At a glance
Make & model: Scania R540 Highline
Engine: DC13 12.9-litre six cylinder Euro 6D
Power: 540hp @ 1800rpm
Torque: 2700Nm @ 1000-1300rpm
Gearbox: Opticruise 12-speed automated manual
Operator: L.E. Jones Ltd, North Wales
The MD of Welsh specialist operator L.E. Jones Hauliers, Rhys Roberts, knows plenty about driving livestock trucks as well as running them. He was employed in the game himself for 20 years, before taking on the current business with his partner Ceri Llwyd. The L.E. Jones name is familiar in the region with good reason and although the livestock side is now completely separate from the firm, most people think of that when they hear it.
“It was my uncle, who started the original L.E. Jones in 1973,” Ceri explains. She worked in the office - that’s where she met Rhys, a long serving driver with the company. Long story short, despite having no children of his own, Trefor Jones still wanted to pass the company down through the family, so he offered the livestock side to Ceri and Rhys ten years ago, to be run as a standalone concern.
“We had some sort of a plan when we took over,” Rhys recalls. “We had four trucks, and I always said in ten years I wanted to grow to ten trucks.” There was no particular reason for this, but everybody has to have a goal. “If I hadn’t reached ten it wouldn’t have bothered me, but we did it. This Scania is our tenth truck in our tenth year, and I don’t think there’ll be any stopping us now!”
The rest of the fleet are Scania too, the oldest a 64-plate.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Well forked Daf
Remember, we like to cover all sorts of different trucks here at T&D – like this impressive new CF rigid complete with Moffett Mounty forklift
King of the hill
Moving heavy equipment off road calls for a truck with plenty of power and traction, which is why M&J Plant chose a mighty 6x4 FH16 750
Time Machine 2015-2019
It’s the final part of our series on the history of UK haulage. Let’s look back at those innocent times before that pesky virus turned up
Original and best
There are few trucks which have been customised to the level of the Scania 143, but let’s not forget that the standard product was pretty awesome just as it left the factory, like this rare 420
GOING ALL THE WAY
Simon Rogers got behind the wheel as soon as he was able to, and nearly 30 years later, his company is going from strength to strength, with a striking all-black, top-spec Iveco S-Way 570 the latest addition to the fleet
Abnormal loads
In the distant past, when dinosaurs roamed the planet, truck drivers were a very different breed, made from sterner stuff than us mere mortals
Range change
After a gap of 13 years, Renault trucks have reappeared in the unique colours of MacRitchie Highland Distribution. T&D takes the high road to Inverness to meet owners, Donald and Catriona MacRitchie
Cutting a dash
Freshly showered and munching a healthy egg and cress sarnie in Gloucester North services, Chris has a Foden update
Air we go!
On Saturday 29 May at 6pm, 240 drivers gathered with their trucks at South Mimms Services for a parade to raise vital money for Essex & Hertfordshire Air Ambulance
A Cutt Above
From coal to turf to fencing and loads more, there’s not much the Calcutt fleet hasn’t transported over the years
