question towing with a militant

[single speed]

a quick question

 

what licence would i need to tow a loaded trailer on an a-bar behind my 1955 mili?

 

just wondering about the possibility of a low-loader for the steam engine

[Grasshopper]

Towing a laden trailer with a historic HGV MOT exempt truck is where it gets very iffy legally. We went down this route a few years back and decided it was too much of a grey area unless you can get the truck MOT'd.

 

Vince

[Brooky]

Simply C+E (I take it the trailer will be over 750Kgs)

Both the prime mover and the trailer will have to be MOT'd but can be taxed Private Heavy Goods

[Grasshopper]

In our experience it was something silly like headlamp position that meant the WW2 truck we used (for towing the modern recovery trailer) wouldn't pass an MOT. Most older military trucks may have this issue, but it is not insurmountable. In the case of our truck, moving the headlamps would have made it look completely wrong. In the end we just bought a modern truck as it was easier than making the vintage truck compliant and having to test the truck and trailer.

[TooTallMike]

Subsequent to the tale Grasshopper mentions above, I established that a wrecker counts as a heavy locomotive since it is not designed or adapted to carry goods. A heavy locomotive is exempt test and can tow a laden trailer although that must be tested. Of course if your Mili is a cargo variant this doesn't help you unless you convert it to a ballast tractor. [Please note this is my interpretation of a very convoluted set of regs and should be verified by anyone following this course.]

 

You need to look at taxation class (since some exclude towing laden trailers), test status and driving license as all of these have a bearing. Insurance generally won't be a problem as most policies simply require you to be operating a roadworthy vehicle in a manner consistent with the Road Traffic act.

 

There are a few 'heated' threads already on HMVF on this sort of subject so it might be worth a bit of wading through the archives.

 

- MG

[TJSB]

Subsequent to the tale Grasshopper mentions above, I established that a wrecker counts as a heavy locomotive since it is not designed or adapted to carry goods. A heavy locomotive is exempt test and can tow a laden trailer although that must be tested. Of course if your Mili is a cargo variant this doesn't help you unless you convert it to a ballast tractor. [Please note this is my interpretation of a very convoluted set of regs and should be verified by anyone following this course.]

 

You need to look at taxation class (since some exclude towing laden trailers), test status and driving license as all of these have a bearing. Insurance generally won't be a problem as most policies simply require you to be operating a roadworthy vehicle in a manner consistent with the Road Traffic act.

 

There are a few 'heated' threads already on HMVF on this sort of subject so it might be worth a bit of wading through the archives.

 

- MG

 

I did a bit of checking and came up with the same answer on heavy locomotives from someone in the transport department, although when reading the law attached, it was written in such a way that in can be interpreted in a few ways, in my opinion. If nothing else, whatever you do, it may well be worth being able to show you have done your homework and have therefore taken reasonable steps to ensure you are complying with the law.

[Tony Graves]

hi, without going back on old ground, i was always told when i had my rogers trailers that it was illegal to tow a trailer with a pre 1960 tractive unit unless the trailer was of the same period, ie pre 1960. as was in my case the rogers trailer had no spring brake chambers and did not come under the construction and use laws to be towed loaded. the chances of passing pre 1960 trucks with mot i should imagine is quite remote, i can only speak for diamonds but it will only take an accident for the law to come down hard on our hobby. over the previous threads on this subject i contacted vosa they said that perhaps you could run under a showmans licence, i hope this may help you, all the best tony g.