Tankers

[dieseldave]

Wheel Nut:
Lovely Jubbly. Molten Sulphur Wintertime and frozen pipes

Although the driver is sweating his knackers off in a green suit

Hi Malc,

Did you see the HCL tank on the previous page, cos it was your comment that spurred me to post it up??

[wheel_nut]

dieseldave:

Wheel Nut:
Lovely Jubbly. Molten Sulphur Wintertime and frozen pipes

Although the driver is sweating his knackers off in a green suit

Hi Malc,

Did you see the HCL tank on the previous page, cos it was your comment that spurred me to post it up??

I did and have been checking if Mr Lynch has kept up with his pressure test dates. I made sure the bucket was plastic too although the safety device for the top discharge looks a bit suspect, especially if it is made out of aluminium.

Who went up the ladder and took the photos for you?

Acid Explosion Experiment Gone Wrong

Note obligatory rubber mallet!

[dieseldave]

Wheel Nut:
Who went up the ladder and took the photos for you?

All my own work.

I’ve also got a series on a petrol tanker, but I didn’t put them up in case there’s no demand.

[wirralpete]

never worked on petrol dave so wouldnt mind have a close up of the workings if thats ok?

[chris_webb]

wirralpete:
never worked on petrol dave so wouldnt mind have a close up of the workings if thats ok?

Put it on Dave,I was on solvents years ago,Id like to see how things have changed.

[wirralpete]

there ya go dave me and webby are your audience!..go on and i will get the brews in next week!

[chris_webb]

wirralpete:
there ya go dave me and webby are your audience!..go on and i will get the brews in next week!

Aye make it the Moat Lane cafe aka “Wooden 'ut” on the A57 near Cadishead,long time since I had a decent fried spam sandwich.

[stanfield]

Wheel Nuts quote.
I did and have been checking if Mr Lynch has kept up with his pressure test dates. I made sure the bucket was plastic too although the safety device for the top discharge looks a bit suspect, especially if it is made out of aluminium.

Hi Malc(wheel Nut)
I dont think you would find anything wrong with any of the late Pete Lynchs tanks he always did and still have one of the best maintained tanker fleets around and I would say that the safety bar is definately stainless steel without doubt.

[dieseldave]

OK chaps, by popular demand…

Let’s go up top…

Petrol tankers have an exemption from the normal marking requirements for the carriage of multiple substances in compartmented tanks. They’re marked as a full load of whichever substance has the lowest flashpoint.

Eg. A load comprising of Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene is marked as a full load of petrol.
A load comprising of Diesel and Kerosene is marked as a full load of Kerosene.
A load comprising of just Diesel is marked as a full load of … err… Diesel.

To make marking quick and easy, they use adjustable Hazard Warning Panels:

[chris_webb]

Things have certainly moved on Dave.
What are the intrinsically safe sockets for? And the hoses that run from the top of each compartment are for vapour return I take it as it will be a bottom loader and I notice it’s still got dipstick tubes,so maybe there is some top loading? Is there any way a pot can be overfilled via the bottom and what about the residue in the hoses,can that be pulled off back into storage? Not been on tanks since 1978 so you will have to excuse my ignorance.
Thanks for posting it,much appreciated.

[wheel_nut]

One thing I have always meant to ask about spirit cars, especially fuel tankers is the absence of blind caps on the hoses. Now I know with ADR in Europe it is a no no to run around with open hoses or open bottom valves.

Obviously with food products it is imperative for hygiene, for chemicals to prevent burns, slippery liquids or poisons escaping but is there a separate section for fuel tanker hoses in petroleum regulations or CDG?

[dieseldave]

Chris Webb:
Things have certainly moved on Dave.

Hi Chris,

I’ll start by saying that I’ve never driven or operated a petrol tanker, so what comes next is either what’s included in the tanker module of the ADR course I teach, or it’s a (half) educated guess. I reserve the right to get it wrong!!

Chris Webb:
What are the intrinsically safe sockets for?

I’m not sure that the sockets are intrinsically safe, but the power supply might be to do with the few items that remain live once the battery master switch is turned off.

Chris Webb:
And the hoses that run from the top of each compartment are for vapour return I take it as it will be a bottom loader

The vapour space connectors all feed into the same vapour balance system so that the vapour spaces of the separate compartments are effectively interconnected. I’d guess that it would save having to keep coupling and uncoupling two hoses at a delivery point if the delivery point has their vapour spaces interconnected in the same way. You’d only need to couple and uncouple a product hose for each grade/tank.

