OMG didn't believe my eyes coming back from the yard today...

[Pidgeon]

Broken down by the side of the road was a 3.5T lorry that was towing an Ifor Williams trailer

Surely that can't be legal can it?

 

[katie_and_toto]

I don't think that'd be legal

 

[Pidgeon]

No wonder it was broke down

 

[BackInBlack]

I saw a flat bed truck pulling a fully laden horse trailor this morning and wondered the same thing.

 

[Dotilas]

Surely if you can tow a caravan you could tow a trailer with a lorry?

Not sure about whether you should have livestock in it though?

 

[Irishcobs]

As long as the lorry has the correct towbar for the trailer and the driver has the correct licences then it is fine.
A carriage driving lady near me, drives a HGV lorry pulling her carriages in a trailer all over Europe.

 

[FrodoBeutlin]

It' a very very common sight in Germany

 

[LoobyLoosome]

Why not?

So long as it isn't over the rated weights for load and/or towing it'll be fine. Maybe the clutch will think differently though...

 

[LoobyLoosome]

Just think of it as mini wagon-and-drag!

 

[Natch]

I think its pretty standard for carriage drivers to have a trailer behind their horsebox to tow their carriage in: not sure what type of trailer though!

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
It' a very very common sight in Germany

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes and in France. Though they are often 9 horse boxes with a tag along on the back - often seen over here too, delivering and collecting racehorses and breeding stock.

 

[magicgirl]

I drive a 3.5 ton van towing my trailer with no problem, it actually tows better than my big 4x4. I must admit I would rather convert the van to a horsebox but then I would tow a caravan behind it for the shows we stay overnight at.

 

[Donkeymad]

As long as it had the correct tow bar, was within the weight limits and the driver had an adequate licence, there is no problem with it.

 

[Pidgeon]

but surely if it had horses in the horsebox and then also in the trailer it would have been overweight?

 

[Ranyhyn]

Assuming it had horses in the lorry,yes it would be, but you can never assume these things!

 

[Pidgeon]

I know and couldn't see if there were horses in either lorry or trailer. Just really surprised me to see it TBH

 

[Ranyhyn]

TBH if I had to have a trailer (and I can't stand the awful things) I'd rather tow with a van if at all possible, thinking of the weight distribution in a van I would *think* it would make a very safe towing vehicle?

 

[Pidgeon]

yes have to agree with you on that point

Just another thought if they had an accident how would they get the rear ramp of the lorry down if they had horses in it?

 

[Ranyhyn]

Only rear unload? Well you'd have to hope they wouldn't be silly enough to tow in that case!

hadn't thought of the rear unload scenario.

 

[Pidgeon]

oh yes