DAF Driver Autumn 2020 – issue 22

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DAF DRIVER ISSUE 22

/ AUTUMN 2020

INSIDE THE UK’S #1 TRUCK MANUFACTURER

PRIZE PERFORMER Hurst Brothers’ Stunning Fleet Of XFs

In this issue of

DAF DRIVER

250 years of Bradfords Holbrook’s new FAW fleet Classic 1990s gamechanger

ALSO:

Life with a Porsche One man’s love of Porsches

Tight Turns

We drive DAF’s FAW rear-steer

On the Beet

With DAF-powered Harvesters

LATEST DAF TRUCKS NEWS • UK DEALER LOCATOR • OPERATOR SUCCESS STORIES • INDUSTRY OPINION • HEALTH AND SAFETY

WELCOME FROM YOUR PUBLISHER

WELCOME TO THE LATEST EDITION OF DAF DRIVER MAGAZINE Here we go again!

As demand for transport services approaches its annual pre-Christmas peak, we also see that the anticipated Autumn upwards spike in Covid infections has come to pass.

Publisher - Matthew Eisenegger

WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN ISSUE OF THE ‘COVID-PROTECTED’ DAF DRIVER MAGAZINE

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hile I write this, various parts of the UK are going into lockdown, and shopping for ‘non-essential’ items has been banned in Wales.

There also seems little prospect of major sporting events taking place other than behind closed stadium doors for at least the rest of this year.

Who’d have thought that something so small could have such a big impact?

Just to add to the fun, the transport industry is still spectacularly under-informed about what it has to do differently in January, when the UK finally exits the European Single Market. We have been told we must be prepared, which perhaps isn’t the most helpful piece of advice as no one seems very sure what we should prepare for!

With the Covid crisis though, we can certainly hope that lessons have been learned from the

last time, and that motorway services, areas and truckstops will continue to offer a full range of services so that commercial drivers can continue to deliver the essentials of life throughout the country.

One thing we can be sure of though, is that, as the dominant manufacturer in the UK market and the only make with a manufacturing presence in the country, DAF and its UK dealer network will be on hand to provide parts and service back-up through what is going to be a very challenging period for many of us.

The UK’s truck operators and drivers will continue to keep the country going through this crisis, just as we did in the past. It would be really nice to see some recognition of this from the Government, freight transport users and the wider public, but we won’t hold our breath!

Enjoy the issue.

The Bigger Picture

Look out for the dynamic QR codes in this issue of DAF Driver Magazine.

Simply open the camera on your mobile device and point it at the code, then sit back for some exciting additional content.

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 22

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AUTUMN 2020

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DAF DRIVER AUTUMN 2020

INFORMATION

DDM

FEATURES

REGULARS

6 BUILT TO LAST

3 WELCOME

Bradfords celebrates 250 years in business with a fleet of new DAFs

DAF Trucks is on standby for the second wave of Covid-19 and the uncharted waters of life after Brexit

12 LIFE WITH A PORSCHE

40 SIX OF THE BEST

Is a Porsche your dream car?

Read one man’s experience of ownership

Norfolk operator Rory J Holbrook takes delivery of six new CF FAW Tridems

18 RED ROSE WINNER

43 SIMPSON SAYS

Liverpool-based Hurst Brothers depend on DAF to get vegetables to market

24 SWEET POWER DELIVERY

An upsurge in DIY projects has seen building material deliveries skyrocket, but not without problems

The annual beet harvest relies on DAF power to bring in the crop

45 SPOT THE DIFFERENCE Win a great prize in this issue’s easy-to-enter competition

30 SILVER DREAM MACHINE DAF’s FAW Tridem gives 6x4 manoeuvrability to an eight-wheeler

52 TRAINER’S NOTES Behind the scenes at a special Low Deck press event

36 DAF’S 1990S GAMECHANGER We take a look back to the birth of DAF’s groundbreaking 1990s flagship motor

53 MEET THE TRAINERS James Rehling of MOTUS Commercials explains how he started out as a driver trainer

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EDITORIAL Publisher: Matthew Eisenegger Managing Editor: John Kendall Designer: Harold Francis Callahan Editorial Address: Commercial Vehicle Media & Publishing Ltd, 4th Floor 19 Capesthorne Drive, Eaves Green, Chorley, Lancashire. PR7 3QQ Telephone: 01257 231521 Email: matthew@cvdriver.com ADVERTISING Advertising Sales: David Johns Telephone: 01388 517906 Mobile: 07590 547343 Email: sales@cvdriver.com DESIGN Art Editor: Harold Francis Callahan Telephone: 01257 231521 Email: design@cvdriver.com CONTRIBUTORS Richard Simpson Ronnie Hitchens John Kendall Kieron Fennelly Mandy Wannerton Bob Tuck Dean Barrett PUBLISHER Commercial Vehicle Media & Publishing Ltd, 4th Floor, 19 Capesthorne Drive, Eaves Green, Chorley, Lancashire. PR7 3QQ Telephone: 01257 231521 PRINTING MRC Print Ltd, Tel: 07764 951927

NOTE The publisher makes every effort to ensure the magazine’s contents are correct. All material published in DAF Driver Magazine is copyright and unauthorised reproduction is forbidden.

The Editors and Publisher of this magazine give no warranties, guarantees or assurances and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised in this edition.

DAF Driver Magazine is published under a licence from Commercial Vehicle Media & Publishing Ltd. All rights in the licensed material belong to Matthew Eisenegger or Commercial Vehicle Media and Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced whether in whole or in part, without their prior written consent. DAF Driver Magazine is a registered trademark.

If you are not going to keep this magazine for future reference please pass it on or recycle it.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

South coast builders’ merchant, Bradfords, celebrates 250 years Words: John Kendall

“W

Photographs: Karl Hopkinson

hat does a good builders’ merchant wagon look like?”

That was the question that Martin Caddick, Head of Transport at Bradfords Building Supplies, the leading independent builders’ merchants in the South West, asked his team when he identified a need to refresh the company truck fleet, after he joined Bradfords three years ago.

He started by drawing on the collective experience of Fleet Manager, Stuart Paull, and Fleet Engineer, Rob Hawkins. The key was to ensure that the vehicle specification

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suited the company’s needs. For example, Bradfords’ “patch” includes Devon and Cornwall where many of the small towns and villages are only accessible along narrow country lanes and even the A-road network is reduced to a single vehicle’s width in places. Right-sizing the vehicles was key – cab width could be critical.

Garnering feedback Step two in the process was to involve Bradfords’ 43-strong branch network. “I asked every branch for three features that they would really love to see on their

OPERATOR PROFILE

Martin Caddick, Head of Transport at Bradfords Building Supplies.

branch LGVs. All of them had an input,” he explains.

A good example of this is tailboards. Drop the tailboard on any truck after dark and the rear lights are hidden behind it. This has been overcome by cutting a corresponding hole in the tailboard, ensuring the lights remain visible. “Then, the grab handles used to be located on the inside of the bulkhead, where they were often beaten flat by bricks, says Caddick, “These have now been moved to the outside.”

Caddick previously worked in the oil industry where he had established a

good relationship with DAF, so there were many good reasons to remain a loyal DAF customer. “The perfect truck has got to be one a driver wants to drive, and I believe DAF ticks that box,” says Caddick. “What’s more, I really like the DAF system, especially the main dealers and DAFaid.”

With DAF as the truck of choice, using a mixed fleet of LF and CF models covering 7.5-tonnes to 26-tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW), it was time to address the power issue. The rolling hills of Devon and Cornwall provide some long, steep inclines.

A typical Bradfords 12-tonner is rated at 180hp, while 15 and 18-tonners benefit from 180hp. Last but not least, the 26-tonners can normally call on 340hp to tackle those hills.

Caddick is not a fan of automated transmissions for vehicles lighter than 26-tonnes GVW, “If you are delivering to a building site, or a domestic property, most autos won’t let you do a delicate manoeuvre.

