Wentworth Communications Limited: MUNICIPAL OPERATORS EMBRACE GULLYWHALE INNOVATION

Whale Tankers’ radically upgraded GULLYWhale is continuing to strike an accord with an increasing number of municipal operators, and nowhere is this more apparent than north of the border in Scotland. Take the West Lothian region, for example. It is here that three GULLYWhales – two MCV (medium volume combination) and one HVC (high volume combination) tanker – are certainly packing a punch for the Council in the performance stakes.

As Joe Drew from the Council’s Fleet and Cleansing Services Division comments: “Not only are the GULLYWhale MVCs performing well, the HVC has given us the capacity to handle a wider range of applications. It has significantly improved our gully cleaning service, as it is proving particularly effective at dealing with areas such as underpasses.

“Whale not only has an excellent reputation within Scotland for the build quality of its tankers, the same is equally applicable when it comes to the infrastructure that is in place to support the ownership of a Whale. Overall, we are confident that our current frontline fleet of Whale gully cleaners will continue to deliver even greater operational efficiencies moving forward,” he added. 

Specified on DAF’s 18-tonne FA LF 55.220, 4 x 2 left hand drive 18-tonne chassis with sleeper cab, both 1800 gallon capacity MVC tankers are equipped with Whale’s upgraded anti-vibration gully boom control unit. The control was developed in-house as a means of reducing health and safety concerns surrounding hand-arm (HAV) vibration. Integral within the control is the vacuum pump PTO and boom valve switches.

High pressure jetting comes from an Orca 240 high pressure pump capable of delivering 120 l/min, whereas vacuum power is supplied by the tried and tested Mistral 402 Series exhauster compressor, specified by many customers due to the performance and reliability across the Mistral pump range. Associated with the onboard jetting facility are both main and secondary hose reels, the latter being hydraulically operated on the vehicle’s nearside and fitted a 30m x ½” high pressure hose. The main hose reel is 100 metres in length. Both MVCs have also been supplied to meet the requirements of Chapter 8, which involves the provision of highway signs and Hi Viz signage; reflective tapes, where required; reversing camera, amber light bar and overhead loading boom work light. 

Also featuring a DAF 18-tonne 4 x 2 chassis, this time the FA LF 55.250, the 1700 gallon capacity HVC is equipped with a 5” full bore hydraulic loading boom that is operated from hand held controls that include suck/blow and boom valve open/close. On this particular model of the HVC, jetting power is provided by a Pratissoli MW series high-pressure pump that delivers up to 59gpm at 2000psi. The system also features both main and secondary hose reels, the former being hydraulically self-aligning, the latter being hydraulically operated. Vacuum power on the HVC is delivered by a much bigger and more powerful water cooled rotary vane pump, the proven and reliable PR250, produces 910cfm - free air. 

Again equipped for Chapter 8, the HVC, like the MVCs, is manufactured to comply with the Pressure Systems Regulations SI 1999 No. 2001 Directive No 97/23/EC.
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CAPTION:
WHALEPR11.11 - On route to Scotland: Whale Tankers’ popular GULLYWhales are proving themselves within the fleet of West Lothian Contracts. 

PRESS CONTACT: 
Paul Watson
Wentworth Communications Limited
Tel: 0161 973 6763
Fax: 0161 969 6813
Email: paul@wentworthcomms.co.uk