I just wanted to know about loading evenly on the top and bottom.OK,you wouldnt put 10 ton on the too and leave the bottom empty,but what about ,say,5 tons on the top and 2 on the bottom,for example.
Is there a rule of thumb about this or is just driver descretion?
Wouldn’t say a rule of thumb as such, more a rule of physics…
Assuming you mean curtain sider deckers? Most have a safe working load labelled on the top deck, depends on trailer but I’ve not seen one personally woth a SWL of more than 3500kg
Put more weight on the bottom than the top. It’s quite simply really.
If they…
Put all the tinned tomatoes on the top deck and all the Andrex on the bottom, you’ll soon spot it.
yourhavingalarf:
If they…Put all the tinned tomatoes on the top deck and all the Andrex on the bottom, you’ll soon spot it.
Yeah straight after the first roundabout if you’re not careful 
Years ago, there were conductors. “Room for more on top”
and you could smoke upstairs 
Used to pull one with cages. Could carry about 60, on return could easily fill the top deck with a mix of loaded and empties to about 1/2 to 3/4 full and about 1/2 full on the bottom with no adverse effects. Mind you have followed one before and hoped mine never leant over as much as his going round bends.
I’m not a full-time trucker but was always taught weight near head board and down middle low.
I do food shop runs and when loading with empties heavy stuff down middle and close to can if poss. When I had a caravan it was always lay the heavy stuff on the caravan floor. More weight low than high!
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Most double or triple deckers will have stickers on the side of the deck stating the maximum load per section. From distant memory I think its bout 2.5 tonnes per section of the top deck so you might have 10 tonnes up top. If so then make sure you have more on the bottom otherwide bottom will be nipping on roundabouts.
When I use to do dpd on agency they would load the top deck
when full they would raise it then load the bottom deck. When it was time to go they would close the door and of you went. It didn’t matter if there was only 10%on the bottom deck you left. Most of the time you didn’t know how much was on the thing until you go to the depot.
fingermissing:
When I use to do dpd on agency they would load the top deck
when full they would raise it then load the bottom deck. When it was time to go they would close the door and of you went. It didn’t matter if there was only 10%on the bottom deck you left. Most of the time you didn’t know how much was on the thing until you go to the depot.
What a shambles that is. If the deck is up the bottom has to be full at a minimum.
Anybody taking a decker on the road with a full top deck and half empty bottom deck needs their head read 
maybe they themselves don’t have much ‘up top’ if you get my meaning
Have a look at the updated rules on vehicle loading, most infringements are now an immediate PG9, including something as simple as having an >400kg pallet on the top deck.
assets.publishing.service.gov.u … efects.pdf
EDIT: pages 51 to 55
fingermissing:
When I use to do dpd on agency they would load the top deck
when full they would raise it then load the bottom deck. When it was time to go they would close the door and of you went. It didn’t matter if there was only 10%on the bottom deck you left. Most of the time you didn’t know how much was on the thing until you go to the depot.
All the deckers I used to pull were already loaded and sealed. Whatever was on there was on there.
Sploom:
I just wanted to know about loading evenly on the top and bottom.OK,you wouldnt put 10 ton on the too and leave the bottom empty,but what about ,say,5 tons on the top and 2 on the bottom,for example.
Is there a rule of thumb about this or is just driver descretion?
There are limits as to how much weight you can put on the top deck of a curtain side double decker and its nowhere near 10 tonnes. Unless it’s worn away they’ll usually have something on the side of the chock rails on the top deck that state the maximum loading.
Basically because of physics you want as much weight as low down as possible, therefore on the bottom deck, as this lowers the centre of gravity making it less likely to overturn on cornering.
Ok,thanks for the replies…
Went out to a brand new double decker some years ago, the maker had delivered it into the hub where it was loaded. Driver picked it up but didn’t get far, somewhere on the M40 2 tyres on the rear axle failed. After that he got as far as clacket lane when 2 on the other side failed. The air suspension levelling valve linkage hadn’t been connected. When we got it home both decks had been loaded from the bogie back with bricks.
Heavy on the bottom,light on top,only put anything heavy on top is when there`s only 3-4 pallets excess for the bottom.
Common sense really.
lolipop:
only put anything heavy on top is when there`s only 3-4 pallets excess for the bottom.
If by “heavy” you mean over 400kg, No. See what I wrote about immediate PG9’s, see for yourself, page 54 of the link I gave
Surely in the majority of cases this is down to the ■■■■ wits who load them to do it properly and be familiar with the regulations aswell as the driver. Granted I’m not familiar with deckers nor do I want to be haha
If it was a sealed curtain sider one I picked up just break them and check everything looks OK?
md1987:
Surely in the majority of cases this is down to the [zb] wits who load them to do it properly and be familiar with the regulations aswell as the driver. Granted I’m not familiar with deckers nor do I want to be haha
If it was a sealed curtain sider one I picked up just break them and check everything looks OK?
Depends. Asda (for example) have a documented process where the loader signs on the dotted line and takes responsibility for the loading, the DDs are sealed with a cord and drivers are instructed NOT to open them. One of their TMs assured me that they had cleared this process with DVSA and because they’d provided evidence of process, it was accepted.
But if it was Bloggs and Son Transport, you’d open them and check.