The Law Affecting Trailers
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Points Which Operators or Potential Users of Trailers and Semitrailers Should Keep in Mind so as to Avoid Legal Troubles
A"operator who has not hitherto employed trailers and, possibly, even some of those who do so, should make a careful study of the various Acts and Regulations governing their use.
We will deal with the matter mainly as it is affected by the latest Construction and Use Regulations. First comes the definition of an articulated vehicle. This means one with a trailer partly superimposed upon the drawing vehicle so that with uniform loading not less than 20 per cent, of the load is borne by the drawing vehicle. The overall length must not exceed 33 ft., except that an eightwheeled articulated vehicle registered before January 1, 1931, may equal, but not exceed, 36 ft. ; this Regulation does not apply in the case of an articulated vehicle constructed for the conveyance of indivisible loads of exceptional length, if all wheels have pneumatic tyres, or if the wheels be not so equipped, limited to 12 m.p.h.
Abnormal Wheel-load Variations Illegal . . .
Every trailer with more than four wheels, or more than two wheels and being part of an articulated vehicle, must have a compensating arrangement to ensure that all wheels remain in contact with the road, and under the most adverse conditions will not experience abnormal variations of load.
Wheels with tyres other than pneumatic must have a minimum rim diameter of 670 mm, This does not apply until January 1, 1940, to trailers constructed before January 1, 1933, or to any trailer not exceeding 30 cwt. unladen and designed for use in works, or to types used by a local authority in connection with street cleansing and similar work, or to any Mobile crane.
-The length (excluding drawbar) must not exc.eed 22 ft. This is waived in the case of use for indivisible loads of exceptional length, and semi-trailers.
The limit of overall width is 7 ft. 6 ins., except for the travelling showman's trailer in use before January 15, 1931, which has a limit of 8 ft. 9 ins. .Where necessitated by conversion to pneumatic tyres, 8 ft. is permitted on trailers constructed before January 1, 1933.
Important Requirements in Braking .
Every trailer exceeding 2 cwt. unladen must have an efficient braking system capable of being applied when it is being drawn to (1) two wheels where there are not more than four; (2) four wheels where there are more than four; (3) in trailers constructed after April 1, 1938, to half the number of wheels, and so constructed that (a) brakes can be operated by the driver or another person on vehicle or trailer, this not applying to a trailer under I ton unladen or not constructed or adapted to carry any load other than plant, ar special appliance which is an essentially permanent fixture and not exceeding 2 tons, if in either case the brakes come into action automatically an the over-run; (b) brakes can be set to prevent two of the wheels from revolving when the trailer, attached to the vehicle or not, is stationary.
The foregoing requirements for brakes do not apply to (1) any land implement drawn by a motor vehicle; (2) any trailer used by a local authority for street cleansing and the like, and carrying only its gear and equipment. In trailers built on or after April 1, 1938, and in all from October 1, 1943, braking must not be rendered ineffective by non-rotation of the vehicle engine.
All wheels must 'nave pneumatic or soft tyres. This does not apply to (1) any agricultural trailer; (2) any constructed before January 15, 1931, for the conveyance of horses and cattle and used for this or for some purpose connected with agriculture; (I) any constructed before 14 January 15, 1931, and designed for the conveyance of household effects.
All wheels on a trailer constructed after January 1, 1933, and drawn by a heavy motorcar or motorcar must be pneumatic-tyred, and as from January 1, 1940, those of every trailer so drawn shall be so equipped. This does not apply to trailers in works, used by local authorities for refuse collection and the like, or if drawn by heavy motorcars not required to be equipped with pneumatics.
As from October 1, 1938, the rear wheels of every trailer, except drawn by a locomotive, must have wings unless ,protection be affordscl by the body. This does not apply to land implements, living vans, water carts, trailers for round timber or drawn by a vehicle restricted to 12 m.p.h. or less.
As from October 1, 1938, a trailer with over-run brakes must have its unladen weight marked conspicuously on the near side.
. . When a Reflex "T " is Required From October 1, 1937, every semi-trailer, other than for round timber, if the vehicle be restricted to 20 m.p.h., must exhibit conspicuously at the rear a disc not less. than 8 ins, in diameter bearing the figure " 20." This may be black with white figures or white with black figures.
