Andover Trailers

Clancy Docwra, one of the leading national construction company’s in the UK utilities sector, has taken delivery of its first vehicle to be fitted with a plant body from Andover Trailers.

The conquest deal sees a new Iveco Stralis AD260S31Y/PS rigid join its fleet of 160 commercial vehicles, mounted with an LPPB26 plant body offering a deck height five inches lower than a normal plant body and producing lower ramp and beavertail approach angles.

The body has been built to Clancy Docwra’s bespoke specification and includes 2.5m long and 1m wide fold-forward ramps, which help to reduce drag by improving the aerodynamics of the vehicle, thereby reducing fuel consumption, and also enabling the vehicle to double-up as a flat bed body.

Mike Revell, Group Plant & Transport Director at Clancy Docwra, explains: “Having looked in great depth at the manufacturers of plant bodies, we awarded the order to Andover as we felt they could build the best product to meet our requirements, in terms of quality, delivery and design.

“The ability to tailor the specification to suit our exact needs – rather than simply choose a design ‘off-the-shelf’ was also a major plus,” he adds.

Projected to remain on the fleet for up to five years, the 26 tonne Stralis 6x2 rear-steer is expected to cover up to 100,000 miles a year delivering items of plant and other vehicles to construction sites nationwide.

The comprehensive specification includes a remote-control hydraulic Ramsey winch to aid with the loading and unloading of plant, together with hydraulic steady legs and a drawbar coupling.

It has also been fitted with Andover’s unique removable ladder system, which is mounted to the side of the plant body and allows the driver to easily access plant which has been loaded onto the truck. This safety ladder system allows the loading of over-width machines as it acts independently from the deck, so that it can be removed once the load is in place.

Leicestershire-based Swift Plant Hire has taken delivery of a new 26 tonne Scania P380 rigid, fitted with a plant body which operates together with a centre-balance drawbar trailer, manufactured by Andover Trailers.

Andover won the order based on the proven strength and reliability of a similar plant body supplied to the company in 1999, with the new combination allowing loading over the trailer and onto the body without the need to disconnect the drawbar.

“I’m an engineer myself so I appreciate good engineering, and seeing the Andover body provide such reliable service over its seven year life on the fleet was proof enough to replace like for like,” says Ivan Hodges, Plant and Transport Director of Swift Plant Hire, part of the William Bowden Group of Companies which includes David Wilson Homes.

The new 8.5m long bespoke-built low profile plant body offers a deck height that is five inches lower than a normal beavertail, producing lower ramp and beavertail approach angles to make loading and unloading easier. The body features two 2.5m long, 1m wide, hydraulic ramps and hydraulic beavertail, together with a Ramsey BH550 winch and an Orlandi drawbar coupling.

The centre balance drawbar trailer also features a beavertail and is 6.4m long, with Granning axles and air-suspension. It is equipped with hydraulic steady legs linked to the operation of the 1m wide x 2.5m long ramps and also features EBS braking and its own power pack to run the hydraulics.

The vehicle is expected to remain on the fleet for up to seven years and will be used to transport plant and on-site accommodation, such as portacabins and toilet blocks, nationwide. On the road five days a week and finished in the company’s smart blue livery, it will be used principally to support new housing developments being undertaken by the David Wilson Homes and Wilson Bowden Developments.

DUAL HEAVY HAULAGE TRANSPORT PROVES A BREEZE FOR GOLDHOFER AND MAR-TRAIN

Northern Ireland-based abnormal load specialist, Mar-Train Heavy Haulage Ltd, is operating two Goldhofer trailers capable of transporting wind turbine towers weighing nearly 100 tonnes and up to 40 metres in length.

Both heavy-duty modular trailers have been supplied by Andover Trailers, the sole UK distributor of Goldhofer heavy haulage equipment, and have just completed a project in the North East of England which has seen the trucks working side by side for nearly two months.

During this time the trailers, which are each worth nearly £400,000, have transported over 44 separate Siemens 1.3 Mw wind turbine tower sections along a 140 mile route from Blyth Docks to Blackhill Wind Farm near Dunns, in the Scottish borders.

