Currently marking its 20th anniversary in business, Brechin based FB Murray Transport has been built almost exclusively on Iveco Trucks. John Henderson called in at the firm’s busy rural base to speak to owner, Fred Murray.
(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN TRANSPORT NEWS JANUARY 2022 ISSUE)
Regular users of the A90 dual carriageway between Dundee and Aberdeen will be aware of the area’s agricultural importance. At any given time of year, there’s a host of activities going on in and around the fields growing cereal crops, fruit and vegetables. The regions’ rich red soils are famous for producing some of the finest foodstuffs Scotland has to offer.
Transport News’ visit to F. B. Murray’s Unthank Store, in Trinty Road, Brechin, took place on the first Saturday in September. Some dreich haar blowing in off the North Sea, had put a temporary brake on the combine harvesters, but Fred Murray and his agricultural team were already thinking about beginning the potato harvest.
With the truck fleet all washed and parked up for the weekend, Fred’s on-call transport team were busy bagging aggregates for an energy sector customer. With one foot in farming and the other in haulage, this is a business never short of work.
Having been brought up in a family that combined farming and haulage, it was no surprise that Fred Murray set up his own similar operation in 2001. Readers of a certain age may remember Fred’s father’s operation, A.F Murray & Co in Aberlemno. The company ran a large fleet of smart blue and red liveried trucks with gold sign writing. That business was involved transporting supplies for the St Fergus to Grangemouth pipeline, which opened in the late 1970s.
Exactly 20 years ago, Fred Murray founded his transport operations with a three-year-old Iveco EuroStar 4×2 tractor unit. “I was looking for a truck and had seen the EuroStar sitting at A. M. Phillip’s headquarters at Muiryfauld. The 420hp tractor unit looked in fine fettle and I suspected the team there would provide good back up and support levels, so I took the plunge.
“It wasn’t the most expensive of used truck purchases, but that was a bonus. If by chance my new venture failed, there was no big loss on that particular asset,” Fred recalled.
To no one’s surprise, FB Murray Transport soon carved a good reputation in its sphere and organic growth. Fred and second driver shared spells in the EuroStar, which proved to be an extremely reliable truck.
“Back then and as now, I used a self-employed mechanic, James Stephens for the Iveco’s maintenance and inspections. The EuroStar delivered five years of sterling service and I didn’t hesitate to look at other Iveco models to expand the fleet,” Fred reported.
NEW WAGONS
The arrival of two used Stralis 430hp tractor units in 2006 saw one replace the EuroStar, with the other being an additional truck. he explained: “Both of the Stralis’ had been repossessed by a finance company in Manchester. They came to us at a good price and we put them right to work on a mixture of local and long distance haulage. They never missed a beat and convinced me the future would centre around Iveco products.”
Production of both seed and full crop potatoes is a major part of F. B. Murray’s business to date. The high walls of empty potato boxes around the firm’s property bears witness to the substantial volumes involved of both products each year.
Image: Steve McCann.
Traditionally seed potatoes from Scotland have been a valuable export cargo from Scottish ports during late winter, whilst full crop potatoes are distributed across the UK to a large number of retailers. Fred rents fields from several farmers to produce potatoes, which are then transported by his fleet of vehicles.
Cereal crops are produced and harvested, before being transported in bulk by local trusted sub-contractors. Fred’s obviously a big fan of John Deere products and his fleet of ten impressive-looing green machines use a plethora of various high-tech ploughs, harvesters and seeding equipment.
The company also moves a wide variety of agricultural equipment, some of which is owned in-house, with the balance of movements being carried out on a hire and reward basis. Plant hire and work for the north east’s energy sector also accounts for large percentage of any given week’s work.
The Murray fleet provides a comprehensive mainland UK service and just days before our visit, the Ivecos had been working as far afield as Penzance and Thurso.
Fred continued: “We also offer warehousing and transhipping services to our customer base, with the energy sector taking full advantage of this variety. Bulk and bagged aggregate supplies are used offshore in substantial volumes. We have the experience and capability to supply these, often at short notice.”
THE GROWTH
Further growth in 2010, created demand for another two tractor units to join Fred’s fleet and two ex-demonstrator Iveco Stralis tractor units fitted the bill. These were followed just two years alter by the firm’s first brand new Stralis, a 500hp 6×2 tractor unit from Tim Hally at AM Phillip. With the business now gaining serious momentum another two Iveco Stralis Hi-Way AS500s arrived in 2014.
