Specialist Vehicle Conversions - Case Studies

In November 2011, after meetings with other vehicle converters, Brecon Mountain Rescue Team approached Bott’s specialist vehicles team to discuss the conversion of a flagship forward command unit.

Following a subsequent site visit to Bott’s Ashby premises and a presentation by the specialist vehicles team highlighting Bott’s skillsets and service levels, we were selected as the preferred supplier.

This fully integrated; high specification build was managed by the specialist vehicles team in close conjunction with Brecon Mountain Rescue to ensure that all the working requirements were met and that the conversion stayed within the payload restrictions of the base vehicle.

Throughout the development and installation stages, close attention was paid to the challenging weight limitations of the vehicle, so much so that the vehicle actually came in under the anticipated weight, thanks to the engineering department and the respective members of the specialist vehicle installations team.

The final conversion has been engineered to conform to all the required regulatory standards from the NICEIC, Gas Safe and VOSA, and comprises a main control area and a rear equipment storage/refreshment area, equipped with:

• full VHF and Tetra radio communications equipment
• onboard PC network
• audiovisual briefing functionality
• centralised electrical controls
• diesel powered heating
• M1 seating installation
• gas-fired catering facilities
• rear door mounted telescopic aerial mast
• full vehicle conspicuity livery
• external blue light and siren system

The forward command unit represents a significant investment for Brecon Mountain Rescue, with the completed vehicle costing £33,500.

Having now taken delivery of the vehicle, the crew are extremely pleased with the level of service, engineering and quality of finish that they have received throughout the project; as demonstrated by the following statement from the rescue team leader Nigel Dawson.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and all the team at Bott for the sterling work you have done on the conversion of our VW Crafter."

"We started this process by selecting three potential companies to tender for the work that we required and subsequently arranged site visits to all. On arriving at your Leicestershire depot it was clear to me that this was a substantial and professional outfit, and this immediately filled me with confidence. We then were welcomed and introduced to both Andy and Adrian and were given a presentation about the company and shown around the facility; this was conducted in a very relaxed way and nothing was too much trouble."

"Having visited the two other companies I was in no doubt as to who was going to get the contract for our work, knowing that we were going to spend in excess of £30,000 of charitable money."

"Right throughout the process from first draft drawings to final signoff was a painless journey, and this was a credit to you as at every decision point I was constantly kept in the loop and, being in business myself, I know this is paramount."

"The end result was outstanding…. It was everything and more, the build quality and finish is second to none and all my members are equally impressed. The van has already been put to good use as we have had two shouts already and I'm glad to report everything worked as it should have."

"Once again thank you all for the time and effort you have put into our project and I will certainly be recommending Bott to all other teams."

Bott converted a bespoke mountain rescue vehicle, fully fitted and equipped to provide immediate emergency assistance.

"The arrival of Lomond Mountain Rescue team's new control vehicle represented the single biggest purchase made by the charity in recent years," says Ian Dawson, Project Manager. "It was vital that the vehicle successfully met all the apparently conflicting demands on it – control room, equipment store, ambulance and people carrier. After initial consultations it was apparent Bott was best suited to the complexities of the build."

"The project was approached with genuine enthusiasm and drive to produce the best vehicle for the task. Bott designers formed a close working relationship with the team and were receptive to new ideas."

"The project was always driven with the best solution in mind rather than the most convenient, and the end result is a unique design that successfully meets the team's needs."

"The control vehicle was placed into service the day it arrived. Its functionality and finish is a testament to the care and attention to detail that Bott exhibited throughout the build. There is no doubt that the new control vehicle is a significant addition to the Lomond MRT Fleet, but ultimately the greatest benefit will be to those in need of rescue on the Scottish mountains."

Ian Dawson Project Manager, Lomond Mountain Rescue

Its distribution services division provides a full range of commercial vehicle sourcing and supply services to Tube Lines and other partners in Transport for London.

TL’s Distribution Services has worked with Bott for a number of years, and the two businesses have a strong working relationship. Bott's ability to enhance commercial vehicles with a comprehensive array of in-vehicle storage and workshop equipment and related facilities and ancillaries enables it to fulfil any requirement.

