It was 2000, and Matt Reid had created Onestop Motor Engineers Ltd, up in Stirling. MOT testing has always been a part of Onestop’s portfolio of services. A Class 4 MOT bay was located off-site, which, whilst not ideal, was appropriate at the time Matt established the business.
In 2020, the off-site MOT testing facility was upgraded to Class 7 capability. This was a good step forward, but Matt and the team wanted to incorporate MOT testing onto his main site. Having all of the capabilities in one location would improve the operational efficiency of the business.
The challenge was planning permission. A new building would be a significant undertaking. Add into the requirement the need to include Class 7 MOT testing, which meant it needed to be a very tall building to accommodate the headroom requirements of 4800mm.
“Each MOT Bay is different. I tailor each installation to the customer’s specific needs whilst adhering to the DVSA dimensions”.
Not only did the building need to be very tall, but Matt and the team also wanted to cater for larger wheelbase Class 7 vehicles as they had many clients with Motorhomes. Matt wanted a much longer MOT bay than the minimum Class 7 dimensions. Add all the requirements together, and the new building must be large.
Perseverance paid off, and Matt finally obtained the required planning permission to construct a new building. Matt contacted Ian Brown from Dingbro Ltd of Stirling, a longstanding Tecalemit Distributor. The team at Dingbro work very closely with Tecalemit’s Jim McDermott, Sales Manager for Scotland.
Jim visited Matt and discussed the requirements. Not only did Matt wish to create a long test bay to accommodate long wheelbase camper vans, but he also wished to build in Class 1 & 2 (motorcycles) MOT testing. Jim is adept at squeezing MOT bays into tight spaces whilst achieving the DVSA standards. This project would also require his skills to maximise the space available to accommodate the size of campervans.
“I’m normally trying to get 600mm between the lift recess and the front edge of the brake tester.”
In this location, Jim was working on the DVSA dimensional requirement covering the brake tester centreline to door. This gave a generous 2500mm between the brake tester and the lift recess. Incorporating motorcycle testing would require the headlamp beam tester to be located between the roller brake tester and the Class 7 4-post lift. To maximise the internal workshop space, the brake tester centre line would be located 7000mm from the inside of the closed door.
Matt was happy with the amount of floor area between the recessed lift and the brake tester. This then created the next challenge, which was the visibility of the brake tester display. The Tecalemit DE/9719 brake testers are available with a unique hi-visibility LED screen. This meant it was ideal for use in this long Class 7 MOT bay. Jim also pointed out that because the headlamp beam tester would be situated in front of the brake tester rollers, the display could be mounted slightly lower in the MOT tester’s direct line of sight.
With the layout concept completed, Jim prepared the site drawing to support Matt’s DVSA VT01 application. Agreement in Principle was obtained on the first application. Jim then met with Matt’s building contractor to ensure the dimensional requirements for the civil works were fully understood. The positioning of all equipment and the cable ducting must be in the correct place. This is where Tecalemit’s project management expertise makes life easier for all stakeholders.
“The Tecalemit installation team completed the work in short order”
With all the groundwork complete, the equipment installation could commence. A set of rail extensions would allow the headlamp tester to park to the side of the test bay, providing a clear drive over the headlamp tester rails. Also included was an ATL lift of 5.7m length to accommodate longer wheelbases.
The Tecalemit engineering team of Grant Clark, James Hogarth and Graeme Hendry completed the equipment installation, and the result looks fantastic. Matt finished the headlamp tester install by adding checker plates around the rails to match the brake tester. A motorcycle adapter would allow the brake tester to cater for Class 1 & 2 (motorcycles) plus Classes 3, 4, 5L, and 7.
Tecalemit would like to thank Matt for continuing to choose Tecalemit MOT testing equipment. We wish the team every success with their new on-site Class 7 MOT bay.
To benefit from the knowledge of the Tecalemit MOT team, call us on 01752 219111 to contact your local Equipment Specialist.
