Weighbridges

[Robmac]

Took my van to a weighbridge yesterday and it made me realise that although I have lots of scope to add weight it is something that should be checked as additional equipment is added to the van. If the van is overweight it can incur fines, termination of journey and of course there would be insurance implications in the event of an accident.

I've had a word with Phil about this and he agreed that it may be worth posting the link below to find the location of weighbridges. Weighing your van before a journey could make the difference between carrying no water, cut down on equipment or even leave the wife at home to stay legal.

So, if you are unsure here are the locations. It costs £7 to get weighed where I went near Cambridge but I got my van weighed twice so I had the axle weights as well so £14.

Find a weighbridge

Find your nearest weighbridge if you need to weigh your van, lorry, trailer, tractor or other vehicle

www.gov.uk

 

[Fisherman]

Something I need to do, cheers Rob.

The one run by Glasgow council is always busy weighing bin motors, and they advise you to call and don’t just turn up. I reckon contacting them first would be a good idea.

 

[Robmac]

For anybody in the Cambridge area, I can thoroughly recommend this place;

G.W. Topham & Son – Farmers – Storage – Weighbridge – Laboratory

www.gwtfarms.co.uk

Very friendly and helpful people.

 

[barryd]

This was the most joyous Holy Grail moment of my entire motorhome life.

420kg to play with on the front, 700kg to play with on the back when my new van got weighed a week or so ago. Albeit with just one driver, no stuff in it, half a tank of diesel and a third of a tank of water. Jackpot. Having said that, the amount of stuff that seemed to morph out of old hank which has driven Michelle nuts finding places for it in the new van is just incredible. How the old van was under 3.5t is beyond me although to be fair, it was some time ago I last got it weighed.

Balance is key I found. It took me a while to get Hank 1 right. I am hoping ill get it right first time with this one based on experience but its an unknown.

 

[Robmac]

This was the most joyous Holy Grail moment of my entire motorhome life.

420kg to play with on the front, 700kg to play with on the back when my new van got weighed a week or so ago. Albeit with just one driver, no stuff in it, half a tank of diesel and a third of a tank of water. Jackpot. Having said that, the amount of stuff that seemed to morph out of old hank which has driven Michelle nuts finding places for it in the new van is just incredible. How the old van was under 3.5t is beyond me although to be fair, it was some time ago I last got it weighed.

Balance is key I found. It took me a while to get Hank 1 right. I am hoping ill get it right first time with this one based on experience but its an unknown.

I was elated too Barry, I really didn't know what to expect.

Front axle - 1520 (max 1850)
Rear axle - 1320 (max 2100)
Overall - 2840 (max 3500)

I have calculated that when I have got rid of all the stuff currently being stored in the van and added the new Batteries and Solar Panels I will still have 700kg to play with in a 3500kg van, although I will have to subtract the weight of Julie, the dog and fuel from that but it's still pretty good.

I think that some people could be in for a shock though given the low payloads MH manufacturers allow for these days.

 

[wildebus]

Something I need to do, cheers Rob.

The one run by Glasgow council is always busy weighing bin motors, and they advise you to call and don’t just turn up. I reckon contacting them first would be a good idea.

The following is a bit weird in a way ....
I live in a village with ZERO business or shop premises. No pub anymore, no shops, no nothing. Nearest shops or the like are 3.5 miles away.
However, the closest business to me is in an adjacent village around 2 miles away. The only business in THEIR village happens to be a weighbridge
It is within a haulage depot to be exact, but it is open to the public and they don't charge anything to give you a verbal weight. I used to go there quite often when I was doing my self builds as they progressed, and also with the Motorhome as I was making changes, adding batteries, etc.
Only time I paid was when I wanted an official weighbridge ticket for my 4.6t Camper so I could prove it was under 3.05t ULW if it came to disputing speed limit limitations.

 

[barryd]

I was elated too Barry, I really didn't know what to expect.

Front axle - 1520 (max 1850)
Rear axle - 1320 (max 2100)
Overall - 2840 (max 3500)

I have calculated that when I have got rid of all the stuff currently being stored in the van and added the new Batteries and Solar Panels I will still have 700kg to play with in a 3500kg van, although I will have to subtract the weight of Julie, the dog and fuel from that but it's still pretty good.

I think that some people could be in for a shock though given the low payloads MH manufacturers allow for these days.

That is really good Rob especially on a 3500kg van. What van is it and whats your overhang like? I bet you could fit a scooter and rack on that! There's another £5k I've just spent for you!

 

[Fisherman]

I was elated too Barry, I really didn't know what to expect.

Front axle - 1520 (max 1850)
Rear axle - 1320 (max 2100)
Overall - 2840 (max 3500)

I have calculated that when I have got rid of all the stuff currently being stored in the van and added the new Batteries and Solar Panels I will still have 700kg to play with in a 3500kg van, although I will have to subtract the weight of Julie, the dog and fuel from that but it's still pretty good.

I think that some people could be in for a shock though given the low payloads MH manufacturers allow for these days.

