Ward Plane has deviated from the lightweight trailers it first specified in 2008, this time opting for a bespoke heavyweight version, which gives more versatility in the loads it can carry. This new trailer has entered the fleet alongside a new lightweight model, both built to order.
The heavy-duty drawbar has a 6m deck with a 1.4m beavertail and a payload capacity of 18 tonnes. The front SAF axle has a hydraulic lifting capability, which helps to lower tyre wear when running empty or partially loaded, while the 1.2m full-width ramps have an expanded steel mesh covering to help reduce wind drag.
The unit also has extra strength for the specific point loads of Ward Plane’s three-wheeled machinery, allowing the company to carry combinations of planers, paving machines and road rollers to sites nationwide.
“We have specified heavier trailers from competitor manufacturers in the past, but they simply weren’t up to the job and it wasn’t long before the cracks started to show – quite literally. With the ability to specify exactly what we needed, we’ve now got a trailer capable of handling anything we want it to, for years to come,” says Mark Ward, director at Ward Plane.
The other trailer is the same lightweight model as its previous two Andover builds. It has three fixed axles, a 5.5m deck and beavertail, with 1m alloy rear ramps. The lack of hydraulics in the design, combined with Andover’s lightweight steel construction techniques, produces a payload capacity of almost 20.5 tonnes.
Both drawbars are expected to stay in the fleet for at least ten years.