IF oden's core market has traditionally been among owner-drivers but the
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Euro-2 Alphas have changed that perception— it has now become a favourite with many fleet owners too. The Alphas came with the shared and now well-respected Daf/Foden cab, with a choice of 4x2, 6)(2 mid-lift, 6m and a heavy duty 6x4 for muckaway jobs. Power options included the 340hp and 4o5hp Cummins Mai, or the 10.3-litre Cat at 340hp Or 38 ohp.
Despite the arrival of Euro-3 drivelines many of the original Alphas are still in service and clocking up thousands of profitable kilometres.
How are they performing in terms of mainte CHARNWOOD TRUCK SERVICES
• T Baden Hardstaff group member Charnwood Truck Services is based at Kingston on Soar near Nottingham, with a 14-bay workshop and office block built in 1997 when the firm became a Foden dealer.
The workshop has an HGV test site complete with roller brake tester, tacho and speed limiter calibration unit. The team of 22 technicians work shifts on a seven-days-a-week basis. Little wonder that the site has twice won Foden's Service Department of the Year award.
Established in 1861, Hardstaff runs more than 100 trucks and 150 semi-trailers, 41 of them equipped with Moffett Mounty forklifts. it has driver and fork-lift training facilities too.
The all-Foden fleet uses Cummins and Caterpillar engines, 16 with in-house-converted dual-fuel Cat-C12 engines.
Fleet applications include tipping, flatbed, curtainsider and mixer work, and there's a busy 30-vehicle rentals division.
nance? We've been looking at a three-year-old example belonging to T Baden Hardstaff's rental fleet, and thanks to regular workshop attention it looks like a sound investment.
But if you're tempted to scrimp on servicing, the message is: don't—it could prove very costly.