drop-deck trailers for hire in the UK?

[carl0s]

Hi

I'm thinking about buying a used Bridgeport mill. Maybe. I still haven't got the lathe hooked-up that I bought nearly two years ago mind you, but even so, I'm just working out plans.

I used Steve Landylift to bring the lathe to me in Manchester (a ~1950s Churchill Cub), but then moved it myself from Manchester into a storage unit and then back to the new house in Kelsall. Borrowed a pallet truck, some big pallets, tail-lift luton, engine hoist, bought some machine skates, toe jack, etc. It was sketchy at first but I know how to do it now.

For a Bridgeport move, I am considering Steve again. He was a great guy and inexpensive and knows what he's doing, but he was busy and it wasn't his main job anymore (at that time anyway), but also, like a lot of people, I'd like the satisfaction of doing it myself or having a way to do it in future that I'm in control of, you know.

What I'm stuck on, is a trailer. In the states, a few people have used hydraulic drop-deck two-axle trailers. They're basically like a tail-lift but for the whole deck of the trailer. They say they're hiring them for ~$70 - $100 per day. I just can't see anything like this in the UK.

Am I just searching under the wrong name? They drop pretty much totally flat.

e.g.: https://www.fishersrental.com/m/equipment.asp?action=category&category=32&key=TR0002013
(although, have seen smaller/narrower versions that look like those small plant-trailers you see roadworkers using).

cheers!
Carl

 

[carl0s]

I say two-axle. Obviously there's no axles in them at all... maybe that's why we don't see them. Some kind of regulatory requirement to have actual axles ? There's two sets of wheels though, that's what I meant. Seems like a good idea for carrying a 900kg machine.

 

[Mick Annick]

I say two-axle. Obviously there's no axles in them at all... maybe that's why we don't see them. Some kind of regulatory requirement to have actual axles ? There's two sets of wheels though, that's what I meant. Seems like a good idea for carrying a 900kg machine.

they used to be quite common for shifting plant, but I haven’t seen one in years, I suspect they’ve been superseded by the Ifor Williams style plant trailers which are simpler and cheaper to maintain - good luck!

 

[Shox Dr]

they used to be quite common for shifting plant, but I haven’t seen one in years, I suspect they’ve been superseded by the Ifor Williams style plant trailers which are simply and cheaper to maintain - good luck!

Same here, not seen one for a long time. Too expensive to build and too easy to nick.

 

[pedrobedro]

We used to use them on the Council for carrying mowing equipment around. They were very heavy weighing about 1.5 tons empty.

 

[carl0s]

I wonder how hard it would be to build one. That could be a project. It's not like I have any actual plans for a milling machine yet, i.e. I'm in no hurry. I actually had a milling machine - a £1500 Chinese one (chester / warco / amadeal) and sold it for nothing when I bought my house and had other things to get on with and no space for it. Kind of wish I'd kept it, but on the other hand, a proper one would be better

I suppose the suspension would be the tricky part. I'd be thinking about finding used car hubs and stuff, and obviously with no axle there it could make things tougher.

 

[carl0s]

We used to use them on the Council for carrying mowing equipment around. They were very heavy weighing about 1.5 tons empty.

ooh right. That would bring the total towing weight to nearly 2.5 tons. That's too much for something like my mum's Golf diesel to tow

 

[indy4x]

Is it lifting it on to collect or lifting it off when you get home or both that's the challenge?

I have used my local builder merchant a few times to pick stuff into a trailer with their hiab, few quid for their tea fund and makes life easy

Flat bed car trailer is another option, if you have skates you could winch it up, done similar picking up a J&S 540

When my FIL sold his BP mill, we stripped the head and table off it, lifted it with an engine crane and reversed the trailer under it

Good luck

 

[Mick Annick]

You can hire these: https://www.maxi-low.co.uk/full-range

The TRUCKSMITH® KneeHi® - TRUCKSMITH® KneeHi®

Twenty years ago at TRUCKSMITH® we found a new and innovative way around the traditional drawbacks of Luton vans: poor aerodynamics, causing higher fuel consumption; high floors, making the loading of large or heavy items difficult without an expensive, payload impacting tail lift and poor...

www.kneehi.co.uk

Whether they’ll take the weight is another matter

 

[indy4x]

Borrowed a pallet truck, some big pallets, tail-lift luton, engine hoist, bought some machine skates, toe jack, etc. It was sketchy at first but I know how to do it now.

