Clean-sheet mini artic
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A NON-HGV Dodge S46 mini artic running with three specially designed Lynton Commercial Minitran semi-trailers has allowed Gwent Health Authority to make important improvements in carrying and storing hospital linen.
The 60kW (80bhp) Perkinspowered 7.10 tonne-gcw S46 operates between the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, and the main laundry at St Woolos Hospital one-and-a-half miles away.
By adding the non-hgv Dodge artic to its fleet, Gwent has been able to replace a larger under-utilised rigid vehicle, and close its dirty linen storage facilities at Newport.
Two of the trailers have a low-floor drop-frame design, and are parked at strategic locations at the Royal Gwent Hospital, forming dirty-linen store houses.
When full they are coupled up to the S46 mini-artic and delivered to St Woo los.
A third trailer with a normal deck height is used to transfer the clean linen stowed in roller pallets back to the Royal Gwent linen store.
Each aluminium frame trailer has a tandem axle bogie with torsion-bar suspension and electrically operated brakes. The 4.87m (16ft)-long bodywork is constructed using Glasonit glass reinforced plastic and ply laminate panels allowing easy internal cleaning and enough strength to handle a payload of 3,500kg (68.9cwt), comprising 15 full roller pallets of clean linen.
Rear roller shutters have been fitted to all three Lynton trailers, while the drop-frame units have additional sideshutters. The 4x2 546 Dodge is equipped with a Jost lightweight fifth-wheel coupling and does not require a tachograph in its current application.