Red Diesel availability in Charente

[Val1956]

Hi

My first posting after a break of about two years. Some may remember me from the postings re the infamous 'builder' (not Bob, but same initial) who took the money and ran, leaving us with a fosse and no hole to put it in! As we had handed over more than half the money already we didnt have enough to pay someone again so we decided to go for a self-composting toilet, which was better than the traditional hole in the ground out the back, but not really satisfactory. We are now about to start work on converting the barn next door to our farmhouse. Having learned from past mistakes and being in a better position both finance and skills wise, have bought a digger in Britain so that we can do most of the work ourselves and also install the fosse for the original house (which is now, after 3 years of toil, nearly completed). We would be grateful if any other forum members could give us the location/name of outlets for red diesel to run the digger. We are in the Charente (Le Roule, near Montembouef/Montbron/La Rochefoucauld/La Rochechouart/Angouleme). My husband and son are taking the digger over next week and were planning to buy a 45 gallon sealed drum to take with them, but if they can get it easily enough in France would rather do that.

 

Thanks in advance

Val Phillips

[IAN_S]

I'm not in your area but as far as I know heating oil is exactly the same and is even pink! When I had my last delivery it came with a leaflet showing a picture of a boiler, a bulldozer, and a tractor, with a warning not to put it in a road vehicle.

Whether you can buy the pink stuff in relatively small quantities I don't know.

 

 

[Nick Trollope]

Hello and welcome back

Am I missing something, 'cos why not just use pump diesel (which is a lot cheaper than in the UK), especially given the frugal amounts of fuel that a digger will use...

I doubt any ferry company will allow you to transport 45 gallons of fuel in a can, either.

Is this a mini-digger? If so, mine does about 1L/Hr - it uses more grease than fuel!

Remember also that, if you do not have a UK-reg 4x4 over here, you are unlikely to be able to tow it anywhere.

 

[hardhat]

hi red diesel isnt a prob in the charente ive a digger and a dumper and it is worth finding  garage that sells it its about 70 cents a litre and it is central heating fuel oil,theres a garage near us near chalais that as a pump for it on the forcourt but any garage that does fuel oil will sell you a couple of 5 gallon drums much easier than 45 gallons but they will fill any thing for you

[hardhat]

this is a ps for the guy who posted before me,why would you want a uk reg 4+4 forwhy would you want a uk any thing thought we lived in france and i tow mine round with a transit

[Val1956]

Thanks for the replies. I too had doubts whether they could take drum of diesel on ferry and didnt like idea of them travelling 300 miles with it in the van. It is a mini digger. Didnt know about the need to have 4x4 to tow trailer. My son has both transit and 4x4, but was going to use transit as they need to take bags of plaster as they dont get on with French cheap stuff, and the good stuff is far more expensive than here apparently. While on the forum, does anyone know roughly how much ready mixed concrete is?

Any advice re towing trailer will be useful. Thanks.

Val Phillips

[hardhat]

last lot of ready mix i had 506 euros 6 cube  and theres nothing wrong with towing trailer with transit if the engine is big enough ie 2.5 or bigger

[Val1956]

Husband just informed me it's a 1.5 ton digger and he has now said he'll get diesel in France, which is a relief! Still need clarification as to towing plant trailer.

[Nick Trollope]

[quote]Husband just informed me it's a 1.5 ton digger and he has now said he'll get diesel in France, which is a relief! Still need clarification as to towing plant trailer.[/quote]

OK, since I started this, I'll try to knock it on t' 'ed....

Having investigated (at some length) towing a MD in France; I found the following;

A transit (unless it is a twin wheel truck) does not have the capacity (in France, at least) to tow 2+T of digger & trailer. Whether it is capable or not isn't the issue, it's the max tow weight of the transit that is the issue (according to my local DRIRE).

As far as I can tell, a mini-digger must be towed behind a) a large truck or b) a 4x4. However, if you have a French vehicle, the trailer will need to be registered and insured separately (as it is over 750Kg, laden).

A French driving licence (or a UK one issued since 1992?) will not permit you to tow this heavy a combination (without an extra test). Remember that, despite the fact that you may have an "EU" licence, LOCAL regulations apply where towing and weights apply.

 

This is 1 reason why I have not bothered to register my Isuzu in France. However, at this point I have given up & sold the digger...

 

Good luck!!

 

[Val1956]

Thanks to all who have replied to this and thanks for the research. Have also received email from member telling us where there is a garage near to us for the fuel needed.