Forward Trucking Services (FTS) has marked its 50th anniversary with a new Mercedes-Benz Actros in a one-off gold livery.
The anniversary truck is one of two new Actros 2548 units with BigSpace cabs the firm has bought from S&B Commercials.
The two trucks are the first tractor units FTS has ever bought new.
Commercial manager Pete Samuel said competitive funding from Mercedes-Benz had convinced it to buy new for the first time.
He said: “In the past we’ve opted for pre-owned vehicles with low mileages and high specifications, because they represent such outstanding value. However, we’ve chosen to buy new this time and, in another ‘first’, to take advantage of the competitive funding on offer from Mercedes-Benz.”
Samuel added that even though one has been worked "around the clock" since it entered service, "it hasn't missed a beat".
"That truck returns a steady 11mpg," he said, "and just runs and runs. The same is true of its successors, which we like to use for European work because the Mercedes-Benz back-up on the Continent is so good".