Been there, 1st time was er, interesting

 

[James1979]

I had a van like that for a brief while. Was going to move bikes with it but sold it. It would have been perfect aside for the unladen weight.
I have seen bigger trailers that have a drop deck but they’re normally behind a 7.5 as the tarmac guys used them. Not seen a 3.5t one in this country.

it would be a good thing to build though. Hard to justify for a one off.

how heavy is a Bridgeport? If you palletise it, will it go on a tail lift?

edit: try kneeling trailer http://usedcartrailers.name/2019/10/17/king-lolode-3-5-ton-kneeling-tilt-plant-trailer/

 

[carl0s]

I had a van like that for a brief while. Was going to move bikes with it but sold it. It would have been perfect aside for the unladen weight.
I have seen bigger trailers that have a drop deck but they’re normally behind a 7.5 as the tarmac guys used them. Not seen a 3.5t one in this country.

it would be a good thing to build though. Hard to justify for a one off.

how heavy is a Bridgeport? If you palletise it, will it go on a tail lift?

900kg for a series 1. I think that's too much for a tail lift van.

Like you say, it would be a good project. I do basically want to get back to trying to learn metalworking, and part of that is learning TIG (and MIG at some point.. ). I did make a start, but haven't been back to it in years. I have an IFL 200PHF TIG. I'm currently held back by having a decent sized workshop with no shelves, workbench or storage. So I'm trying to sort that first. We moved in 4 months ago and everything in there is just still all over the floor and in boxes.
We have loads of outdoor space for keeping stuff like a trailer.
Other problem is that I don't have a car that's suitable for pulling a trailer. Hmmm.

 

[carl0s]

Is it lifting it on to collect or lifting it off when you get home or both that's the challenge?

I have used my local builder merchant a few times to pick stuff into a trailer with their hiab, few quid for their tea fund and makes life easy

Flat bed car trailer is another option, if you have skates you could winch it up, done similar picking up a J&S 540

When my FIL sold his BP mill, we stripped the head and table off it, lifted it with an engine crane and reversed the trailer under it

Good luck

I think getting it into the garage/workshop here would be tricky. the driveway is a bit narrow and curvy and off-camber too. Definitely won't be coming down to the garage/workshop on a hand-truck, or pulling an engine crane down here. Would need to get the trailer all the way down carefully. So a smaller/narrower trailer would be the way forward. We did get the Luton vans down there when moving, but I was worried about them tilting over too much. Was OK in the end though.

 

[carl0s]

edit: try kneeling trailer http://usedcartrailers.name/2019/10/17/king-lolode-3-5-ton-kneeling-tilt-plant-trailer/

kneeling trailer. yes, that brings up some results. cheers

 

[eddie49]

Here is a Lolode, sold by the MoD:

Lolode King Hydraulic Lowering Trailer

bid.mod-sales.com

 

[carl0s]

here's what I mean about the sloping downhill off-camber access to the garage/"workshop".

We do have a less uneven access from the other side, but it's a bloody spiral!

and yeah, this is the mess. It's like wading through a swamp trying to find anything. The timber is to start building shelving, finally.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

There was a lolode on Facebook the other day for 800 quid

 

[eddie49]

This one was being offered on eBay until 4 days ago:

SEB LOLODE PLANT TRAILER, APPROX 3TON GVW, CARRY 2 TONS PAY LOAD, TOP QUALITY | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SEB LOLODE PLANT TRAILER, APPROX 3TON GVW, CARRY 2 TONS PAY LOAD, TOP QUALITY at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

I think it's the same Seller as Tinbasherdan found - John Sharples, Preston.

 

[carl0s]

This one was being offered on eBay until 4 days ago:

SEB LOLODE PLANT TRAILER, APPROX 3TON GVW, CARRY 2 TONS PAY LOAD, TOP QUALITY | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SEB LOLODE PLANT TRAILER, APPROX 3TON GVW, CARRY 2 TONS PAY LOAD, TOP QUALITY at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Something like that, but half the size, for £50 a day would be perfect!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

it would be a good thing to build though.

Would a self build with that sort of capacity need to pass some sort of test/inspection, like an IVA for cars?