My Towing History…
I first became a part of the ‘Towing Industry’ in 1975 when I was the PA to the MD of group of companies in the Leisure Trade. We did wholesale and retail of camping and caravanning equipment and caravans themselves. Additionally, one of the companies was, at that time, the most prolific manufacturer of trailers in the U.K. supplying the mail order companies such as Freemans and Grattans with over 300 per week. As the P.A., I filled in wherever I was needed, including in the trailer company where I learned a lot! 5 years later I had my own business, retailing trailer tents, trailers and towing equipment. I started a hire fleet and soon discovered the off the peg trailers were far from adequate. From then on, I designed and built my own, cat 01 and 02 trailers, up to 3,500kgs. These included car transporters, horse trailers, motorcycle trailers, one off bespoke trailers, car dollies, etc, etc. I had some experience in design and technology and had studied physics & chemistry to ONC level. I had studied metallurgy and welding technology and was a qualified welder.
Quality was at the forefront of everything we did, from day one. Alongside my own business, after joining the NTTA, I was appointed a council member and director. I was a part of the steering committee that eventually founded the NTTA’s QS scheme. Following my work there, my own business became the first in the U.K. to be ‘QS Approved’ and we were also the first to introduce ‘Lifetime Warranties on our towbar fittings. After attending courses run at Bolton College, I established the first dedicated training centre to provide training to the industry (on behalf of the NTTA) on Trailer Maintenance as well as Towbar Fitting and Electrics. This was at a time when canbus systems were first becoming mainstream. Some of the modules I delivered were on trailer and towing legislation.
Everything done on the courses was aimed at raising standards throughout the industry as a whole. Quality was the keyword. As an example, Practical tests on the courses showed that 12volt fridge and charging supplies via the 12S system were wholly inadequate. Voltage checking, UNDER LOAD, was introduced as a result on all of our towbar fittings. PUBLICATIONS. Over 20 years ago I wrote an article ‘Towing behind a Motorhome—-What you should Know. The legislation quoted there is still relevant today and it can be seen at https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=18 After tests on the courses, I devised a solution for 12S Pin Burnout… the resulting article is here.. https://www.towitall.co.uk/faq/ Additionally, I was a Photographic and journalistic contributor to the Haynes manual , The Trailer Manual, ISBN 978-1-84-425212-1.
I have been aware of a major inconsistency in trailer & towing legislation and regulation for over 30 years. Having now retired, I can now direct some effort towards trying to have that addressed. It concerns the total lack of control/regulation and effective legislation regarding A-Frame towing of vehicles. i.e. A-Framing/Towed Vehicles/Towed Cars/TOADS.