Foden Improved Medium Mobility Load Carrier

[diver99]

Hi all, I am asking here, is there more practical experience before I tackle the next stage. What HGV license do I need for a foden drops vehicle as in the title of the thread.

 

And, are there decent instructors for said required license in the Dorset / Hampshire area.

 

I thank you!

[Tony B]

LGV catergory is now C, you then do a trailer entilment +E for artics. So as a rigid you need C.

As you are NOT doing the driving profesionally you wont need the Driver's CPC.

You need HMSO LGV Theory anmd LGV drivers manaul. You will ned a medical before the provisional is granted, and to atke a Hazard perception and theory test. The theory/hazard lasts two years. Get that done before the practical. The system for training used to be 1 Training and one test 2 Training and a number of tetst at extra cost. Most places that train should give you an assesment before the course. If the Foden is auto you can dio an auto only test. Your licence would be marked with 78 on the catergory.Better to do a manaual as that covers auto anyway.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Tony B

[diver99]

Tony B,

thank you for the info. And what a kerffufle. I wish i had got it when i was in the T.A.

[radiomike7]

Don't forget the Foden IMM is overwidth and does not come under C & U regs. You can get it registered as a locomotive which is currently exempt from plating and testing but may be subject to severe speed restrictions, from memory it is 20mph on any road except for motorways where it is 40mph. Check those figures as they may have changed or may only apply when drawing trailer(s), Antarmike would have the answer as he owned an Antar and pulled 2 trailers.

[diver99]

Are there civilian examples of drops in use at all?

 

And am I being thick, but do the MOD have exemption when it comes to vehicle widths, as I have seen threads saying 432's not allowed on roads as well. So i can imagine many MOD vehicles do not have the same regs as civilian vehicles. Or is this an incredibly grey area.

[Sidewinder]

There are Drops in use as we have some 8 wheelers "roll-on roll-off's" as we know them by, in our fleet. However these aren't ex-MOD vehicles but civvi vehicles from new.

 

However, I'm sure I've seen pictures of DROPS with flatracks with 20ft shipping containers on the back and they are a snug fit on the bed, so using this as a guide they don't appear to be massively bigger than a standard shipping container and therefore I wouldn't have thought that they are overwidth.

 

Could be wrong though.

[Tony B]

I do know of a couple of ex mil Foden Drops in civi use. They were used on the High speed train track in kent. Got a photo somewhere.

[radiomike7]

There are Drops in use as we have some 8 wheelers "roll-on roll-off's" as we know them by, in our fleet. However these aren't ex-MOD vehicles but civvi vehicles from new.

 

However, I'm sure I've seen pictures of DROPS with flatracks with 20ft shipping containers on the back and they are a snug fit on the bed, so using this as a guide they don't appear to be massively bigger than a standard shipping container and therefore I wouldn't have thought that they are overwidth.

 

Could be wrong though.

 

AFAIK the Scammell/DAF MM 8x6 comes within C&U regs, the Foden IMM 8x6 is in a different league altogether, have a look in the Foden section.

[david1212]

AFAIK the Scammell/DAF MM 8x6 comes within C&U regs, the Foden IMM 8x6 is in a different league altogether, have a look in the Foden section.

 

If the details on this page are correct

http://army-uk.com/equip.php?ID=370

the width is 2.9m but I don't know width limit in C&U regs.

 

This is one Foden thread

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?7946-Military-Fodens

[radiomike7]

C & U max width 2.5m or 2.6m if refrigerated to allow for insulation.

[paulob1]

the net is closing in and the Foden DROPs is certainly over-width by a long way...the scammel/Leyland Daf is not and meets all normal construction Euro II regulations.

 

If you get a Foden DROPS, registration is possible but it does not make it legal...VOSA could if they were being picky pull you over and take you off the road...fines could ensue and I expect that if VOSA had any money spare they may try a case in the courts one day to scare us all off, but I cannot for the life of me see why they would do it for less than a 1few hundred vehicles and the bad press would be massive...except that the safety issue will be touted and anything over width is clearly unsafe and killing millions...NOT..

 

My DROPS is registered as recovery by the previous owner and I am still going to keep it as that but I am going to have it voluntarily checked for its MOT...next month, its about to go in and have its service, was going to get Clive of pro-trucks do it but with the distance and travel costs made it too expensive, shame as he has a good rep...

 

Mine is getting a big winch and all the recovery lights but will not be a fully specced recovery truck really, it certainly wont have an ability to lift a vehicle for a fixed load tow...not at the moment anyway.....

[antar]

the net is closing in and the Foden DROPs is certainly over-width by a long way...the scammel/Leyland Daf is not and meets all normal construction Euro II regulations.

 

If you get a Foden DROPS, registration is possible but it does not make it legal...VOSA could if they were being picky pull you over and take you off the road...fines could ensue and I expect that if VOSA had any money spare they may try a case in the courts one day to scare us all off, but I cannot for the life of me see why they would do it for less than a 1few hundred vehicles and the bad press would be massive...except that the safety issue will be touted and anything over width is clearly unsafe and killing millions...NOT..

 

My DROPS is registered as recovery by the previous owner and I am still going to keep it as that but I am going to have it voluntarily checked for its MOT...next month, its about to go in and have its service, was going to get Clive of pro-trucks do it but with the distance and travel costs made it too expensive, shame as he has a good rep...

 

Mine is getting a big winch and all the recovery lights but will not be a fully specced recovery truck really, it certainly wont have an ability to lift a vehicle for a fixed load tow...not at the moment anyway.....

 

Paul, why not buy a Holmes 5th wheel recovery crane, the type that fits on to a normal tractor unit. This could then be addapted to pin onto the back end of the drops rack that you are fitting the winch to it will then have the capacity to suspend tow as necessary. I have attached a picture of mine hung from a crane. And it fitted on the back of my WLF. No sorry its not for sale !

[Dave]

Are there civilian examples of drops in use at all?

 

And am I being thick, but do the MOD have exemption when it comes to vehicle widths, as I have seen threads saying 432's not allowed on roads as well. So i can imagine many MOD vehicles do not have the same regs as civilian vehicles. Or is this an incredibly grey area.

 

You aren`t being thick! don`t panic.

 

Mod seem to have "crown immunity" from most rules regarding vehicle use.

Plenty of knowledge and experience on here though.

Good luck with it.