Recently in Trailers Category

Are you feeling dirty? Well then clearly you and your truck should take a trip to one of the four TIP 'Wash & Go' one-stop trailer washes offered by GE's TIP Trailer Services. They're certainly proving popular as Biglorryblog learns that between them they've done over 1000 washes already in the first two months of 2010. The automated washing units are based at TIP depots in Leeds, Nuneaton, Felixstowe and Dublin and offer "a fully-integrated service, including MOT washes for tractor units, rigids vehicles from 7.5tonnes upwards and trailers." What's more 'Wash & Go' customers can either remain with the vehicle while it's being washed---or leave it at the depot for collection later on. And if you leave the top hatch open on your truck you'll probably get a free shower too...but I digress....

Biglorryblog has spotted a post on its fellow Road Transport Group blogsite Future Fuel Debate about a new patent Jost has filed for an automated fifth wheel. It says:

There's so much attention given to alternative fuels and their virtues of saving the planet (including on this piece of cyber space), but are we not forgetting about what we already have and how we can make small changes to improve fuel consumption.

Look at Jost. The engineering firm that makes fifth wheels. They've filed a patent for an automated fifth wheel that essentially closes the gap between the truck and trailer at high speeds and increases it at low speeds more greater manouvrability in town.

Hellooooo....this doesn't look very promising now does it? Seems to be a slight problem with the landing legs on this trailer...err...the problem being they've just been knocked right out the way! And how did this unfortunate event happen? And whence comes it to Biglorryblog...? Well click through here where all will be revealed.....

It's funny how the best engineering solutions are often the simples don't you find? For example, how often have you, like BLB, had to reach under a trailer to get to the fifth-wheel handle and dog clip only to emerge covered in fifth wheel grease? Thus I learn with no little interest that Bridgwater, Somerset-based reefer specialists Langdon Industries has just had its entire fleet of 140 artics trucks retrofitted with JOST Fleetmaster extended fifth-wheel handle assemblies. What's more all new tractors entering service with Langdons will, from now on, l also have JOST Fleetmaster couplings....and what's the benefit of the longer handled fifth wheel? Well click through here to find out...

Here's a nice picture... Which has been sent to me by that young whipper-snapper James Keeler to announce the fact that express parcels carrier City Link has signed a three-year framework agreement with Fraikin to replace its entire fleet of 222 double-deck box trailers with a new double dropframe curtainside trailer specification. As for the shot it's got decent lighting, good composition... Only I can't help wondering whether those power lines and the electricity pylon might not have been better 'removed'...? It's OK with photoshop but if you want something quick and easy Biglorryblog recommends opening up your jpeg picture in 'paint' and using the simple spray gun to re-touch it...and click through here to see one I did earlier...

Since Mr Weatherley has more holidays than Thomas Cook (ATOL protected, T&Cs apply) we've been told asked to muck in and 'get blogging' while he's away so we thought we'd show you NFT's new bespoke double-deck reefer unit complete with proud boss David Frankish.

Now here's an interesting one... Stefan Seifert has e-mailed Biglorryblog to say: "Hello guys, I'm a model constructor form Germany and I'm planing to build a dump trailer like this one in the picture. Therefore I need to know the manufactor and type of this trailer? And as I've seen that you have a large collection of truck pictures I'm hoping that you could help me. Greetings from Germany. Stefan." Well does anyone have a clue on this? It's certainly a rather unusual 'double' rear-bogie arrangement. Stefan didn't say what the nationality of the operator in his pictures was but for some reason I'm thinking maybe Turkey? So are these Tirsan trailers? Or from further afield like Oz or South America? Or does anyone else have any ideas? And click through here for the shot of the front end...

Take a look at these two steel semi-trailer neck sections....notice anything different about them? And you won't need a pie to see it either says Biglorryblog.

As if I needed to tell you the one immediately above has been fabricated using 'normal' S353 steel and has a 12mm flange and 6mm web. More importantly it weighs 50kg. But the one at the very top (as you have already guessed) is made from DOMEX Swedish Steel comes with an 8mm flange and 4mm web and offers superior strength and stiffness whilst weighing just 35kg. Multiply that down the length of the chassis and you save 314kg on just the two main rails---and never mind the cross members. What's more, if you were to use DOMEX Swedish Steel for the entire chassis you could be looking at saving over half a tonne---and that's the kind of weight-saving that any tipper or tanker operator should be interested in.....How do I know this? Well click through here for more......  

In case you've been wondering how to ensure that your curtainsider has the maximum flexibility, not least with unrestricted top loading then no doubt you'll be interested to learn that those plucky chaps at Andover Trailers have just been appointed sole UK and Ireland distributor for Trailer System Engineering (TSE), the German company which manufactures specialist trailer components ranging from sliding roofs (like the one above) to body kits for commercial vehicles and trailers... And click through here to read all about it...