Mar-Train Managing Director, Tim Martin, explains: “We chose to purchase Goldhofer trailers as they are built specifically to our needs. Transportation on this scale is a very specialist market, with few heavy hauliers having both the equipment and experience necessary to get the job done.

“The added benefit of Goldhofer’s equipment is that unlike a lot of specialist wind farm trailers, you can remove the tower segment adaptors, install a deck and run the combination as a low loader. This gives us a lot more flexibility to ensure our trailers make a good return on investment,” he adds.

Each Goldhofer modular trailer runs on a total of twenty eight 285/70 R19.5 tyres, and is operating in conjunction with a Volvo 8X4 tractor unit. Together, the Goldhofer/Volvo combination weighs in at 60 tonnes and it takes a two-man team to operate each vehicle, with the second-man able to stand in a safety cage on the back of each trailer. This allows him perfect visibility to steer the rear axles with the Goldhofer radio control system through road works and villages, along country roads and onto challenging off-road tracks which invariably lead to the wind farm’s location, on the side of a mountain.

The Goldhofer system lifts the tower on the end flanges without touching the tower itself. It is then able to lift the tower up to 1.5 metres, enabling it to clear all types of obstacles along the route. The Goldhofer system also utilises a ball and socket system which is fitted to the front adaptor, giving it full oscillation when operating off road without putting any strain on the tower.

Once the vehicle and trailer have reached the delivery site, the front section of the trailer is pulled away from the tower, then the rear section, before coupling the two trailers sections together for the return journey. Both parts are fitted with radio control steering and power packs, with the rear power pack also featuring a compressor to operate the brakes.

RM PAGE STICKS WITH ANDOVER TRAILERS

Heavy-haulage specialist RM Page & Sons has taken delivery of a new four axle extending step frame trailer with beavertail to transport heavy items of plant, including excavators and crushers, weighing up to 48 tonnes.

The SFCLEX 67 plant trailer is equipped with a low profile neck and an extending frame, enabling the 14.7m long trailer to be extended to a maximum of 17.2m. It is also fitted with two self-steering and two fixed BPW axles, together with BPW air suspension with raise/lower control.

Bob Page, The Senior Partner of RM Page & Sons, says: “ Andover is our sole supplier when it comes to heavy haulage trailers and plant bodies. This latest delivery joins a fleet of 15 other Andover step frames and Goldhofer low loaders, together with t hree rigids.

“Strength is critical in our business and we have learnt from experience that Andover Trailers make exceptionally strong and resilient products. The ability to have each trailer built to our own bespoke specification is also critical,” he adds.

Finished in a distinctive Golden Yellow livery, the trailer will operate across the UK and onto the continent in conjunction with a Volvo 6x4 tractor unit.

Its specification also includes side out extensions to the deck, bridge and beavertail, together with 1m wide hydraulic power toe ramps with hydraulic sideways, linked to a set of hydraulic steady legs for maximum stability during the loading and unloading process. Sliding bolsters fit over the extension beams which carry ladder ramps to run over the extended area.

Release date: 4 October 2006

JOHN FITZPATRICK PLANT HIRE PILES THE PRESSURE ON ANDOVER

County Down-based John Fitzpatrick Plant Hire has added a new Andover
Trailers SFCLEX 67 four-axle extending step frame plant trailer to its
fleet, for operation with a Scania 6x4 tractor unit.

The step frame differs from many other trailers on the market as it
features an extending frame and a 240mm deep trough through the rear bridge
to accommodate long reach machines. The heavy duty rear bridge still
maintains the strength needed to load wide heavy excavators and crushers
over the beavertail, which has been made possible through additional
reinforcement built into the beavertail by Andover's team of engineers.

Its comprehensive specification also includes a low profile neck and swing
out extensions to the main deck and slide out extensions to the bridge and
beavertail. The heavy duty frame, which can be extended from 14.7m to
17.2m, is fitted with four SAF axles (two fixed, two self-steering) and air
suspension, with 1m wide hydraulic heavy-duty power toe ramps, hydraulic
sideways and a 24 volt power pack.

