Asset Alliance Group has supplied McCulloch Rail, which specialises in the renewal, replacement and repair of the UK rail network, with a DAF XG 530 and five Iveco Daily 7.2-tonne trucks to replace older assets.
While McCulloch Rail has traditionally bought its vehicles, the rising price of new trucks and leap in test and workshop costs, combined with a need to ensure minimum vehicle downtime, has seen it opt for a contract hire deal with Asset Alliance Group for the first time.
David Hume, Transport Manager at McCulloch Rail, says: “It is a necessity for our business to be able to deliver our plant equipment trackside, often at irregular hours during the night and at weekends in all weathers. Using Asset Alliance Group provides us with backup and an essential buffer to ensure we can do this.”
Based in Kilmarnock, the company has its main vehicle depot in Doncaster, where most of the new vehicles are based. It performs a key role delivering essential, specialist plant equipment including Trac Rail Transposers, Unimogs and Panel Lifter Systems, nationwide. These are used to remove, install and lift sections of rail and signalling equipment, with drivers typically on site for several hours.
The contract hire deal includes repair and maintenance, tyres (excluding accidental damage) and like-for-like replacement vehicles if required. The trucks join a 50-strong fleet, providing peace of mind in exchange for a straightforward, monthly payment.
Hume adds that while 44-tonne tractor units such as the DAF are stalwarts of the fleet, the arrival of the 176hp 4×2 Iveco Daily models are a consequence of the weight gain experienced by 3.5-tonners in recent years, due to the requirement for increased kit and safety features. Consequently, the operator can no longer achieve the payload required with lighter vehicles.
“We’ve worked closely with Dougie Bennett at Asset Alliance Group, and by stepping up to 7.2-tonnes we’re able to get two pieces of plant onto each truck. That will mean fewer journeys and less CO2 emitted,” adds Hume.
The Ivecos feature a modified crew-cab design to boost driver comfort and storage and are fitted with dropside bodies and aluminium ramps for unloading.
