DRIVERS' VERDICTS
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We were impressed by our first encounter with the Alpha 3000, but how would professional drivers take to it? We headed for BP's Crick truckstop and asked some drivers to give it a spin and share their thoughts with us...
Kevin Elkes, from Walsall, drives an ERF E I 0 325 for Heywood Transport. When we met at Crick he was in the middle of a trailer swap. "The cab looks a bit different on the outside but it's almost identical to the Daf 85 inside. The only difference I can see is the centre console," he said, as he settled in behind the wheel. After a quick briefing on the take-off with a Cummins MI1 engine we were on our way. "Got to use the clutch again," he remarked, explaining that his truck has an Eaton Twin Splitter box. "This gear change is easy; not at all heavy," he added. "There's a lot of difference in power compared with mine. This pulls really well. The ride is very good„.I don't think you could expect it to get a lot better than this." As we negotiated a roundabout at the start of our return journey he added: "Steering is good and light and body roll is not excessive. Visibility around the cab is pretty good and I can see all the instruments with just a glance. I like the style of the dash and the Daf trim will be easy to keep clean. The bunk looks comfortable but it could do with a bit more space to put things away." Ken Jones drives a Volvo FLI 0 and also works for Haywood Transport, so we couldn't offer one a drive and not the other. We advised him to keep the revs in the green and let the engine work. "It will take a bit of getting used to but it does pull nicely. It's a bit noisy on the stick," he noted, picking up on what sounded like the idler gear rattle. "But it drops into gear OK," he added. "The pedals are big enough. I would prefer to have the control for the engine brake on the floor. There's a lot more torque than with mine. It doesn't fall away on the hills as quickly and the ride is a lot more comfortable. It doesn't seem there's much more room than in the FLIO. Is there stowage under the bunk?" he asked. "You can never have enough. I like the cubby holes in the middle—just what we need on our job for maps and paperwork. The rear window makes coupling up to the trailer easier and I like the electric mirrors. You can alter them to improve visibility if you have to reverse into a tight space. I see it's got a 24-volt socket too; just the job for a kettle." Russ Gawthorpe drives a Volvo FLIO 360 for BRS. "The entry is OK," was his initial reaction. "It's got good grab-handles and wide steps with plenty of grip. Inside it's the basic Oaf sleeper cab. Ideally I would like to have a higher roofiine, but it's all relative to the price. The centre console on the engine cover is more of a pain than being of much use; it gets in the way if you want to move across to the bunk, but the cup holders are a good idea. It's got standard functional trim and I like to keep a clean cab. I've never used the partition curtains at night. Having a rear window might make it cold on the bunk—it could do with a clip-in cover." Lifting off the clutch without touching the accelerator he let the engine take the strain. "It pulls away smoothly," he said. "The gearstick is nice and small and doesn't need a lot of tugging, but it's got a rattle. The ride is what I would expect of a new vehicle but the engine makes the cab a touch noisy. The mirrors are good,
Kevin Elkes: "I don't think you could expect it to get a lot better than this.'
Ken Jones: "The rear window makes coupling up to the trailer easier.'
although I expect they will be expensive to replace, and I like the sun visor—it's just right for the low sun at this time of year. There's even a visor for the side window to stop your ear burning. The steering isn't so light that it doesn't give some feedback and the pedals aren't too heavy either. The brakes stop well for 38 tonnes. Instruments are really easy to read and I don't have to stretch to reach any of the controls. This seat is brilliant. ..I've adjusted the backrest to fit the shape of my back exactly."