John Fitzpatrick, Managing Director, explains: "We ordered the Andover
Trailers step frame based on its high specification and reputation in the
market for offering unrivalled strength."

"Since joining the fleet it has performed admirably, and the 50 tonne
machines sit comfortably over the back end without any kind of distortion to
the trailer," he adds.

Worth over £60,000, the trailer is in operation six days a week delivering
specialist plant hire equipment to construction and demolition sites across
Northern Ireland.

Andover-based heavy haulage trailer manufacturer Andover Trailers has said goodbye to one of its longest serving members of staff, Richard Maber, who has retired at the age of 65.

Richard joined Andover Trailers in 1984 and has worked alongside Ivan Collins, Sales Director, and Len Fuller, Technical Director, ever since.

“For the past 11 years he held the position of Parts & Service Manager and has been an essential member of the team,” says Ivan. “Richard has been responsible for keeping truck operators carrying some of the heaviest loads on the roads mobile, not just in the UK and Ireland, but coming to the assistance of customers across the Baltic States and as far away as Russia.

“The majority of our trailers and bodies are bespoke-built, meaning it’s rare to find two trailers which are identical. This makes managing a parts and service operation a real headache, yet many times, Richard was able to come to the assistance of customers recalling in detail the specification of trailers up to 15 years old. And he always seemed to make it look easy!” he adds.

Richard, who lives in Beresford Close, Andover, will continue to help Andover Trailers on a consultancy basis, but is looking forward to enjoying his retirement with his wife, Anne, and his two sons.

His career has spanned a total of 46 years, having started out as a fitter at Roe Garages in the early 1960s, before taking on roles with companies including Pitt Trailers and Tasker Trailers, prior to joining the team at Andover Trailers as a fitter.

Shrewsbury-based Wildes Plant Hire Ltd has added a Scania P230 rigid with an Andover Trailers plant body to its fleet of six commercial vehicles, which are used to transport the company’s large fleet of plant primarily to construction sites in Shropshire and the West Midlands.

The 18 tonner replaces an older 14 tonne rigid and joins an existing vehicle delivered with an Andover Trailers plant body in 2002.

At 7.6m long, the bespoke-built low profile plant body offers a deck height that is five inches lower than a normal beavertail, producing lower ramp and beavertail approach angles to make loading and unloading easier. The body features two 2.5m long, 1m wide, hydraulic ramps and hydraulic steady legs, together with an electric 8,000 lb Superwinch and Bevola stainless steel toolbox.

“Access to construction sites is a major issue these days, so we opted for an 18 tonner as it allows us to deliver heavy machines where a six-wheeler or low loader wouldn’t typically fit,” says Ian Wilde, Managing Director of Wildes Plant Hire, established in 1964 and associate company AT Wilde & Son Ltd, established in 1937.

We opted for the Andover Trailers body based on first hand experience of operating a similar body on our 26 tonner, which over the past four years has lived up to its reputation for impressive strength and versatility,” he adds.

Expected to remain on the fleet for at least five years, this latest vehicle will be used to transport plant ranging from excavators and dumpers through to telescopic material handlers, tractors and compaction equipment. It is finished in the company’s distinctive yellow livery and it will be in operation six days a week.

Fareham-based Boarhunt Garage has recorded a fuel saving of 0.7 mpg from its new Andover Trailers step frame trailer, which has been fitted with Andover’s proven hydraulic fold-forward ramp system.

The trailer replaces a 1994 step frame purchased second-hand from Andover Trailers nine years ago, and is being used on a contract delivering Manitou tele-handlers across the UK. Operating in conjunction with an MAN TGA tractor unit, the SFCL 40 benefits from a low profile neck, BPW disc brake axles, air-suspension with raise and lower control and a lifting rear axle.

“We have monitored the fuel performance very carefully since the new trailer joined the fleet and we are projecting that across a full year, the ramps will cut £4,500 off our annual fuel bill,” explains David Pushman, Transport Director at Boarhunt Garage.