You tend to get nothing, nothing, nothing, then everything! In my view you have much more control, in a tight manoeuvre with an 18-tonner and below, if you have a manual gearbox.”

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Adding it up Similarly, Caddick costed forward facing cameras for all the vehicles, “If you’re going to do it properly, you need a harddrive recording system, which is about £600 per truck plus service cost,” explains Caddick. “I calculated that over five years this would cost £250,000.” That didn’t add up when insurance data for the past five years showed that this was a far greater cost than the potential saving. On the other hand, the benefits offered by reversing cameras in reducing potential injury and damage, ensure that the Bradfords fleet is equipped with Brigade reversing cameras.

All Bradfords’ DAFs are equipped with tracking systems, “We use Geotab, supplied by Levl Telematics,” explains Caddick, “They have tailor-made a programme for us, which is brilliant.

They draw up reports for me at short notice, allowing me to act on the data before it goes stale.”

To date, the Bradfords fleet has gained 60 new DAFs, which are going down well both with the transport team and the drivers. “DAF is the perfect harmony between a gaffer’s motor and a driver’s motor,” reckons Caddick, “For the foreseeable future we’ll be maintaining and building on our relationship with the marque.”

Bradfords has built up a relationship with Ryder as a vehicle supplier and the new trucks have all been sourced through the well-known commercial vehicle contract hire and rental supplier. All vehicles are supplied on a seven-year lease with the option of either buying outright or extending the lease at the end of the term.

“Ultimately they proved to me they wanted the business more than anyone else. They took the time to get to know me and understand what Bradfords needed. They also allowed me to make quite a few changes as we went along.” The vehicles are supplied through dealer Ford & Slater, and for the most part, maintenance is provided by the DAF dealer network.

Bradfords has built up a 20 year-long relationship with its chosen bodybuilder Wessex Vehicle Services, based in Salisbury, “Time after time they prove they want to come to the party and be helpful, and they’re cost-effective too”, says Caddick.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

“DAF IS THE PERFECT HARMONY BETWEEN A GAFFER’S MOTOR AND A DRIVER’S MOTOR”

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OPERATOR PROFILE Tools for the job Not surprisingly, every Bradfords truck carries a tool box to accommodate straps and other items. Bradfords used to use plastic tool boxes, but these didn’t tend to be particularly durable. Wessex helped the company to come up with a solution that combines light weight with durability - a sturdy, galvanised framework which protects a lightweight, stainless steel tool box.

It would be impossible for a builders’ merchant to make deliveries without an on-board crane to help with the heavy lifting and Atlas Cranes is Bradfords’ supplier of

choice, ironically based in Bradford, “What I like about Atlas is that if I ring them now with a problem, I guarantee I will have an engineer here today, or tomorrow if the issue arises later in the day”, explains Caddick.

Bradfords has built up quite a detailed specification for its cranes, all specified with portable joystick controls. This enables the drivers to operate the crane from anywhere around the vehicle to ensure safe operation.

Choosing identical controls for all cranes means that if a vehicle is moved to a different branch, the driver will be able to operate it without hesitation.

“WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ATLAS IS THAT IF I RING THEM NOW WITH A PROBLEM, I GUARANTEE I WILL HAVE AN ENGINEER HERE TODAY, OR TOMORROW…” 10

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All the cranes are fitted with Kinshofer grabs, which have been modified to enable the operator to scoop up a bag of gravel rather than hook it. Caddick prefers rear mounted cranes but, those narrow Devon and Cornwall lanes have ensured that this is not always practical, because there may not be enough space to extend the rear legs.

To overcome this, the trucks operating from the Cornish depots are equipped with a front mounted crane using a longer extension.

Automatic lighting ensures that when the PTO is engaged, warning beacons and LED lighting is automatically activated for when the crane is in operation.

OPERATOR PROFILE

Bradfords can trace its history back 250 years to 1770 when William Bradford owned quarries in Derbyshire, producing lime for fertilizer. Bradfords opened its first branch at Yeovil in Somerset in 1853, where the company is based today. The company shifted its focus to kitchen and bathroom showrooms and building supplies in the 1970s. Today the company has 43 sites in the south-west and beyond and the Bradford family still owns the business.

250 years in business is a significant anniversary and Bradfords had planned a series of events in celebration. This included the restoration of a 100-year old horse-drawn coal wagon, while Caddick commissioned a special one-off anniversary truck. The vehicle is named Charlotte after an employee who represented the third generation of her family to work for Bradfords. Regrettably, Charlotte

succumbed to cancer in April this year and the truck has been commissioned in tribute to her.

Remembering Charlotte This special vehicle is a DAF LF 18-tonner, featuring a 260hp engine in place of Bradfords usual 230hp. Specification includes a luxury driver’s seat, airconditioning and a leather steering wheel.

The Wessex bodywork carries liveries from specific eras in the company’s history; the 1930s, 1940s, 1970s, 1980s and the present day. Further distinguishing features include a private registration plate and a crane finished in silver.

Plans to carry the coal wagon to a number of public events this year have inevitably had to be changed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even so, Charlotte is an active member of the Bradford’s fleet. Caddick

has carried out well over 50 deliveries using the vehicle.

Bradfords Building Supplies stayed open throughout the Covid-19 lockdown. “We took that decision on day one,” says Caddick, explaining that the company works closely with local housing associations across the south west, “Obviously this includes a lot of vulnerable people, who have been really affected by all this.

“We started off with click and collect. This gradually evolved, and while we are not back to normal, we now allow people into the shops and yards under tight restrictions. We put in place industry leading measures to ensure safety for all.”

The company was able to weather the Covid-19 crisis without having to place any drivers on furlough too. Even so, Caddick says that operating throughout the crisis has definitely presented its own challenges.

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CLASSIC CARS

LIFE WITH A PORSCHE For some enthusiastic drivers, only a Porsche will do.

Is it a pleasure that you could afford?

Words & Pictures: Kieron Fennelly

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CLASSIC CARS

I

had my first ride in a Porsche in the 1970s while hitchhiking in France and a wild ride it was.

So when a few years later my first car died of terminal rust, I found myself peering through the windows at the Porsches in Hendon Way Motors, in north London. Alas a used 911 cost rather more than I earned in a year, so I settled for a two door BMW, but the seed had been sown.

Life following a conventional path meant the BMW had to make way for ‘sensible’ saloons and hatchbacks and as family and work commitments grew, motoring became entirely a means of getting from A to B. And dull it was: I became a fantasist, losing myself in the motoring magazines and enjoying the pleasures of ‘real’ cars vicariously, never imagining that I could ever own one. It was while reading Classic & Sports Car that I came across a feature on the joys of owning

an older Porsche 911. The piece captivated me and I began to think I might…..but no it was too ridiculous to contemplate spending that sort of money on something I didn’t need, even if now I could probably afford it. However, set against this Calvinist self-denial was seeing the fun my son was having souping up his Vauxhall Astra. I began to feel deprived. When a colleague mentioned that he had an Aston Martin in his garage, but never had time to drive it, I thought how daft, I will have that 911 and I will drive it.

Having overcome the mental block, the rest was straightforward. I knew next to nothing about Porsches, though I had bought many used cars over the years. I stuck to the adage ‘buy the best you can afford’ and duly found myself staring at a ten-year old 911 Carrera at a Surrey dealer. It looked reasonable, the service history coherent, and I managed to speak to the previous owner

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which was reassuring. Although I was about to spend over £20,000, I could feel my ability to think rationally evaporating fast and it disappeared altogether on the test drive when the dealer whirled us on to and off the A3, at speeds which would have had my car in the hedge. Simply as a passenger I was hooked. Purchase was inevitable, an act of faith.

Ownership was revelation: with a 911 I realised that for thirty years I had been driving around in boxes with four wheels.

