The bodybuilder is part of the Bevan Group, and it designs and builds custom bodywork for operators – in this case, completing the project in just four weeks.
Supplied by dealer Imperial Commercials, the 26-tonne DAF XF 510 chassis has a rear-mounted Atlas 135.2E crane with a brick and block grab.
Bevan’s dropside body features a gantry platform with conveniently-stowed, retractable step ladder – a sensor sounds an alarm if this is not folded away correctly before the vehicle moves off. The design was the idea of Capital’s managing director, Wayne Johnson, as it enables operatives to access the vehicle bed without dropping the sides.
The crane was removed from a previous vehicle before installation on the new truck, which also required a sub-frame – this process took much longer than planned, hence the tight timescale for Bevan’s body fit.
“They pushed it through their system very quickly and we couldn’t have asked for a better service,” says Johnson. “Bevan was recommended to us by the truck dealer; this was the first time we’d used them, but I certainly won’t be going anywhere else in the future.”
As well as the dropsides and bed, the front and rear bulkheads are fabricated from aluminium rather than steel, and most fixtures and fittings are stainless steel. Bevan’s graphics team applied the livery.
“Presentation is all-important, so we wanted to keep the vehicle looking as good as possible, for as long as possible,” says Johnson.
The family-owned operator is based in Stoke-on-Trent and supplies roofing materials across Staffordshire, Cheshire and beyond.