Andover Trailers was the first manufacturer to introduce fold-forward ramps in 1997, which improve fuel economy by significantly reducing the drag created by traditional ramps locked in a vertical position.

The original version, which has since been reproduced by numerous other trailer manufacturers, used a manual bar to lock the ramps in position. The latest version, however, is completely hydraulic and means the driver can both raise and lower the ramps whilst standing away from the trailer.

This latest delivery has been joined by a new Andover Trailers FKCL 36 trailer, which is traditionally used by operators to transport forklift trucks, thanks to its ultra low continuously flat floor and 2,650 mm rear-opening for ease of loading.

Boarhunt is using the trailer on a contract for a local company which constructs the bare metal bodies for Pinzgauer off-road vehicles, used by military and emergency services across the world. The bodies are transported in the covered trailer for painting in the Midlands , before being collected and delivered to the manufacturing facility in Guildford for final assembly.

“Both trailers replace older Andover products which have provided reliable performance on the fleet over a number of years,” adds Mr Pushman. “We have specified them with disc brake axles and 19.5” wheels, which we expect to help reduce servicing costs, improve braking performance and offer better tyre wear,” he adds.

HGH Groundworks has taken delivery of its very first commercial vehicle – a new Volvo FH12 8x4, fitted with a bespoke-built low profile plant body manufactured by Andover Trailers.

The vehicle replaces the company’s dependency on hiring in transport from local hauliers, and will take on responsibility for moving items of plant to new housing developments across the South of England, where HGH Groundwork carries out ground preparation work including laying concrete foundations and installing pipework. The company is also responsible for laying pavements and roads once the houses have been built.

Typical loads will include five tonne excavators, dumpers and even container sheds for storing equipment on site, with HGH Groundworks benefiting from a plant body with a deck height which is five inches lower than a normal beavertail, producing lower ramp and beavertail approach angles.

“We took advice from the Volvo dealer and local plant hire firms before deciding on the Andover body,” explains Perry Morgan, Transport Manager at HGH Groundworks. “With just a single vehicle on the fleet, we wanted a chassis and body combination which would offer maximum reliability.”

The LPPB32 plant body is 7.7m long and features single crank beavertail 2.5m long x 1 m wide, hydraulic fold-forward ramps, aluminium dropsides and a Palfinger PK42502D crane mounted behind the cab. The specification also includes hydraulic steady legs, which are synchronised to operate in conjunction with the ramps.

Finished in distinctive Cobalt Blue, the 32-tonne rigid will be in operation six days a week.

JJ O’Shea Haulage has taken delivery of a new step frame trailer from Andover Trailers, for transporting construction equipment across the south of England .

The SFCL 56 tri-axle step frame with beavertail is the third trailer of its type to be purchased by JJ O’Shea Haulage, with this latest deal incorporating the part exchange of the customer’s four year old trailer.

The step frame is 13.2 m long and 2.53 m wide, and is equipped with a low profile neck and slide out extensions to the deck, bridge and beavertail. The specification includes hydraulic sideways travel to the single section ramps, BPW axles and air-suspension, with a raise / lower control and aluminium wheels.

It also includes a trough constructed into the rear bridge which allows the trailer to take the weight of the machines out on the side extensions, unlike most trailers constructed in this way.

“Trailers in this industry are really put through their paces, and we’ve always been very pleased with the performance of the Andover step frames,” says John O’Shea, Managing Director. “Day in, day out, they carry a complete mixture of pavers, rollers, dumpers and even excavators, often with payloads of up to 40 tonnes at a time,” he adds.

To ensure maximum safety and visibility at night, the trailer has been fitted with four extra side lights on each side of the trailer, three lights between the ramps and halogen reversing lights.

Demolition and recycling specialists Coleman & Company has taken delivery of two new power-steered low loaders to work from their six acre urban quarry site at Shady Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham.

The trailers, each valued at almost £100,000, replace two older units, including one supplied by Taskers Trailers in 1985. The Taskers factory was shut later that year, leaving a number of senior and factory staff to set-up the operation which is known today as Andover Trailers. Having remained in operation with Coleman & Company for over 20 years, this trailer was modified by Andover in 1999 to include air suspension.