"Reaching a satisfactory conclusion is paramount. We use our expertise to advise our customers and discuss the requirement with Bott. We have lots of previous vehicles to use as examples, and our own team and Bott also come up with new ideas," says Phillip Constable, Head of Distribution Service at Tube Lines.

A recent project involved the supply of enhanced Mercedes Sprinter vans for London Buses to use as emergency response vehicles. These are primarily used to mend broken bus stops, and erect temporary stops during road works or diversions, and for general maintenance. The vans need to be able to carry tools and equipment as well as replacement parts and large structures safely and efficiently. Tube Lines and Bott worked together to agree a specification that included in-vehicle storage and workshop facilities to allow the safe transportation and maintenance of items at potentially thousands of sites around London. Bott then completed the enhancement of the vehicles at its facility in Leicestershire. Around a quarter of all commercial vehicles currently in use by London Buses have been enhanced by Bott.

Another project completed recently involved the provision of mobile site vans with separate rest areas and toilet facilities to support night-time working on London Underground. Maintenance engineers work throughout the night when trains are not running and need the convenience of their own facilities. After a specification had been agreed with Tube Lines and its client, Bott enhanced a number of Ford Transit vans by installing a toilet area with two cubicles accessed through the side door. Bott installed a partition between the areas and also installed ancillary services such as lighting, heating and handwash facilities as part of the enhancement.

Convert a 7.5T MAN TGL chassis vehicle into a command unit

Grampian Fire and Rescue Service wanted to replace its existing, basic facilities with a new, purpose-built incident command vehicle. However, although the vehicle will mainly be used as a forward command point for incidents, it was important for the unit to be multifunctional, being capable of performing a variety of roles.

The vehicle, based on a 7.5T MAN TGL chassis currently comprises operational command and briefing areas, along with scene communications and management facilities, and is fitted with display and presentation equipment, including an overhead projector, smart board and an LCD monitor. It is also includes UHF and tetra emergency radios, a Firelink mobile data terminal, briefing screens and an onboard silenced power system.

The incident command unit can be easily adapted when the layout needs upgrading, and Bott has ensured it's simple for the internal fittings and furniture to be repositioned. The vehicle can therefore easily be used for other purposes, such as training, PR, exhibitions and recruitment road shows, and can be shared with other fire and rescue services as part of the Government's national resilience arrangements.

As the vehicle will be used for up to 15 years, Bott allowed for future IT requirements by installing a 19" dedicated IT rack and power supply, accessible three compartment cable trunking and a reinforced roof structure for a satellite communications antenna.

As James Dale, special conversions project manager at Bott, explained: "We designed the vehicle so it could be easily adapted with minimal downtime. For example, we've just added demountable whiteboards and additional folding and fixed desks and we've relocated a drawer unit. The innovative design means Grampian Fire and Rescue Service can use the unit for numerous purposes - and we believe this is something we're going to see more of as public sector budgets tighten."

A particular challenge to overcome within the vehicle was weight distribution. The original design, based around the tender specification and the request for two additional crew members to be accommodated, placed excess weight on the front axle. Bott overcame this by performing weight distribution calculations, modifying the design and reconfiguring the layout - thereby reducing load on the front axle, transferring more to the rear.

Bott has developed two bespoke private ambulances for first responders on Sembcorp's Wilton International power station and chemical plant.

Sembcorp is the key supplier of essential utilities such as steam and power to major international companies at Wilton International – one of the UK's largest and most important manufacturing sites. Bott has utilised its project management skills and attention to detail to create the two ambulances, which will not only be used to provide first response care to the Wilton site, but will also act as a resource to the local community in the case of an ambulance shortage.

Andy Passmore from Sembcorp explains: "The two companies worked together to design the specification of the new vehicles. We started by reviewing how the existing ambulances are currently used and worked with Bott to assess what could be changed, drawing upon their expertise from previous projects. This helped to ensure the bespoke design was a cost-effective solution compared to existing vehicles."

