Innovations abound in Edinburgh
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• This year's Scottish IRTE exhibition at Edinburgh attracted a good turnout of exhibitors and visitors to what is a firstclass venue.
In addition to all the equipment on display, the show offered test drives around the Ingleston circuit.
But despite the good attendance and genuine interest from transport managers and fleet engineers, it lacked the buzz of previous years.
Money lenders
As some manufacturers enjoy _ the fruits of niche marketing, reports of a clinging air of ner vousness among money lenders and prospective borrowers still managed to filter through to put a dampener on the spirits of the remainder.
Victor Michie's 325Txengined 4350 4x2 tractive unit is the first Foden to be equipped with the MAN GHH screw-type bulk discharge pump.
It is nearside mounted and driven from a Chelsea PT-0.
The pump has a triple vee-belt drive and has been specified for its high output of 700m3/hr at a continuous 2.5bar.
This is achieved at an engine speed of around 800rpm, which helps keep down noise levels.
MAN GHH says the vehicle will be able to discharge up to 26 tonnes of bulk powders in less than 15 minutes. Michie's unit will run with one of the la
test 31m3 tri-axle aluminium bulker tankers from German manufacturer Feldbinder (FFB).
Because of its sturdier extended neck section, the tanker will be able to work with threeaxled units at its 44 tonnes GCW design Limit when (and if) the big day ever comes. FFB expects to build more than 800 tankers this year. It is developing a 57e tipping version in stainless steel based on three air-sprung axles and taring out at 7.5 tonnes.
The steel construction is designed to avoid the contamination of aluminium for a major German chemical manufacturer.
Also at the IRTE was the first of MAN's revised G90 models; an 8.150 with a 115kW (155hp) 6.5-litre ECO diesel engine. It is part of a large order for BRS and features enlarged brakes, a single 200-litre fuel tank and improved cab equipment.
Reefer body
BRS has specified a neat Gray and Adams GRP reefer body with Carrier Mistral 390 fridge unit. It is equipped with a triple rear door arrangement to give hirers a wide choice of entry.
Because so many of its 7.5tonners end up with Luton bodies, MAN now supplies its G-range with heavy duty suspension. Its 3.2-tonne front axle also helps give a higher loading tolerance, especially with a front-mount freezer unit.
The VW Caravelle debuted at the IRTE show. It comes with the standard roof height (only the LWB panel van has a highroof option) and with electric windows costs nearly £20,000.
Volvo's military 4x4 rigid may not have found favour with the MoD, but in civilian Highlander guise with Atlas crane and Aitken drop side bodywork it has found ' favour with Scotland's Hydro-Electric.
Eurotruck of Broxburn coordinated the contract hire deal which covers 33 trucks. Ten are 4x4s which will be deployed from Perth to Shetland; the others are standard FL611/617s with dropside tipper and Ray Smith demount gear.
"In opting for contract hire we are breaking new ground for our industry," says Hydro-Electric transport manager Neil Dockray. H-E has traditionally opted for Bedfords and AWDs: the Highlander won its approval with extra payload, more local dealer support and cab comfort.
Another Scottish debutante was Seddon Atkinson's 3.8m Strato 410 tractive unit powered by the 306kW (410hp) Cummins 14-litre diesel engine with Step Timing Control.
On-line option
With no sign of its Iveco parent's EuroCargo, Seddon also showed a smaller 17.21 rigid with Southworth rear air suspension. This is something that the company plans to adopt in future as an on-line option.
The 17.21, one of 20 for drinks firm AG Barr of Glasgow, is fitted with Boalloy Localiner bodywork featuring adjustable storage bulkheads and a shallow decline to the centre to aid bottle-load stability.
Its full length drain channel is designed to make the daily clean-out easier too.
Scania had one of its limitededition Centurion artics on display: a 3.4m R143MA in LHD form for Jedburgh international haulier Mounthooly Transport.
This is the first Centurion to go into operation in Scotland. It features Bosch's Electronic Diesel Control (EDC) engine management system, drive-axle air suspension, the latest GRS900 transmission and ABS/ASR braking systems.
To reflect what it sees as an industry standard, Scania has replaced its own gearbox in the N113-based Plaxton Verde City bus with a three-speed Voith automatic transmission. The vehicle will be on show at next month's Bus and Coach show at the Birmingham NEC.
Scania's growing PCV interest is also reflected in its sale of 20 Alexander-bodied doubledeckers to London Buses.
Thermo King's new SMX slimline nose mount fridge unit will appeal to operators who need extra air flow space when carrying 33 Euro/26 metric pallet loads of perishables in 13.6m trailers.
Swing radius
With its shallower condensor unit the 430mm deep SMX fits neatly within the 2.04m swing radius.
Although the layout has been rearranged, it uses the familiar 2,2-litre diesel and X430 compressor with R502 refrigerant. At 817kg, it is 78kg lighter and some £2,000 dearer than EuroPhoenix, but considerably cheaper and easier to service than an undermount system.
Two trailer-mounted examples on show at Edinburgh were fresh from Thermo King's Barcelona launch earlier in the month.
One was fitted to a 13.6m Schmitz chassis-less reefer trailer, its 13.4m internal length allowing an extra 200mm of inner space.
Schmitz has also chamfered its front corners and reduced bulkhead thickness from 80mm to 50mm, The second SMX served to enhance CTA Eurotherm's new 13.6m Plasti-Baeten reefer.
As for the Schmitz trailer, there is minimal intrusion inside, and with its 13.38m inner length, air flow space will be improved. Construction is of Belgian-made GRP panels.
The Peterlee-based bodybuilder claims a K-factor of 0.26W and, on three air-suspended axles, and a tare weight of 8.85 tonnes fully equipped.
Another reefer trailer manufacturer, Cartwright Freight Systems, showed an undermount alternative on its stubby 9.2m semi-trailer for Dairy Crest — one of an order for 16.
The semis have CFS's full aerodynamic package, Transfrig undermount freezer and Mecafluid autolube systems.
Cartwright seems to be bucking the national trend with orders stretching into the new year, including 200 drop bodies and 75 trailers for Kelloggs and 20 swap-bodied drawbar rigs for MFI and Panasonic.