Soon afterwards, from their rented premises, they expanded to cover the surrounding areas and, when asked, even dipped a toe across the channel and into Europe.
Today, having grown substantially over the years, the Newell & Wright Transport business (NWT) operates a fleet of 140 vehicles, 90 per cent of which are MAN Trucks. Nowadays, the Newell & Wright Group, under the stewardship of the Newell family, encompasses road haulage, two rail yards, road tanker manufacturing sites and the Apollo fuel company.
Still based in Sheffield, but now operating out of a 6.5-acre site in Tinsley, the familiar NWT blue and white liveried trucks are seen on motorways traveling throughout the country.
To mark their 50th business anniversary, NWT has recently taken ownership of a new Fleet Flagship, a fully customised MAN TGX 26.520 Individual Lion S featuring the range-topping GX cab. Painted in the traditional NWT livery, of Kingfisher Blue and Brilliant white, this new standout flagship, with its unique airbrushed design, marks the occasion with the many vehicle highlights that have passed over the last 50 years.
Frank's son, Stephen Newell, Operations Director at Newell and Wright Group, said: “We wanted to mark our 50th anniversary with something unique, something that would be a complete surprise to dad and something that we, my brothers John, Anthony and I, could work on together.
“Due to the huge amount of detail and bespoke customisation we’ve put in, it’s taken a while to come to fruition, but after countless hours in the paint booth and workshop, both ours and Kelsa’s, we’re delighted with the outcome. Dad is still involved in the business, so keeping the vehicle hidden throughout its lengthy and complex build was a serious challenge.
“When we unveiled the vehicle, dad's face was a picture. He’s not an emotional man and he went quiet for a few minutes, which isn’t always a good thing, but then he beamed with delight and hasn’t stopped smiling since. I must admit there was a lump in our throats and a tear in our eyes too.” Stephen added.
Based on the MAN TGX 6x2 chassis, this standout vehicle is powered by MAN’s advanced 6-cylinder D26 engine, which provides 520 hp (382 kW) and 2,400 Nm from its 12.4-litre displacement. This latest generation Euro 6e engine perfectly balances outstanding efficiency, impressive power, reduced emissions and maximum reliability.
Linked to a MAN TipMatic® 12-speed transmission, using CAN Bus data, this transmission system enables the vehicle to automatically recognise the load weight and incline conditions and optimise the gear-changing strategy to match. Whether the truck is unladen or fully loaded, MAN TipMatic® automatically selects the ideal gear for pulling away, helping maximise efficiency.
Painted immaculately at NWT’s in-house on-site paint booth, the vehicle features a fully enclosed chassis infill and catwalk, bespoke alloy toolboxes and susie frame, stacked rear lights, alloy infilled battery box and twin chromed stack pipes. Kelsa has provided the lightbars which have been fitted to the upper and lower of the cab's front, the sides and rear of the vehicle. And for the extra standout, fibre optic lights have been used to highlight the MAN logo on the front grille. Polished alloy Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels are fitted across all three axles, as are Goodyear tyres.
Inside the cab, the driver benefits from a leather comfort assisted and ergonomically designed multi-adjustable multifunction steering wheel, a 12.3-inch colour display with HD resolution, Satellite Navigation, MAN’s revolutionary SmartSelect truck-optimised Infotainment control, Bluetooth connectivity, and a light and contemporary interior with brushed aluminium-effect trim. The luxurious leather upholstery adds to the ‘feel good’ effect, as do the dimmable LED night-time living lights, the DAB radio, and the under-bunk fridge. Being an Individual Lion S, the vehicle features a kitchen pack, which is mounted on the cabs rear wall, this consists of a factory-built modular storage system that houses a microwave, a coffee machine and extra storage.
NWT’s new flagship is equipped as standard with a host of new and advanced safety assistance features, all designed to aide and help the driver, including Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) Turn Assist, Lane Change Support (LCS) Lane Return Assist (LRA) ACC Stop&Go, MAN AttentionGuard, High Beam Assist, Airbag and a driver’s seat belt tensioner system.
This new vehicle is the first in the NWT fleet to be specified with the MAN OptiView mirror replacement system. The advanced system uses five exterior cameras, two on each side of the vehicle, which are mounted above the door frames close to the leading edge of the A-pillars and a fifth camera, which replaces the forward-facing Cyclops mirror. Offering close-range, wide-angle and blind spot displays, these cameras increase the field of vision, providing the driver with an optimum overview of the traffic situation surrounding the vehicle, especially when performing critical driving actions such as manoeuvring, turning and lane changes.
“This new vehicle has been a combined effort, so I’d like to thank Darren Lonfdon and the team at Kelsa truck products, their work is always outstanding, Andy and Tom Scott at Scott Airbrushwork, for their amazing artwork, and the team here in our onsite paint shop who continue to surpass our expectations. Taking pride of place in the growing fleet I’m sure our driver will cherish it.” Stephen commented.
Once this vehicle has been showcased to the public at RTX Show, in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, between the 24th and 26th of June, it will join the NWT fleet hauling containers for customers out of NWT’s Sheffield and Rotherham rail terminals. Operating a 24/7 service, most of the major shipping lines use NWT as their preferred haulier.
However, this new fleet flagship is just 1 of 16 new NWT vehicles. In addition to the new standout TGX 50th anniversary vehicle, NWT has also taken delivery of 15 new MAN TGX 26.510 6x2 tractors too. Finished in the instantly recognisable NWT livery, these vehicles are also specified with GX cabs and have microwaves, fridges and full DVS (Direct Vision Standards) cameras, including front blind spot detection. Furthermore these 16 new vehicles will be joined by 8 more TGX tractors in September.
“We have a longstanding and trusted relationship with MAN UK and MAN Truck & Bus Sheffield, which over the years has blossomed into a great working partnership,” added Stephen. “Nothing is too much trouble and the team at Sheffield, they look after our vehicles as if they were their own.”
“When looking at total cost of ownership the TGX is better than anything else on the fleet and this is why we continue to return to MAN. The TGX has proved to be reliable, robust and efficient; moreover, our drivers like the high levels of comfort the cab delivers.” Concluded Stephen.
Aaron Leivers, MAN Truck & Bus UK New Truck Sales Executive – Central (South Yorkshire), commented, “Working with NWT, Stephen and the team, has been an absolute delight. Their attention to detail, not only with the 50th anniversary vehicle but with all their new vehicles, is simply outstanding. Watching the new flagship morph into what we see today has been a fantastic learning curve and an incredible journey.
“Having a close relationship with NWT means we have a solid understanding of the operation and how our high level of service, across the board, both adds value to Stephen’s business and at the same time looks after his drivers wants and needs.
“We understand that fuel is a big cost for any operator and we’re delighted to both see and hear that our vehicles are constantly delivering upon Stephen’s expectations and importantly, our promise. We very much look forward to continuing this relationship.”
MAN Truck & Bus Sheffield (S9 1TX) will service and maintain the vehicles throughout their busy working lives.
All MAN vehicles are supported by MAN Truck & Bus UK's Nationwide Commercial Vehicle Dealer network, with many operating extended hours, including round-the-clock servicing and customer-tailored solution maintenance.
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