One of the containers is single framed with 5-in, expanded polystyrene, whilst the other has 5 in. of polyurethane insula tion -sprayed .in situ. A Prestcold AS1501, compressor is used, with provision for overnight power from depot mains. The internal operating temperatures of both vehicles are —5° to 0° F.
Elaborating on the construction of these new vehicles, Mr. Thompson said that better insulation was being obtained by the use of polyurethane. Instead of being applied in slab form it was sprayed on and foamed within the completed body shell. This leads to fewer joints and a generally tighter fit of insulation into the framework, with less heat transfer. One of the vehicles built by Mann Egerton has the insulated container made entirely of expanded P.V.C. bonded to a glass-fibre outer surface. It is .elaimed that this is the first time that
constructional method has been used in a vehicle of this size. Because of the structural strength of P.V.C., the amount of non-insulating materials can be reduced and, correspondingly, the level of the heat transfers.