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GOO tankers carry 132 different chemicals in bulk...
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ANKFREIGHT, part of the lational Freight Corporation, as 600 vehicles equipped to andle a range of over 132 lifferent bulk chemicals. Iready the company serves lost major companies in the if and chemical industries.
And now it is becoming inreasingly interested in deve)ping with potential and xisting customers any requirelents for handling liquids, owders and gases.
It has the facilities for proiding silos as part of a package )r converting from tank to bulk elivery.
1 It can arrange rail, road and torage distribution link-ups.
It will act as central haulage gent for several companies on product or group of products.
It wishes to develop joint entures with companies who rant to move away from ownmount operation.
And it aims to co-ordinate ite-to-site and ex-‘ite distribu tion to eliminate overlap within the larger petroleum and chemical companies.
The balancing of seasonal trends, for example, beer and milk with fuel oil, is another of the company's aims.
Bulk powders and liquids carrying is becoming more specialised because of the increasing range of dangerous and unstable chemicals being used in industry.
As a result more manufacturers are going to these specialist hauliers. It was in order to see exactly what services can be offered and type of vehicles used, that I visited Tankfreight Ltd at Victoria Avenue, Harrogate (writes Brian Chalmers-Hunt).
The NFC started business on January 1, 1969, when it inherited the road haulage and shipping undertakings of the Transport Holding Company. The THC was formed under the 1962 Transport Act and was one of the five successor bodies to the British Transport Commission, the others being the Railways, London Transport, and Docks and Waterways Boards. The NFC also immediately acquired National Carriers Ltd and a 51 per cent controlling interest in Freightliners Ltd from the British Railways Board, The ex-Transport Holding Company road undertakings consisted mainly of British Road Services companies, whose publicly owned status dated back to the 1947 Transport Act and subsequent amending legislation, and other companies icluding Pickfords, Tayforth and Harold Wood were acquired later in the ordinary course of business by those BRS corn panies or by the Transport Holding Company, The Tankfreight Group itself was incorporated on March 3, 1972, as the subsidiary controlling the two bulk liquid road haulage companies, Harold Wood and Sons and Pickfords Tank Haulage. Also Tankfreight now controls a further liquid road haulage company, Caledonian Bulk Liquids, and a tank storage company, Felixstowe Tank Developments.
Although both companies are part of the Tankfreight Group they still trade under their own names.
During 1970 the tank haulage division of Pickfords became Pickfords Tank Haulage Ltd. To the basic petroleum and chemical work new traffics were added and new depots opened as larger and more modern vehicles penetrated the mainland of Europe. Wines, milk and beet were added to the traffic range and new contracts operated with national manufacturers such as ICI. Pickfords become the leading carriers of carbon black.
Harold Wood and Sons were .acquired by the Transport Holding Company in 1965 and now operated a fleet of about 300 vehicles. During the "oil company boom" of the 1960s they carried a considerable amount of petrol and oil but now carry predominantly chemicals but also edibles, powders and petroleum products throughout the UK and Europe.
Main depot
What is now the main depot at Birmingham of Caledonian Bulk Liquids Ltd was originally a depot of Road Services (Caledonian) Ltd. It became the headquarters of a separate company, Caledonian Bulk Liquids, in 1965, part of the Tayforth grouping within the Transport Holding Company. It chiefly handled chemicals in tankers for Fisons and frozen foods in insulated boxes for Birds Eye.
The company became part of Tankfreight in 1976 and today operates 100 vehicles carrying petroleum products and chemicals.
Felixstowe Tank Develop ments Ltd was acquired in 1975 when Tankfreight acquired a controlling interest. It was the first independent tank storage installation in the UK specialising in the handling and storage of bulk liquid products passing through the port of Felixstowe, and has continued to expand by entering road tanker transport.
There are over 100 tanks on the site ranging from heated, lined, insulated, water cooled and nitrogen blanketing.
As a member of Tankfreight FTD can provide full national and international road tanker services.
There is a special system of day tanks which enables a road tanker to load simultaneously to the tanker ship discharging.
The road tankers can be loaded at a rate of 900-2,300 litres a minute (198-506 gpm) using Customs approved bulk metres.
