UK’s first narrow track Volvo FL tankers go to Tincknell Fuels

The first two Volvo narrow track fuel tankers in the UK capable of carrying 11,000-litres of product entered service recently with Tincknell Fuels Ltd of Wells in Somerset.

Plated for operation at 16-tonnes gross weight and equipped with purpose-built single wheels and tyres on the drive axle, an overall width of just under 2.3-metres has been achieved.

“Many of our heating oil customers live in fairly remote areas of Somerset, Devon and North Dorset where access can be a real problem,” said Tincknell Fuels Ltd Operations Manager Mike Brown. “What we needed was a short wheelbase truck with a good turning circle together with a narrower overall width than usual. Fortunately Volvo’s Product Engineering team at Warwick was able to provide exactly what we needed,” he added.

According to Volvo Trucks Sector Account Manager John McCluskey and Duncan Seaman, Segment Sales Engineer, the Narrow Track FL provides a practical solution to the operational challenge of delivering down very narrow roads without moving to a lower GVW rigid tanker and therefore losing payload capacity. Says Duncan: “With their narrow overall width of 2.3 metres and being able to plate the vehicles at 16 tonnes GVW, Tincknell Fuels were able to achieve an 11,000 litre payload.

The benefits are that efficiency in operation can be maintained by reducing the number of times the vehicle has to return to base to reload.” John McCluskey, who led the project to meet the exact requirements of Tincknell Fuels Ltd., points out that the 3.5 metre wheelbase provides excellent manoeuvrability which, when coupled to the 11,000 litre payload, makes for a very productive truck in the rural environment it works in.

Equipped with a Magyar tank body, the Volvo FL required only minor modifications on the line at the factory. Specially designed eight stud wheels and Goodyear 455/45 R22.5 ‘super single’ tyres were retrofitted to the rear axle prior to delivery.

Powered by the seven-litre Volvo diesel rated at 240hp the two 16-tonners have already proven so successful that Tincknells have already placed additional orders.

A third truck was exhibited at the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers Expo in Harrogate in April.

“Although we’re a family business, we are always pushing the boundaries looking for a competitive edge,” explained Mike Brown. “Having a business partner like Volvo helps us to maintain that advantage by providing better service to our customers.”