Loch Shiel Garage of Acharacle, Argyll, has taken delivery of a high specification Volvo FM410 6x2 rigid recovery truck with bodywork fitted by Dave Bland Engineering, replacing its MAN TGX 6x2.
Powered by Volvo’s D11K engine, the FM has been specified with a 12-speed I-Shift automatic gearbox and a Globetrotter cab for long distance operations. It also has a 6m wheelbase to accommodate the four-car recovery bodywork.
Other features include work lockers, airlines and tow balls, and work, strobe and marker lights.
“We have traditionally used crew cabs in the past, but my brother John and I decided we needed a proper sleeper cab this time, hence our choice of the FM Globetrotter,” notes Andrew Cameron, joint MD at Loch Shiel Garage.
Cameron also said: “The FM’s driver is a Volvo man and he had input in the specification process. Inside, we opted for full leather trims, a fridge and a microwave oven as the new truck will be frequently used for long distance jobs and it’s receiving positive feedback.”
The 12-tonne recovery bodywork offers a maximum carrying capability of four cars, with a 30ft platform complemented by a 2.5-tonne capacity top deck. Also included is a 4-tonne spectacle lift and 48in rear power out ramps. The gearbox drives a PTO and supplies power to a 14-tonne remote-controlled hydraulic winch.
Cameron added: “We have a full hire and reward operator’s licence for third party haulage work, so when it’s not carrying cars the Volvo will be used for shifting plant or machinery and anything else that will legally fit on the back; just like the shepherd’s hut we moved recently!”
The Scotland-based firm carry out maintenance every six weeks, while the truck is on a five-year service contract and undergoes routine inspections at the Inverness dealership.
