West London lighting and video rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment has expanded its fleet of vehicles with a brand new artic and trailer, a Volvo FH460 Globetrotter Euro 6 tractor unit, complete with a 45′ Schmitz Cargobull low-ride Tri-axle Ferroplast, Express semi-trailer.
This vehicle, chosen for its efficiency and dynamics, is an investment made for the convenience of trucking equipment to tours and festivals across the UK and Europe. It will also offer clients an additional element of cost-effectivity as Colour Sound can offer independent trucking services for large one-offs.
The truck will be especially busy during the upcoming festival season and will help streamline overall production logistics by reducing the off-site pick-ups required.
“All our vehicles have been bought with a view to making our operations as flexible and versatile as possible to suit client needs” commented Colour Sound’s H (Haydn Cruickshank). “Having the artic substantially enhances the capacity of this service.”
With shows, events and projects involving increased amounts of kit, a larger and more spacious option was required in addition to the existing transport as the new truck joins a 12-tonner that was delivered in November.
The 460 tractor is one of Volvo’s flagship products and a popular workhorse heavy commercial vehicle, well known as one the most reliable trucks on the market. The ‘FH’ stands for ‘Forward control High entry’, with the numbers denoting the engine. Features include cruise control, ABS, gearbox oil temperature monitor, GPS, etc.
The powerful automatic gearbox works with Volvo’s innovative I-Shift automatic transmission system which assists with precision shifts and communicates with the engine to maximise performance, all making driving easier, safer and more comfortable with no heavy clutch and no stick to contend with.
I-Shift is also designed to save on fuel, and every gear shift is accurately timed. It features dual circuit compressed air brakes, an X-cam drum brake with compressor capacity of 900 lit/min and front and rear disc brakes, as well as an A.B.S system and an auxiliary spring type parking brake on the rear and front axles.
The trailer is made from Ferroplast which combines the increased insulation of the new NX17 polyurethane hard foam with durable layered metal surfaces on both sides. Using an adhesive joining process, Schmitz Cargobull utilises this material to construct boxes with completely vapour diffusion-tight surfaces. Ferroplast bodies are energy efficient, hygienic, age-resistant and easy to repair.
The trailer has three SAF axels for 19.5-inch disk brakes and six 445 45 19.5 “super single” wheels.
Both tractor and trailer are fully air ride enabled and all of this and more ensures that Colour Sound’s kit gets the safest and most comfortable rides to and from site.
Colour Sound already has one full-time Class 1 HGV driver on the transport team, and more will have the opportunity to gain their licences in the coming months.
The new artic and trailer’s first project was transporting lighting and video kit for the Bangface EDM weekender at Southport Holiday Park.
