Longley Farm meet LEZ rules with new DAFs
With many deliveries of its award-winning yoghurts, creams and cheeses made within the London LEZ, Yorkshire’s Longley Farm needed to ensure that it could not only meet the current emission standards but ‘future proof’ itself for several years. To do this it’s put a pair of DAF CF65 18-tonners into service that feature the 6.7 litre Euro 5 compliant GR165 engine.
This low emission engine is rated at 250 bhp (184 kW) to give the CF65s an ample 13.89 bhp/tonne of power to weight. As a result the trucks can cope easily with the hilly terrain around Holmfirth when leaving the dairy fully loaded as well as achieving good average speeds on long runs without compromising on fuel efficiency.
Transport Engineer Mike Wilson says that the DAFs were chosen for their proven reliability, fuel economy and good environmental credentials. “With these new DAFs we’re not only able to meet the LEZ rules for the foreseeable future but we are satisfying our own high standards as a food producer to be more environmentally responsible in every aspect of our operation from the production process through to the product reaching our customers.”
Both trucks work to an intensive delivery schedule that sees them making up to 14 drops a day and which will see them cover 100,000 kms a year. From their base at Holmfirth they operate across the UK with each spending at least one day a week within the M25 perimeter that marks the LEZ boundary.
As these runs also involve nights away the trucks have been specified with the DAF sleeper cab, which offers comfortable accommodation with a single bunk with ample storage underneath and a night heater as standard.
Paneltex of Hull built and fitted the 53 cubic metre fridge bodies to the 6.9 metre wheelbase DAFs. These have a 16 pallet capacity and have fully-opening rear ‘barn type’ doors and a side door for safe nearside unloading in situations of restricted access.
The vacuum bonded composite panels used in the construction of the bodies incorporate high impact-resistant skins to minimise damage in use. A high level of thermal efficiency is achieved both through the design of these panels and of the joints and door systems. An exterior aluminium capping system results in a high quality, durable body well suited to the rigours of intensive multi-drop delivery work.
Produce is kept chilled by a Carrier Supra 850 refrigeration unit. This diesel engined unit has its own separate 30 gallon fuel tank and is fitted with a noise reduction kit for operation in noise sensitive areas.
A Dhollandia DH-RM 1500 kg tuckaway tail-lift is fitted and a Brigade reversing camera adds to safety. A smoother ride results from the specification of rear air suspension.
DAF dealer F&G Commercials of Huddersfield supplied the trucks. Maintenance will be carried out by Longley Farms in their own well-equipped workshop in which they service their 35-strong fleet.