An old style 911 Carrera – mine had the traditional air-cooled engine and its floor-hinged pedals, part of its VW Beetle antecedence, took some getting used to but the purity of the driving experience

and the dynamics were little short of sensational. The Carrera’s racing car response, breath-taking acceleration (280 horsepower when I had barely driven a car with more than half that) and amazing brakes were nothing like anything I had experienced. I fell in love again with driving as I had when I got my licence at 17.

Perfection vs practicality Although essentially a two-seater, the vestigial rear seats did double as extra luggage space. No Porsche sports is ever entirely practical, but from the keen driver’s viewpoint, what it offered was almost perfect and this Porsche

I FELL IN LOVE AGAIN WITH DRIVING AS I HAD WHEN I GOT MY LICENCE AT 17.

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became my staple transport for many years. Was it expensive? I certainly had to spend money to look after it. The 911 was the first vehicle I had owned where I did no maintenance at all: I decided that complicated-looking flat-six in the back was a job for the specialists. And a performance car in its second decade may well need a new clutch, which mine did, an eleven-hour workshop job. Rear tyres lasted barely 20,000 miles and the flat six required 12 litres of expensive oil every year.

Then, after a decade with my Carrera, I rather surprised myself by trading it for a four-year old Porsche Cayman. I saw the black Cayman, the same colour as my

CLASSIC CARS

911, on the website of my local Porsche specialist and I think I had made up my mind about the two-seater even before taking it for a drive. 43,000 miles, a sixspeed manual gearbox, and on offer for only a few hundred pounds more than the trade-in value of my Carrera 993.

Same fun, less hassle I did the deal knowing that if I started hesitating, I would probably have the 911 for another ten years, but my annual Porsche mileage had halved in recent years as subconsciously I had become particular about when I drove it, excluding not just short runs, but any trip in poor weather or on dirty roads. In town the

Carrera was heavy to drive and with no air conditioning, the cabin was a sweat box in summer making continental trips tiring. A traffic jam on the M25 would have me keeping an anxious eye on the oil temperature gauge. From being merely a used 911 when I purchased it, the Porsche had also become an established classic and I did not want to add more ‘commuting’ miles. Effectively I had £20,000 of Porsche which I was no longer getting the most from. A newer, more modern 911 would have solved the problem, but was far beyond my means. The Porsche Cayman on the other hand seemed a practical and indeed economical way to continue enjoying flat-six Porsche motoring,

especially given my regular visits to Germany.

Most people would recognise Porsche’s open two-seater, the Boxster and the Cayman is simply the hardtop version, introduced in 2005. At little over half the price of a second hand 911 the smallerengined Cayman offered similar Porsche excitement with better balance and lower servicing overheads. Costs really were substantially less, from a road fund licence under £300, insurance for a similar amount and two-year service intervals.

In terms of outright go, there was little difference between the far newer car and my traditional Carrera. The real difference lay in torque characteristics. The smaller

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CLASSIC CARS capacity Cayman lacked the midrange shove of the 911’s larger engine, but the junior Porsche was typical of the latest generation of Porsche flat sixes; fairly belting from 4500 rpm to the 7300rpm limiter. Exploiting this was always great fun, but the Porsche’s high gearing meant that after second gear you were already moving fast into licence-losing territory, so this could only be an activity for special occasions (and carefully chosen stretches of road). What always impressed me was how tractable for such a highly tuned engine the flat six was, making for easy progress in traffic. With a boot in the rear and the front (as the engine is in the middle) the Cayman proved impressively practical, swallowing all our paraphernalia for a holiday in Corsica one summer.

THE CAYMAN OFFERED 33MPG AGAINST ITS PREDECESSOR’S 23 MPG. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WAS A MODERN SPORTS CAR WITH LESS OF THE CHARACTER...

Performance without pain I also proved that Porsche motoring does not have to be expensive. The Cayman offered 33mpg against its predecessor’s 23 mpg. On the other hand, it was a modern sports car with less of the character of the classic Porsche and the old models remain extraordinarily popular.

Today my 911 would cost at least twice what I paid for it in 2004. An old-style Porsche usually attracts admiring attention, whereas the far larger modern 911, occasionally elicits less favourable reactions, but the Cayman with modest 17 inch wheels and standard (quiet) exhaust usually passed unnoticed, which suited me. I found that when after 75,000 miles I changed for a more recent model, the newer Cayman did not attract any more attention.

I am first to accept the logic that in a society where thousands of miles of highway are patrolled by ANPR, there is little justification for a car which is going barely half steam ahead at the national speed limit, but then no one needs a Porsche, but I for one have been privileged to have freedom of choice.

In any case, such licence will not last much longer. The powers-that-be have deemed that our motoring future will be electric. From 2024, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman will be electric.

No more gear changing, no more that rousing vocal accompaniment as the engine climbs through the revs, indeed it will leave little for the driver to do except just point and squirt.

Motoring will once again become a mere means of going from the proverbial A to B.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

RED ROSE WINNER

The humble spud. A much-loved staple at meal-times up and down the country. And, for Liverpool-based Hurst Brothers, the potato has been the foundation for a thriving wholesale, retail and haulage business, now in its fourth generation of family ownership.

Words: Ronnie Hitchens Photographs: Karl Hopkinson

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OPERATOR PROFILE

Stephen Rimmer’s truck, (foreground) was awarded Best Show Truck in the DAF Virtual Truck Show

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A

t the helm are Ian and Robert Hurst, the current custodians of a business that boasts a rich heritage and an influential presence in the area. Indeed, Hurst Brothers can trace its roots back nearly 100 years, to a time when deliveries of fresh produce were made by horse and cart.

The Hurst family has a strong relationship with the city they call home. An abundance of fruit and vegetables supplied by local merchants have found their way onto dining tables in homes, restaurants and takeaways across Merseyside over the decades. It’s undeniable that the firm’s unrelenting dedication to its industry is tightly woven into the fabric of Liverpool’s culinary history. On a typical Hurst ‘market day’ – which means all day, every day, except Sunday night – the company is focused around two key revenue streams; Hurst’s dedicated haulage division tasked with collecting produce from farms in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Shropshire and North Wales, and secondly, the market team who get to work selling it on.

Crack team “It’s truly a 24-hour operation,” explains Stephen Rimmer from the driver’s seat of his ’68-plate DAF XF 530, “I tend to head down to Lincolnshire in the morning, returning with the goods that evening to sell in the market overnight.”

An experienced driver, Stephen is one of a crack team of long-haul drivers employed

by Hurst Brothers, each at the controls of high-powered, well-spec’d and eyecatching trucks. “I take great pride in the appearance of my XF,” he adds. “Working in and around farms, we have to stay on top of the cleaning, but I’ve always thought that my truck looks the best, and I’m determined to keep it that way”.

Managing one of Liverpool’s best-known produce merchants is a 24-hour affair, but a lack of leisure time didn’t stop Hurst Brothers claiming ‘Best Show Truck’ at this year’s DAF virtual truck show. It was Stephen that took the plunge and entered his steed into the online truck competition earlier this year, which supplanted Truckfest and other events typical of the spring / summer show season – all of which fell foul of the Corona Virus outbreak.

Bit of banter “It all started as a bit of fun between me and Robert’s son, Tom, who drives one of the other DAF XF 530s,” says Stephen, “We’ve always had a bit of banter between us when it comes to who has the bestlooking truck, and when I saw the entries open for the competition, I thought it was a great way to prove that my XF was the best. As it happens, it turned out that Tom had the same idea and we both ended up 20

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independently entering our trucks for judging! While they carry the same overall livery” he says, “each vehicle has a few minor styling differences to make them all unique. It’s fantastic to have won the category overall, but it feels even better to have put the argument to bed once and for all.”

“Our bosses were delighted that one of their trucks had scooped the title, but we’re a competitive bunch, so the trophy sits next to the clocking-on machine in the office, just to wind Tom up.”

