Yesterday morning on M58 Liverpool bound, a Mercedes actros 6wheel rigid curtainsider was coming down the slip road I flashed him and he joined the motorway,
About 2 minutes later the curtain slid back on the actros it was the canter lever type as normally used on steel carriers, next minute the complete curtainsider body blew off the vehicle and landed on the hard shoulder, the driver carried on unaware of what had happened and then exited at junction 3 then joined the A570 towards St Helens
I spotted it in a lay bay on the rainford by pass about an hour later with a load of steel on
I have since found out that vehicle had been in for MOT at 8 o’clock in skelmersdale
and good news it passed. Just wondering did the vosa examiner miss something
mind you it was windy on the M58 yesterday.
I think I would have noticed my if my curtainsider had blown off.
Good job it blew onto the hard shoulder and not a speeding car, he would of noticed when loading the steel but appears he just continued without a care in the world then ■■
Canti-lever framework & canopy? Think the trade name for them is ‘slidaflex’ manufactured in Telford Shropshire. It would be very unusual for one of them to fly open; front of the canopy being secured by twistlocks and the rear by straps with ratchet assemblies attached to posts.
Can’t think how the driver wouldn’t have noticed that flying off though
simon1958:
Canti-lever framework & canopy? Think the trade name for them is ‘slidaflex’ manufactured in Telford Shropshire. It would be very unusual for one of them to fly open; front of the canopy being secured by twistlocks and the rear by straps with ratchet assemblies attached to posts.
Can’t think how the driver wouldn’t have noticed that flying off though
Aren’t they Hingley trailers or bodies, made in Stourbridge? I’ve been pulling the trailer version the past three weeks.
Can’t believe someone could just not notice that thing flying off. It’s heavy. Would a VOSA inspector not check whether the body had a fault that could lead to its canopy tearing right off, or is it more likely that the driver just didn’t secure it properly? Maybe an agency driver who was never told how to operate it (the first time I drove one of those, I’d never seen a dog chain and ratchet before).
Simom1958 thanks for your info on the curtainsider make Sliidaflex,
I spotted the truck in a commercial garage on an industrial site , minus the curtain so I took some photos and,saw were the rear ratchet straps should have been
It was a fitter who was driving the vehicle. Not the regular driver, and it seems that when they loaded the truck the previous night with six ton of steel the loader locked the curtain properly and the fitter didn’t’ lock his side , as witnesses on the M58 said the offside curtain opened and the wind has got in and ripped the lot off.
It was loaded for the mot brake test and the fitter was on his way back when incident happened
It’s not really an MOT item. They would probably pick up on corrosion between the body an chassis something like that but not anything amiss with the body itself.
Those steel bodies are also often referred to as pram tops/covers.
Intake/l39:
Simom1958 thanks for your info on the curtainsider make Sliidaflex,
I spotted the truck in a commercial garage on an industrial site , minus the curtain so I took some photos and,saw were the rear ratchet straps should have been
It was a fitter who was driving the vehicle. Not the regular driver, and it seems that when they loaded the truck the previous night with six ton of steel the loader locked the curtain properly and the fitter didn’t’ lock his side , as witnesses on the M58 said the offside curtain opened and the wind has got in and ripped the lot off.
It was loaded for the mot brake test and the fitter was on his way back when incident happened
Yep. They’re the ones. Great when new but with wear & tear, the frame sections would jam and lock up. Solution was to attach a length of rope to the bases of the rear section and centre pull the canopy open or closed that way.
Personally, I always preferred standard flatbed trailers for the steel job… But I’m old-fashioned…
Intake/l39:
Simom1958 thanks for your info on the curtainsider make Sliidaflex,
I spotted the truck in a commercial garage on an industrial site , minus the curtain so I took some photos and,saw were the rear ratchet straps should have been
It was a fitter who was driving the vehicle. Not the regular driver, and it seems that when they loaded the truck the previous night with six ton of steel the loader locked the curtain properly and the fitter didn’t’ lock his side , as witnesses on the M58 said the offside curtain opened and the wind has got in and ripped the lot off.
