In the world of heavy haulage, there is a range of different vehicles to suit every application. When you want to protect a load against the elements (or hide it from prying eyes), a curtainsider trailer is often the go-to option.
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A curtainsider &#; sometimes called a Tautliner or Euroliner &#; has curtain sides that can be opened to provide easy access for loading and unloading.
Once the trailer is loaded, the curtains are closed and secured in place, creating a visual barrier and a protective shield around the contents.
This is as opposed to the older technique &#; still in common usage &#; of sheeting the load on a flatbed trailer with tarpaulins, secured with ropes under tension or ratchet straps.
Curtainside trailers offer a degree of protection for the contents of the trailer, making them a good option for transporting delicate loads, especially during poor weather conditions.
They also have an &#;out of sight, out of mind&#; benefit, as they prevent passers-by from immediately seeing the contents of the trailer, reducing the risk of opportunistic theft.
Finally, because the curtains can be rolled or retracted, curtainside trailers can be easier to load and unload &#; allowing loading not only from the rear of the vehicle, but also from the sides and, in the case of the Euroliner, even from above.
Tautliner and Euroliner trailers are specific types of curtainsiders. They were developed by Boalloy, a heavy haulage trailer manufacturer based in Congleton, Cheshire.
A standard curtainsider has fixing points where the curtains are fastened down. On a Boalloy Tautliner, the curtains are fixed on rails and, when closed, are tensioned to hold them taut &#; hence the name.
This helps to prevent the curtains from billowing in the wind, or in turbulent air when driving, and can also help to retain the load inside the trailer if it shifts during transit.
Legendary Boalloy cab designer Gerald Broadbent invented the Tautliner in and the first Tautliner &#; sold to Louis Reece &#; is now a part of the Science Museum&#;s Road Transport Collection.
The practical difference between a Tautliner and a Euroliner is that the Euroliner features a retractable roof, allowing goods to be loaded and unloaded from above (using a crane or similar lifting equipment).
It was almost 20 years before the Euroliner would be introduced &#; Boalloy perfected the design in for P&O Ferrymasters.
In particular, this specially adapted version of the Tautliner had optimised tensioners and bulkheads, to offer the maximum possible loading capacity, and was aimed at drivers on unaccompanied ferry routes between the UK and Europe &#; again, hence the name!
The Chris Bennett Heavy Haulage fleet includes both 45ft flatbeds and curtainsiders, including 40-tonne Tautliners, articulated Euroliners and rigid 7.5-tonne Tautliners for smaller loads.
For more information, please visit side curtain trailer.
If you would like to book any of our curtainside trailers, make a specific enquiry about our Tautliners or Euroliners, or you have a question about any of the vehicles in our fleet, please don&#;t hesitate to get in touch and our team will be happy to help.
One of the most common forms of truck and trailer (or semitrailer) a curtainsider has canvas curtains down each side which can be drawn back to allow a forklift to load onto the deck. It&#;s a flat-bed truck with a roof structure supported by a headboard and tailboard that has roof rails and supports.
Checking all the straps on this curtainside road train would take an eternityThey are most useful for palletised freight, i.e. freight that can be lifted using a forklift. However, large bags and other types of loads can be carried if secured properly &#; basically, anything that can be loaded from the side that is contained within itself or can be contained using dunnage or by other means.
Some curtainsiders also allow loading from the top and can be used to carry woodchips and other loose freight.
Options to load from the side or the top in this curtainside truckThe curtains themselves will provide some level of load restraint (the curtains are rated), although not as much as a box body trailer, therefore loads need to be restrained properly using straps or chains. They are mainly designed to provide security and aerodynamics to the trailer, and to protect the load from the weather.
The curtains are kept tight by buckles down the side which hook under a rail.
Buckles and the front ratchet for tightening the curtain
At the front of the curtain is a curtain pole which sits in a hole in the roof rail and over a ratchet at the bottom, allowing it to be tightened.
Rear ratchet with the handle stowedSome curtainsiders have a mezzanine or &#;mezz&#; floor which means they can load more when carrying freight that can&#;t be stacked very high.
Mezzanine floorThe curtainsider could have a rigid rear or container doors that open. Where there are rear doors, this gives added flexibility, especially if there&#;s a taillift option.
You can load from the side or from the rear container doorsYou can get refrigerated curtainsiders for shipping fruit and other perishable goods.
If you&#;re buying, using or hiring a curtainsider, then you need to know how to open and close them and what to check for as it can be dangerous:
In the same way sticky tape is often called Sellotape (a brand name), curtainsiders are often called tautliners by people who drove in the UK because the company that invented the concept in used that name.
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