Has anyone had the chance to work on one of these types? a smallish local firm has some, and has given the how spiel about how good they are, rear wheel steer so can “go anywhere”, don’t need legs because the crane is on runners that moves it up the length of the trailer, so it doesnt have to reach far enough to need them.
I’ve been told by other traditional block drivers they’re slow, wobbly as ■■■■ even with no air in suspension and trailer legs wound down, and can only go to big sites and ■■■■ customers off who need blocks dropped in a specific area because the crane is only good enough to drop them alongside the length of the trailer
They can only do big building sites , I don’t know why they’d lie but lads I know on them things recon they do house deliveries , though I’m sure I did hear it mentioned they were going to mid mounted cranes .
nurglets:
I’ve been told by other traditional block drivers they’re slow, wobbly as [zb] even with no air in suspension and trailer legs wound down, and can only go to big sites and ■■■■ customers off who need blocks dropped in a specific area because the crane is only good enough to drop them alongside the length of the trailer
Wincanton have them for, mostly, brick & stone work. That ^^ is a fair summary tbh. Makes tipping easy for the driver/operator though, you’re literally lifting the product along the side of the truck - you can get them 2-3 deep using the crane extension, and depending on the weight of the product - but no knuckling in/out required to slow you down.
Surprised to see a high seat-mount on that pic though, H&S would have a ■■■■-fit if they saw that. Ours have a stand on platform which rolls along the bed with the crane.
General verdict is they’re a ballache - but it seems to be the way of things these days. Forkies on sites will love you though, they never have enough work to do as it is
Personally, I prefer the drawbar set-up i use, with fixed ‘centre’ mount crane, and remote control where I can wander around - allows for more precise placement - and those really do go pretty much anywhere. Especially if you can leave half of it behind in a lay-by
Having done bricks/blocks as an O/D myself I prefer this type of trailer with a roll loader crane,or better still a drop and go, yes you’ve not got the reach, so what you can reverse in somewhere and unload over the back, if i can’t reach 6 deep down the isle I couldn’t give a toss, I get paid to deliver to a site or merchants I don’t get any extra for ■■■■■■■ about putting the products away for them every time!
After doing the job for a while you’ll never be able to reach far enough to suit everyone, the rates on offer for bricks and blocks don’t warrant any messing about!
I think many of these stobart drivers haven’t been doing this for that long and if there paid hourly I don’t suppose they will rush much, you’ll probably find these new cranes will have stability control fitted which won’t let you lift much away from the trailer
I wouldn’t worry about what the traditional boys say to much as I’ve never seen any of them wind the legs down or dump the trailer air before tipping, their probably just a bit miffed as stobarts now doing bricks and blocks and other building products not very well for bugger all rate wise, it is an ongoing race to the bottom!!!
How long till stobarts got tippers on for Tarmac/ Aggregate industries??
eagerbeaver:
Stobart’s are getting really keen on H&S when using these. The safety boot range has now been upgraded…
Yeah, take the ■■■■ out of drivers just wanting to earn a wage because you’ve been fooled into thinking your wage would be better if it wasn’t for Stobart.
eagerbeaver:
Stobart’s are getting really keen on H&S when using these. The safety boot range has now been upgraded…
Yeah, take the ■■■■ out of drivers just wanting to earn a wage because you’ve been fooled into thinking your wage would be better if it wasn’t for Stobart.
Dunno about rear wheel stear (probably wasn’t about) but a mate worked at Marley Tiles at Beenham, must be 30 year ago and their trailers had the same type of ‘crane’…and all the block paving that was used in the pedestrianisation of New Street in Brum was delivered on the same…how long ago was that…takes me back to my very early ‘career’, delivering to SpudULike!
If you or your boss are worried about stability, there are a couple of companies out there now fitting an extra set of landing legs at the back on an angle so you can wind em down and have something like outriggers in place. Not a perfect fix but it helps.
As for the rear steer, once you get used to it you can put one through the eye of a needle on a postage stamp of a building site but it takes a while to get used to them.
Never used the crane on one though, I drove a couple of Wincanton wagons with similar but they don’t recognise RTITB cards so would only let me drive it as a flatbed, not MOL.