Soon afterwards, low loader work continued to increase both in the firm’s transport and agricultural involvements. That scenario left Fred with a dilemma and he stated: “We’d built the business on Iveco trucks and I had no issues with the brand’s performance standards or the back up and support delivered by AM Phillip.
“However, safety comes first in everything we do and I really needed trucks with factory fitted retarders to work full time with the low loaders.”
The solution then was provided by Scania, with one R580 Topline delivered in April 2017 and another in February 2018. “The Scanias have performed perfectly well. However, I don’t see what all the hype is around the marque,” he added. “The latter 580 was one of the last R Series built before the New Generation models arrived. I’m hoping that fact and the trucks’ V8 engines will both be seen as a positive factor when it comes to resale values.”
In 2020 it was back to business as usual for Fred when he took delivery of a 570hp Stralis, the most powerful vehicle date to join this Brechin fleet. “The engine brake on the 570hp Cursor13 engine is literally as good as a factory fitted retarder,” Fred confirmed.
This would be the last of his new Stralis’ before the S-Ways arrived “The new design S-Way cab is a giant leap forward for Iveco. We’ve had a lot of other haulage companies asking about the product and wanting to know our opinions on it,” he reported.
The firm’s three S-Way twin steer, mid lift 6×2 tractor units are all powered by 510hp versions of Iveco’s Cursor13 engine, driving 12-speed Hi-Tronix gearboxes.
The 4.0m wheelbase S-Ways also come with Active Space cabs including Aero Plus, Premium Style and full LED packs. Night Time security locks, an Infotainment system along with leather trimmed seats and steering wheels boost the already impressive interior specifications.
“One of the S-Ways is uprated for 50 tonne STGO operations,” he explained, and added: “Iveco’s Cursor 13 engines have evolved brilliantly over the years and we’re noticing a marked reduction in Adblue consumption figures with the S-Ways.”
TRAILER OPTIONS
Montracon oil spec flat trailers along with Broshuis and Nooteboom low loaders make up the trailer fleet at Brechin. Fred had a new Nooteboom three axle extender due for delivery in September after nine-month lead time.
Image supplied.
The new trailer is equipped with extender bed outriggers that give a load platform width of four metres, which is ideal for shifting combine and potato harvesters. This owner reported a reasonable supply of drivers in the area, but is happy to grow his own talent, taking on inexperienced staff and shaping their progress in the company mould.
“We’ve had some great trainee drivers come through the ranks, who are really interested in the job. They’ll definitely make something of it. In general, truck drivers have a wide choice of potential employees just now.
“Ratchet straps with chains and dwangs make up 99 per cent of our work and that’s a difficult sell for those who’ve been used to fridge or curtainside trailers. We run wide or abnormal loads every second or third day. There’s a lot of paperwork to be completed for those moves and we have our own self-escort van,” Fred observed.
Like most family-run firms, FB Murray Transport has a close knit team of employees. Fred’s wife, Grace and Shona Gibson provide crucial business support managing the office, finance and administration functions. Fred’s eldest stepson David, current drives a digger for another company, whilst the next stepson, Joe works full time for F. B. Murray.
Staring with the couple’s oldest son, Cameron is in Australia developing agricultural supply products. Next is Ewan, who at 16, has notched up three years as a professional player with Dundee Football Club. Last but not least is Alfie, who’s still at school but helps out at the weekends.
“The boys are young yet, but I hope they can continue the business in due course. There’s so much choice these day, but they are free to choose their careers,” Fred declared. “Looking back over the last 20 years can say one thing with conviction. Iveco Trucks and A. M. Phillip have done everything I wanted them to do. You can’t ask for more than that,” he concluded.
SOLDIERING ON
During his 20 years in haulage, Fred Murray has hardly disposed of any Iveco trucks, as they just keep going. “The powertrain is bullet proof, and I still have one of the 430hp Stralis’ I bought used in 2006,” he said.
Fred Murray (image taken by Steve McCann).
“That one came off the road in 2019 and we now use it here as a shunter.”
After the Transport News interview, Fred also takes me on a drive to visit his warehouse in Brechin and the premises of a local energy sector customer. Both these premises have former frontline F. B. Murray Iveco Stralis present, again used as yard shunters. “We view our Ivecos as a business tool.
“They can still be earning in storage and shunting spheres after a productive life in long distance transport. Sometimes I wish I’d kept with first Iveco EuroStar. There’s a huge interest in retro trucks these days and you don’t see many of them around now,” reflected Fred.
