Rootes to close body plant
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A' part of its reorganization of manufacturing operations. the Rootes Group is to close the British Light Steel Pressings' factory at Acton.
Commercial vehicle cabs and van body pressings have been produced at this factory and it has not yet been finally decided where these will be produced when the Acton plant eventually closes.
Making its British debut at last week's preview of Crane Fruehauf's demonstration tour (COMMERCIAL MOTOR, July 1), the aluminium-bodied 22 cu. yd. tipper proved to be an extremely interesting vehicle. The single ram used on this vehicle is of American design but it is thought that an Edbro unit will eventually be used. With adequately radiused corners and a completely smooth interior, the body is likely to be free of sticking loads. It is claimed by the makers to be an extremely stable vehicle, tests carried out in a sand quarry with the body loaded and partially raised having failed to show any twisting or distortion of the unit. The tailgate is locked by two mechanisms powered by a pair of single-diaphragm brake chambers (below) which are controlled from a press-button mounted on the side of the trailer adjacent to the controls for the auxiliary engined tipping gear. The tailgate pillars are sloped forward so that when the body is in the lowered position the gate always returns to the closed position, when the locks can be operated to make it secure.
Bottom right: This Crane Fruehauf tanker was a second last-minute exhibit at the Press preview held by the company at White City last week. It is a 5,000 gal.-capacity fuel oil tanker having two equal compartments, and built in the American idiom of functional simplicity. Hauled by a 64GU180 ERF tractive unit, the outfit is plated for operation at 30 tons g.t.w.
Bottom left: The Con-leader, a picture of which was shown in COMMERCIAL MOTOR of July 1, is shown here with the container lifted clear of the skeleton chassis. Quick-acting snap-locks are fitted at each corner of the unit, and when the container is lowered on to the lock-pyramids this is the only operation required to make the outfit safe for movement. The container is one of a number manufactured by the company to ISO standards.