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excavation systems in their own right which are now also being used for works such as culvert cleaning and sediment recovery.


To go into the finer detail of what these can achieve and the types of equipment they can be fitted with would take something the size of the old Encyclopaedia Britannica (the old book one not the newer CD one!). Therefore it is best to look at what the changes have been in recent times in terms of client requirements.


As with other vehicle types these units are largely procured in accordance with what they are required to achieve, however over recent years the weight limit requirements set out in road traffic rules have meant, as previously mentioned, that clients are looking to first keep the vehicle below 3½ t weight and second do as much as possible with one vehicle as opposed to different vehicles for different jobs.


With some other equipment types this is not so


much of problem as a simple design requirement as the equipment involved does not weigh too much to start with. Where we are now looking, at pipeline cleaning systems, this is more of a problem.


With pumps, hose reels, water tanks, waste tanks, CCTV systems, road traffic paraphernalia etc. it is very easy to load up a vehicle base chassis very quickly. To avoid the requirement for additional licences for drivers the weight limit is becoming one of the major drivers, if not the major driver, in vehicle design and fit-out.


The fact that water is not in itself lightweight is part of the problem. Even if the van is allowed to travel to and from or between sites with tanks empty, at some point the vehicle will have to fill up the tanks to be able to work. This means that all fit-outs must take account of the operational weight so as not to over stress axles and suspension even when the vehicle is at rest.


On smaller vans (under 3½ t) there have been many interesting developments over the past few years. Not least of these is the use of modern high strength yet low weight materials for the internal construction materials such as honeycomb structural members etc. This allied with the use of lighter weight yet strong materials for the pumps and other equipment has meant that much more can be fitted into the van than previously possible.


14 drain TRADER | October 2017 | www.draintraderltd.com


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