Bringing DAF to market The winning XF 530 sits as part of a predominantly DAF-centric Hurst Brothers fleet, with individual Volvo and Mercedes tractor units the only exceptions. “We’ve four DAF tractors on our books at the moment,” Company Director, Robert Hurst, tells DAF Driver. “All supplied

“WE’VE ALWAYS HAD A BIT OF BANTER BETWEEN US WHEN IT COMES TO WHO HAS THE BEST- LOOKING TRUCK…”

OPERATOR PROFILE

Daniel Hurst, newly-qualified driver and 19-year-old son of Director Ian Hurst, alongside experienced driver, Stephen Rimmer

by DAF Dealer, North West Trucks in Huyton, Liverpool. Three of those are 2017 model-year XF 530s including our winning motor, and also a 16-plate XF 510. All of them have lift-axles as we often have to run empty out to our suppliers.”

An enthusiast as well as operator, Robert, or Robbie as he is known to colleagues, heads-up the transport and logistics side of the business, leaving Ian to focus his passion for buying and selling. The trucks, each proudly sporting the company’s trademark ‘Potatoes a Speciality’ above the front grille, are joined by four DAF CF rigids for local deliveries.

“We’ve been long time customers of DAF,” says Robbie. “For driving, they’re immensely comfortable on the long trips. We record decent fuel economy from the 530s in particular, and they’re not too pricy to run. All of our cabs are equipped as sleepers, though they’re only typically used overnight once or twice a week.

The team really enjoy driving them, and their excellent manoeuvrability is great for visiting farms that aren’t built for 44-tonne trucks.”

“Reliability, like for all operators, is of great importance to us, and we’re pleased with the way the DAFs perform for us week in, week out.

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are very reasonably priced. We do a lot of the maintenance work in-house, too.”

Hurst Brothers’ relationship with DAF Trucks is managed through North West Trucks. “We’ve had to make occasional use of DAFaid,” recalls Robbie, “but they’re always quick and professional if and when we need them”.

A bold but timeless design sold the Hurst Brothers’ truck to the judges at this year’s Virtual Truck Show.

DAF Driver was keen to find out what inspired the livery and what winning meant to the company as a whole. “Red and gold is a classic combination and has been the core of our livery for as long as I can remember, since I was a boy at least,” Robbie claims. “We’re just delighted to be recognised for the achievement. Image is everything, and I feel that, by looking after our trucks, it reinforces our commitment to looking after our customers, too.”

The fruits of one’s labour Working the floor as a produce merchant is less of a job and more of a way of life. As the trucks roll in, loaded with some of the world’s finest produce at the end of what you and I might call a typical working day, the market team is only just gearing up for the evening ahead and the real business of making money.

A staple fixture of the purpose-built Liverpool Food Hub since early 2018, Hurst Brothers trade continuously from 8am on a Sunday through to 5pm on a Saturday. The market floor is unrecognisable when compared to your typical Saturday morning local market, with produce stacked high on warehouse scaffolding – a cathedral to the agricultural industry both in the UK and worldwide. To the uninitiated, it’s a hive of activity, with produce being whizzed around and deals being done constantly; all while the majority of the country is soundly asleep.

“I tend to clock-off at eight in the evening and hand over to the night team,” explains Director and Sales lead, Ian Hurst, “but I’ll be in for five the next morning. We trade all day long, but it really gets manic between 3am and 8am with grocers, cooks and chefs looking for the best produce.”

“We’ve been working with some of our customers for decades. They come from restaurants, hotels, greengrocers; it’s an exciting, diverse and fast-paced place to work. We now stock everything a customer needs, you’ve got to keep up with changing demand. While we’re still best-known for our potatoes, supermarkets have definitely taken a lot of our business. It used to be

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OPERATOR PROFILE much simpler many years ago, but the market changes and you have to adapt.

Keeping it in the family Despite the challenges of Brexit and the global Corona Virus pandemic, trade has remained strong for Hurst Brothers. While no-one can predict quite how the next few months will pan out for the UK, Hurst’s exceptional reputation will undoubtedly keep the company front of mind with its customers and will remain ingrained in the coming years as it enters its fifth generation of family ownership in the hands of cousins, Tom and Daniel.

“It’s an exciting time for both our family and the company as a whole,” says Ian. “Robbie’s son Tom has been driving for us for a while now, and my 19-year-old son Daniel has been working on the market side of things. He’s just obtained his Class 1 HGV licence so he’ll be out on the road soon enough.”

“Each generation has helped to build a strong legacy, and I’m delighted they’re here to see it continue.”

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The winning XF 530 sits as part of a predominantly DAF-centric Hurst Brothers fleet

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AGRICULTURAL FOCUS

SWEET POWER DELIVERY The UK’s favourite sugar beet harvesters are powered by DAF MX-13 engines, with support from DAF truck dealers Words: Dan Gilkes Photographs: Karl Hopkinson

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AGRICULTURAL FOCUS

The Vervaet uses a 530hp version of the engine more frequently seen in DAF’s XF

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AGRICULTURAL FOCUS

The holding tank can handle up to 16 tonnes of harvested beet

M

ention of the annual sugar beet campaign, that sees almost 8 million tonnes of beet hauled from farmers’ fields to the four British Sugar processing plants in Bury St Edmunds, Newark, Wissington and Cantley, can result in one of two reactions. If you’re a haulier or a farm contractor, benefitting from almost six months of work throughout the winter period, you’ll probably be fairly enthusiastic.

For those not involved, it means weeks of following bulk tippers and JCB Fastracs on mud-covered roads across the East of England, as they transport the beet from field to factory.

The UK’s favourite sugar beet harvesting equipment comes from Dutch manufacturer Vervaet, with more than 160 of the firm’s giant red machines at work across the nation. Coming from the Netherlands, it is unsurprising to find that under that rearmounted engine canopy there lurks a DAF PACCAR engine. Both the latest Q-616 and the larger Q-621 are powered by PACCAR’s 26

DAF DRIVER AUTUMN 2020

12.9-litre MX-13 diesel, more commonly found beneath the cab of DAF’s XF tractor.

Both the Q-616 and the bigger Q-621 have the 530hp version which makes good use of the 2,500Nm of torque, available from just 900rpm. However, it is the power delivery at just 1,400rpm that has been most appealing to end users.

“The MX was the start of the modern engines,” said Harry Skeet, Service Manager at Attlebridge, Norfolk-based importer and distributor, J Riley Beet Harvesters (UK).

“The torque curve changed so we could have lower revving engines, which ran quieter and gave better fuel economy. Considering the WS and XF engines had revved at 2,050rpm and even the last XEs were at 1,650rpm, running at just 1,400rpm was quite a revolution. We also moved to load sensing hydraulic pumps, which only delivered the oil that was required, further minimising fuel usage.”

Back-up service is essential While fuel consumption is an important consideration in any machine purchase, it

“WE’VE WORKED WITH CHASSIS CAB FOR MANY YEARS NOW, AND THERE ARE STRONG BONDS BETWEEN OUR TWO COMPANIES,” doesn’t top the list for Clem Warner, of Bury St Edmunds agricultural contractor CG Warner Ltd. “The fuel consumption is very good, but that’s probably number three for us,” he said.

“To have a productive machine is top, then back-up. The back-up from J Riley is just second to none.”

As well as providing service and maintenance in-house, Riley also calls upon East Anglian DAF Dealer Chassis Cab, to provide essential

support throughout the beet harvesting season. Indeed, Chassis Cab has equipped all four of its branches with Land Rover four-wheel drive service vehicles, to be able to provide an all-weather, all-terrain, 24/7 breakdown service throughout the beet campaign.

“We’ve worked with Chassis Cab for many years now and there are strong bonds between our two companies,” said Managing Director Jeremy Riley.

“Fundamentally, Chassis Cab is our preference out of all the DAF dealers near and far, largely due to the fact that they operate with the same ethos that we do, always putting the customer first, they’re always there to help.”