Got an old tarp or set of vinyl curtains you don't want. Freitag wants to hear from you! Apparently, the Swiss company is particularly interested to get its hands on tarps or vinyl curtains in the following colours:

• Beige
• Brown
• Olive
• Pink
• Or Black

Don't ask me why, although I seem to recall Freitag making some very natty bags out of the stuff. Anyroadup click through here for more information...

I promised you a video clip of the Don-Bur Safe Suzie coupling which has been developed in association with DHL. What's it meant to do? Stop drivers becoming 'fall guys' by removing any need to climb up onto the back of a tractor to couple up the suzies.  Biglorryblog was imprssed by it (I even had a go myself---which shows how easy it must be!). DHL will now make it standard kit on all their new dry freight trailers and are working with Don-Bur to develop a version for tankers and reefers too. It's all part of the operator's accident reduction strategy which has recently recorded an impressive  40% year-on-year drop in its Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate for drivers----and it intends to reduce that by a further 30% this year, not least thanks to the Safer Suzie device,. which has been given a resoudnign thunb's up by DHL's drivers. And thanks to Richard Owens at Don-Bur and DHL's Dave Potter, Russell Clark and Keith Tress for yesterday's demonstration. Scroll down and you can see some more detailed stills of it and a more detailed description in a post I did yesterday too. And keep an eye out for the full report of it in a forthcoming edition of Commercial Motor.

Well you're naturally used to Biglorryblog being the first with the news so here's another Scoop! Today I visited the good folk at Don-Bur (Bodies & Trailers) who wanted to show me an exciting new piece of safety equipment developed in conjunction with DHL (more on that in a moment). But having showed me it they then put the icing on the cake by saying 'We've also got another surprise for you...it's just up the top of the yard." And here it is THE FIRST EVER Don-Bur Teardrop curtainsider body on a rigid.

The neat 22ft 'Teardrop' body on this smart CF65.220 will used by DHL on its regular contract with Rank Hovis delivering pallets of bagged flour. As the truck does a fair bit of long-distance work clearly DHL wanted to save fuel and what better way than with a Teardrop. Not that DHL needs that much persuading as Dave Potter DHL's vice president operations for UK and Ireland and EEMEA tells me the operator has plenty of experience with Teardrop having taken the first box trailer version, the first curtainsider version, the first rigid box version and now this! Dave tells me he's expecting around a 8-10% fuel saving by fitting a Teardrop curtainsider on the Daf which will be trialled over the next eight weeks or so. Meanwhile, click through here for some exciting artic coupling safety news.

Nick Garlick was somewhat surprised when he pulled up behind this coil carrier. "Brian, pulled up behind this rig in Holland and wondered why he'd left his back doors open when I realized he had... Realistic eh? Regards, Nick." It's what they call a 'trompe l'oeil' (that's yer actual french Nick) Oooh get you Biglorryblog...

OK Biglorrybog... So you're showing us a photo of the back of a big black tipping trailer... What's so interesting about that? Big deal. Well if I told you that what you're looking at could save you up to 15% off your next fuel bill would that interest you? Better click through here then to find out how?

Are you one of the many artic operators throughout Europe who run Schmitz trailers...? Well the good news for you is that from now on you only need one number to contact the Schmitz Cargobull breakdown service in an emergency.

And simply by calling 00 800 24 227 462 855 which is free of charge (and I'll repeat that number at the end of this blog) CARGOBULL euroservice of the blue elephant will leap to your assistance regardless of where you are in Europe! Now click through here for more...

Contrary to what you may have read in other publications, the Schmitz Cargobull operation in Harelaw, County Durham is in full operation - and in fact the firm has just announced a number of new bodies and trailers. Here's the S.KO Cool folding-wall reefer trailer:

Biglorryblog recently asked Don-Bur's group marketring manager Richard Owens how well the company's innovative 'teardrop' aerodynamic trailer has been compng along...very nicely thankyou judging by the phtos of all the current UK users of Teardrops in their various guises. "Hi Brian," he says, "As per our recent conversation, I attach a series of photographs, summarising some of the clients that now use Teardrops. We do have a number more but are unable to release them yet!" So let's kick off the Teardrop collection with the very first one to break cover - for M&S. And one for Allport below:

Richard goes on to say: "In addition, we have just finished the first Teardrop Rigid Bodywork; details to follow when testing has completed whilst today, we have just sent out the first Teardrop pillarless roof system!" BLB can't wait to see them all in action. And click through here for the full line-up...