Axle enterprise is self-made success
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JOHN ANCRUM was a Gateshead owner-driver and had a steel haulage contract when a bad accident on a motorway put him off the road for 13 months. His insurance far from compensated him and when he came back to driving, he says, he found it was a dog-eat-dog situation.
However, he had an idea for an add-on axle for tractive units, and now that the 38 tonnes limit is legal his enterprise is paying off. Around 10 a week are made by Monitor Ancrum Ltd, Monitor House, Coast Road, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear.
When he was driving his second-hand 6 x 4 Scammell at 32 tons with a 40ft trailer he found the braking far superior to that of a conventional unit. That gave him the idea — which he put on paper in late 1978. The following year he entered an engineering competition for a £10,000 prize sponsored by Durham University and funded by Shell and BP. Although he did not win he was put in contact with the local polytechnic, which helped out with tests.
During the recession at that time he let the project slide, but in 1981 got the idea sorted out. He had built a prototype on a Bedford and needed to see how close he could get the wheels without causing understeer problems and a lot of engineering work. Mark I and Mark II versions were cornpleted.
Sunderland Polytechnic's Mechanical Engineering Department refined and developed the design and the latest unit was tested at twice the legal on-road load at Lloyd's test centre.
Tyne and Wear Innovation Centre, founded in.1981, . backed the idea with £10,000
for design and build costs. Tt was not a grant for John A crum, but feelers were put or and as a result Monitor Ent neers, of Newcastle on Tyn put in an initial £100,000.
So things are going well wi: the Mark III model in produ tion. "This is a cost-effecti% way of converting existir equipment," said John. "And the tractive unit is sold the ur can be taken off and fitted a another tractor".
He claims that the Monito Ancrum add-on axle unit is tla most efficient, reliable ar cost-effective way to increa: all-up lorry weight to 3 tonnes, being simple to fit ar requiring virtually no mainte ance.
As most operators haNd more trailers than tracti‘ units, it reduces the number conversions and so savE money. It is also cheaper • convert a two-axle unit thi buy a new three-axle tractor.
Among the claimed technic advantages are: • Better braking efficiency • Less chance of overloadir drive axle; less tyre we. than other manufacturer units; and less chance 1 jack-knifing compared wir third axle on trailer • Improved traction in poon weather If you can find a marke you'll find finance to start up. things go really well, then i this case the Business Expar sion Scheme may merit cor sideration. Many organisatior are in the business of offerin help. But when it comes t finding loads, filling seats thinking bright thoughts, that a lonely path. The rule of th road, as ever, is: take care. A John McGregor, Small Firm Minister in the previous go\ ernment, recognises: "There i a relatively high failure rat among new businesses."
However, the Department Industry figures show that E the end of the 1980-82 perio 20,000 more businesses wer in existence (1.5 per cent c these registered for vat) than E the beginning. How many c these are in road transport The section in the Dol's table headed transport shows ther were 15,900 births during thes three years and 16,400 death: But let's don't be morbid. Evi dently, opportunities for suc cess do occur.