Haulage of own timber

[A1an]

We will be using c. 5000 tons of timber in our biomass plant in the coming year.

The haulage is eye watering so considering doing it myself.

90% of movements will be on forestry roads but may occasionally need to go on public roads.

If hauling our own timber to our own plant with an artic will we still need an Operators License?

 

[A1an]

upsie

 

[A1an]

Found the relevant info.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

What was the outcome?

 

[A1an]

O license required.

Might still be workable on forestry tracks.

 

[renewablejohn]

Can you not register the artic as Agri. I know the carrot boys up here run them dont know whether they have o licence.

 

[Fowler VF]

If you only have a short distance to travel on the road you might b able to use the Exemption rule for a limited use vehicle. We have used this to run lorries on the road in the past. But this only applies if you own or occupy the land at the start and finish of your journey on the road. Sometimes needs a bit of stretching of the word "occupy"!

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-exempt-from-vehicle-tax

Vehicles used just for agriculture, horticulture and forestry
This includes tractors, agricultural engines and light agricultural vehicles used off-road. It also includes ‘limited use’ vehicles used for short journeys (not more than 1.5 kilometres) on the public road between land that’s occupied by the same person.

 

[TripleSix]

What about a timber forwarder or even a decent forwarding trailer behind a tractor?

 

[A1an]

Forwarder is too hard on the road and tractor and timber trailer is too small. Shifting 5000t at 15t a time is quite a task. The stacks are also 5m high so sitting low in a tractor feeling your way about the top of stack with a grab is too risky.

 

[renewablejohn]

Forwarder is too hard on the road and tractor and timber trailer is too small. Shifting 5000t at 15t a time is quite a task. The stacks are also 5m high so sitting low in a tractor feeling your way about the top of stack with a grab is too risky.

I had a similar problem but managed to get around it converting a forward control MB Trac to have a log deck then attached the Kesla forwarding crane on the 3 point link. Then purchased a shipping container skeletal drag trailer on air with air brakes. This gives me same logging capacity as an artic trailer ie 3 stacks with 1 stack behind cab on the MB trac with 2 stacks on the trailer. MB trac also has 4WS and crab steer which is very handy in woodland.

 

[renewablejohn]

Presume the modern equivalent to my set up would be a 6x6 WF Trac with the crane at the rear then a drag trailer on behind. Wont be cheap but with wireless crane hydrulics that will get around your 5 mtr stack problem.

 

[A1an]

Many thanks.

 

[renewablejohn]

Forgot to mention crane is used both ways and can load both tractor and trailer. Crane does more than 360 degree more like 400 degree. Just have to remember not to over rotate the pipes and it takes a bit of getting used to that loading the tractor is opposite to the trailer but you do get used to it.

 

[A1an]

Ive been looking at prices, you're right, not cheap.

 

[renewablejohn]

Ive been looking at prices, you're right, not cheap.

I did warn you but they are the dogs do daa's.

 

[renewablejohn]

Might be worth having a word with South Cave they do the S Trac based on a unimog platform.

 

[ROBINWORKS]

Terragator used in the forrest, not sure if still being used. I think the contractor was from Ayrshire

 

[busy daddy]

Why dont you chip in the woods , you have a few other options that way , and that way you leave all the mess in the woods and no worries about the weight on wagons

 

[A1an]

chipping in the woods is not practical for our setup, we would then need walking floors to transport the chip to the drying floors.

it is also a logistical nightmare when trying to chip on a live harvesting site. The timber needs to be moved off site to give room for stacking the mill timber.

 

[busy daddy]

Ah i didnt realise you were chipping wet There is a guy somewhere that runs a magnum with an artic trailer and crane