Kevin Woodward, Managing Director of the Vehicle Enhancement Division at Bott said: "We have worked with many public and private emergency services teams before, so we had a good understanding of what Sembcorp’s needs and requirements would be. At Bott, we adopt an original thinking approach to each project, providing organisations with the right solutions so they optimise resources and meet their safety obligation, which is vital in today's business environment."

From its state of the art facilities in Ashby de la Zouch, Bott offers a turnkey approach to projects, which encompasses total project management. Its team of experts offer consultation, design, manufacturer, installation, logistics and support services.

Bott has transformed three Mercedes Sprinters into mobile community offices for Gwent Police.

Gwent Police previously used local houses as police stations, but investment in these vehicles enables officers to be more accessible to the vast rural community and gives a highly visible police presence.

Gwent Police wanted to ensure efficient use of resources; therefore developing a vehicle with a real breadth of capability was vital. In addition to being used for day to day police services, the vehicles also function as mobile office hubs and community outreach vehicles, with an exterior sound and video presentation capability.

The Mobile Police Station

The vehicles feature advanced IT and media systems to allow a fully functional office to be created onsite.

Power is provided by either a silenced generator or via a direct connection to mains electricity, giving a flexible solution which can function in remote areas. The vehicles also feature internal LED lighting, and LED scene lighting has also been incorporated into the design to illuminate crime scenes or events. This is complemented by a full heating and air conditioning system to deliver a professional workspace.

This workspace houses an advanced array of technology to give full mobile office capability. IT connection points accept USB and VGA connections, enabling laptops to be connected to the onboard IT display equipment. This includes a 42" LCD touch screen with smartboard technology for presentations and DVD and satellite channel viewing. A CAMOS Skydome receiver enables each vehicle to receive satellite channels. A freesat box with added hard drive recorder allows officers to air free to view satellite channels and record both news coverage and interview footage for evidential purposes.

Event Support and Community Visibility

The vehicle has also been specified for event support and as a mobile presentation unit. This is enabled by innovative external communication technologies. The system is based around an external 26" LCD TV featuring weatherproof speakers, enabling the police force to deliver external presentations and run DVDs.

David Johnson, superintendent at Gwent Police, commented: "Bott worked very closely with us throughout the project to gain a full understanding of our requirements and develop a detailed design and construction plan. The whole team are so impressed with the transformation of the vans, which now create the perfect environment for the community to meet with police officers. Both staff and visitors have commented how comfortable it is - they can't quite believe they are sitting in a van."

Bott converted a new Mercedes Sprinter into a mobile demonstrator for Bosch Security Systems. The vehicle is used to visit customers across the UK to showcase Bosch Security Systems' wide range of CCTV, intruder detection and public address products and systems.

Bosch Security Systems is an innovative global one stop shop for high-quality security and communication products. It offers an unrivalled choice and an integrated approach, with a complete range of specialised state-of-the-art products and systems for standard and customised applications. The company devised an outline specification for its new demonstration vehicle, and then worked with Bott's in-house team of technical and design engineers to agree a detailed configuration.

The vehicle allows customers to view security products from the Extreme CCTV series, including Derwent illumination, and Forward Vision 'Metal Mickey' cameras, alongside Bosch's latest Dinion cameras, AutoDomes and digital recording solutions. The vehicle is also equipped with a comprehensive suite of Bosch's IP surveillance solutions, and a built-in ruggedized computer drives the software.

The vehicle is divided into two sections; the front houses the main onboard power and bespoke storage for specialist equipment. It also provides a high-intensity interior light and telescopic mast complete with compressor.

Meanwhile, the rear section of the vehicle includes two bench seats, an air conditioning unit and facilities to make light refreshments, ensuring that guests viewing the products are comfortable.

The central divide provides a mounting area for three 19” flatscreen monitors as well as 13 amp twin sockets and an equipment rack with three adjustable shelves for storage.

For the conversion, Bott utilised its in-vehicle storage systems, which include shelving units, drawer service case units, lockers, bulkheads, floors and linings.