Stardes, the UK’s leading provider of high quality specialist international transport services to the concert tour and event industries, has put its first Euro 6 tractor unit into service as part of a major fleet renewal programme.
And in line with the company’s practice of giving its trucks the names of famous steam locomotives they’ve called it ‘The Flying Dutchman’ after one of the Britannia Class express passenger locomotives, which were amongst the most powerful on the UK rail network in the 1950s.
As well as delivering plenty of power, the Sheffield based company is also looking for the new DAF to give an exceptionally good environmental performance in terms both of much reduced and cleaner emissions and of lower noise levels. This is particularly important for a truck that will spend a lot of its time running into and out of city centre concert venues often at night and frequently within the confines of buildings.
David Steinberg, who set up Stardes with his wife Sue in 1982, says that image is important too and the new DAF XF delivers amply on that score. “The entertainment industry is very focussed on image and appearance and we also have to deliver on that front,” he says. “The styling of the 2014 XF model is very striking and it carries our distinctive blue and gold livery very well, resulting in a truck that’s a real head-turner.”
Further enhancements to the good looks of the new truck include the addition of ‘skylights’ faired into the roofline of the cab, a full-width sun visor, Kuda side skirts, and Alcoa Durabright wheels.
The new DAF is one of six trucks, which along with 12 trailers, are being acquired by Stardes under its 2013-14 fleet renewal programme. It’s a two-axle FT low-deck model running on air suspension all round – the first Euro 6 XF in the UK to do so. A Jost dual-height fifth wheel is fitted to enable it to couple to the different tri-axle 100 cubic metres plus capacity trailers in the Stardes fleet. The company has also specified a retarder to assist on the long mountain descents in some parts of Europe.
To overcome wind resistance and ensure good average speeds on long distance continental runs, which can see the truck travelling as far afield as Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine, the company has again opted for its preferred power plant, the 12.9 litre MX engine rated at 510 horsepower (375 kW). With the truck at a plated gross weight of just 38 tonnes this gives a very generous 13.42 bhp per tonne of power to weight, which along with a massive 2,500 Nm of torque will make for easy move-offs in all road or load conditions. The engine is matched to a 16-speed manual transmission.
Driver comfort is an important consideration for Stardes, whose drivers can spend several weeks away from base on some tours. Not only do they enjoy the generous living space provided by the DAF Super Space cab, with standard features like air conditioning and a wide bunk with a 15 cm deep mattress, but their comfort is further enhanced by the addition of a fridge, microwave and a multiplay CD/DVD with a 22 inch screen. And the security of their belongings is also ensured by the specification of deadlocks on the cab doors.
Although the truck has a heavy-duty power pack to support this additional electrical equipment, it is also fitted with a plug-in landline connection. When stationary at venues for long periods this enables a power feed to be picked up from the mains, which reduces drain on the batteries. It also avoids what David Steinberg regards as the “environmentally unfriendly” practice of running the engine to charge the batteries and thus contributes to the company’s carbon reduction policy.
DAF dealer Imperial Commercials of Scunthorpe supplied the XF and will provide parts support through its existing imprest stock arrangement with the company. Routine safety inspections and maintenance will be carried in Stardes own well-equipped five-bay workshop with further support provided by Imperial in the UK through its operations in Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Glasgow and Nottingham.
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