It was loaded for the mot brake test and the fitter was on his way back when incident happened
could you upload the photos please mate. It sounds like its my old truck that involved.
simon1958:
Personally, I always preferred standard flatbed trailers for the steel job… But I’m old-fashioned…
Much prefer the sliding canopies – if you don’t have them then if it rains, you’ll need sheets (the flatbed 18-tonner I was driving had them), and they’re much more of a PITA to arrange than a canopy.
But I wonder how many drivers check the fittings on the canopies every day, or even know what to check for. I didn’t see anyone do it the last three weeks (working at Meridian outside Guildford), and it’s not mentioned on the daily check sheet which is a standard RHA daily check book.
Yes Breedy it’s one of your old vehicles indeed, just had a look at your website and
Although the curtain and frame are still folded up on the deck awaiting refitting at the workshop, I can make out some of the signage and the colours are definitely yours
I’ll post the photos to your website mate. Well spotted
simon1958:
Personally, I always preferred standard flatbed trailers for the steel job… But I’m old-fashioned…
Much prefer the sliding canopies – if you don’t have them then if it rains, you’ll need sheets (the flatbed 18-tonner I was driving had them), and they’re much more of a PITA to arrange than a canopy.
But I wonder how many drivers check the fittings on the canopies every day, or even know what to check for. I didn’t see anyone do it the last three weeks (working at Meridian outside Guildford), and it’s not mentioned on the daily check sheet which is a standard RHA daily check book.
Totally agree IndigoJo. Sliders are a blessing, especially when new and I’m thinking you carry processed coil, slit coil & / or processed blanks… those awkward micro pallets I used to load from time to time.
Some of the slider trailers I used were ex British Steel and had seen better days. They ended up being stripped down to flatbeds, headboard reduced and kitted out with sheets… Oh joy
The name Meridian certainly rings the 'memory bell '.
As for the MOT issue. As long as none of the canopy structure shows signs of the rollers leaving the rails, there shouldn’t be any problems…
simon1958:
The name Meridian certainly rings the 'memory bell '.
They are based in Dudley and have depots in Normandy (outside Guildford) and Sheffield. I worked at Normandy and we delivered to the south and East Anglia - I’ve also been to Evesham and Kettering, which you’d think would be Dudley’s territory. Mostly Scania nowadays, though I’ve seen pictures of Volvos in Meridian livery.
simon1958:
The name Meridian certainly rings the 'memory bell '.
They are based in Dudley and have depots in Normandy (outside Guildford) and Sheffield. I worked at Normandy and we delivered to the south and East Anglia - I’ve also been to Evesham and Kettering, which you’d think would be Dudley’s territory. Mostly Scania nowadays, though I’ve seen pictures of Volvos in Meridian livery.
You’ll remember Round Oak Rail terminal then. Great place until CORUS screwed it up
[
It was a fitter who was driving the vehicle. Not the regular driver, and it seems that when they loaded the truck the previous night with six ton of steel the loader locked the curtain properly and the fitter didn’t’ lock his side , as witnesses on the M58 said the offside curtain opened and the wind has got in and ripped the lot off.
It was loaded for the mot brake test and the fitter was on his way back when incident happened
[/quote]
must have been an agency fitter then?
dieseldog999:
[
It was a fitter who was driving the vehicle. Not the regular driver, and it seems that when they loaded the truck the previous night with six ton of steel the loader locked the curtain properly and the fitter didn’t’ lock his side , as witnesses on the M58 said the offside curtain opened and the wind has got in and ripped the lot off.
It was loaded for the mot brake test and the fitter was on his way back when incident happened
must have been an agency fitter then?
[/quote]
Thanks for that deiseldog999. It reminded me that if any of the wood-bearers moved, the canopy was jammed… Fitter couldn’t lock the canopy shut. Q a good forky and guidance from the driver to remedy the situation.
New meaning to curtain blind.