Special storage and handling facilities are provided for tanker fuels, and small capacity blending plant and drum storage for specialised low flash-point fuels.
Some tanks have internal linings including aluminium, epoxy resin, polyurethane and glass fibre and are fitted with specialised pipelines, pumps and other equipment for special product storage.
Other facilities include drum fitting, handling and a repacking service. And blending can be carried out on site. FTD can also supply a full stock control and documentation service.
With the backing of the four specialist companies Tankfreight offers a comprehensive range of facilities including haulage shipping and forwarding, depot services and package deals.
Tankfreight's vehicles operate from 12 major and 15 subdepot sites and cover the whole of the UK and in association with companies on the Continent, and most parts of .Europe.
Spot fleets are centrally controlled from Pickfords Tank Haulage traffic office in Stroud and the Hardld Wood and Sons traffic office in Heckmondwike. They handle the normal day-today jobbing work ranging from local deliveries within 10 miles radius of the customers' premises to long-haul Continental loads.
Contract services are available for all types of bulk vehicleS and Tankfreight will supply a vehicle in the customer's livery driven by a CIA trained driver.
Tankfreight operates from most manufacturers and the 'majority of vehicles are built to Petroleum Spirit Regulations.
Four, six and eight-wheel rigid vehicles with GP and designated barrels of varying capacities are also in the fleet.
Semi-trailers complement the wide range of vehicles.
Tanks constructed from mild steel. stainless steel, and aluminium are available on the fleet and when necessary additional safety features are incorporated. TIR and ADR tanks are available and tanks now entering service are constructed to Home Office Type 1 or Type 11 proposals.
Vehicle and tank maintenance is carried out in Tankfreight's own workshops, but NFC is extensively used when ever possible for maintenance outside Tankfreight's own facilities. TIR and ADR inspections preparation is carried out in Tankfreight's own workshops.
Vehicle inspections are carried out on a four or five-week cycle and include a full inspection on both the tractor and tank. A full-time tyre inspection is based at the Heckmondwike depot and there is a further inspection working out in the field covering all southern-based vehicles.
At major depots having suitable equipment, tank de-. greasing, inspection and special certificates can be issued to outside hauliers.
All depots have hardstanding and workshop service, include pressure cleaning, brakE testing, headlight setting, wel ding, pump and hose testing tank repairs, bunkering service pre-DTp test test inspections automatic lubrication equip ment fitments, fifth-wheel fit ment and vehicle repainting Full vehicle recovery service: are also available at the depots.
Many of the services are off ered to outside hauliers an several depots operate tanke internal cleaning facilities.
Transport of bulk liquids call: for strict rules to be adhered to Every driver joining the fleet is a least 25 and has three years experience with HGV1 vehicles
Licences are checked ever 12 months and drivers mus pass a medical examinatior every three years or annual', after the age of 55, additional!' after every serious illness accident or extended absence.
Before joining, a driver's pas record will be checked, and IT must be able to prove maturit and sense of responsibility.
Driver training
There is a permanent drivini school at Heikmondwike wher new recruits are fully trained and revision courses held. Ful time hgv instructors and tw tank vehicles used exclusivel for training purpose Courses include law and tram portation of chemicals by roac vehicle handling, codes of prai tice covering TremcardE Hazchem, labelling, routein and parking.
Instruction is given in basi chemical technology with part cular emphasis on hazards c chemicals and knowledge an use of Tremcards. Emergenc procedures, safety training an practical exercises are dealt wit in depth.
All drivers are issued with special holdall which includ PVC coat, trousers and hat, rut ber boots, goggles or eyeshielc gloves and emergency light.
Tankfreight is flexibJe meeting customers' requirE ments. Recently it began a cor tract with Albion Sugar in whic DAF 2300 tractive units wer specified. This brings the total ( vehicles on this contract to 2 with a corresponding number ( special-built sugar trailers.
The six vehicles based Tilbury use Tankfrieght drivel while drivers for the Woolwicl based vehicles are from Albio Sugar.
Tankfreight also took ovi the Albion Sugar workshops Woolwich and run these as pa of its own operation.