Wearing Dyno-Rod’s distinctive day-glo livery, and sourced through Longbenton dealer Bell Truck & Van, they join a fleet of 15 light commercials dominated by the three-pointed star.

Two of the newcomers are vans while the third is a chassis crew cab equipped with an aluminium dropside body by Dependable Bodies of Gateshead. The vans are being used as emergency plumbing and drain cleaning vehicles. They carry up to 1,000kg of specialist equipment, including high pressure jetting units.

Materials for relining pipes are transported by the dropside and its crew cab has been adapted to carry tools and a generator. The back row of seats has been removed to create extra space and a bulkhead has been fitted for extra security.

Elsewhere, a 315CDI has been acquired by Cheetah Couriers & Logistics to tow the Magners Original Irish Cider mobile bar to events across the UK. Based at Cheetah’s Leicester office, it was supplied by local dealer Mertrux. Cheetah works for a number of household-name clients, including Nestle and Car Phone Warehouse.

Moving further north, RWE npower renewables has put a 4×4 318CDI Sprinter into operation at its Kirby Moor wind farm, not far from Ulveston in Cumbria. The farm is perched above a slate quarry, and well away from any roads.

Sourced through Birmingham dealer Gerard Mann Commercials, the off-roading van has been racked out by Sortimo to carry the parts and tools required by the energy company’s wind turbine maintenance technicians.

Mercedes is continuing to strengthen its dealer network. The manufacturer has just appointed Berkshire Mercedes car retailer Greenoaks as a van repairer at its sites in Ascot, Reading and Slough.