Weighbridge adventures

[solaris]

Contacted our local weighbridge, Frontier in Hermitage, grain merchants about weighing van. Because of plague they no longer accept cash or card, only account holders can use weighbridge. Q. How do you open an account? A. Spend £500 a month! West Berkshire council website useless. Type in weighbridge get planning applications.
Oxfordshire though is brilliant. Long list with addresses, contact details, size of vehicle and cost. As going to Burford picked one at Witney, phoned, a working farm, just turn up. Actually very close to Bladon and picturesque ( rural). Arrived last Friday, power cut! Another on list at Ducklington onA415 just south Witney. Well signed from road, good access despite it being a quarry. Joined queue of couple of lorries and trucks. Weighbridge long enough for artics. Drove on, could see overall weight on display. Lady in kiosk- are you a private weighing. Yes. We don’t take cash or card, you have to pay head office in advance. Great. But I can give you number and you can phone from parking just off bridge then drive back round onto bridge and I will have received authentication. So I did and she had. £13.50. Both overall and back axle ok. Smith & Sons(Bletchington) if anyone’s still awake.

 

[The Wino]

We were lucky noticed one in the Scottish borders when we were overnighting called in on the morning dog walk it was free!

 

[mitzimad]

cant find any in london under £30

 

[The general]

cant find any in london under £30

That’s London for you

 

[The general]

Premium service

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[JFD]

We use a local builders merchants, who don’t charge, and a fiver in their charity box keeps everyone happy!! Just a hint, take your mobile phone with you, and take pictures of the weights for front axle only, both axles, and rear axle only, as you slowly drive on and off, so you know what your weight distribution is, as well as your total!

 

[cmcardle75]

If you don't want an official printout, most scrap dealers and tips will weigh you for free.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

There’s also one Newbury side of Basingstoke.

<Broken link removed>

 

[JockandRita]

I use the DVSA Weighbridge at Sawtry once a year, just off the A1M south of P/boro, usually on my way down to Folkestone. They are always very accommodating, and will give you an official ticket without charge.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[nicholsong]

I use the DVSA Weighbridge at Sawtry once a year, just off the A1M south of P/boro, usually on my way down to Folkestone. They are always very accommodating, and will give you an official ticket without charge.

Cheers,

Jock.

And if you are overweight do they give you another type of 'official ticket' Jock?

Or are you sneaky, going in with water tank empty, knowing what the water weighs when you fill up?

Geoff

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[cmcardle75]

And if you are overweight do they give you another type of 'official ticket' Jock?

Or are you sneaky, going in with water tank empty, knowing what the water weighs when you fill up?

Geoff

If you've got a full water tank, they'll let you empty it anyway! They are extremely unlikely to prosecute someone who is attempting to stay within the law by actually weighing their vehicle voluntarily, unless the offence is extreme and should have been obvious at the start.

 

[JockandRita]

And if you are overweight do they give you another type of 'official ticket' Jock?

Strangely enough Geoff, they don't, for the very reasons cmcardle75 offers below

If you've got a full water tank, they'll let you empty it anyway! They are extremely unlikely to prosecute someone who is attempting to stay within the law by actually weighing their vehicle voluntarily, unless the offence is extreme and should have been obvious at the start.

Or are you sneaky, going in with water tank empty, knowing what the water weighs when you fill up?

Nope, all systems full and in holiday mode.

I have told this one before. When I took the Hymer in (minus Rita and a full fridge), a big German chap was on duty that day. When I had been weighed, I parked up and made my way to the office. "How am I doing?" I asked him. "Vell, vou have capacity for vun can of coca-cola and vun packet of sandviches." His colleagues burst into laughter.
He then said, "Vou can go home and fill all tanks now." When I told him that all tanks were full, (fuel, gas, and water), apart from waste, he was really impressed with the available payload............................and that was before I up plated the rear axles, which gave me another 500Kgs.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[scotzsue]

We use the one at the docks in Hull, no print out though. Once arrived when they were there checking, was asked at the barrier if we wanted to carry on. Fully loaded and still over 100kg to spare.

 

[Jaws]

The one round the back of me is a fiver for three weighs ( front, back, over all ) if you want a written bit of paper, £8 if you want a proper ticket

 

[GWAYGWAY]

That’s London for you

don't forget the local taxes just to be there.

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[philann]

We get the axel and total weights on the MOT brake test printout

 

[phroco]

I use the DVSA Weighbridge at Sawtry once a year, just off the A1M south of P/boro, usually on my way down to Folkestone. They are always very accommodating, and will give you an official ticket without charge.

I was under the impression that official weighbridges couldn't be used by the public, at least that's what the FoI document publised here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vosa-operated-vehicle-weighbridges-f0005175) says. I quote "The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) wishes to advise that none of the weighbridges owned/operated by the Agency are open to the public. They are not public weighbridges and are not authorised for trade use.". I'm not sure why it needs a FoI request to find out about weighbridges but that's by the by.

None of the local private ones around me are open to the public any more so I've come up blank in trying to find one in South Glos. If VOSA ones did let you weigh then I could try the one at J18 of the M4. I suppose it might be worth just turning up and trying?

 

[Detnor]

There is an excellent public weighbridge 5 minutes off j15 M40, Warwick CV35 7DY. This is operated by trading standards, easy access, loads of room. It is expensive if you want the paperwork (£10 I think from memory) but these are full certificates issued by trading standards. If you just want to be weighed, Ive never been charged, they are very helpful.

 

[SpeedyDux]

The nearest Council weighbridge has a rule that the driver must wear steel capped safety workboots. I would have to buy a pair first.

 

[JockandRita]

I suppose it might be worth just turning up and trying?

Absolutely, providing of course that they are operational on the day you turn up.
I was given a number to phone on the QT, to check the availability of the Sawtry one. It's a good 17 x miles from me.

There is another DVSA one further south near the Sandy turn off, for those on the A1 South, and for those on the M11, there is also one on the Harlow exit flyover.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Wildweasle]

The nearest Council weighbridge has a rule that the driver must wear steel capped safety workboots. I would have to buy a pair first.

Council workers mentality

The nearest Council weighbridge has a rule that the driver must wear steel capped safety workboots. I would have to buy a pair first.

Council mentality explained!

 

[Martin Stacey]

I was under the impression that official weighbridges couldn't be used by the public, at least that's what the FoI document publised here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vosa-operated-vehicle-weighbridges-f0005175) says. I quote "The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) wishes to advise that none of the weighbridges owned/operated by the Agency are open to the public. They are not public weighbridges and are not authorised for trade use.". I'm not sure why it needs a FoI request to find out about weighbridges but that's by the by.

None of the local private ones around me are open to the public any more so I've come up blank in trying to find one in South Glos. If VOSA ones did let you weigh then I could try the one at J18 of the M4. I suppose it might be worth just turning up and trying?

Hanson’s Quarry near Chipping Sodbury - phone in advance - free if you don’t want a print out
Sort It centre yate - again phone first - they don’t issue a ticket though