“We maintain the highest level of round-the-clock service to our main customer, international ships’ chandler Admiral Harding in Avonmouth. This can include responding to requests for urgent deliveries at literally a moment’s notice. That why reliability was deemed to be the main priority,” explains Liner Transport Director and company owner Paul Evans.
The latest truck to join the other four vehicles in the fleet, which includes two Volvo FH tractor units – a 16-year old X-plated Version 1 and an 06 registered ‘Classic’ – comes equipped with Volvo’s Globetrotter cab, 13-litre 500 hp engine and I-Shift automated gearbox.
“I learnt to drive in a Volvo F88,” says Paul Evans. “I’ve been driving for 39 years, including five years on continental groupage to Hamburg and back and I like to look after my trucks. I bought the X reg FH, it’s a 420, when it was 6 years old. That was 10 years ago and although it’s 16 years old now, it’s still got the same gearbox and clutch in it. It’s never needed either a new gearbox or clutch and we do between 60 and 70,000 kms a year with each truck. That’s pretty amazing. The latest FH is our first new truck and if it is as reliable as ‘X89 ACJ’, I will be very pleased.”
The latest FH is due to go on the road shortly and its duties will see it joining the other trucks in the fleet carrying urgently needed ships’ provisions, of all shapes and sizes, from the chandlers to ports around the UK, such as Southampton, Tilbury and Greenock Ocean Terminal. The latest FH will also make deliveries to continental ports, particularly in The Netherlands.
Goods transported can range from an anchor, to a replacement piston or other parts urgently needed to keep a vessel at sea. Liner Transport’s cargo can also include deep sea charts or the more usual food and drink supplies for passengers on cruise liners and crews on board commercial shipping.
To cope with the huge variety of goods carried on behalf of ships’ chandlers, Liner Transport operates a fleet of dual compartment fridge trailers.
The newly-acquired FH was supplied by Wales and West Truck and Bus, Avonmouth who will be maintaining it on a Volvo Gold R&M contract.
