As promosied here are few more pictures from this week's Tipper Light event held at the Smiths of Bletchington quarry just of J10 of the M40. One of our test trucks--this Volvo FL little four-wheel 18-tonner--is actually on the Smiths fleet. And what an immaculate state it's in too! I'm told the driver really cherishes it and the inside is astonishing for a tipper.
It even sports a Mack hood ornament--fully encapsulating the 'Global' roots of the truck which has a Volvo engine and frame, Renault-derived cab and a Mack bonnet badge!
And here it is to show you how clean it is...and with CM associate editor Colin Barnett just writing up his notes on it. And take my word for it after some rain the quarry gets really claggy...the limestone dust becomes a paste that even a jet wash struggles to get off. The FE, however, looks it just came out of the box--but it's an '08 with already over 70,000 clicks on the clock.
What's the Smiths' driver's secret? Lots of TLC and the odd pack of 'Flash Dash' wipes--you need them with all that dust floating around too...now click through to see more..
Each truck was weighed empty to get a real tare weight, then it was off to the loading area for a load of aggregate before check-weighing again -- then it was out on the road for a 20 mile circuit with a timed hill climb thrown in.
Believe me that limestone sludge really does get everywhere.....
So a major clean-up was required before the trucks could be collected. And here's the 'Boy Swallow' with the jetwash cleaning up a Canter...yours truly got the thin-edge of the wedge insofar as every time we cleaned one up, BLB then had to walk back to the holding area to pick the next one up,....there's organisation for you..
Meanwhile Ashley 'The Crane King' Coghill writes..."Morning mate, Any chance you add this comment to BLB please? While Smith's lovely little FL tipper reflects all of Volvo's global brands currently, I think this truck might reflect what could have been if Mr Monti had not intevened? Have a good easter break: ASH...."
Morning mate
Any chance you add this comment to BLB please?
While Smith's lovely little FL tipper reflects all of Volvo's global brands currently, I think this truck might reflect what could have been if Mr Monti had not intervened?
Have a good easter break: ASH.
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