Saw a brand new trailer going down the M2 in Northern Ireland yesterday . This one is off have a mid mounted crane fitted to it . SDC trailers must have the contract to build them .
Actrosman:
Dunno about rear wheel stear (probably wasn’t about) but a mate worked at Marley Tiles at Beenham, must be 30 year ago and their trailers had the same type of ‘crane’…and all the block paving that was used in the pedestrianisation of New Street in Brum was delivered on the same…how long ago was that…takes me back to my very early ‘career’, delivering to SpudULike!
I’ve been dragging one of them around for the last 4 months, I’ve done some house deliveries down some silly little roads I’d never have managed without the rear steer. As far as sites go, you can’t stick the blocks a long way from the trailer but I’ve not had any complaints yet, a lot of firms run similar trailers so sites know what to expect.
I’ve not been here for a while, who’s that silly ■■■■■■■■ that thinks Stobarts haven’t screwed the rates for everyone?
Les Shoes:
I’ve been dragging one of them around for the last 4 months, I’ve done some house deliveries down some silly little roads I’d never have managed without the rear steer. As far as sites go, you can’t stick the blocks a long way from the trailer but I’ve not had any complaints yet, a lot of firms run similar trailers so sites know what to expect.
I’ve not been here for a while, who’s that silly [zb] that thinks Stobarts haven’t screwed the rates for everyone?
Les Shoes:
I’ve been dragging one of them around for the last 4 months, I’ve done some house deliveries down some silly little roads I’d never have managed without the rear steer. As far as sites go, you can’t stick the blocks a long way from the trailer but I’ve not had any complaints yet, a lot of firms run similar trailers so sites know what to expect.
I’ve not been here for a while, who’s that silly [zb] that thinks Stobarts haven’t screwed the rates for everyone?
Les Shoes:
I’ve been dragging one of them around for the last 4 months, I’ve done some house deliveries down some silly little roads I’d never have managed without the rear steer. As far as sites go, you can’t stick the blocks a long way from the trailer but I’ve not had any complaints yet, a lot of firms run similar trailers so sites know what to expect.
I’ve not been here for a while, who’s that silly [zb] that thinks Stobarts haven’t screwed the rates for everyone?
Les Shoes:
I’ve been dragging one of them around for the last 4 months, I’ve done some house deliveries down some silly little roads I’d never have managed without the rear steer. As far as sites go, you can’t stick the blocks a long way from the trailer but I’ve not had any complaints yet, a lot of firms run similar trailers so sites know what to expect.
I’ve not been here for a while, who’s that silly [zb] that thinks Stobarts haven’t screwed the rates for everyone?
Actrosman:
Dunno about rear wheel stear (probably wasn’t about) but a mate worked at Marley Tiles at Beenham, must be 30 year ago and their trailers had the same type of ‘crane’…and all the block paving that was used in the pedestrianisation of New Street in Brum was delivered on the same…how long ago was that…takes me back to my very early ‘career’, delivering to SpudULike!
Who was your mate? Couple of us are still there!!
Ken
Bryan Wallace…his Mrs (Marie) worked in the canteen for a while…he was at M&T (had a 142 with the bars on the front) before that but I first met him at UYC back in the mid ‘80s
Les Shoes:
I’ve been dragging one of them around for the last 4 months, I’ve done some house deliveries down some silly little roads I’d never have managed without the rear steer. As far as sites go, you can’t stick the blocks a long way from the trailer but I’ve not had any complaints yet, a lot of firms run similar trailers so sites know what to expect.
I’ve not been here for a while, who’s that silly [zb] that thinks Stobarts haven’t screwed the rates for everyone?
Don’t they screw the rates for everyone??
Not according to Joe
Did your boss tell you big bad Stobart is in town and has to cut your wage? Aww, bless.
eagerbeaver:
Stobart’s are getting really keen on H&S when using these. The safety boot range has now been upgraded…
Yeah, take the ■■■■ out of drivers just wanting to earn a wage because you’ve been fooled into thinking your wage would be better if it wasn’t for Stobart.
