Leyland, Lancashire-based Ainscough Crane Hire, which has the largest fleet in the sector with over 400 heavy mobile cranes at its disposal, has added four new 8-wheelers to its all-Scania heavy haulage line-up. Sitting alongside the heavy-haulage tractors that operate at up to 150 tonnes, these P500 XT 8x2 rigid trucks are classed as STGO Cat 1 with drawbar trailers.
Their main duties are to ferry all the ancillary kit that the massive mobile cranes need on-site and lift it into place utilising the latest Fassi F545RA2.26 lorry-loader cranes. A long-standing customer of Swedish brands, Ainscough previously operated similarly equipped Volvos in the role.
The Scania P500 XTs are fitted with Hiline sleeper cabs, beneath which lies the ubiquitous 13-litre straight-six, developing 500hp and 2,550Nm of torque. This is handled by the Opticruise transmission, which delivers power to the singledrive air-suspended third axle. Bringing up the rear is a steering and lifting fourth axle. At the front, twin 8.5-tonne steer axles provide sufficient capacity for the Fassi F545RA2.26 crane.
This 53t/m crane has a maximum reach of 23.5m, at which it can still comfortably lift 750kg, while close by it can handle 10 tonnes at 4.7m and a maximum of over 15 tonnes within 3m. In addition to the crane, Huddersfield-based Mac’s Trucks, Europe’s largest installer of Fassi cranes, equipped the P500 XT chassis with a low-profile trailer coupling. Ainscough purchased two drawbar flat trailers from Mac’s, equipped with stainless tool boxes, lifting chain sling wells and feet pad boxes. The cab interiors are a little above the usual P-series fare, with leather seats, power inverters and TV/DVD systems. “They are essentially V8-specification interiors,” explains Chris Britton, general manager of heavy cranes and transport. “The drivers can spend a long time on sites, in the middle of nowhere, so the accommodation has to account for that.”
- This article was first published in the 29 February issue of Commercial Motor.
