Volvo FH-500 8x2 Tridem rear-steer drawbar for Blackmores

Blackmores Machinery Haulage has taken delivery of its first new truck in 30 years - a Volvo FH-500 8x2 Tridem rear-steer drawbar from Truck and Bus Wales and West.

The 44-tonne GTW Tridem is the first in the UK to have a low chassis height of 1100mm from the ground to the top of the chassis frame which is vital for achieving the 4m height the Yeovil-based firm needs for continental work. The body superstructure - built by CCH of Helstering in the Netherlands - is a cartridge system which means it takes only thirty minutes to remove the demountable curtain assembly.

The curtains, which were made by NetCap, are mounted on a roller system that sits on a rave rail that has been reduced from the more standard 180mm to 100mm. Bodywork is mounted on a chassis length superstructure that extends from the back of the cab and which provides a rigid base for the whole body and crane.

The crane is a 60-tonne metre, rear-mounted HMF 6020 model and Wayne Scott of Blackmores Machinery Haulage said: “We intend to keep the Volvo Tridem for at least 10 years. That's why everything on it is stainless steel, custom-built and engineered for durability and longevity."

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