Liverpool, UK: National Museums Liverpool has taken an Isuzu 7.5-tonner with refrigerated body for specialist museum artefact transport.
National Museums Liverpool has some 4 million objects in care and operates a dedicated transhipment service between the eight museums under its jurisdiction within the Merseyside area. The latest vehicle to join this service is the organisation’s first-ever Isuzu 7.5 tonner.
Load protection is the prerequisite of any distribution vehicle operated by the museum group and this new Isuzu N75.150 rigid is a specialist 7.5 tonne temperature-controlled truck designed specifically for the delivery and collection of an extraordinary diverse collection. From oil paintings to botany specimens, these can be fragile and environmentally sensitive objects.
According to David Crombie, senior painting conservator, National Museums Liverpool, “Everything about this conservation truck has been designed specifically to ensure that the load being carried has the maximum protection at every stage of the journey. For this reason alone, this Isuzu is specified to an extremely high level, covering everything from the heating system and a chassis with minimal vibration, through to its ability to load and unload using a range of different access methods at each of our venues. Most importantly, it also fully meets the criteria of our GIS indemnity insurance for goods in transit.”
Working in conjunction with Isuzu dealer Warrington Vehicle Centre, the Euro VI Isuzu has the Isuzu 6-speed Easyshift transmission, and is covered by a five-year repair and maintenance contract. This Isuzu will be potentially working for the museum group for the next five to ten years.
“Our new Isuzu will play a really important role in the growing use of our transhipment service between all of our group venues, working on regular but short distance local routes, comprising of lots of stop/start running. However, the Euro VI specification will provide us with a future proofed vehicle for the impending ULEZ regulations that may come into play within Merseyside and other major conurbations in due course,” Crombie said.
National Museums Liverpool and Warrington Vehicle Centre devised a bespoke specification for this vehicle that provides a load space that can maintain a constant internal body temperature of between 18 and 20°C, adjusting automatically depending on the outside conditions. The insulated Bespoke Bodies temperature-controlled bodywork operates with a GAH J500 system that can compensate between the varying external summer and winter conditions. It also has the single-phase stand by option for running the temperature control system independently of the truck.
Internally, the temperature-controlled body features a system of rails and tie bars for securely holding crates or wrapped objects in position, as well as having a mix of padded rails, load lock and wooden rails, in the floor and the ceiling, together with a lighting system that creates a well-lit interior working environment.
Externally, the vehicle also has been fitted with an Anteo 1000kg 2 metre cantilever tail lift that has the extra reach to accommodate larger crates and load boxes.
Other ancillary equipment specified on the Isuzu includes a touchscreen satnav, Brigade all-round CCTV system, wide angle side view mirrors and a Maple Goods in Transit alarm.
