For a truck, there can be few tasks as challenging as clearing drifting snow on the A82 through Glencoe in the depths of winter - or few as routine as everyday carriageway surface repairs in the heat of summer. But for one major highways operator, their need was to successfully achieve both these tasks with the same vehicle.

So in looking to develop a fleet of the most versatile road maintenance vehicles ever, Scotland TranServ decided that Charlton’s expertise in all bodywork matters would quickly prove invaluable.

A joint venture between Balfour Beatty and Mouchel Parkman, Scotland TranServ is the operating company responsible for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network in North West Scotland.

"For these highly specialist vehicles, Charlton took on a full project management role that included not just defining the optimum specifications, but also liaising with all the other equipment suppliers to ensure that all the various components came together properly and would operate as we wanted them to" says Clive Brocklehurst, Commercial Vehicle Operations Manager for Balfour Beatty Fleet Services.

As well as achieving such close integration between all the suppliers, Charlton gave us the additional benefit of being able to fully build these vehicles under one roof and at one point in time. The fact that the trucks were also painted to our highly demanding Standox specification further testifies to Charlton’s professionalism and full-service capabilities".

And what highly individual trucks these are.

Built on a heavy duty MAN 6x6 rigid chassis with 310hp engine, automatic transmission and uprated 9 tonnes front axle, each of the 27 vehicles has been fitted with Charlton’s latest all steel, ultra-tough, double-skinned insulated Quarrymaster bodywork, working in conjunction with a Binotto TFC front end tipping gear.

In this basic configuration, the trucks make ideal general purpose tippers able to handle everything from everyday road resurfacing work through to more demanding tasks such as clearing boulders and rubble from landslip and rock falls.

But come winter, and the operational focus inevitably moves towards snow clearance and gritting. And now, the trucks show their true versatility. Removing the tipper taildoor then allows the easy insertion of a fully independent Schmidt Stratos gritter system, secured by four heavy duty D rings located in the body floor. Power for the gritter is provided by a ‘Robson Drive’ linkage attached to the rear offside drive axle, thereby doing away with the need for additional power sources and technical complexity.

At the front, a Schmidt snow plough can also be quickly attached to work with the previously installed electro-hydraulic power pack.

"At first glance, these vehicles look highly complex" says Simon Shields, Group Sales Manager for Charlton, "but in fact, just the opposite is true. In addition to their great operating versatility, these tipper / gritters have also been designed and built for the maximum possible practicality and ease of use - important health and safety considerations for their crews who will often be working in the dark and in the worst of the weather."

In full winter gritter / snowplough configuration, these exceptionally versatile ‘go anywhere’ vehicles tip the scales at an impressive 13,140 kgs, giving a carrying capacity of over 12.5 tonnes of grit and salt.

Now in the process of being sent to Scotland TranServ depots as far flung as Dunbeath, Beauly, Ardelve, Inveraray and Killin, the new 6x6’s are being complemented by other Charlton and Thompsons bodied trucks, including two 6x4’s, four 8x4’s and fifteen 7.5 tonners.