The Vervaet beet harvester is certainly a productive machine. The Q-616 can harvest 2.5-3 acres of beet per hour and Warner expects to have cleared at least 2,000 acres by the end of the year. The contracting business harvests for more than 30 farms in the East Anglian region, working with other

contractors when required, to meet British Sugar’s requirements and keep the local beet factories busy.

AGRICULTURAL FOCUS J Riley Beet Harvesters (UK) Harry Skeet

Putting in the hours As long as the ground is dry enough to work, Warner’s operators put in 15-18 hours a day during the campaign, seven days a week.

Little surprise that the machine’s 500-hour service intervals come around fairly regularly.

The machine has a hydrostatic transmission, offering travel speeds of up to 30km/h, though there is a 40km/h option for those that need it. The low ground pressure front wheels turn conventionally, while the rear pair rotate on a turntable, giving the massive machine an incredible inner turning circle of just 1.6m. The rear wheels also sit within the track of the front set, so that each tyre runs on new ground, to limit damage to the field.

Maximum yield As the harvester drives across the field, topper flails cut the greenery off the exposed

Clem Warner is the owner and operator of the Vervaet beet harvester

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AGRICULTURAL FOCUS

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A loading elevator drops the beets directly into the trailer

As the equipment grew and the machinery adopted hydrostatic drive, greater engine power was required.

Vervaet turned to DAF’s 1160 engine to meet the need, a motor that was still in use when J Riley Beet Harvesters (UK) became the UK distributor for Vervaet in 1992.

In 1994 Vervaet introduced the 17-T harvester, originally

AGRICULTURAL FOCUS

with the 11.6-litre DAF WS series engine offering 365hp.

By 1999 that engine had been replaced by the 12.6-litre XF, initially with 380hp and then the 430hp XF315. These in turn were superseded by the XE series engines in 2003.

“They were very good engines, simple and robust,” said Mr Skeet.

beets. This material is shredded and spread to the side of the harvester as it passes.

Carefully set scalps then slice the very top off the beet before the lifting gear, consisting of rotating wheels called ‘shares’, agitates the beets from the ground. Each share makes 23 lifting movements per second.

The beet is then passed through a series of turbines, to clean off loose soil, before being transferred to a holding tank in the middle of the machine. On the Q-616 the holding tank can handle up to 16 tonnes of harvested beet, allowing the machine to continue harvesting while the accompanying tractor and trailer is emptying at the side of the field. Once full, a

“The XEs with electronic control were more responsive with better fuel economy.

They were all very reliable engines and have stood the test of time.”

The MX engines arrived in 2007, with the latest MX-13 offered for the first time in 2017, with the launch of the

discharge elevator drops the beets into the waiting trailer, to be taken to the stockpiling area.

The beet remain in the stocking area for a maximum of 2-3 days before being transported to the processing plant. Any longer and it will start to lose its sugar content, reducing the farmer’s yield on the crop.

Perhaps the most impressive area of the machine is the cab. If you thought a DAF XF offered a luxurious working environment with a good level of visibility, the Vervaet delivers a truly panoramic outlook. A 26.5cm touchscreen display offers control and

current Q series harvesters.

“This continued use of DAF engines meant that we have evolved and progressed with them,” said Mr Skeet. “Rather than having to learn about an unknown engine each time there is a change, we see a new version of a familiar product, which isn’t completely unknown to us.”

monitoring of the machine’s main functions.

It also delivers everything from engine speed to harvested area, fuel consumption to yield measurements.

The annual sugar beet campaign is a massive challenge, for farmers, contractors and the companies that support them. Lifting and transporting 8m tonnes of sugar beet, through the wettest, darkest months of the year, to provide just-in-time delivery to the factories that are running even on Christmas Day, is a huge task. It’s a task that is powered by DAF engines and supported by DAF Dealers, with DAFaid providing a level of back-up that is second to none.

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DAF DRIVER REVIEW

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DAF DRIVER REVIEW

SILVER DREAM MACHINE DAF’s new XF480 8x4 ‘tridem’ heads to the quarry – and drives like a dream Words: Dean Barrett Photographs: Mark Ballantyne

DAF’S LATEST EIGHTWHEELER OFFERS 6X4 TRACTION AND AGILITY, AT 32-TONNES, AND WITH A LUXURY XF COMFORT CAB. AUTUMN 2020 DAF DRIVER

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DAF DRIVER REVIEW

B

ritish tipper operators have a wide choice of chassis to pick from, with options available to suit pretty much any configuration you could care to name. Most tend to spec eight-wheelers for payload and off-road performance, but manoeuvrability can be an issue for hauliers who need to work on tight building sites, twisting quarries or packed refuse locations.

Such operators may do well to look at a tridem.

Manoeuvrability is key with this spec, and drivers have found they can often get such vehicles into places where more traditional eight-wheel rigids may struggle.

Back in 2017, DAF spec’d up its first tridem demo for the UK in the form of a CF440 FAQ. FAQ was first launched in 2014, and this 8x2 chassis variant was added to DAF’s British demonstration fleet to give operators an opportunity to try a different kind of vehicle for their applications, rather than stick to

a standard eight-wheeler.

The demo unit was well received – but while its agility was uniformly praised, some operators felt they would still prefer a double-drive bogie for better off-road traction.

So step up DAF’s new FAW. Launched in 2019, this 8x4 chassis basically offers a 6x4 set-up with an additional rear axle – which enables operation at higher gvw along with the benefit of manoeuvrability similar to a 6x4.

FAW can be spec’d with an XF

or CF cab and features a singlereduction double-drive tandem bogie rated at 26 tonnes, plus a steered, lifting trailing axle rated at eight tonnes. All three rear axles ride on air suspension.

Out on the road, and then off!

DAF’s new demo truck is rated at 32 tonnes gvw. The UK legal limit is 24 tonnes across the rear three axles, so on the day of our drive the demo unit was loaded to 23,800 kg at the rear and eight tonnes up front. That

SPECIFICATION Model: DAF XF480 FAW 8x4 rigid Technical gvw: 44,000 kg Test gvw: 32,000 kg Chassis: 4.55 m wheelbase, 2.05 m overhang, 430-litre aluminium fuel tank, 45-litre AdBlue tank Front axle: 10,000 kg Rear axles: 24,000 kg (air suspended double-drive bogie), 8000 kg (lifting trailing axle) 32

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Tyres: Goodyear 385/65R22.5 front, 315/80R22.5 (rear 1 & 2), 385/65R22.5 (rear 3) Gearbox: 12-speed TraXon automated Engine: 13-litre MX-13, Euro 6d, MX Engine Brake Max power: 483 bhp Max torque: 2350/2500 Nm @ 900 rpm

DAF DRIVER REVIEW

“FAW’S GREAT TURNING CIRCLE MEANT WE ROUNDED ALL THE BENDS WITH EASE – AND IT WAS IMMEDIATELY CLEAR HOW MUCH OF A BENEFIT THIS WOULD BE ON A BUSY SITE.”

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DAF DRIVER REVIEW

“…AND EVEN WITH A LOWER ROOF, THE XF COMFORT CAB HAS A SPACIOUS INTERIOR.” 34

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DAF DRIVER REVIEW said, the truck was actually fitted with DAF’s new 203N 10-tonne front axle – which would be a good option for operators who want to fit a crane behind the cab, for example.

FAW’s turning ability is impressive. Compared to a conventional FAD eight-wheeler which has a kerb-to-kerb distance of 20.3 m, the FAW can make the same turn in 15.4 m.

That’s an improvement of nearly 5 m – which can easily mean the difference between making a tight turn in one go without having to shunt.

Choice, and then some FAWs with a CF cab can be spec’d with 11-litre 370, 410 or 450 bhp MX-11s; or 13-litre 430, 480 and 530 bhp MX-13s. Operators choosing bigger XF cabs can pick from MX-11 at 450 bhp, or MX-13 at 430, 480 or 530 bhp.

