Recently in Load security Category

Guess what's on the back of this truck..? Don't get it yet? Well let me give you a clue. It's useful for stopping liquid from coming out of a bottle...now click through here to get the full story!

Word reaches Biglorryblog that in the past 12 months Highways Agency workers have recovered a wide range of items from England's motorways, including the proverbial kitchen sink. Indeed between 1 July 2008 and 30 June 2009 the Agency recorded 7,370 reports of debris on UK motorways with many of those items found during the summer months coming from unsecured luggage and top-boxes. And they included surf boards, bicycles, a hot tub, greenhouse and even yes a kitchen sink. Derek Turner, network operations director at the Highways Agency tells BLB: "What seems secure when you leave home can easily work loose on motorways at high speeds. Our advice to drivers is to stop in a safe place and check your luggage before you join the motorway in case items have worked loose. Many people don't even realise they have lost something until they reach their destination." You know that happened to me the other day with the wife...

A new view of a familiar picture on Biglorryblog....How to transport 3.5-tonners in China...on the back of a VERY long  artic.

Still this blokes definitely got the hump...or two. And for a spit in the eye from a camel what do you call a camel with three humps? Now click through here for one more...

Never mind the tools left in the van overnight... We want to know about the cakes left in the trailer... Only unfortunately there are none left in this one! As ever Biglorryblog seems to tumble into a parallel universe whenever he's on his way to work... But what kind of cakes would you find in the back of this truck? Click through here to find out...!

Ashley 'The Crane King' Coghill makes a long overdue return to Biglotrryblgo with this curisotiy and says: "Hi again mate, as the 'CKC', health and safety at work plays a very important part in my daily duties. Being the conscientous person that I am... I tend to take a particular interest in other lorry loaders that I come across on my travels. My boss is always drumming it into me (and the others) how important it is to work safely at all times, so imagine my surprise when I caught up with this truck. At first glance I was somewhat shocked to see 6 cars on board and NOTHING holding them down. Then when we got to the roundabout and stopped, I got a better look. I could see that in fact there was one single chain over the top. Phew, that was close I thought. Actually, they are nicely secured with a tightly tentioned chain so I could relax... NOT! As he pulled away, the whole load swayed first to the left, then as he went gingerly around the roundabout, they all came back the other way!" Now click through here for more and another shot from CKC!

I've been racking my brains (what little of them I have left) trying to work out who recently commented on Biglorryblog that the Germans were red-hot on load security and really went about it the right way...it might have been 'The Boss'.  Anyroadup, with that in mind  I was struck by this recent news release from the German trailer maker Kögel whose STEELFIX load securing system for operators hauling reinforced steel mats for concrete has become one of the first certified securing system for carrying constructional steel which is now required in Germany. 

Kögel's STEELFIX "System Solution" was launched at last year's IAA 2008, and is one of only three recognised securing methods for concrete steel mats. And in case you're wondering all this arises out of the recently published new loading recommendation from the German Haulage, Logistics and Waste Disposal Federation (BGL). The load securing tests (which were instigated by the Osnabrück steel haulage firm Siegfried Serrahn and conducted by TÜV Nord in co-operation with the BGL, the German truck operator trade association (BGF), the Federal Office for Road Haulage (BAG), representatives from the police, the Institute for Steel Concrete Reinforcement (ISB), Kögel and a manufacturer of load securing devices) concluded that the STEELFIX load securing system is particularly suitable for securing concrete steel matting in accordance with the load securing guideline, VDI 2700.

Kögel's "variable stanchion system" see here on BLB is also the only method that makes use of "form-fit locking". And the advantage is? Well only a few manual operations are necessary for correctly securing the load, which can be completed in compliance with the new standard in around 30 minutes---more than twice as fast as conventional securing with lashing straps. "But that's not all", says Kögel: "The stanchion technology used enables the transportation of loads that are not only 30cm wider, but also up to 30cm higher than those in the other securing solutions recommended in the guideline---and with an extra tonne of payload. The police and the BAG will in future refer to the new BGL loading recommendation as the basis for their checks on concrete steel mat transporters...." So the message is, in the unlikely event of hauling steel concrete mats into Germany you better get it right! Now click through here for more....

And pretty good for a J-reg as far as I can make out...now click through here for the rest of the story and why Adrian chose a Krone trailer...

Andrew Cooper (Biglorryblog's favourite truck painter) has sent me this picture and message: "Hi Brian, following the photo of the Italians delivering steel coils maybe you'd like to use these two.back in the summer of 2007. My mate Les Boon(now recovering from the latest channel tunnel inferno)was delivering steel across europe with this Daf XF105. This is how it should be done! What you see here is two coils from Corus at Port Talbot destined for a steel mill in Germany or Holland Notice the decent size coil well and double buffer in front of each coil----a little safer than the Italian 'gravity and pray' method, get well soon Les!" Good sentiment Andrew and click through here for a picture of Les's immaculate Daf XF...you won't be disappointed!

