Westons Recovery (Abington) Ltd has taken delivery of a new Volvo FL-240 4×2 rigid. Fitted with a Dave Bland Engineering Ltd tilt and slide body, the 5.9 metre wheelbase 16 tonner joins eight other Volvo trucks in this long established business.
The firm’s new Volvo FL-240 was supplied by Ian McLean at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland, Carlisle and comes with a factory fitted crew cab offering a six seat capacity. Bill Weston also opted for Volvo’s six speed I-Sync automated mechanical gearbox and a RS1132A single reduction rear axle with a ratio of 4.13:1.
The FL’s medium height chassis is equipped with front steel and rear air suspension, whilst the body can be used to recover any vehicle from a motor cycle to a large motorhome.
Cumbria based, Jimbars Ltd supplied and fitted the Volvo’s extensive range of extra marker, driving and flashing lights, whilst OPG Ltd, Lesmahagow applied Westons Recovery’s lettering to the Agra Red liveried rigid.
Westons Recovery’s first Volvo truck took the shape of an F89 model fitted with TFL equipment. That vehicle was an ex-McKelvie Heavy Haulage prime mover, supplied through Murray McInnes of Glasgow.
Specialist Volvo F10, Classic FH and FH16 trucks would follow, which are now joined by a five axle Volvo FM ‘rotator’ with Boniface gear, which can lift up to 70 tonnes. Other heavies here include 6×4 versions of Volvo’s FH16 in 660 and 700hp variants and a Euro 6, FH13 with a 540hp motor.
Bill and Brenda Weston founded the operation 36 years ago with the purchase of a site at Carlisle Road in Crawford, which then spanned both sides of the old A74 dual carriageway. Refurbished and improved at regular intervals, the property now sits just two hundred metres from the re-aligned M74 Motorway.
Nowadays the couple’s daughter and son, Susan and Grant also help manage the business, as both have been on-board here since leaving school. Bill Weston’s 46 year career long involvement in vehicle recovery has also included a long association with Volvo Trucks.
Members of the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators (AVRO) and the Scottish Vehicle Recovery Association (SVRA) Westons Recovery (Abington) Ltd cover the M74 motorway between junctions ten and 17 for Police Scotland, in addition to the lower areas of Lothians and Borders and Dumfries and Galloway regions for a wide range of customers.
The company’s on-site workshop caters for repair and maintenance works for third party customers, in addition to its own fleet requirements. A long standing commitment to industry leading safety and service standards sees every Westons Recovery employee receive specialist training by Ron Grice Associates, whilst all vehicles are satellite tracked and fitted with forward facing and reversing cameras.