Our demo XF was spec’d with 480 bhp MX-13 with 12-speed TraXon automated gearbox.

Somewhat unusually, our test FAW had a low-roof XF Comfort Cab – a spec not all that common in the UK. But the idea is sound, as it offers a lower profile that’s good for negotiating narrow lanes or tucking under hoppers etc.

Traditionally, tipper operators have favoured smaller day cabs, but this is changing. It’s not uncommon to find tipper drivers doing longer distances and spending nights away from base, so bigger cabs are becoming more attractive. XF offers a more comfortable working and living space for extended time out – and even with a lower roof, the XF Comfort Cab has a spacious interior.

The test truck was not lacking in creature comforts, as it also features Xtra Leather Air seats, leather steering wheel, Xtra Comfort mattress, underbunk fridge and smart Dark Sand interior trim. DAF also loaded this FAW with the new Safe System, which includes nearside camera, audible left-turn warning, in-cab monitor, buzzer and LED warning lights.

Forward-facing, driver-side and

FAW’s kerb-to-kerb turning ability is an impressive 15.4-metres. That’s an improvement of nearly five-metres over DAF’s conventional 8x4.

load-space cameras are available as options, along with a four- or eight-channel video recorder and rear ultrasonic sensors. All the bits and pieces are fitted at the factory and are included in the vehicle’s two-year warranty.

Our XF480 FAW tridem test drive kicked off at DAF’s MOTUS Commercials dealership in Gloucester. Leaving the industrial estate, we picked up the A40 heading west towards Ross-on-Wye for a pleasant drive out in the sticks.

Quarry bound Loaded to 32 tonnes, we felt there was plenty of power available from the 13-litre engine and the FAW felt very nimble with 480 bhp on tap.

Taking a left turn onto the A4136 at Huntley towards Coleford, we began to encounter some twisting hills as we moved deeper into the Forest of Dean – but the tridem took them all in its stride, nary breaking a sweat.

We were heading for an old quarry in Whitecliffe, where we could take the tridem off-road for a few circuits of a twisting dirt course. Turning in at the quarry gate, the ground was a bit boggy due to rain the previous day, so we used FAW’s weight transfer system to dump air from the trailing axle onto the double-drive bogie to ensure

our wheels didn’t spin. The system is engaged via a button on the dash, and disengages automatically after a short while.

The quarry road lead through thick bushes, up and down lumps and bumps and around some very tight bends – and frankly, it would have been too much for a traditional eight-wheeler to handle without having to take a few shunts. But the FAW’s great turning circle meant we rounded all the bends with ease – and it was immediately clear how much of a benefit this would be on a busy site.

Once we’d completed a fair few laps of the quarry, we began a loop back home via the A4151/ A48. This took us through a number of narrow villages packed with vehicles, crossings and pedestrians, and the FAW’s positive handling made short work of it all.

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CLASSICS – DAF / LEYLAND DAF 95

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CLASSICS – DAF / LEYLAND DAF 95

DAF’S 1990S

GAMECHANGER Launched in 1987, ‘Concept 95’ was to be the flagship of the newly merged Leyland / DAF operation. Just like this new company, the ‘95’ was by no means perfect but it provided a solid foundation for the long line of award winning trucks that were set to follow.

Words & Pictures: Bob Tuck Reproduced courtesy of Commercial Motor

Y

ou had to be there at the time – and in the thick of it – just to appreciate what a roller coaster life the commercial vehicle world could be. To those at Leyland, like Product Marketing Manager, Tony Pain, the mid ‘80s had seen all manner of different people looking at buying up the bruised & battered British Leyland operation.”

PACCAR – who had recently bought up Foden - were the first to have a look,” says Pain, “and then General Motors – Bedford – showed a lot of interest before the merger with DAF was signed in April ‘87.”

Of course that was just the start of a massive shakeup and merger

of both the Leyland and DAF UK Dealer network plus their diverse model range. The shining light was of course the prospect of seeing the new DAF / Leyland DAF 95 which was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Show in September ‘87.

Joint venture The 95 was something like 10 years in the making. Pain recalls the truck was originally called the 120 – as it had a (almost) 12-litre engine – but that was dropped in favour of calling it the DAF 90.

Destined to be a truck for the ‘90s, that name was also dropped when MAN began marketing their F90 range, so ‘95’ became the chosen option.

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CLASSICS – DAF / LEYLAND DAF 95

In June ‘88, Sam Ostle took delivery of 12 of the 95.350s which then made up half of his fleet. Ostle can also recall early big problems with the truck’s water pump when in service.

The very stylish Cabtec Cab fitted to the new 95, was actually a joint venture design with the Spanish based Enasa (owners of the Pegaso and SeddonAtkinson truck ranges) and Pegaso actually beat DAF in first use of this new cab by launching their new Troner a few months earlier. DAF offered the cab in day form; a sleeper with one or two bunks; a short cab with top sleeper pod or as a ‘Space Cab’ high-roof sleeper. Having the widest bunk on the market, the later ‘Super Space Cab’ version also claimed to have the most internal capacity then being offered in any truck cab.

At the heart of the 95 was a newly designed 11.6 litre WS cross-flow engine – coupled to the ZF ‘Ecosplit’ 16-speed gearbox – which initially offered outputs of 310 or 350hp for general haulage work in the UK. The previous 3300 / 3600 DAF had also found a good niche in the heavy haulage world and DAF were to first offer the 6x4 version of the 95, as fit for 150 tonnes gross with 380hp on tap.

The first 95s were of course DAF trucks built in Eindhoven but from April ’88, the UK bound ones were badged as Leyland DAF. Although available in rigid, four or six wheeler form, most

UK 95s came as tractor units rated for 38 tonnes operation. In its 15 years or so of trading in the UK, DAF had built up a good reputation – especially with its back-up in DAFaid. And with the 95 being voted the 1988 Truck of the Year, many UK operators were keen to take the 95 on - although some of the early ones had teething problems.

Terry Sinclair of Evesham based, R Sinclair Ltd, recalls they took 20 of the 95s in the first two years of the model.

However, he also remembers that for their first year, a Leyland DAF engineer was on site virtually every weekend doing campaign changes on what he said were niggles with electrics and gear linkages. And once a year old, Sinclair said the water pumps were failing: “Right, left and centre. In our estimation,” he said, “the 95 was rushed onto the road. I think the timing of the Leyland DAF merger brought this on.”

In Northern Scotland, the Gibb brothers – Tommy and Jimmy – had received excellent long term service from the 6x2 DAF 2800Ati in the mid ‘80s, so were hoping for similar results from the 95. But instead, a heavy unladen weight; poor fuel economy and poor residual values of the 95 version of 6x2

Gibb’s of Fraserburgh had received excellent service from their Daf 2800s but the 95 didn’t impress as much as the earlier model.

York based John Smith couldn’t speak highly even enough of the 95, even when seven years old – and even after covering a million miles.

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CLASSICS – DAF / LEYLAND DAF 95 AD Boyes took delivery of this sole 95 and used it on a specific bulk liquid contract.

Right: Evesham based R Sinclair Ltd had all manner of niggles with the first 95s they took into service but the company stayed with the model because of the support they received from the manufacturer.

Far right: In 1997, the 95 was phased out and replaced with the 95XF which was an entirely different vehicle altogether. Chris Simpson was amongst the first to take delivery of one.

tractor units, saw them drifting away to try other marques.

Hit the buffers Into the ‘90s, DAF were to workunveiled hard in First onre-establishing the Continent in September versions of the 95 credibility‘87, forUK their flagship 95 were badged Leyland Daf from April ’88. but on 2nd February 1992, the firm hit the financial buffers when they simply ran out of cash. Obviously a number of banks (in both Holland and the UK) then took over the day-today ownership of what probably became five different companies but their respective management teams held the company together and of course it soon (collectively) bounced back.