Nick Garlick's recent post on insecure loads has certainly created a fair amoubnt of feedback--some pro others well... Meanwhile, Andrew Cooper (Biglorryblog's favourite truck painter) has sent me this picture and the folowing explanation: "Hi Brian, following Nick Garlick's photo from Antwerp, I thought you might like to see an image my good mate Stan Evans took back in the spring of 1995 whilst he was tipping a load of welsh steel coil in Northern Italy. Several miles away from the drop he was overtaken at break neck speed by these two Italian steel waggons, now the steel coil on their trailers would weigh at least 8-9 tonnes each!"

Andrew continues: "To be honest i wouldn't know about Italian gross weight limits [ the maximum is 44-tonnes BLB] so suffice to say it would be fair for anyone to sumise that they would be at least slightly over? More importantly as you see them queuing for the weighbridge that was how they were delivered, not a ratchet strap, dog and chain or more importantly coil well in sight! just those tiny frames and gravity... Scary stuff. Andrew."

Now click through here for a similar story from BLB on Italian 'load security'...

Yikes... Biglorryblog's travelling contributor Nick Garlick has sent me this worrying shot: "Hi Brian, in reply to your request for more picture of unsafe loads here's a typical example of a Belgium haulier loaded in Antwerp. If I had a pound for every time I see flat steel being carried on open trls with no straps never mind chains in Belgium, I'd be a millionaire!! Note there are no posts in front either." Rather him than me...

Anyway, Nick continues: "Recently in Greece a truck hauling just such a cargo was involved in a tragic accident. Disastrously, the steel wasn't secured properly and on a sharp bend wiped out a coach carrying children. I am appalled by unsafe loads I see regularly transported in the UK whilst the Highways Agency (too busy wrapping people in tinfoil) and VOSA seem to have other priorities. Except of course to prosecute British hauliers for a missing wingtop! The only European countries who properly police this type of crime are the Germans and Dutch, thankfully. Regards, Nick." So is Nick right? Do you think the enforcement agencies let too many insecure loads go unpunished? Post a comment.

I know what you're thinking...why is this person holding what look is like a strange bed-pan....well if you haven't worked out what it is then try this one below..it does exactly the same thing...

Still not got it...? Then how about this one below? NOW do you get it.....?

Yes..of course..they're all devices for winding up the strap part of a ratchet strap to keep it neat and tidy. The top one is an American hand-held device call the 'Reel Quick' (Reel/Real Quick geddit..? Oh well please yerselves!). You feed the strap end through the slot at the bottom and then around the centre spindle and there's a handle on the back to wind it up.  The second one is called 'The Picado' which has a powerful magnet on the round end which sticks onto the side of a truck or trailer body. And by powerful I mean just that as I managed to squeeze my finger under it...it still smarts! The winding handle which goes through the square section body has a slot on the end through which you feed the strap and then start winding. I must say it's rather clever and easy to swap from truck to truck. Both of these producted are distributed in the UK by Haywood Products www.haywoodproducts.com Last but not least we have the famous German Gurtefix from Cargocare on www.cargo-care.de which you can bolt onto the tractor catwalk or truck/trailer body and which has been the subject of more than one BLB blog in the past....yes you DO remember.

And look! Here's Biglorryblog winding up a strap using the Gurtefix which I eventually managed to fix to the catwalk of this Daf XF belonging to Online Roadways in Chadwell Heath who very kindly allowed us to stage a strap test at their premises---Online's Les Chapman was most helpful. However, it ended up as something of a competitive sport to see how quick yours truly could wind up an 8m strap, neat-and-tidy, ready for stowing away..mmm 'wind-up' is exactly what it turned out to be not least as I was being simultaneously timed, goaded and egged on by 'The Boy Swallow' (Aka Kevin Swallow from Commercial Motor).

It all got a bit silly when, having wound up said 8m long strap between 13 and 11 seconds on the Reel Quick and Picado respectively The Boy Swallow insisted I could do better with the Gurtefix if I only wound it a bit faster....Here you can see just how tight it winds it---indeed once you've wound it up tight it's a bit of job to get it off the spigot!

Anyway not one to pass up on a challenge from a young whipper-snapper (all men over 50 will know what I mean) I picked up the gauntlet. First run 12 seconds, then 11, then 10 seconds. before finally going for it..now click through here to find out what happened.... 

