lbagnall-fd223.jpgYale introduced an entirely new range of equipment to Britain at the fifth Materials Handling Exhibition in June 1956. Known as the K51 series, these battery operated counterbalance trucks were available in lift capacities from 3,000 lbs to 10,000 lb. All machines were designed to give high stacking and fast lifting speeds, combined with short overall truck length and maximum manoeuvrability. The drive and lift motors were Yale designed and the company used its own brand magnetic “Cam-o-Tactor” controller for directional speeds.

Also another American company, Elwell Parker of Cleveland USA, launched a new battery controlled forklift, their model R 10T. This 10,000 lift capacity truck had stand up centre control and rear wheel steering, and could travel at speeds of up to 4 mph with a full load. Direction and motion were through a single control lever, giving automatic acceleration to four speeds in both forward and reverse.

At this time, as the Asian market started to flourish, the Clark Company of America chose to share their technology in a transfer agreement with The TCM Corporation in Japan.

In October of this year fuel supplies to the Western nations were severely curtailed. This followed the nationalisation of the Suez Canal by Egypt’s President Nasser in July, and the subsequent bombing and occupation of Port Said by France and UK forces in October. This latter action prompted Egypt to block the Suez Canal with sunken ships. The consequences to Britain and the rest of Europe meant higher prices and to the UK, in particular, fuel rationing, as oil tankers from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern ports had to circumnavigate the longer route around the South African Cape.

It was at this unfortunate time that Lansing Bagnall released details of their new diesel forklift truck model FD 223. It was fitted with the horizontally mounted, twin cylinder Enfield engine, which was air-cooled. The machine had a one ton lifting capacity and a nine foot six turning circle. Safety features included an operator safety cage, attached between the mast upright and the rear chassis weight. This was made possible by having the tilt function designed to operate directly on the fork carriage, so leaving the mast in a fixed upright position. Noise and fume levels, for the operator, were greatly reduced by diverting the exhaust gases through the centre rear upright of the safety cage into the atmosphere above and to the rear of the machine. The layout of the foot controls was as in a car, with conventional clutch, brake and accelerator. A statement on maintenance by the manufacturer claimed that the Borg and Beck clutch assembly could be replaced within half an hour. One ray of sunshine for this truck was that its production was primarily for use by the armed forces, who had little or no restrictions on fuel acquisition.

As 1957 began the fuel restrictions and price increases were hitting hard in the UK, with almost every industry affected. The operators of petrol and diesel driven forklift trucks were most concerned, and organisations representing food production and its transportation, passed on the price increases to the public. In this month alone British Road Services increased their prices by 7.5%, with similar increases expected across the whole of industry.

To be continued

By James Brindley, Director, National Fork Truck Heritage Centre

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