Loadmaster Lites deliver big payload plus for McGee’s new fleet of low cab, city – spec tippers

Latest Info | 19th Jul

It’s Thompsons bodies once again for McGee as the company takes on a brand new fleet of ten innovative low-height tippers that have been purpose-designed for on-road operations in city and urban environments. And thanks to their latest Thompsons bodies, payload capacity has been significantly improved.

One of London’s leading specialist engineering contractors, McGee has made a major investment into its tipper fleet so as to secure the maximum possible productivity, economy and safety. Further supporting the company’s accreditation to the highest FORS Gold standard, these latest trucks meet all current and anticipated legislation for working in London and its environs.

A long – time user of Thompsons all-steel Loadmaster bodies, these latest L Cab 8×4 Scanias feature Loadmaster bodies once again but now in the significantly lighter single-skinned Loadmaster Lite specification. Whereas the company’s traditional 8x4s with their heavy duty double-skinned bodies tipped the scales at around 13,900kgs, these latest low cab tippers are some 500kgs lighter.

McGee’s Transport Manager Andy Weston says:

“Loadmaster Lite is the ideal tipper body for urban work. It’s more than tough enough to handle each and every job that comes along, whilst also providing a significant increase in payload. Add to that Thompsons’ superb quality of build, fit and finish – plus their whole range of details and options – and you have a product that fully equals the quality of the Scania chassis. ”

With their cabs being set further forward to achieve a lower height, overall vehicle length of the new tippers has increased. To offset this, having a ‘1 plus 3’ axle layout with the trailing and steering 4th axle located behind the double drive bogie gives the truck an effective wheelbase similar to a much shorter 6×4 tipper – with all the manoeuvrability and tight turning advantages that implies.

Andy adds:

“It’s an unusual fact that these longer vehicles are actually more versatile for city centre work. Not only are they able to navigate the streets better, but our drivers now have unmatched forward and side vision making our trucks appreciably safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other third parties.

Drivers also benefit from a much lower and easier entrance and exit height from their cabs, along with reduced in-cab noise as the engine is no longer directly under the cab floor. We’ve also specced these trucks with ‘road friendly’ air suspension that provides a softer, more relaxed ride as well as lower noise levels coming from the vehicle.”

Other features of these bodies bespoke to McGee include additional load retention panels atop the body side panels and a traffic light warning system to prevent overloading.

With their reduced ride height, these tippers are obviously not designed for heavy duty off-road work, although thanks to a simple raise/lower ride height control they can still tackle moderate work off the highway. Brought into their fleet to complement their conventional 8×4 models, McGee now has a fleet of tippers that are ideal for each and every type of operation.

Commenting for Thompsons, Joint Managing Director Scott Burton says:

“It’s great to see one of London’s leading civil engineering businesses taking tipper operation another stage forward. Having run our bodies for many years, McGee’s new fleet confirms that Loadmaster Lite is the obvious bodywork choice for the latest generation of city – spec tippers.

We wish them every success with their new trucks.”

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