In fairness, the subsequent saviour of DAF / Leyland DAF / Leyland Trucks wasn’t to be the big 95 flagship but the new 85 Series workhorse that was

launched at the 1992 Hanover Show. The UK market in particular soon took to the 85 which was both cheaper and lighter – although it did lack the huge amount of storage space in the 95 sleeper cab.

Although leader of the pack, the 95 seemed to lose favour with some disenchanted operators.

The folk who observe these things were to mark down the second-hand values of used 95s which turned even more operators off. However, such low prices were then spotted by all manner of other more canny hauliers who began picking up used 95s at a fraction of their true value. And once into use, they realised they were getting a lot of motor for a really good price – provided unladen weight wasn’t critical.

The final pitch of the 95 was when DAF unveiled its huge Super Space Cab at the ’94 RAI show. The truck on display was badged as a 95.500 which threw a lot of people as – prior to that – the 95.430 was the highest powered version of DAF’s WS engine. DAF were able to raise the anti by fitting the 95 with the 14 litre N14 Cummins 507hp engine and so provide an option to operators wanting a really big cab – with a really big engine – on a proven DAF made chassis.

New owners – new 95XF The 95.500 was only built as a 4x2 tractor unit and – at first – in only left-hand drive form. It was in production for only three years and in that time, perhaps 500 were made. The curtain came down on this option as in

‘97, the 95 model was phased out to be replaced by the 95XF. And while the model name may have been very similar, the new truck – with an entirely different 12.6 litre XE engine (available up to 530hp) – was a huge step forward when compared to the original Concept 95. In fact it was so good, DAF subsequently marketed the new 95XF as being even quieter than a BMW 5 Series saloon car.

By ‘97, DAF were then owned by the American based PACCAR organisation and one year later, PACCAR also took over the UK based Leyland Trucks operation.

The following years would soon see the demise of the name Leyland as a marketing brand but the subsequent derivatives of Concept 95 are still running to this day.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

SIX OF THE BEST Six new DAF CF 410 FAW ‘tridems’ for Norfolk aggregate specialist Words: Ronnie Hitchens

Photographs: Karl Hopkinson

“NO OTHER TRUCK MANUFACTURER CAN OFFER THE COMBINATION OF A LIGHTWEIGHT ‘NON-CONSTRUCTION’ CHASSIS ON A FOUR-AXLE TRIDEM.” Rory Holbrook.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

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OPERATOR PROFILE

Fruehauf’s non-tipping ‘V’ body delivers a drastically simplified road-laying operation

N “THE TRUCK TICKS SO MANY BOXES FOR US,” MANAGING DIRECTOR, RORY HOLBROOK 42

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orfolk-based aggregate supply specialist, Rory J.Holbrook, has become the UK’s first recipient of DAF Trucks’ latest 8x4 rear-steer ‘tridem’ chassis, after taking delivery of the first two CF 410 FAW sleeper-cabbed trucks from a total order of six units.

With rear-steer capability, Sleeper Cab, air-suspension, a lightweight ‘highway’ chassis and Fruehauf’s all-new AggriRoll (Mk III) non-tipping ‘V’ body, Rory J.Holbrook describes the new DAF fleet as a ‘unique proposition’ for road surfacing and associated operations.

Trucks are being supplied by the local DAF Dealer in Norwich, Ford & Slater.

The first CF 410 FAW is returning immediate productivity benefits for Rory J.Holbrook and its contract with road construction company,

Kier Highways. Fruehauf’s aluminium construction AggriRoll body delivers aggregate via a moving conveyor floor which dispenses material directly to the road surfacing machine.

The fixed ‘V’ body eliminates the inherent problems of using a conventional tipper when in proximity with overhead power lines and road-side trees, thus drastically improving safety and reducing the need for road closures. The 16 cubic-metre

hopper discharges just under 20-tonnes of aggregate in under two minutes.

Optimum balance DAF’s innovative ‘FAW’ axle configuration – the latest addition to DAF’s multi-axle range – strikes the optimum balance between on/offroad traction and handling agility, combining four-axle payload potential with 6x4 manoeuvrability. A new

OPERATOR PROFILE

“WE SAT DOWN WITH DAF, FORD & SLATER AND FRUEHAUF AND THE ANSWER WAS ‘YES’.”

10-tonne front axle brings additional loading tolerance across the chassis. The new FAW axle configuration is also available with the XF cab in Space, Super Space and ‘Comfort’ cab variants and with both MX-11 and MX13 engines with ratings up to 530hp. The FAW can be specified with the ZF TraXon automated gearbox or the optional Ecosplit 16-speed manual gearbox.

Ticking boxes “The truck ticks so many boxes for us,” said Managing Director, Rory Holbrook, “it really is a unique proposition.

No other truck manufacturer can offer the combination of a lightweight ‘non-construction’ chassis on a four-axle tridem set-up, a sleeper cab and airsuspension. After my contact at Kier saw a conveyor floor on one of our trailers, he asked if the methodology would transfer onto an eightwheel rigid. We sat down with DAF, Ford & Slater and Fruehauf and the answer was ‘yes’. The result is a truly nocompromise solution. Apart from the health and safety and productivity benefits,” he said, “the new truck is a massive hit with the drivers – especially the [TraXon] auto-box and the high-spec CF Sleeper Cab.” General Manager at Kier Highways, Andy Mayos, added, “The introduction of the non-tipping DAF with the conveyor floor body for our

Rear-steer 8x4 and new non-tipping Fruehauf body: ‘unique proposition’

surface dressing operation has delivered a significantly safer working environment for our workforce. We no longer contend with overhead cables and the associated risks of cable strikes. Also, our clients no longer need to undertake time-consuming overhead cable surveys, and there’s no requirement for us to implement ‘no tipping zones’.

Our operation is wholly more

efficient as a result,” he said, “and we hope that the wider industry adopts this solution as standard practice.”

Rory J.Holbrook acquired its first 14 DAF CF 8x4 tippers in 2003; the company says a number of which are in ‘semi-retirement’ yet remain in service still today. The Holbrook fleet now comprises a majority of 40 DAFs from a total of 65 vehicles. Regular

repair & maintenance is carried out at Rory J.Holbrook’s wholly-owned Attleborough Service Centre company.

Now in its 32nd year in business, Rory J.Holbrook is based in East Harling in Norfolk with rail-head operations in nearby Norwich and in Brandon, Suffolk, plus a substantial 10-acre recycling centre in Lakenheath, Suffolk.

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COMPETITION In association with

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE Your chance to win fantastic prizes every issue

HOW TO WIN:

DAF Trucks have supplied a 1:50 scale model DAF XF Tractor unit with a box trailer.

Simply spot and mark the four differences on the images above. Once completed either cut out or photocopy and post to DAF Driver magazine, 4th Floor, 19 Capesthorne Drive, Eaves Green, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 3QQ Closing date: Friday 27th November 2020

FULL NAME ADDRESS

POST CODE

TELEPHONE

EMAIL Terms & Conditions: Not suitable for children under 14 years of age. The winner will be notified within 30 days of the closing date either by letter, telephone or email.

All entrants will be placed in a hat and selected at random by a third party. No money alternative will be offered. The winner’s name and county will be displayed in the next issue of DAF Driver magazine.

Winner from last issue: Rick Vernon, Northants Winner’s details to appear in the Winter issue of DAF Driver magazine Special note: Would the winner from the Spring 2020 spot the difference competition, Thomas Fennelly of Co. Kildare please contact the magazine as we want to deliver your prize. See contact details above.

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SIMPSON SAYS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

More and more general hauliers have found membership of a pallet network an ideal way of giving their business a national or international reach, as well as a means of handling less-than-load consignments.

By Richard Simpson, industry pundit

A

nd the events of this year have seen the nature of pallet network deliveries themselves transformed. Local builders merchants and DIY outlets have struggled to open because of Covid restrictions, and even when they could, supplies of building essentials have often been restricted. This has come at a time when many property owners were furloughed, and found themselves stuck at home with time and money on their hands. What better opportunity to get stuck into that DIY project?