The two new Andhofer DFHNCLS90 low loaders are a product of Andover's joint venture with Goldhofer, and each incorporate the German trailer manufacturer's advanced steering technology in an Andover specification frame.

Built to Coleman & Company's specific requirements, the trailers have an 8m deck and are 2.9m wide, each benefiting from heavy duty swing out side extensions for sleepers and a specialist 45 tonne neck designed to take a jeep dolly.

"Purchasing such specialist trailers is a big investment so we explored equivalent models with other manufactures, but in our opinion the Andover was the most robust on the market,”explains Malcolm Hurst, Plant and Transport Manager.

The two new trailers are both fitted with remote control steering, to ensure deliveries of large items of plant, including Caterpillar 350 earthmovers and Pennine cranes, can be made in areas with restricted access. They also feature BPW air suspension with raise / lower control, and BPW power steer axles.

Operating in conjunction with an MAN TGA and a Foden Alpha tractor unit, the Andhofer trailers will be in operation five and a half days a week and are expected to clock-up over 100,000 km a year.

Specialist heavy haulage trailer manufacturer Andover Trailers is sponsoring one of the leading privateer entries in the 2006 British Supersport Championship, Team BBR Mar-Train Racing.

This represents the first sponsorship agreement ever awarded by Andover Trailers, whose debut in the world of two wheel motorsport marks a stark contrast to its regular expertise manufacturing some of the strongest heavy haulage trailers in the UK at its facility on the Walworth Industrial Estate.

The sponsorship deal was signed after Mar-Train Heavy Haulage, one of Andover’s most prestigious customers, introduced them to one of the team’s confirmed riders for this season, Denver Robb, who they have supported for three years.

“The British Super Bike meetings attract around 40,000 spectators per race and are televised on Sky Sports Live, so it was an excellent opportunity for Andover to try something a little different,” says Ivan Collins, Sales Director of Andover Trailers.

“We are really looking forward to getting behind Team BB Mar-Train Racing when the season kicks off later this month,” adds Ivan. “The bikes are incredibly fast and very light, which is a rather different ball game to manufacturing trailers which carry items ranging from bulldozers and cranes through to access equipment and road-planers.”

One of the most recent trailers supplied to Mar-Train by Andover was designed specifically to carry wind turbine sections up to 32m in length and weighing in at approximately 80 tonnes. It most recently played a key role helping to build a 130 mW wind farm in south Ayrshire, which represents the largest onshore wind farm in the UK , providing electricity for 80,000 homes.

ANDOVER’S DRAWBAR PASSES UNDER MOTORWAY BRIDGES

Agricultural farm machinery distributor OPICO has taken delivery of a unique drawbar trailer from Andover Trailers, designed and built primarily to carry large grain dryers whilst still being able to safely travel under motorway bridges.

Bourne-based OPICO awarded Andover the contract to build this specialist trailer based on its positive experience of operating an Andover plant body for the last seven years.

The new centre balance drawbar trailer (CBDBCL12) benefits from a wide spread bogie which allows wheel wells to be constructed between the two axles. This allows the wheels of the grain dryer to be dropped into them during transport to lower the overall height.

It also features a removable floor section and wheel well infills to enable the trailer to be transformed into a regular flat bed, capable of carrying agricultural cultivation equipment. The removable floor can be lifted into place when necessary using the 7.6 tonne Palfinger crane mounted on the front of the truck chassis.

Commenting on the delivery, Stewart Smith, Transport Manager of OPICO explains: “We previously used a smaller trailer with a four tonne payload, but we needed one capable of transporting the larger grain dryers, which can be over 16ft high, and at the same time allowing us to move our heavy cultivation equipment.

“You cannot simply buy a piece of kit like this off the shelf, so we approached Andover which was able to design a trailer to meet all of our requirements, most notably for it to be able to fit under motorway bridges. With a month’s experience of operating the trailer under our belt, we are delighted, not only with the build quality but also the added versatility that we now have,” he adds.