From October 1, 1937, when a vehicle is drawing a trailer it must exhibit at the back of the trailer a distinguithing " T " on the centre line or off side, and not above. 4 ft. from the ground. The plate must he 8 ins. high. 7 ins, wide, and the "T " 6 ins. by 5 ins., _with arms and /-in, diameter reflex lenses. This does not apply to semi-trailers, breakdown vehicles, trailers drawn by 7-seater Motor vehicles, specially constructed for the carriage of round timber, land implements (except living vans) and agricultural trailers.
Total weight. of trailers, laden or unladen, drawn by locomotive, must not exceed 40 tons. Laden weight of trailer, with that of a motor tractor, heavy motorcar or motorcar drawing it, must not exceed 22 tons. In the case of steam vehicles, however, where the tyre equipment throughout is pneumatic, the combined weight must not exceed 24 tons.
. . . . Limits of Loading on Wheels
Total weight on the road of any two wheels of any trailer in line transversely may not exceed 61 tons, except that of a two-wheeled semi-trailer, where the limit is 8 tons if the wheels have pneumatic tyres, but the total weight may not exceed 19 tons. With a four-wheeled trailer carrying round timber the weight transmitted by any two wheels in line transversely, with pneumatic tyres on all wheels and if the speed does not exceed 12 m.p.h. when the weight so transmitted exceeds 6 tons, and if the total weight transmitted by all the wheels does not exceed 13 tons, may equal but not exceed 8 tons.
In the case of any trailer the weight transmitted to any strip of surface upon which it rests, contained between any two parallel lines 2ft. apart and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, must not exceed 10 tons.
• Every trailer must be in such condition that weight distribution and packing and adjustment of the load at all times be such that no danger is caused to any person on the trailer or road. Tyres must be free from any defect which may cause damage to the road or danger to persons.
No person may use a trailer causing excessive noise as. the result of any defect, or faulty packing of 14)0, .
A trailer must not be permitted to stand ,detached from the drawing vehicle unless at least one of its wheels is prevented by a brake or chain from revolving. The driver (or in the case of a locomotive one of the persons employed in driving or attending it) must be in a position readily to operate the brakes required to be fitted to the trailer, unless a person other than tM driver be in a position to apply them, this, of course, not being necessary when the brakes are of the over-run type.
The Road Traffic Act, 1930, required that where any heavy or light locomotive is drawing a trailer or trailers, one or more persons in addition to those required on the locomotive must he employed to attend to the trailer or trailers, at the rate of one additional perSon for each trailer in excess of one; in the case of other motor vehicles, one person in addition to the driver to be carried.
The new Regulations say that this shall not apply in the case of any articulated vehicle, any machine drawing a land implement, where a trailer with not more than two wheels is drawn by a motorcar or motorcycle, where a motor tractor is drawing (a) any closed trailer constructed for the conveyance of meat between docks, railway stations and markets; (h) any machine or implement for the maintenance, repair or cleansing of roads ; (c) any trailer for street cleansing, refuse collection, etc., also where a motor vehicle' and trailer not exceeding 30 cwt. (unladen weight in each case) is not used on the road, except in passing from a works or premises to others.
No vehicle exceeding 26 ft. in length may draw a trailer, this not applying to any breakdown vehicle under tow.
No motorcycle. with not more than two wheels and without a sidecar May draw a trailer, or in any case one exceeding 5 cwt. unladen or 5,ft, in overall width.
No trailer may be used for the conveyance of passengers for hire or reward.
The number of trailers which may be drawn by a motor vehicle may not exceed (a). in the case of a heavy or. light locomotive, three ; (b) eta motor tractor, one if laden, two if unladen; (c) with a motorcar or heavy motorcar, one.
One important point is how the trailer affects taxation. For a vehicle used by a travelling showman the additional
duty is In. connection with other vehicles, where the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle does. not exceed 21 tons, the duty is also £10, rising to for vehicles exceeding 2f.tons but not exceeding 4 tons, and .£20 where the weight exceeds 4 ions... .Semi-trailers are treated as if the articulated outfit forms a single vehicle.