Supplied by dealer Sparshatts Truck & Van, the Kent-based operator’s new addition is powered by a 3.0-litre common-rail turbo-diesel engine, which produces 128bhp and is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox.
The truck has a Comfort cab with full seats for a driver and two passengers, while its 10ft tipping body was built in Bristol by the TGS Group.
It is the first truck that Applefields has ordered from Sparshatts, and it replaces a similarly specified vehicle from another manufacturer.
“We needed a sturdy workhorse, capable of carrying the materials and tools we require for the job, and of standing up to the rigours of occasional operation on rough sites,” says Mark Taylor, director of Applefields.
“Unlike other 3.5-tonne vehicles, which tend to have van-based underpinnings, the Canter is clearly a proper truck – it just looks chunkier and more resilient.
“The excellent turning circle is also a big advantage, given that we undertake most of our work in residential areas, while other details caught my eye too – for example, the mirrors on our previous vehicle were always getting damaged because they stuck out so far, whereas the Canter’s are more tucked in.”
The Canter was available direct from stock, which was another factor in the decision, says Taylor. “I also chose the Canter because it was available at short notice, and because I was dealing with a proper commercial vehicle dealer whose sales executive clearly knew what he was talking about. The contrast with the response from our previous supplier could not have been more stark.”