The trailer operates in conjunction with a Scania P94 6x2 rigid, and is expected to cover approximately 85,000 km a year, delivering grain dryers to both agricultural shows and customers throughout the country.

Pangbourne-based road surfacing contractor Hazell & Jefferies Ltd has taken delivery of its first trailer from Andover Trailers – a tri-axle step frame with beavertail.

The SFCL 40 replaces a King trailer and will be used to transport tarmac machines, pavers and Phoenix self-propelled chipping machines to construction sites across the south of England.

In operation up to seven days a week, the trailer will also be used to transport Managing Director Richard Hazell’s rare collection of steam lorries to shows and events nationwide. These include 4, 6 and 8 wheel 1934 Sentinels, of which the 8 wheeler is the only lorry of its type still in existence. In its day, this lorry was used on a daily run between Newport and London, picking up water on the way.

Commenting on the new trailer, Mr Hazell explains: “The King trailer served me well, but I certainly feel we took a step forward when we purchased the Andover . The build quality is simply first class, and the ability to make even the most minor adjustments to the specification meant we ended up with a unique trailer designed entirely around our requirements.”

“The low profile gooseneck is particularly useful as it is ideal for loading rollers onto, and the gentle slope of the beavertail makes for simple and effective loading of the larger machines, not to mention my steam lorries,” he says.

The trailer features slide-out side extensions to the deck, bridge and beavertail, together with a Granning lifting rear-axle and Granning raise/lower air-suspension. It also benefits from 1m wide hydraulic power toe ramps with knife edge toes and top deck ramps. An 8,000 lb winch has also been installed complete with remote control facility.

The trailer operates in conjunction with a Volvo FM12 6x2 tractor unit, and is expected to remain on the fleet indefinitely.

“It’s the kind of trailer which if serviced correctly, should simply last a lifetime,” adds Mr Hazell. “The only reason I can think for needing to part exchange it in the future is if our requirements change and we need to radically alter the specification.”

GOLDHOFER MOVES 680 TONNE SUPER YACHT IN AMERICA

American heavy haulage specialists Berard Transport has completed a mammoth transportation project which has seen a 680 tonne steel super yacht launched off the coast of Louisiana.

The operation was carried out on a concrete surface using a combination of Goldhofer heavy-duty modules, with two 8 line PST-SL/E and two 6 line PST-SL/E transporters placed under the yacht.

These Goldhofer modules, manufactured in Memmingen, Germany, rolled the 1,650 hp super yacht 250ft out of the hangar where it was built, before four 75-tonne hydraulic dollies were added for the second stage of the movement.

“At the push of a button, the 224 wheels of the Goldhofer self-propelled transporters turned 90 degrees, and enabled the yacht to travel a further 250ft in a different direction, taking it towards the quay where it was lowered into the water by crane,” explains Ivan Collins, Sales Director of Andover Trailers, Goldhofer’s sole UK supplier.

“The self-propelled modules benefit from electronic multi-way steering which enables normal, diagonal, transversal and carousel steering. Despite the electronic installation, the height of these transporters is identical to the regular Goldhofer units,” adds Mr Collins.

“This enables operators to set-up large combinations and carry out operations in convoy more easily, without a time-consuming requirement to stop and use intermediate planks to bridge the height difference.”

Berard Transportation, one of Goldhofer’s most high profile customers in America, has a long history in heavy haulage. In 1945, Roy Berard Senior, a struggling sugar cane farmer, was offered $50 dollars to move a friend’s small house a few miles. Using an old truck and homemade trailer, he did the job in just one day for $50. This one job got people in the area talking, and his farming operation slowly emerged into a company specializing in moving large buildings and anything that no one else could move.

ANDOVER TRAILERS WINS CONQUEST DEAL WITH CLANCY DOCWRA

DUAL HEAVY HAULAGE TRANSPORT PROVES A BREEZE FOR GOLDHOFER AND MAR-TRAIN

RM PAGE STICKS WITH ANDOVER TRAILERS

ANDOVER’S DRAWBAR PASSES UNDER MOTORWAY BRIDGES

GOLDHOFER MOVES 680 TONNE SUPER YACHT IN AMERICA