DAF eight-wheeler joins 160-year-old Lancashire fuel firm

A DAF CF85 eight-wheeler is the latest truck to join the 24-strong fleet of tankers operated by The Samuel Cooke Group. This family-run fuel distribution business was founded in 1845 and today its operations cover most of the North of England from depots in Burnley, Barnsley and at Ellesmere Port.

The new DAF is based at the company’s Padiham headquarters near Burnley from where it is being used to deliver Derv and Gasoil to commercial customers. It operates as far north as Cumbria and south into Cheshire and is expected to cover up to 70,000 kilometres a year.

Road Tankers Northern Limited of Barnsley built the 25,000 litre, five-compartment tank. This has Gardner-Denver AD-manifold, bottom-loading, vapour recovery equipment with product return. An Alpeco Mouvex bulk metering system is also fitted.

A key safety feature is the pneumatically operated safety rail on top of the tank. This is to a new design from Road Tankers Northern and extends the full length of the tank on both sides. The system is operated by a switch located on the nearside of the vehicle and once the handrail is raised it automatically locks into position. Access to the top of the tank is not possible until the rail is fully in position.

The 6.40 metre wheelbase FAD CF85 is powered by the DAF MX265 engine rated at 360 bhp (265 kW) at 1900 rpm to give a very adequate 11.25 bhp/tonne of power to weight. There’s plenty of torque too at 1775 Nm between 1000 and 1410 rpm, which can prove useful for a truck that makes frequent deliveries onto construction sites where conditions can get slippery.

This is the fourth DAF eight-wheeler in the Cooke Fuels fleet. “We find them a very reliable truck and very driver-friendly,” says Transport Manager Keiran Conlan. “Eight wheelers are inherently very stable, which is important when you’re carrying fuel, and being twin-steer they’re also quite manoeuvrable.

“Our drivers like the DAFs too. The cab is well-appointed with everything easy to hand or eye and with good all-round visibility. We’ll be maintaining the vehicle in our own workshop and the ready availability of parts was also a factor in buying another DAF.”

Lancashire DAF at Preston supplied the new truck and prepared the chassis to full Petroleum Regulations standards.

The Samuel Cooke Group supplies a range of fuel oils to domestic, industrial, agricultural and marine customers. The company is also a leading supplier of fuel cars on behalf of BP, Shell and Texaco.