What is this?

[s p a c e m a n]

Tipper being used as part of the dredging on the Thames, Netherlands registered and no one been able to grab one of their drivers for questioning. Metal bars holding some plastic thing on the front and a funky box on the roof, not aircon because some of them have a unit stuck on the back of the cab...

[s p a c e m a n]

[grumpy52]

They come down to Deal nr Dover , maybe part of the sea defence work thats going on here .
You've got me curious now !

[s p a c e m a n]

They're Boskalis motors loading up at Cliffe quarry (between Gravesend and Isle of Grain), there's loads of 'NO NEW AIRPORT' posters up around there so I don't know if they're dredging for Boris Island, something to do with the new Deep Wharf port over the other side of the river or something else. No idea where they are taking it all but there's quite a few of them and they're not hanging about

[cahami]

The bit on the front is a plough adapter plate, no idea about the roof box looks like its held on with bungees

[GC8]

I find the trailer more interesting. Im guessing that it tips conventionally but that itll only tip from a different position, which it slides along the chassis to?

[s p a c e m a n]

Was thinking the thing on the front was to hang something from, but couldn't figure out why they have a plastic cover on them. All of the ones I've seen over here (gritters etc) are just left exposed so as not to cover the radiator.

The box on the roof id definitely a permanent fixture, what looks like a bungee is the front panel join on the roof and an aerial

No idea on the trailer, I'll try and have a look next time I see one

[GC8]

They started to appear on scheme quarry vehicle in early 2007. Tipping is hazardous in an articulated vehicle, even on good level hard standing and theyre intended to be more stable.

When I was last involved in the business they had just started moving to walking floor articulated trailers. Great for aggregate but useless for coated. Not that I would want to tip tarmac from any sort of trailer into a paving machine.

[grumpy52]

Spoke to one of the drivers today, the panel on the front is indeed for a snowplough attachment, the roofbox is an air filter system for the truck when working in granite quarries and dusty environments , they are shipping out of Cliffe and dropping on the seafront at Deal.

[GC8]

No one ever cared about my air when I was loading granite.

[s p a c e m a n]

Now that I know what they are, I'm jealous

No one cares about me in the quarries either, or getting covered in cement dust all the time

[grumpy52]

How can a Dutch firm get a contract like this ?
It's not as if Dutch drivers are on minimum wage or they run second rate rigs !
One answer might be that the shingle used to be shipped in (literally) just off shore and pumped ashore by a company from the Netherlands .maybe activated by a breakdown .

[s p a c e m a n]

They're based in Fareham, http://westminster.boskalis.com/

Guess the NL registered lorries is a tax dodge, things you can do if your fleet is large enough and global.

[cravir]

The trailers look really short. Is that because they're carrying dense material, so that it doesn't take a lot of volume to get to 44t gross?

[chilistrucker]

s p a c e m a n said:

They're based in Fareham, http://westminster.boskalis.com/

Guess the NL registered lorries is a tax dodge, things you can do if your fleet is large enough and global.

Are they paying their £10 a day tax levy thing

[chilistrucker]

s p a c e m a n said:

They're based in Fareham, http://westminster.boskalis.com/

Guess the NL registered lorries is a tax dodge, things you can do if your fleet is large enough and global.

Are they paying their £10 a day tax levy thing