Northampton-based road surfacing contractor Tripod Crest Ltd has taken delivery of its first tri-axle semi-sloping step frame from Andover Trailers which will be used to transport a combination of rollers, pavers and planers.
Tripod Crest has been buying custom-built trailers from Andover for more than a decade and the new 13.6m long bespoke SFSL 41 will join a fleet of 16 Andover trailers already in service, including drawbars and standard step frames.
It is equipped with a low profile neck and a specialist semi-sloping frame which allows Tripod Crest to maximise usability of the trailer’s load space, thanks to safe and easy loading of plant onto the upper deck. To aid manoeuvrability and minimise tyre wear the new trailer’s specification includes two fixed and one self-steering SAF axles, with manual and solenoid control so the steer axle can be locked from the cab.
SAF air suspension with Wabco raise/lower valve is also fitted, which can be used to lower the trailer for loading and unloading. The trailer also features extra wide, 1.2m ramps with access toes and two speed leg gear.
Jim Tough, Plant Director at Tripod Crest, says: “We’ve had a long and very successful relationship with Andover Trailers and it was following their advice that we decided to go for a semi-sloper.
“It is still early days, but so far the trailer has proven to be both reliable and durable, plus its semi-sloping frame means the neck doesn’t get in the way when loading. This enables us to maximise use of the load space and makes it easier to carry machines such as rollers and pavers, which in turn helps to reduce vehicle movements and makes our fleet even more productive.”
Worth more than £40,000 the trailer is built to carry a payload of up to 26 tonnes, supporting the company’s road surfacing operations across the UK.
Other key features on the trailer include Andover’s innovative slide-out safety lights, which maximise visibility of the trailer when the ramps are lowered. Tripod Crest has also specified full LED lighting and a strobe beacon on the ramp to further enhance its ability to operate safely during hours of darkness.
The SFSL 41 is finished in ‘Ford Ambassador Blue’ and has been coated with an epoxy primer, similar to the finish used on deep sea containers, to help maintain the condition of the trailer. It will operate with a Volvo 6×2 mid lift axle tractor unit at a combined vehicle weight of up to 44 tonnes and is expected to remain in service for up to eight years.
Established in 1982, Tripod Crest has developed into the UK’s leading complete road surfacing solution provider. For further information visit www.tripodcrest.co.uk
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