Chook's Away!

- Kevin Swallow

Back in 2014, when Volvo Trucks registered its 200,000th truck in the UK, it was Scottish logistics and construction giant Malcolm Group that took delivery. Group chief executive officer Andrew Malcolm took the keys of the FH16.750 6x2 push-axle tractor and handed them to Greig ‘Chook’ Redfern.

Operating out of Grangemouth, Falkirk, just off the M9, Chook drove the wagon for 30 months, clocking up more than 230,000km. “It went back in exactly the same condition as when it arrived,” Chook reveals with pride.

Eventually the FH16 will be displayed in the Donald Malcolm Heritage Centre when it is retired, but for now it is based in North Yorkshire under the stewardship of a second driver. To replace it, Chook was given the keys to a New Generation Scania S-series 730 Highline.

James Colbourne, regional sales director for Scania Scotland, confirms to T&D that this truck was the first New Generation Scania to go on the road in Scotland. “It has the biggest engine and it’s the flagship motor. Andrew wanted to try it and he is very happy with it,” he says.

“One of the changes with the New Generation Scania is that no two trucks are the same. Each truck is individually specified and unique to the customer.”

Swedes favoured

Malcolm Group runs 480 trucks, which includes 100 tippers and skip loaders, as well as 1250 trailers. Scania and Volvo feature heavily on the fleet. Gavin Summers is the fleet engineer at Malcolm Group. “We have five New Generation tractor units; four pushers and a tag. I am very impressed with the New Generation. There was a requirement for the 730 for some bigger jobs; the other four are 13-litre 450hp models with sleeper cabs.