Advice please...

[F104]

New member looking for some advice good or bad!).

Away from the day job I help my better half organise charity events. Some of these are relatively complex with staging, sound, lighting etc.

Traditionally we've had a lot of goodwill from suppliers for plant, van hire, etc. However a lot has changed in the last 24 months, and it looks as though we will need to do more with our own resources.

To do more with less I'm trying to see if we can combine storage/staging, etc., and cut down on double handling.

Idea 1. Buy 20ft curtainside artic trailer. This becomes stage for events, and storage the rest of the time. Friendly farmer will provide parking space, and may also tow to and from site with tractor.

Idea 2. Buy removal lorry, and convert to provide stage plus storage. Could be used as promotional tool at multiple events. Used to be common practice for fairgrounds and festivals I think. Possibly an older lorry to get around test and plating requirements and will only be doing a few hundred miles a year (Ford D or Bedford TK). Park on farm when not in use.

I'm not a mechanic, but a mate is, and I can do a reasonable amount of DIY.

Any comments and suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

[Ivan stewart]

Tractor would need to be on white diesel,
I guess anything truck wise over 3.5 tons would need an operator licence ..

[s p a c e m a n]

You say to and from site as if you're always setting up in the same place and it's not much of a journey?

I'd buy a trailer, I've seen a few used like this and they generally look less shoddy than an old truck. Can use boards and tarpaulin to dress the side facing outwards up.

[F104]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, the trailer option sounds good. I have been googling and a single axle curtainsider as used by quite a few of the big breweries would probably be ideal. Most of the stuff we move is bulky rather than heavy.

Much as part of me would like an excuse to mess about with old trucks, this probably isn't the time. Bugger.

Ken