Supplied on contract hire by dealer Sparshatts of Kent, the first four to arrives were all 4x2 tractors – one Actros 1836 StreamSpace and three Arocs 183s with ClassicSpace cabs and Fassi F155 cranes.
They were followed by three 18-tonne Arocs 1824s, one of which is also fitted with a Fassi crane, and a 7.5-tonne Atego 816. All of the rigids have ClassicSpace cabs and SB Components dropside bodies with the exception of one 18-tonner, which came with a pair of demountable scaffold bodies by Wheelbase Engineering.
The Actros and Arocs tractor units are powered by 360bhp straight-six engines driving through PowerShift 3 automated transmissions. The rigids also employ PowerShift transmissions, with six-cylinder engines producing 240bhp in the case of the 18-tonne Arocs, and 156bhp for the Atego 7.5-tonner.
GKR’s work is all within the M25 but covers a wide range of sites. “We worked on 85 jobs last month alone,” says director Neil Rowswell. “Some took us into small mews terraces where space was very confined, while others were on massive sites. With these Mercedes-Benz vehicles we’re placed to deal with any requirement.”
“We’ve been running Mercedes-Benz vehicles for some time, so we know all about their reliability and low running costs,” says Rowswell. “But we felt the time was now right to invest in some cleaner, ‘greener’ versions. Their advanced Euro 6 engines mean our new trucks already comply with the requirements of the ultra low emission zone, due to come into force in London in 2020.”