next week i’m using a single axle city trailer for the first time. Apparently full training will be given but does anyone have any advice on using these contraptions.
Is that something special or is it just a small artic trailer with a single axle 
If it’s just a short trailer, they are tricky to get the hang of reversing because they turn really fast. They are great when you get the hang of them. You can stick them in tight places you wouldn’t get an 18t rigid in.
Hi ]b]Mr B[/b]. IMHO from my own experience, Lostpup is spot-on with that comment. 
Urban trailers ‘break’ left or right very quickly when you reverse them, so my tip is to only use a little ‘lock’ and continual ‘corrections’ otherwise the thing will disappear from your mirror very quickly indeed.
I had one of those things when I did my artic test, the theory being that, if you can master an urban trailer, you could reverse any other type of artic trailer.
Urbans are usually quite short in length and have a single axle mounted at the very rear.
Good luck. 
the urbans we use give an overall length of a 6 wheel rigid and the rear wheels steer.
Mr B:
the urbans we use give an overall length of a 6 wheel rigid and the rear wheels steer.
I’m not sure that I understand you correctly a single steering axle trailer or a twin axle with one steering? I agree with lost pup about letting the short trailers drift away. We use 8 or 9 metre single axle and 10 metre twin axle with rear steer and each have little foibles to master.
Wiretwister:
We use 8 or 9 metre single axle and 10 metre twin axle with rear steer and each have little foibles to master.
Hi Wiretwister, seeing your location and description of the trailers, are you on for Iceland frozen foods??
That’s the one.
Wiretwister:
That’s the one.
he he he, I thought so.
I did de-kit/shunting at Deeside for a while, and I also drove the Red Diesel tanker for topping up the 'fridge units.
they’re single steering axles, some how they connect to the 5th wheel and turn accordingly.
super markets use them to get into town centers.
Mr B:
they’re single steering axles, some how they connect to the 5th wheel and turn accordingly.
super markets use them to get into town centers.
Not seen anything as you describe. Any chance of a picture?
would they be like the old scammel coupling trailers that National Carriers had back in the 70s
ROG:
would they be like the old scammel coupling trailers that National Carriers had back in the 70s
No ROG 'fraid not.
The couplings are the same as normal and you need to wind up the landing legs as normal.
The ones I’ve seen of this type have some extra gubbins underneath the trailer near to the king pin.
The fifth-wheel only engages the gubbins during a turn, the gubbins then turn the trailer axle via chains/cables [I think] (relative to the chassis) which results in shorter turns and far less tyre scrub when these are used with a short tandem trailer.
Sorry for the use of the word ‘gubbins,’ that’s cos I’m not able to explain it with techinical terminology.
TIP: Have a look at one of the shorter Iceland trailers next time you get chance. 
dieseldave:
ROG:
would they be like the old scammel coupling trailers that National Carriers had back in the 70sNo ROG 'fraid not.
The couplings are the same as normal and you need to wind up the landing legs as normal.
The ones I’ve seen of this type have some extra gubbins underneath the trailer near to the king pin.
The fifth-wheel only engages the gubbins during a turn, the gubbins then turn the trailer axle via chains/cables [I think] (relative to the chassis) which results in shorter turns and far less tyre scrub when these are used with a short tandem trailer.
TIP: Have a look at one of the shorter Iceland trailers next time you get chance.
Sorry - i meant are they about the same length
ROG:
Sorry
Hi ROG, I’m not sure how long the Scammell trailers were, but the trailers being discussed here are typically 8m long if they have a single axle, and up to 10m long if a tandem.
dieseldave:
ROG:
SorryHi ROG, I’m not sure how long the Scammell trailers were, but the trailers being discussed here are typically 8m long if they have a single axle, and up to 10m long if a tandem.
a lot shorter than that as I remember 
We have a lot of these trailers on Tesco, they are 10m rear steers and they work by having the kingpin on a turntable thats connected to the rear axle and turns by way of a wedge type affair thats behind the king pin, this locks into the v shape at the rear of the fifth wheel and as you turn so does the rear axle.
You can get em into really tight spots that even a rigid would struggle with, and they are great for city work as they follow the unit perfectly.
alfamale66:
We have a lot of these trailers on Tesco, they are 10m rear steers and they work by having the kingpin on a turntable thats connected to the rear axle and turns by way of a wedge type affair thats behind the king pin, this locks into the v shape at the rear of the fifth wheel and as you turn so does the rear axle.
You can get em into really tight spots that even a rigid would struggle with, and they are great for city work as they follow the unit perfectly.
Cheers for that alfamale66, Your description is much better than I could have put it.
As it happens, I’ve seen the ones you’re talking about, cos I worked at the Tesco’s at mid-point for a while.
(when it WAS Tesco’s )
i’ll post a pic when i can together with my experiences with the urban trailer.
Any advice would be most welcome.
Ah yes DieselDave the good old days before we were turned Green 
We aint got any of the single axle 8m city trailers anymore, But just a couple of tips for ya MrB , you need to reverse a lot slower than normal coz they tend to go out of line very quickly if you don’t watch them, and if your dropping the trailer make sure its not heavy on the front with nowt on the back, we used to have them tip up regularly at Middlewich while they were being loaded on the bays