merc0447:
We are getting 4 deckers in march, no coming to my depot though kinda glad aswell. But ive had a look at them on cartwrights website its called the ‘‘cheetah’’ very clever how the manage to get on 44 pallets plus its coming with super singles too.
Cartwright are just about the main maker of DD trailers in the UK.
Be prepared for them to go back regularly though, as the ones I used to pull a few years ago at one company spent more time back at Manchester because of a cracking chassis. The latest ones that I now pull at the same comapny are still Cartwright’s, but a lot better. Next time I’m in there on the agency, I’ll take some pics.
Don Bur also do them.
We run a mixture of Cartwright & Don-Bur 16-footers with moveable hydraulic deck and both are a pain in the backside. They’re always going wrong, usually one or more of the four locks won’t dis-engage and then it’s a case of bringing them down manually. Probably down to poor maintenance as the company can’t be arsed to service them, as that costs money.
Had one of our fellow follwing me in a DD over the A1(N)/M62(e) junction - right on top of the slip road a nice gust came by - geezzz
Now I wonder about the A65 from M6 to Skipton as there is 3 low bridges on that route - not one is marked - but it looks bleeding low for a decker to go through - who wants to risk it?
Had one of our fellow follwing me in a DD over the A1(N)/M62(e) junction - right on top of the slip road a nice gust came by - geezzz
Now I wonder about the A65 from M6 to Skipton as there is 3 low bridges on that route - not one is marked - but it looks bleeding low for a decker to go through - who wants to risk it?
If none are marked, you’ll get it under. No risk involved.
hitch:
The height v weight restriction no longer applies
it was for trailers over 4.2 metres
Cartwights reckon its ok to put 60% of the load weight
on the top deck
mmmm they may reckon, but I reckon that the law of physics says thats bollox.
I’m sure there is probably a mechanical design been fabricated into the trailer to allow for such percentages, but my natural human common-sense would still be telling the loader to sort it out
hitch:
The height v weight restriction no longer applies
it was for trailers over 4.2 metres
Cartwights reckon its ok to put 60% of the load weight
on the top deck
mmmm they may reckon, but I reckon that the law of physics says thats bollox.
I’m sure there is probably a mechanical design been fabricated into the trailer to allow for such percentages, but my natural human common-sense would still be telling the loader to sort it out
I currently drive a dd fridge and have driven curtainsiders into the “golden triangle” trunking (TPN) many times.
My point is people better get used to them because they make too much economical sense for them to ever disappear.
As a pro driver we are supposed to be able to drive them and not hit anything or anyone for no extra money, and I reckon most of you will agree without any pro instruction before taking one out. Again extra responsibility for NO RECOGNITION, heres the keys drive
I did lots of farm work on DD’s and was told that if you hit a branch on a public road and it falls on a car they should bill the local council, no dispute.
I didn’t like them at all, at first. I very much had the opinion of “ban them, ridiculous things”. After you’ve been pulling them for a while, you can very much feel when they are top heavy (so take it easy) or when they are fine to go round corners a bit quicker, look in the mirrors (granted, a lot of night driver’s dont know what a mirror is) you can see how the trailer is rolling. It helps if you have guys loading them at both ends who have half a clue, which I do, and I don’t underestimate their importance. They all got christmas presents from me.
They often close the M42 overnight for no apparent reason - pretty much every night now- and although a minor pain in the backside, i’m long past the stage of it sending me into a flap. The best advice I can give is to plan your own diversion routes with a truckers map and not just blindly follow the signs. If you are doing the same thing every night, there can surely be no excuse for getting stuffed, no matter which junction they close down on you.
Given that the M42 is basically a massive job creation scheme, you have to be prepared for the worst, and also the utmost nonsense when it comes to diversion routes.
