Scania and HARSH Take Centre Stage at T&J Haulage

FIVE NEW SCANIA 6X2 TRACTOR UNITS, FITTED WITH HARSH WET KITS HAVE JOINED THE FLEET OF LANCASHIRE BULK HAULIER T&J HAULAGE LTD, WITH OWNER TREVOR WALKER COMMENTING, “THESE REALLY ARE NOW THE BEST POSSIBLE TRUCKS FOR OUR NEEDS, AFTER 40 YEARS, WE’VE FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT!”

Operating nationwide, carrying a mix of agricultural produce and aggregates, T&J’s high mileage, 44t artic tippers are often away the whole week, and therefore issues of vehicle performance and reliability are right to the fore.

Trevor notes that “What we want are trucks that are easy to drive, efficient to operate and economical to own. Tractors used on tipper work aren’t standard – spec vehicles, which therefore places great emphasis on the reliability their extra, specialised equipment. Whilst all the basic operating issues of the Scanias are well proven, we‘ve become equally impressed with the performance of the HARSH wet kits. As such, they complement the tractors perfectly.”

The key benefits of HARSH tractor kits  – low weight, a simple pipework layout, faster tipping and unmatched reliability, are now well known. But for T&J, ease of installation is important too, as all their trucks are fitted out in the company’s pristine workshop at their Clitheroe HQ.

“We fit all the hydraulics ourselves” adds Trevor “simply because we have highly experienced staff who know exactly what they are doing. We also like to be fully responsible for our own equipment. We just order everything we need from HARSH – there’s no delay in delivery, everything is straightforward and easy to fit, and we can get parts as and when we need them, all without difficulty. That’s the way we like to work.”

Now with an in-house fleet strength of 23 (supported by up to a dozen full time subbies), the latest 5 trucks come with both high specification sleeper R cabs as well as Scania’s latest technology Super’engines, here in 500hp format.

Older T&J tractors still in operation include 450hp and 540hp models with the earlier range of engines. What is interesting though is that T&J finds that thanks to their improved torque output and easy driveability journey times with a new Super 500hp vehicle are even better than for an older yet higher powered 540hp truck, and with a highly significant fuel economy bonus as well.

Overall productivity is further enhanced by keeping unladen weights as competitive as possible. Lightweight mid-lift axles, Dura-Bright aluminium wheels and the highly efficient HARSH wet kits all help to reduce the kilos. Running with plank – sided Wilcox aluminium trailers, payload capacity is typically a clear 29 tonnes.

Founded in 1984 with a single Leyland Roadtrain, T&J today also operates a satellite depot in Newark that serves clients in the east of England, with the workshop facilities in Clitheroe also offering vehicle maintenance and repair services to third parties.

“The trick is not to want to be the biggest, but the best” says Trevor. “We like to keep to a certain size and keep the business sharply focused and properly manageable. We strive to keep on improving our service to our customers, and employing top class vehicles is a key part of achieving that. Whilst HARSH is only a small part of everything we do, it’s nonetheless a key element in enabling us to deliver our premium levels of customer service.”