English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/English-Guy-Builds-Long-Truck-Authorities-Ban-it-From-English-Roads.html

[Not A Duster]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

Well - they allow highway tractors to pull A and B trains on the highways up here. They never manage to make it to road speed and they never pull over to allow traffic by. On a busy road, it's pretty much impossible to pass a slow moving semi with two 48' trailers.

IMO, They are a a death hazard waiting to happen, particularily in the case of fuel haulers.

[Monster]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

The real issue here, is the ability for the 82-foot "Super Lorry" (which is 26-feet longer than a standard lorry)
to be able to successfully negotiate tight turns.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

heh, I wonder what BlackOutSteve thinks of these :P

[joebogey]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

After checking out some of the other related links, I think a great deal of thought went into this. It' s larger, but still within the same weight-limit as standard lory's. Also, it was designed with steering axles on the rear of the first trailer, so that it actually has the same turning radius as a standard lory. Check out this video http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8387111.stm

[Monster]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

heh, I wonder what BlackOutSteve thinks of these :P

Probably will not be impressed at all.
Once you have seen the Road Trains that run downunder, you'll understand ..

[65RHDEER]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

heh, I wonder what BlackOutSteve thinks of these :P

Probably will not be impressed at all.
Once you have seen the Road Trains that run downunder, you'll understand ..

We call them "B Doubles" they are on all the highways here, nothing special at all ;)

We have a few "B Triples" that run between the Ford plants in Geelong and Broadmedows, when I see on next, and I remember :P I'll get a photo.

Road trains are different in that they run a dolly at the front of each trailer hooked to the trailer in front and are normally three trailers long.
When you see one of them coming at you :o :o :o at 75 MPH on an outback dirt road, just hope you come out the other side, not because of the truck but the dust/rocks.

[Monster]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

Hey Tim, I wasn't refering to the B Doubles, but the Road Trains that you described later on.
I've seen one with four trailers all connected together and the thing was hauling ass down a dirt road heading West in the outback. Must have been doing 130 kph !!

[tiresmoke!]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

Reminds me of the only 58' trailer I've ever seen here in the U.S.

Generally, the longest trailer allowed without special permits is 53'.

Special build, used down south(Louisiana/Mississippi?) for hauling aluminum cans or insulation...l was working at a truck shop when I saw some guy pulling for Trailer Transport come in with that monster.

I'm guessing there's tighter length laws in England and Europe, guessing by the prevalence of cabovers(like it used to be here)...this "Super Lorry" looks neat, but to me this all boils downs to moving more with less drivers, likely for no more pay than they're getting now.

Aussie Road Trains?! YEE-HAAA!

[65RHDEER]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads


Picture of a road train, don't see them in my part of Australia as they are not allowed in my state of Victoria, used in the bigger states, in their outback areas.

Maximum length is about 120'

[Not A Duster]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads

Max in these parts is two trailers like that, although there's talk of allowing 3 trailers on four-lane highways.

As far as putting drivers out of work is concerened, we can't get enough long haul drivers in this country, trains or not. It's a pretty shitty way to earn a living if you want to have any kind of family life, so it's hard to find people willijng to do it.

[65RHDEER]

Re: English Guy Builds Long Truck, Authorities Ban it From English Roads


A few photos of trucks on the roads in Victoria Australia.



What we call a "B Double", thousands of these on the roads here.



Better look at where the turntable is mounted, no dolly's in this configuration.



One of the few "B Triples" I said we have out here, all of course taken while I was driving :



"B Triples" are about 120' feet long.



These only run between the Ford factories that are in Geelong and Broadmedows.
They are on trial and have been running for a few years now, the word is we'll see more on
different routes soon.
Geelong is the engine/pressing plant and Broadmedows the assembly plant.





The tractors that pull these are not particularly powerful.
It's about 50 miles between the plants, flat and freeway for 95% of the run.