I owe Bob 'Mr Classic' Tuck an apology as this has been kicking around on my desktop for a while and I've been very lax in posting it up. Unfortunately, the story has a sad beginning as along with these pictures Bob wrote to tell me about the untimely death of Jim Mundell late last year at the age of 73. Bob says he met him "When I did a story on one of his trailers a few years back for Truck & Driver." Bob continues: "Jim took over his father's modest firm based at Tarbert after doing National Service in the 1950s and pioneered the ro-ro traffic to the isle of Islay. Mundells even run buses on Islay now.Jim's son Ben is still running the family business. They have a staff of around 40."
Meanwhile, back to the reason for this post which Bob explains; "The problem Jim had was that the main traffic coming off Islay was whisky---in bulk tanker [as pictured at the very top]. While the only traffic going onto Islay was assorted dry freight for the folk living there.Obviously the two don't mix so in 1996, he worked closely with Clayton Tankers who built him two so called 'Super Tankers'." And Bob's pictures show it off perfectly....
"They both look like curtainsiders," he says, "but pull the curtains back and you'll see that the bottom half is a normal stainless steel tanker. This is loaded with whisky on the island for delivery to the distilleries and bottling plants on Scotland's main land. But going back - when the tanker is empty - all sorts of groupage is loaded onto the top of it. It's a bit awkward and a bit of a tight squeeze for the guys to load but I thought it was a great idea."
Bob adds: "The groupage is normally gathered at Mundells Hillington depot in Glasgow and I was a bit tickled to see that back then MAN Scotland were using Mundells Dafs to deliver their parts. Mundells operate a daily service with each of their Super Tankers but I recall it was quite a rush for us to catch the 6pm ferry."
"The ferry operator doesn't allow for unaccompanied trailers onto their ferry so Mundells use a Scania for that job. Also thought you'd like to see the Hillington ERF shunter - now who did that start life with sporting its Yorkshire registration?"
"I still think it's a great idea," reckons Bob. "Can you recall those huge portable rubber tank things that Suttons of St Helens used to use in the early 1960s? Once they were emptied, the drivers used to fold up the tanks and then carry dry freight on the flat trailer back. The old ones are the best ones."
"Cheers Bob..." And what a great idea..and an interesting constructing too--sort of semi integral using the tanks to create the frame....has anyone else seen a dual pupose trailer like this? I know we did a similar story in CM some time ago about a Danish operator running a Finnish curtainsider/come tanker...
Now click through for more pictures from Bob's original story....
I haven't been to Islay in years--in fact the last time was probably back in the mid '80s when Toyota organised a Hi-Lux pickup launch there...
As you can see this is taken during the 'rush hour'...!
And here's a final shot of the Scania....wonder if they still have it? Anyroadup thanks for the story Bob and I wish Mundells all the best with their Super Tankers!
Re: Trailer designs to reduce deadheading:
I seem to have some foggy childhood memory of seeing ore trailers somewhere in Canada fitted with large fuel tanks on their underbellies.
They would haul ore going outbound, of course, and bring diesel for the mine equipment on the return trip.
I'm sorry that I can't be more specific. Has anybody else seen or heard of this?
They were sometimes used out here, the tank was square and made from steel, which brought the deck down lower. Used for carting diesoline I think. Martin P might be able to help us with a photo
hi great idea whisky out goods back in. both been over on there ribs though last one about 18 month ago both repaired and back in service.