Chris Webb:
and I notice it’s still got dipstick tubes,so maybe there is some top loading?

This is probably the biggest change that you’d notice.
As you’re probably aware, many drivers have fallen from the tops of tankers. The HSE really don’t like tanker drivers going up on top of tankers any more, so alternative methods have had to be devised. AFAIK, this started around 1994. Many tankers have had the ladders removed, or extra handrails fitted. Many drivers now need to wear a harness like mountaineers then clip and unclip on their way up and down from the tops of tanks these days.

Chris Webb:
Is there any way a pot can be overfilled via the bottom

There’s an electrical device called a High Level Cut Off (HLCO) which now takes care of the problem of drivers needing to stand on top of their tanker and observe the rising level of liquid whilst loading. Often, the HLCO connects to the circuitry of the loading pump, which then shuts down when the required level is reached.
Here’s the HLCO connector on the HCL tank in my pictures on the last page of this topic:

Chris Webb:
and what about the residue in the hoses,can that be pulled off back into storage?

AFAIK, the terminal’s loading hoses have special valves and connectors that take care of that problem.
Deliveries are mostly by gravity, so hoses can easily be drained before they’re disconnected.

Chris Webb:
Not been on tanks since 1978 so you will have to excuse my ignorance.

I’ll trade that for you excusing mine!!

Chris Webb:
Thanks for posting it,much appreciated.

That’s no problem Chris.

I don’t suppose anybody wishes to see a similar series covering Propane tankers including pics I took of the a six-yearly refurb and the inside of the tank do they?

[wirralpete]

cheers for the insight dave,
will agree with you on the safety harness thing last job on dry tanks we had to wear them as loading was always from the top. the rest was a good insight into petrol tanks and if you dont mind would like to see the propane tank too. cheers buddy!

[chris_webb]

Yes,thanks for the info Dave,very interesting.I did do a short spell back on tankers in 1994 for a few months,mostly toluene, benzene and cyclohexane.A regular drop was ICI/Zeneca Huddersfield and the only thing you were allowed to do was earth the motor and open up,not like in the 60s and 70s when you did everything yourself.
I’d like to see the propane tank as well,thanks.

[wirralpete]

the only thing you were allowed to do was earth the motor and open up,not like in the 60s and 70s when you did everything yourself.

driver still does a lot chris, think last time i was at hoyer only products we didnt touch going on site was MDI and TDI and more importantlt beer!..

[kevmac47]

wirralpete:

kevmac47:
I would really like to hear from anyone who drove this motor in the 70s. In the 90s I was involved with the restoration after we aquired 0the tractor from Castrol at Stanlow. We did a ground up rebuild so the project is very close to heart. regards kevmac47

kev, dad drove for castrol from late 60’s to early 90’s if i remember the unit wasnt put on the road till 73 and was given to george johnston. think thats what he said will ask again when he gets back from hols and if i can will see if george is still around via the castrol social club.

Thanks Pete, I ran into stanlow from 1986 until 1992 when I worked for Onward Transport. They had the distribution for the North East.

[grumpy_old_man]

Dave, I need re training on the petroleum products side of the job. The job has certainly changed since my day, Top loading■■? vapour return■■? Intrinsic what■■? Little notices to remind you what’s in each compartment,

.
.
. No, wait a minute, forget the re training, I have a new wonderful career…retirement.
Thanks for the insight on how things are now.

[sammyopisite]

Dave thanks for posting that things have changed so much the last time I was on tanks was 1990 and the last time I did petrol was while the strike was on in 77/8 as I worked for Sykes/ Shaws and we were only out the first few days as we were all put onto our own products.
I never saw a tanker driver walking round with a ■■■ in his mouth on any of your photos
cheers Johnnie

[chris_webb]

sammyopisite:
I never saw a tanker driver walking round with a ■■■ in his mouth on any of your photos
cheers Johnnie

I saw plenty in my days.

[dieseldave]

OK chaps, now we’re off for a generic walk around some LPG tankers and a peep in the garage…

This might look a little unfamiliar to most drivers, but this is the PRV for a Propane tanker and is screwed into the top of the tank.
The spring setting is 240 psi.

LPG hoses are not normally drained at the end of a delivery, so even the hoses that are detachable at both ends are carried full and capped.

Now we’re off to the garage for a look around.

This one has been cleaned, purged and made safe for inspection and refurb.

Here’s the removed rotor gauge

They’ve also removed the footvalve.

If you look carefully, you can see the baffle plate.

OK driver, you’re good to go.

That’s it, job done and now I’m off too…