neversweat1:
For whats its worth…
Steve
Going back to the first post and the 20% or a fifth of the weight etc etc you can see from this how things could be mis-interperated 
That was all 
Steve
The Yorkshireman:
Eeh, you young uns know nowt.I worked for Hanson Haulage and when we used to go out to load night trunk vehicles (artic vans) we had to load as much as possible upfront when out collecting and then back onto the loading docks in the depot to top up. Obviously you didn’t want to be moving heavy stuff twice so it had to be loaded up to the headboard as much as possible. We used to shove a 45 gall drum and some planks of wood under the front of the trailer when the unit pulled part way out to stop it tipping. You can’t report me for breaching 'Elf n safety rules cos they hadn’t been thought of in those days. You young uns don’t know how lucky you are.
I love this part… 
Reminds me of my first work in a transport yard and the amount of timber we had to use to shore the trailers up, sometimes just to level the yard. Hi Viz vests were invented to tie on protruding loads and hard hats were handy for collecting watter for t’engine
The Yorkshireman:
Eeh, you young uns know nowt. When I started driving there weren’t many artics about. They were just starting to come into service and replacing rigids or wagon and drags. Virtually ALL the early artic units were four wheelers, (well OK six with the double wheels at back) one on each corner and the fifth wheel was the turntable.
Obviously,as Michael Caine would say,not a lot of people know that. 
All this talk of numbers of wheel rims, axles and things, then surely the automatic coupling on this lorry would be called the Fourth wheel
That’s a great pic of one Malc. I just about remember those working out of Blackpool central station/goods yard.
The legs went up automatically as you reversed under didn’t they?
Wheel Nut:
All this talk of numbers of wheel rims, axles and things, then surely the automatic coupling on this lorry would be called the Fourth wheel
Only if not less than 25% of the gross weight of the trailer is borne by the unit. But I’d say that in the old days that would fit the description of a two wheeled cart pulled by a three legged horse.
Well after 42yrs in the industry 36 on artics still driving & in my own opinion, reasonably intelligent I must admit I dont know why its called fith wheel (ok so I am thick) anyway santa`s sounds right & its getting near xmas so why not?
Wheel Nut:
All this talk of numbers of wheel rims, axles and things, then surely the automatic coupling on this lorry would be called the Fourth wheel
I useed to drive that, it’s even got my initials on the doors 
The Yorkshireman:
Virtually ALL the early artic units were four wheelers, (well OK six with the double wheels at back) one on each corner and the fifth wheel was the turntable. Most trailers were single axle. The maximum weights had not been changed and were the same as on rigid vehicles. We didn’t have the advantages of 'Elf n safety regs. These came later. Because of this and the old fashioned regs most Artics at the time were limited to the same weight as rigid 6 wheelers.:
Does this mean that my answer is valid? (i know that put it down to axles, but wheels is what i meant 
)
Four wheels+trailer hitch (fifth wheel)
Stonehouse69:
The Yorkshireman:
Virtually ALL the early artic units were four wheelers, (well OK six with the double wheels at back) one on each corner and the fifth wheel was the turntable. Most trailers were single axle. The maximum weights had not been changed and were the same as on rigid vehicles. We didn’t have the advantages of 'Elf n safety regs. These came later. Because of this and the old fashioned regs most Artics at the time were limited to the same weight as rigid 6 wheelers.:Does this mean that my answer is valid?
No.
Coffeeholic:
Stonehouse69:
The Yorkshireman:
Virtually ALL the early artic units were four wheelers, (well OK six with the double wheels at back) one on each corner and the fifth wheel was the turntable. Most trailers were single axle. The maximum weights had not been changed and were the same as on rigid vehicles. We didn’t have the advantages of 'Elf n safety regs. These came later. Because of this and the old fashioned regs most Artics at the time were limited to the same weight as rigid 6 wheelers.:Does this mean that my answer is valid?
No.
Ah Crap-arse!! 
I think your answer lies here boys !! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_wheel_coupling
andytrew:
I think your answer lies here boys !! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_wheel_coupling
The answer seems to be clear.
The configuration (tractor unit and semi trailer coupled with a fifth wheel) (or a composite trailer coupled using a dolly with a fifth wheel coupling ) is sometimes called a turntable type (drawbar trailer?) in OZ and New Zealand in just the same way that a horse cart (wagon) turntable was known as a fifth wheel.Which would obviously mean that all trailers and horse carts/wagons are actually semi trailers.
I will stick to tractoring and call it a pick up hitch like a Fordson Major
Driveroneuk:
That’s a great pic of one Malc. I just about remember those working out of Blackpool central station/goods yard.The legs went up automatically as you reversed under didn’t they?
I believe so, its predecessor, the Scammell Mechanical Horse…
was designed to hitch up to the carts and wagons that were originally drawn by horses, and the Scarab had an automatic coupling system.
Harry Monk:
Driveroneuk:
That’s a great pic of one Malc. I just about remember those working out of Blackpool central station/goods yard.The legs went up automatically as you reversed under didn’t they?
I believe so, its predecessor, the Scammell Mechanical Horse…
was designed to hitch up to the carts and wagons that were originally drawn by horses, and the Scarab had an automatic coupling system.
Another couple of threads and we shall be reminiscing about a rully
Be very careful putting the word rullies in Google images 
Rully, the Lincolnshire name for a flat, four-wheeled horse dray with a back tail board
Harry Monk:
Driveroneuk:
That’s a great pic of one Malc. I just about remember those working out of Blackpool central station/goods yard.The legs went up automatically as you reversed under didn’t they?
I believe so, its predecessor, the Scammell Mechanical Horse…
was designed to hitch up to the carts and wagons that were originally drawn by horses, and the Scarab had an automatic coupling system.
In that context and configuration shown there the mechanical horse was only designed to pull carts (two wheels not wagons which had four) 
unless it could be driven on just it’s front wheel when running solo.
Stonehouse69:
Me: “oh, and i have a CPC card too”Girl: “CPC, do mind me asking you what that is”?
Me: “It`s a new way for the government to bleed every experienced driver dry”
Girl: “sorry for asking, its just that we`ve never heard of it before”!..
Maybe she only knows it [the card to which you refer] by its proper title; DQC - Drivers Qualification Card.