Right On Renault

Shotts-based haulier Stuart Nicol Transport ran one of the last Renault Magnums sold in the UK – and has now replaced it with one of the country’s first right-hand-drive Range T Highs.

Any visitors to the Renault stand at Truckfest in Peterborough over the May Day bank holiday weekend cannot have failed to see the gleaming new Range T High, resplendent in Stuart Nicol Transport’s distinctive blue and red livery.

It was a proud moment for the Shotts, North Lanarkshire-based company because it was the public debut for their latest addition to the fleet – and it is one of the first Range T High right-hookers on the road in the UK.

It was a long-awaited moment for the eponymous boss of SNT. “I was quite disappointed when [Renault] said they were bringing out the equivalent of the Magnum but only doing it for left-hand drive,” says Stuart.

“So when I got a phone call to say Renault were going to do be doing a limited run in the UK of 60 righthand-drive Range T Highs to see how it went, I asked for a price and did a deal. We were one of the first in the country to order one.”

Stuart adds that the local Renault salesman had been talking to them for some time about buying a Renault but the clincher was that the company that does all SNT’s bodywork and painting, David Philp Commercials, of Kirknewton, is also a Renault service agent.

“It was through seeing that they looked after their customers that we decided to go for the Range T High,” says Stuart. “The salesman looked after us from start to finish with the deal, so much so that we bought another one straight after.”

All snapped up

Take-up of the right-hand-drive Range T High has been strong – according to Renault, the initial production run has all been snapped up.

The T High was delivered to SNT at the beginning of April, and it went straight to the paintshop so that it could be ready in time for Truckfest.