You cannot argue with the obvious advantage of double deckers if you are working on volume, rather than payload. Which with overnight pallets, you often are. It’s rare that I reach max weight, but often that I leave things behind due to space.
merc0447:
We are getting 4 deckers in march, no coming to my depot though kinda glad aswell. But ive had a look at them on cartwrights website its called the ‘‘cheetah’’ very clever how the manage to get on 44 pallets plus its coming with super singles too.
You got a link to the double deckers with super singles?
ThrustMaster:
We run a mixture of Cartwright & Don-Bur 16-footers with moveable hydraulic deck and both are a pain in the backside. They’re always going wrong, usually one or more of the four locks won’t dis-engage and then it’s a case of bringing them down manually. Probably down to poor maintenance as the company can’t be arsed to service them, as that costs money.
The sooner they’re banned the better.
^This
We have Gray Adams moving floor fridges, and the locks are always giving trouble, and the ■■■■■ Frigoblock fridges and generators. We normally have one a week VOR for something or other and we only have five of the things.
mike68:
Inform the office that you are going off route, that way you have covered yourself, if the bridge is not marked it will be 16’ 6" or above, a good truckers atlas has all the bridge heights.
Also you must be aware of overhanging tree branches when using other routes.
I wouldn’t guarantee that the truckers atlas is 100% correct. I have encountered a few bridges that varied from the height in the atlas and not all atlases show the same heights.
merc0447:
We are getting 4 deckers in march, no coming to my depot though kinda glad aswell. But ive had a look at them on cartwrights website its called the ‘‘cheetah’’ very clever how the manage to get on 44 pallets plus its coming with super singles too.
You got a link to the double deckers with super singles?
I’m on my phone but i’ll get a link when I’m home. I thought the same but if you look at tesco livi new deckers they have super singles must add a good few inches on! Told we are opting for supers because they have better wear than the little wheels, don’t know if that’s true I’ve never driven one myself.
merc0447:
We are getting 4 deckers in march, no coming to my depot though kinda glad aswell. But ive had a look at them on cartwrights website its called the ‘‘cheetah’’ very clever how the manage to get on 44 pallets plus its coming with super singles too.
You got a link to the double deckers with super singles?
I’m on my phone but i’ll get a link when I’m home. I thought the same but if you look at tesco livi new deckers they have super singles must add a good few inches on! Told we are opting for supers because they have better wear than the little wheels, don’t know if that’s true I’ve never driven one myself.
Tyre wear on ours which twin wheels is terrible.first and third axles are wearing heavily,second axle tyres are like new.Me personally if i can get turning area like store carpark i ll reverse into deliver area hate screwing them round on a sixpence.
I’ve been driving these doubles for 3 months now from the north east down to a hub off the A38 and, so far, had no trouble despite being diverted a few times. I just get out the iPad and have a look at the routes available. Last time before Xmas the amount of wood on the road meant the first ones through must have took some damage. Worst thing for me is the wind, my hoop has chewed a few seat covers around ferrybridge that’s for sure.
merc0447:
We are getting 4 deckers in march, no coming to my depot though kinda glad aswell. But ive had a look at them on cartwrights website its called the ‘‘cheetah’’ very clever how the manage to get on 44 pallets plus its coming with super singles too.
You got a link to the double deckers with super singles?
I’m on my phone but i’ll get a link when I’m home. I thought the same but if you look at tesco livi new deckers they have super singles must add a good few inches on! Told we are opting for supers because they have better wear than the little wheels, don’t know if that’s true I’ve never driven one myself.
The tyre wear issue is true. The little wheels must nearly do 2 turns for every one turn of the tractor wheels.
Had one of our fellow follwing me in a DD over the A1(N)/M62(e) junction - right on top of the slip road a nice gust came by - geezzz
Now I wonder about the A65 from M6 to Skipton as there is 3 low bridges on that route - not one is marked - but it looks bleeding low for a decker to go through - who wants to risk it?
If none are marked, you’ll get it under. No risk involved.
No problem with those bridges - there are however several sturdy and well battered
trees on the section between M6 and Kirby Lonsdale.
