HARSH’S ‘MAGNIFICENT SEVEN’ VOLVO FH TRACTORS JOIN THE SENIOR SERVICE

27 January 2022

A ‘MAGNIFICENT SEVEN’ OF NEW HARSH – FITTED VOLVO FH’s JOIN THE SENIOR SERVICE

“We’re running pretty much flat out now” says Steve Senior, owner of Barnsley – based bulk haulier S&J Transport (Yorkshire) Ltd “so it made good sense for us to invest in another batch of new trucks. As before, they are all Volvo FH tractors with HARSH wet kits – the best possible combination for tractor units on bulk and tipper work.”

To maintain maximum operational versatility of the fleet, the seven new trucks work with both standard tipping trailers and high – sided walking floors, which in turn has required the Volvos to be fitted with a wet kit able to operate both types of trailers. Significantly, the wet kits installed here have their oil tanks coming no lower than the truck’s exhaust pipe, thereby maximising available ground clearance.

Operationally, the key to the HARSH system fitted for S&J is a simple control lever behind the cab that sets the system to work in either mode. If set to ‘Tipper’, then the trailer body is lifted by a standard raise / lower control lever mounted in-cab to the right of the driver’s seat. If set to ‘Walking Floor’, activating the planks of the moving floor  begins. From the driver’s point of view, nothing could be simpler or more straightforward.

“I’ve worked with tippers for over 30 years” says Steve Senior “and used virtually every make and combination of hydraulics out there. The HARSH package is by far the best – not just for its design, performance and reliability, but also because HARSH will always work with us to produce an optimum solution. Added to which their support, engagement, back-up and warranty is second to none. We’ve run this type of wet kit and pipework for a good while now, and find it to be very reliable, safe and easy to use. When we order our new trucks, I just tell our Volvo dealer to send them to HARSH to fit the hydraulics because I know everything will be done efficiently and properly.”

S&J’s new ‘Magnificent 7’ all went on the road at the beginning of January, six of the units being white FH500’s with the seventh being a silver FH540 to show Steve’s appreciation to Nigel Tate, one of his long – serving drivers.

“We’re very much a family business with family values” says Steve, adding “we all really work as one. It’s a real team effort. Looking to the longer term, I really want to build up the business so as to leave something for my twin grandsons Spencer and Harley who, I might add, are already just truck crazy and love to come down to the yard on a Saturday to see what’s going on. That’s our real future, which also tells me that we’re going in the right direction!” 

S&J Transport (Yorkshire) Ltd recently moved into a larger premises at Barugh Green just off Junction 38 (Barnsley) of the M1, and has another pair of new FH’s scheduled to join the fleet later in 2022.

Speaking for HARSH, Business Development Manager for Northern England Jason Bramall says “Family companies like S&J Transport (Yorkshire) Ltd are still the bedrock of the tipper industry, and long may they continue to be so. As such, they have an immediate fit with all of us here at HARSH, and we are delighted to be able to work with Steve to give him exactly the products and personal support his growing business requires.”