Those Aussies...they've got to go one better haven't they? No sooner do I do a story on the Quickloader new improved auto reel-in ratchet strap than I get an e-mail from 'Atki Pete' Lynch from Oz this morning (well it's evening where he is now) to say: "G'day Brian, regarding your Load binders, truck winchs, whatever you call them. The type you show is an imnprovement over the two piece type but we have a better way of doing it. (See my amateur drawing). [Actually it's rather good Pete but don't let it go to your head] A tie rail runs along either side of the tray [that's Aussie truck talk for load-bed or trailer deck] and this is used to tie off ropes, curtainsider straps etc."

Pete goes on to say: " Slide on winches sit on this ( can be padlocked on ) and you tighten them with a bar. Don't have to put them into a toolbox or get your hands dirty, just keep the bar in the cab. The rail is fine for ropes etc but when using dogs and chains you go around by the nearest cross bearer (other wise you will bend the rail). They have done it this way for years and it works well. Cheers Peter."

Interestingly enough you can find similar system on some of the older continental trailers, although strangely it never really caught on in the UK with British trailer makers and bodybuilders. not sure why..maybe other BLB readers have an idea?

Meanwhile, if you're still trying to work out the identity of the mystery vintage truck Pete recently sent to me I can see he's getting a bit exasperated as he says: "You should be handing out reading glasses to your lot, not pies. No one has figured out the big Leyland, I even sent a personal email to the Brochure King!" Fighting talk! So come on what is it?.
.

Is this what every truck driver has been waiting for asks Biglorryblog? Well it could well be, as what you see here is a new generation cargo strap---AKA 'The Quckloader'. Yes, for all of you who are tired of mucking around with separate straps and ratchet mechanisms and all the fiddle faddle of threading the webbing through the ratchet each time you want to tie something down, THEN having to rewind them each time you've undone them, well the good folk at Haywood Products (manufacturers and suppliers of tarpaulins, cargo straps, pvc covers and related products for over 20 years) could have the answer to your prayers.

According to its maker, Quickloader "....is quite simply a revolutionary new cargo strap that saves you time and money." Interested? Well click through here to see how it works and how you can watch a video demo on the internet. Look lively now!

Biglorryblog learns with interest that the Volvo Group (through its Volvo Technology Transfer operation) has acquired an interest in the Swedish-based company Datachassi, which has, it says, developed "....a patent-pending theft protection system based on intelligent radio technology and sensors that can sharply reduce thefts."

So far so blah. And who could gainsay that? But then I am confused by the above picture which accompanied said Nordic newsflash. In typical 'Police, Action, Crash, Bang, Ouch!' style the rozzers are about to collar a couple of scallies...but are they? Considering the age of the vehicles (A 'W-reg' FH and what looks like an FL10 peeping around the corner) surely no self-respecting blagger would want a truck THAT old? No, the truth is these are vintage truck enthusiasts desperate to get their hands on a couple of 'classic' Volvos! And don't try and tell me it's anything else...

Meanwhile, click through here for more news of the new Scandinavian security system....

Standing stiffly to attention Biglorryblog is pleased to welcome back that loveable old curmudgeon 'The Boss' who once again has been trucking along the French side of Europe with his beloved Maggie and camera. And he has sent me the above picture and the following words: "Met a young driver on the ferry last night,pleasant to look at and to listen to---a young lady who I informed about the world famous Biglorryblog so if she is viewing, welcome Anne." Indeed welcome to the 'daft side young Anne' from BLB. And here's a good joke I heard the other day. What date is National Star Wars Day held on? Obvious....May the Fourth....(oh well please yourselves)

Anyroadup the Boss goes on: "A simple photo this week,interesting nevertheless. Sat taking a break alongside this French mobile X-ray machine when in they came with an empty low loader, British. The driver must have been as baffled as I was as to why they bothered to X-ray it ! Then it became clear they didn't have a clue what to do and a flat was less of problem than a fridge for them to practice with."

The Boss adds: "Let us now salute the senior British driver who kept his cool---but we can spare a thought for the two traffic cones killed instantly when 'Kermit' couldn't find forward gear and rolled back which must have upset those in the van who then came out and screamed abuse at the French driver!"

Now click through here to read what happened next....(and also some nice British X-ray machines)

There's nothing like a simple labour-saving device to get Biglorryblog's readers excited. T&D and BLB contributor Nick Garlick e-mails me to say: "Hi Brian, I came across this great idea whilst tipping in Antwerp recently."

Nick goes on to say; "The Dutch driver using this clever device had rolled 10 straps up in the time it took me to roll five up! Great time-saving device and simple to make. Regards, Nick."

Naturally this rang a bell with Biglorryblog because back in March 2006 I blogged on a very similar device called the Gurtefix which is sold through the German load securing equipment supplier Wistra CargoCare. And you can find it on the CargoCare website link here

I think the above device is actually a DIY version (the welded arm rather gives it away). Anyway click through here for some shots of the genuine Gurtefix and how it works....