Really elated, you are joking Rob.
I mean if England win the euros elated would be acceptable.
Or if you won the lottery, have a new grandchild, win an all expenses holiday to Las Vegas in a five star hotel, win a Hymer a class, but having yer van weighed at a weighbridge, come on Rob. Yer jokin man

The following is a bit weird in a way ....
I live in a village with ZERO business or shop premises. No pub anymore, no shops, no nothing. Nearest shops or the like are 3.5 miles away.
However, the closest business to me is in an adjacent village around 2 miles away. The only business in THEIR village happens to be a weighbridge
It is within a haulage depot to be exact, but it is open to the public and they don't charge anything to give you a verbal weight. I used to go there quite often when I was doing my self builds as they progressed, and also with the Motorhome as I was making changes, adding batteries, etc.
Only time I paid was when I wanted an official weighbridge ticket for my 4.6t Camper so I could prove it was under 3.05t ULW if it came to disputing speed limit limitations.

Well I live just outside Scotlands largest city, and my nearest one is in Riddrie 12 miles away.

 

[Robmac]

Really elated, you are joking Rob.
I mean if England win the euros elated would be acceptable.
Or if you won the lottery, have a new grandchild, win an all expenses holiday to Las Vegas in a five star hotel, win a Hymer a class, but having yer van weighed at a weighbridge, come on Rob. Yer jokin man

Honest Bill, I had visions of having to rip everything out and start the van all over again.

And I won't live long enough to do that!

 

[barryd]

I can't begin to tell you how elated I was to see my weighbridge tickets. After a decade of searching for a rear lounge van with a payload like that it was like winning a Wonka Golden ticket!!

 

[GMJ]

Nothing in Carmarthenshire through the council...

But the council website does link through to 4 private options in the county...

 

[Robmac]

That is really good Rob especially on a 3500kg van. What van is it and whats your overhang like? I bet you could fit a scooter and rack on that! There's another £5k I've just spent for you!

Renault Master LH35 DCI 100 with extra high top (6 metres) Barry.

The overhang isn't very long;

 

[Fazerloz]

When we went to the TT with the Kawasaki hung on the back with full gas, water, diesel, two people food and clothes. 3.5 ton van how close is this.
Front 1640
Rear 1860

 

[barryd]

Renault Master LH35 DCI 100 with extra high top (6 metres) Barry.

The overhang isn't very long;

View attachment 132559

Ferkin ell Rob. You would get a bike on that no bother I reckon. Quite possibly a half decent one also but I would honestly get a scooter. You may not want one of course but with that payload and short overhang I bet you would have no problem.

 

[Firefox]

I'm surprised they charged you twice. When I got my self build weighed (Weston Cider in Herefordhire) they let me drive on, then drive off partially so just the rear axle was on. All for one price of £5. That was 2011. 2850kg out of 3300kg fully loaded with 2 people, provisions, full fuel and water.

And my van has plenty of MDF in it which the "experts" tell you is "too heavy" and will delaminate. Guess what, 15 years after conversion.... still perfect!

 

[barryd]

When we went to the TT with the Kawasaki hung on the back with full gas, water, diesel, two people food and clothes. 3.5 ton van how close is this.
Front 1640
Rear 1860

Incredible!! I do wonder if we were over the limit in the later days. I never bothered weighing old hank for years as we generally carried the same stuff but we did get weighed going into Switzerland once in 2009 I think. Luton was full of cheap German beer as well but we were 3460kg. I think if you get pulled by VOSA you have 5% margin.

 

[Tezza33]

I am elated just reading this thread

https://bakermetalsrecycling.co.uk/ in Derby charged me £5 for a printed ticket with separate axle weights, if I hadn't wanted a ticket it would have been free, and they will pay good money for old batteries

Weighbridge in Derby

Went to a Public Weighbridge in Derby today to weigh my van ready to downrate it to 3.5KG, Baker Metals Recycling Ltd, Great Northern Road, Derby, it cost £5 for a ticket and no appointment needed, my van weighed in at 3010KG with water, gas, fuel etc all above 50% so very happy

wildcamping.co.uk

 

[barryd]

I am elated just reading this thread

https://bakermetalsrecycling.co.uk/ in Derby charged me £5 for a printed ticket with separate axle weights, if I hadn't wanted a ticket it would have been free, and they will pay good money for old batteries

Weighbridge in Derby

Went to a Public Weighbridge in Derby today to weigh my van ready to downrate it to 3.5KG, Baker Metals Recycling Ltd, Great Northern Road, Derby, it cost £5 for a ticket and no appointment needed, my van weighed in at 3010KG with water, gas, fuel etc all above 50% so very happy

wildcamping.co.uk

A lot of them do that. The local farm one here never charged us unless you wanted a ticket. Go to Switzerland and they do it for free with a ticket on the border!

 

[Nabsim]

There is a free public weigh bridge on the docks in Hull but its digital display only, unmanned and no ticket.

When I was getting van weight down i used that until I had it where it needed to be then asked one of the warehouses with a weigh bridge on the docks if we could weigh. They couldn't give us a ticket but we were able to take a pic of the weights we needed and the van to get it re-plated. The digital one didn't come out in pics on phone

I found the government weigh bridge site absolute rubbish, none of the ones listed were still available around here

 

[1 Cup]

Your suspension would have to collapse completely for you to get stopped.in ENGLAND and sparks flying .at night.

Why is the law to us more important ! Than the law to them. Have you seen who they now employ since tony Blair. ROMANTIC STORY TETELLER.they seem to come up short !

WE ALL NEED REFORMIN lol