just read an article about denby transport may well be running LHV’S b4 xmas, there are legal arguments going on about the use of these on britains roads,
my question is, has anyone driven or even seen these on the road and whats you views
last i heard was, it was a no go, end of story.
when my dad was on agency he went to a denby training day (and found it usefull!!) he saw it pull out of the yard, but it was the 1st trailer only
denby have a page dedicated to it here
I’m all for it, if farmers can run 200+ hp tractors pulling two trailers this is no different. They allow them in other countries, why does Britain have to complicate things for ourselves.
It’s obvious that the thing won’t be allowed because it goes against the political policies which apply between road and rail transport in order to protect the rail industry interests.It’s time that there was a legal challenge in the courts concerning all of the issues regarding unfair competition by the rail industry against road transport being supported by the government.But a 60 tonne six wheeler rigid and 45 ft trailer drawbar outfit would probably be more practical in everyday use than an artic doubles outfit.
it’s nothing new though realy and remember many many years ago stan robinson had theres at peterbrogh truckfest showing the durabilty of it against a normal 45ft trailer .
This won’t be brought in across the country because as soon as there is even a minor smash involving one the papers will be all over it with stupid headlines etc.
I understand what is in it for Denby and fair play to him for trying but doesn’t this mean that artic driving jobs will be under threat? After all if one truck is doing the job of two…
Good luck to him - it makes a lot of sense.
It’s no good saying jobs will be lost - with that attitude there’d still be a man employed with a red flag in front of every waggon
TC
hammer:
This won’t be brought in across the country because as soon as there is even a minor smash involving one the papers will be all over it with stupid headlines etc.I understand what is in it for Denby and fair play to him for trying but doesn’t this mean that artic driving jobs will be under threat? After all if one truck is doing the job of two…
Not if they can use the increased competitiveness to take work off the rail industry by undercutting the rail operators for work on containers etc…As it stands trains are doing a lot of the work which should be going to the road transport industry.But under present laws it’s impossible to see how they could run a fully freighted doubles artic outfit without breaching existing gross weight and overall lenghth limits?.But as a rough guess it would need around an 80 tonne+ gross weight limit to make the idea worthwhile unless they’re only going for relatively light but high cube loads?.That’s why there’s probably more chance of pushing 60+ tonne drawbars through the courts to start with together with a rebate on road fuel taxes.But since when did justic ever apply to the road transport industry?.
To answer the origin question. I have driven it. Albeit not on the Public Highway. Speaking, at the time, to ■■■■ Denby, the accent was towards Cube rather than weight.
I did write a review following the event but, due to technical changes, that has become unaccessible.
I’d just love the chance to drive it on the road if, for nothing else, to pull alongside vehicles in the ‘Long Load’ bay at MSA’s, which are invariably occupied by all and sundry, and to then, when confronted by, “Oi. You’re blocking me in.” To genuinely be able to turn around and reply, “Tough. Come back in an hour.” 
Isn’t there an 18 metre lenght limit in this country?
Krankee:
To answer the origin question. I have driven it. Albeit not on the Public Highway. Speaking, at the time, to ■■■■ Denby, the accent was towards Cube rather than weight.I did write a review following the event but, due to technical changes, that has become unaccessible.
I’d just love the chance to drive it on the road if, for nothing else, to pull alongside vehicles in the ‘Long Load’ bay at MSA’s, which are invariably occupied by all and sundry, and to then, when confronted by, “Oi. You’re blocking me in.” To genuinely be able to turn around and reply, “Tough. Come back in an hour.”
Krankee exactly what is the spec of that because it looks wierd to me from looking at the photo.I think that just a good old fashioned 45 ft semi coupled up to another 45 ft A frame drawbar trailer would be a more impressive bit of kit.But you’ve got no chance with that of being the biggest on the block when someone pulls up next to you with an eight wheeler rigid coupled up to 2 45 ft drawbar trailers under showman’s rules.I’ll be driving that one thanks. 
our roads aren’t big enough, thats my opinion
not a chance it would be able to cope with some of our inner city roads, its sometimes bad enough just with a 45ft trailer never mind another !!
The only place i can see them justifying the use of LHV’s is for motorway trunk work, where you dont have to worry so much about tight corners, and the RDC is just off the motorway exit, not 5 miles through ‘tinyvillageinthegoondockswithreallytightbends’. Over here in Canada LHV’s are only permitted on certain roads, You cant take them wherever you like , contrary to popular belief.
To be honest im not really sure why you guys back over that side of the pond are so into them. The more freight you get onto a truck = less trucks on the road = fewer drivers needed. simple mathematics really. Over here they are only really used for bulk work and trunking. We even see triples on the way between Edmonton and the south.
I have seen like one Denby motor on the road. Stobart would probably get the licence to operate them.
http://www.denbytransport.co.uk/fleet/vehicle/26_tonne_rigid/
Have a look at the pictures in the right of the screen. Can anyone see anything wrong?
They will only use them on motorway trunking i would have thought and it will be cubed not heavy. Fair play to him, I hope he gets away with it without the government’s seal of approval. Although I do think they should increase the max weight from 44 tonnes to 60 tonnes for normal outfits in this country anyway… They could then charge more in road tax for these heavy outfits and save CO2.
In the early 1960’s Harveys wine ran AEC Mamouth Major tankers fitted with a fifth wheel complete with attached artic tanker trailer.
These ran for some while between Bristol and the London area on some form of test.
They seemed to negotiate the traffic in Bath OK.
I am sure this outfit will be seen on the roads, the attempt by Stan Robinson and ■■■■ Denby was blocked by Ruth Kelly (whoever she was) no debate, no government time spent on a proper trial. This is not an attempt to run the outfit illegally, it seems like it is ■■■■ Denbys attempt to get the case heard in a court of law, and hopefully into the European Courts.
If you remember the fiasco of running at higher weights in the UK, it was ■■■■ Denby and many others who used the existing laws and built a converter dolly and by using a locomotive was able to carry an extra 6 tonne for export. Anyone on Teesside would have come across the self appointed police officer who took it upon himself to be in charge of these things. As the law stood there was a 44t exemption for 6 wheel artics providing the load was part of an intermodal movement, ie rail. the docks were not part of this exemption, so the major hauliers in that area, Bulkhaul, TDG Nexus, Isotank, Les Harriman, Jentone could load tanks and containers to the maximum and carry them as a STGO load.
These outfits consisted of a standard ballasted tractor unit, a converter dolly and a normal semi trailer. As most of the chemical plants around the area were built for horse and carts and normal sized trucks, it meant that many were loaded with standard trucks, then the converter dolly and locomotive took the trailer to the dock. Eventually common sense took over, and that hastened the move to general 44tonners on UK roads.
Jan de Rooy studied the laws as they stood, and built a 50’ plus artic body and strung it between a wagon and drag, the VOSA of the day, got a bit shirty with him and told him not to darken our shores again 
As for the LHV putting drivers out of work, the same argument was used when the lorry weight limit was raised to 32 tonne and the Preston bypass opened.
Let Battle Commence
mickyblue:
our roads aren’t big enough, thats my opinion
So how do the fairground operators manage with drawbar trains which can often be a lot bigger than that?.But if it’s only going to be for high cube or intermodal loads instead of heavy non intermodal long distance international multiple container transport in direct competition with rail freight it’ll probably be another hollow victory even if he does win the battle to use them.