RETURN TO HQ

Matthew Eisenegger takes an XD tractor home to Holland

Words: Matthew Eisenegger

Photographs: Matthew Eisenegger

Do you fancy a run out?” Was the message left on the mobile from Mandy Wannerton, DAF’s Press and Demonstration Driver On calling her back she explained her near cryptic message. Basically, the UK head office in Haddenham had borrowed a very special ‘City’ trailer complete with steering rear axles, from the central demonstration fleet based at DAF’s head office in Eindhoven, to help showcase the diversity of the new range to a number of very large fleet operators, and as these series of demonstrations and vehicles trials had concluded it was time to take the trailer back home.

“Would you like to take it back?”

“Of course I would” was my reply.

The plan was to use the all-new XD 450 tractor to run the trailer back, with two drivers on board, no planned rest periods, just quick stops and driver swaps but importantly ensuring we were working well within the confines of driving hours law. Also, rather than using either the ferry routes of Harwich-Hook of Holland or Dover-Calais we would travel via Eurotunnel.

It’s just under 350 miles door to door and the plan was to head away from Haddenham, drop on to the M40 heading south, then on the M25 heading anti-clockwise avoiding the Dartford crossing, pick up the M20 and straight down to the Eurotunnel terminal.

Once under the channel, a steady run north-east, initially heading towards Dunkirk on the A16 then on towards Ostend, by which time the A16 has crossed into Belgium and has become the E40, was planned. The E40 winds its way across the flat and featureless Belgium countryside to Ghent, at which point our route will take us around the city and pick up the E17 northbound towards Antwerp, then a short burst on the E313 before dropping on the E34 which leads directly to Eindhoven.

Once underway

Typical British weather for late March, rain, rain and more rain as we departed Haddenham. Time was already marching on and although traffic conditions were favourable, we needed to crack on as we needed to get to the train as soon as possible, and had to be at DAF HQ in Eindhoven no later than 9.00 PM to ensure we met the delivery curfew.

With the M25 up to its usual tricks the choice of heading anti-clockwise proved to be a good one, and although the weather was still wet we arrived at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone in good time. Initially, there was an error with our booking which had the unit booked on the train but no trailer. A quick call to the agent and all was good for us to go. No real issues at border control and we were waved straight on to the next departing train. After safely loading the combination onto the train, we were into the driver pickup minibus and delivered to the drivers’ carriage which still had the COVID 19 protection screens up, unfortunately, making a very uninviting and grim environment.

Getting the truck off the train on the other side is a far more straightforward affair and again with the most minimal of checks and paperwork, it was a green light and straight out the terminal and away to join the A16. Thankfully the weather was a lot better and with no real issues the miles simply rolled away.

It’s really easy to knock UK truck stops. “They should be more like the ones in mainland Europe,” is a common theme.

Admittedly, the quality of food and the amenities on the European motorway network service areas are very good, but trying to find a space to park much after 5.00pm is impossible. We needed a comfort break and tried six different motorway services before taking the decision to drop the truck on the diesel pumps and leg it to the loo. On the exit, the slip road was a mass of parked trucks with the curtains pulled, obviously there for the night. You can see now why the now popular phenomenon of truck parking on the slip roads of the UK Motorway Service Areas originated.

The XD 450 makes for a really nice distribution tractor unit, it ticks all of the boxes. Two-step entry is a help, once on board the cab is noticeably lower, enhancing outside vision, especially in a city environment, allowing the XD to conform to a Four Star DVS rating. The vision door further assists but, for our money the real coup is the DAF Digital Vision System (DVS). The in-cab screens are well-positioned and are as unimposing as possible. For those drivers not sold on the idea of camera systems replacing the more traditional mirrors, the one big benefit is they eliminate any turning blind spots, so regardless of cab and trailer angles you always have full view of the side of the trailer.

To further enhance the vision from the cab the XD also had the DAF Corner View system which works in tandem with the ‘A’ pillar-mounted screens and offers absolutely amazing views of all of the blinds spots to both the front and nearside of the cab. As this vehicle is configured for city deliveries, this system will prove to be priceless in use.

Unfortunately, the snooker-table topography of European Lowlands never really exerted any undue pressure on either the PACCAR MX-11 engine or the TraXon 12-speed automated transmission. The 449 horses available remained predominantly in the stable and there was only the very rare occasion were the XD decided to drop a gear. The bulk of the time we cruised with the limiter in top gear.