Said DIYers have tended towards using the internet to source bulky materials such as tiles, bagged sand and bricks direct from suppliers.

These items would usually be delivered by a specialist builders merchant’s truck, equipped with a crane, grab and slings, and with a driver

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trained in every aspect of material handling required to operate it.

But in the new normal, said tiles, bagged sand and bricks are more likely to have been stacked onto a pallet, wrapped in plastic, loaded onto a collection vehicle, transported to an operator’s depot, transhipped onto a trunking vehicle against the clock, driven hundreds of miles, off-loaded at a pallet hub, transferred onto another trunking vehicle against the clock, driven hundreds of miles, transferred onto a delivery vehicle, and taken to a final destination not set up for deliveries of anything larger than an A3 envelope.

There the driver must drag a by now very wobbly pallet to the rear of the vehicle on a handpowered pallet-truck and lower it using a tail-lift that was probably specified with weight and cost saving as a priority over capacity and safety. The recipient may well have an unrealistic expectation of the

driver’s responsibility for the final placing of said pallet, too.

‘Why can’t you drag a onetonne pallet up my gravel drive? I’ve paid for it to be delivered not dumped at the roadside, my good man!’

If that sounds like a recipe for disaster, that’s because it is.

Having lived in a house where one of those pesky woodpellet boilers had been inflicted upon us by a previous owner, I know what a hair-raising experience lifting a one-tonne pallet composed of slippery 20 kg plastic bags down from a 26-tonner is. I was always perfectly happy to assist the driver in getting as many bags off the pallet as was needed to make unloading safe as was necessary, but that was just me (in a previous life, I used to hand-ball 50kg sacks of Nitram off flatbed lorries).

Others are not so lucky. A case just come to court revealed that truck driver Petru Pop was killed back in 2016, while attempting to unload a pallet

of tiles weighing 1.4 tonnes at a residential address on behalf of a pallet network. The pallet’s declared weight was 1.2 tonnes, yet the pallet network’s own upper limit is 1000 kg.

A frankly derisory fine was imposed on Mr Pop’s employer, which had in any case gone out of business the following year.

In the absence of any firm legislative guidance, isn’t it time for the pallet networks to agree a reasonable limit for manhandled pallets among themselves?

If that means some of their customers have to pay for two pallets rather than one, then surely that’s good for them all?

I know of one South Wales haulier, a DAF operator as it happens, who has repeatedly refused invitations to join, from the pallet networks. His vehicles, tail-lift-equipped rigids in the main, are ideal for the job, but he’s not prepared to risk injury or death to his drivers for the sake of a few quid. And quite right too.

DDM

TRAINER’S NOTES

GETTING THE LOW DOWN

DAF Driver goes behind the scenes at an unusual press event in a special location.

W

henever we plan what vehicles to present for press test, we need to make sure it’s newsworthy and going to be an interesting read. Of course the truck driving journalists are already familiar with our popular tractor models so when we were looking for a story that would appeal, we decided to give them the low down on the Low Deck.

This distinct variant of the FT XF 4x2 tractor is not just a regular tractor with low profile tyres; in fact the Low Deck has a special suspension design and a host of chassis features which have made 52

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it a firm favourite for the operators who utilise these specialist vehicles. As the truck of choice for the entertainment and exhibition industry, the XF Low Deck tractor has delivered the majority of concert tours and events across the UK, Europe and beyond as part of iconic fleets including the likes of Stardes, Fly By Nite, Stagetruck, Transam, Brian Yeardley…the list goes on.

Having two Low Deck units currently on our fleet, gave us an ideal opportunity to compare the TraXon with the manual gearbox. Our fantastic blue showtrekker tractor, which was airbrushed by artist Adam Haden back in 2018 to mark the DAF 90th Anniversary, has the 12 speed TraXon whilst our brand new Pure Metal Silver unit, liveried to mark 25 years of

UK Market Leadership, has been specified with the 16-speed Ecosplit gearbox.

And to provide a backdrop for the test, what better than to base our test at the awesome Fly By Nite rehearsal studios where bands and artists prepare their stage set, sound and lighting before heading off on tour. This state of the art facility is the largest purpose-built studio in Europe and provided us the ideal location for a photoshoot of the DAF duo before the press arrived to learn about what makes the Low Deck so special and to decide their personal favourite gearbox. Take a look at these behind the scenes shots, and watch out in the press for the testers’ verdicts together with the final stunning images by photographer Karl Hopkinson.

JAMES REHLING

MEET THE TRAINERS

DAF now has Dealer Driver Trainers based across the country to help hand over new and used vehicles and we thought it would be good to get to know some of them a little bit better! In this edition we talk to James Rehling the DAF Dealer Driver Trainer for MOTUS Commercials covering the Bristol and Gloucester region.

Q: When did you first join MOTUS Commercials and what was your first job there?

A: I first joined the company in a full time role in December 2003 working as the warranty and R&M administrator, before moving onto Customer Service Team Leader.

Q: What did you want to be when you were at school?

A: At school I was mad about cars but quickly decided that everyone (my mates at the time) were into cars also. Wanting to be different, I went big - deciding it was trucks for me! This was also linked to my grandfather being a truck driver, and in later years, a gritter driver for the local council.

The rest as they say is history. I Joined family DAF Dealer Oldhams of Barford straight from school to become a HGV Technician, however, as I was good with computers, I was soon spirited into the office to do service reception and warranty claims.

Q: When did you take your HGV licence?

A: I have been shunting all types of truck on site including Nuclear Flask transporters for a number of years, finally taking my class 2, 1 and full ADR back in December 2018 and January 2019. In the time since, I have spent a number of weeks and months gaining experience with trips to Spain, France and Germany, for a local events company to help gain the valuable experience to become a Dealer Driver Trainer.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?

A: I enjoy many aspects of my current role as a Dealer Driver Trainer and have enjoyed being part of the DAF family since I left school, (apart from a year out to try something new). The most enjoyable part for me is having a top class set of demonstration trucks to showcase to our customer base. And for me one of the most rewarding feelings, comes from conducting a good demonstration to a customer that in turn leads to a new vehicle order.

Since taking up the role, it has really made me understand and see the importance of driver training.

Q: Do you have a top tip for a driver getting his new DAF? A: My top tip for any driver getting his new DAF truck would be to take up the driver training.

Learning to get the best out of your truck can be the most rewarding experience. After all, an

informed driver is a relaxed driver and this makes a safe driver.

Q: What car do you currently drive and, if money was no object what would you have?

A: I currently drive a Mercedes A200 AMG line.

Best car I have ever had, but if money was no object, then it would have to be an Aston Martin Vantage or a DB11. I have always had a place in my heart for an Aston.

Q: What other responsibilities do you have at MOTUS Commercials DAF? A: In addition to being the Dealer Driver Trainer I am also responsible for managing new vehicle deliveries and handovers. I also manage our ADR side of the business dealing with large fleets such as Turners of Soham, Tesco fuels and XPO Logistics to name a few.

Q: If you wasn’t doing this, what would your ideal job be?

A: If I wasn’t doing this role, my ideal job would be driving related; perhaps a press driver for a manufacturer or my dream job, which would be working on Top Gear!

James has lived in Bristol for the last 16 years since joining MOTUS Bristol (back in the Lex days). Before that he spent 12 months working on canal boats as a marine engineer. He had been working in and around the inland waterways from the age of 13 working at weekends for a local company in Stratford upon Avon where he grew up.

James is proud to be part of the DAF dealer network since the age of 17. He enjoys walking, spending time visiting family back up in the midlands and is quite a big F1 fan. His brother works for one of the teams based in Brackley.

His favourite pass time is a simple one, going to Brackley where his parents live now and taking his dad to watch his beloved Brackley Town FC and spending some quality time together accompanied by a nice cold pint!

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