Chris Hartley Engineering - Mobile Horse Trailer Servicing

04/10/2026

🚨 NEW SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE – AQUA BLASTING 🚨

It's here, installed and ready to go!

Aqua Blasting is now available at West Coast Trailers Ltd, using our new Vixen Aquablast 1215 professional wet-blasting system.

Also known as Vapour Blasting or Wet Blasting, the process uses water and abrasive media to clean and restore metal components, producing a smooth, uniform finish without the aggressive effect associated with some traditional dry-blasting methods.

It's ideal for all sorts of components, including:

🔧 Engine & gearbox components
🏍 Motorcycle parts & casings
🚗 Classic car restoration parts
🚜 Agricultural & machinery components
⚙️ Engineering components
✨ Aluminium, stainless steel & other suitable metal parts
🛠 Restoration projects

It can help remove oxidation, staining, carbon deposits, surface contamination, paint, rust and scale, depending on the component and material.

If you've got an old component sitting in the workshop that you thought was beyond saving, bring it in and let us have a look.

We're now taking Aqua Blasting work, so give Steve a call to discuss what you've got.

📍 West Coast Trailers Ltd
Unit 6 Lingfield Building, Gates Tyres
Hallwood Road, Lillyhall
Workington, Cumbria, CA14 4JR

📞 07725 653 398
🌐 westcoasttrailers.co.uk

28/09/2026

Dear customers.....I need your thoughts please 🙏 (Photo irrelevant btw but it made you look 😉).

With the price of fuel the way it is I'm really struggling to keep my servicing work viable and it is rather demoralising to say the least.

I allow in my pricing for £20 of fuel per customer. Some I win, some I lose, but it had averaged out about right. This is currently not working.

I don't think it's fair to say to folk already booked in "I'm going to charge you more!" When they booked in they did so knowing my charges.

So, here are my thoughts .....

1. For customer appointments coming up in the next fortnight, no change, as they haven't time to go elsewhere. I'll just have to take on the chin!

2. I could then a) cancel all further appointments until after the crisis is over or b) charge the cost of fuel (less £20 which I'd already allowed for) for all future appointments until fuel gets back below say £1.70 per litre.

My thoughts are that it would be fairer to cancel all appointments more than a fortnight ahead and sit this fuel cost crisis out. Then go back to my simple cost arrangement which averages it all out.
That way, no one is paying more than they should, or more than the previous person.

Please don't bombard me with DMs but if I get enough comments on here I'll go with the masses - I have by no means made my mind up to do anything yet.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I'd appreciate your comments 🤗🤗

08/09/2026

SPACES STILL AVAILABLE
🚛🐴 Trailer Safety & Maintenance Evening 🐴🚛

Do you know what to check on your trailer before heading out on the road? Could you spot the difference between a cosmetic issue and a serious safety concern?

Join us at Benridge Riding Centre for an informative and practical evening with Chris Hartley Engineering, horse trailer servicing and maintenance specialists.

✅ Learn the essential safety checks every trailer owner should know
✅ Understand tyres, brakes, floors and other key components
✅ Discover common faults and when it's time to call a professional
✅ Find out how to make travelling safer and more comfortable for your horse
✅ Ask your questions during this informal, hands-on session

☕ Tea and coffee available from 6.30pm before we begin.

👥 Suitable for trailer owners, regular horse transporters, and anyone wanting more confidence in trailer safety and maintenance.

📅 Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an experienced trailer engineer and gain peace of mind before your next journey.

🎟️ Book your place here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/britishhorsesocietynorthumberland1/2297088

13/05/2026

26/11/2025

A huge welcome to Chris Hartley Engineering - Mobile Horse Trailer Servicing who are now advertising in Carlisle and Longtown Livestock Marts 🐎🐎

Get in touch with them for all your trailer needs!! 🛻

Harrison & Hetherington C&D Rural

07/11/2025

I thought this may be of interest or use to folk 😊

Speed limits ....good to reinforce your knowledge but.....Seatbelts in horseboxes with living 👍

Draw your own conclusions but mine is this.....if you have rear passengers you don't legally have to have Seatbelts but god help you if you have an accident and they get hurt.

When we're travelling with horses we drive for them so I'd like to think our passengers are reasonably safe 🤗

Downloading VOSA's "A guide for horse box and trailer owners" isn't a bad idea for anyone 😊

31/12/2024

🎊🎉Happy New Year to all my friends & customers and Best Wishes for 2025 🎉🎊

Thank you to every single one of you for your support and custom throughout the last few years 🤗

2024 has been a busy year that ended with a forced period not attending appointments due to being off the road for a fortnight. I can only apologise to those that I let down 😔

While I'm apologising ..... sending out invoices is my massive weakness and I know it has annoyed some of you.
To this end, I now leave the Report and Invoice with the trailer at the end of the service. I hope this suits everyone 🙏🙏

18/04/2024

The greatest advantage of regular servicing is preventing issues (disasters) before they happen!

This trailer was in regular use so not stood rotting away.

The bottom, shiny silver thing, is how it should look! The top two items are how one of the trailer's back plates landed on the floor after removed 🙈

There is nothing left to fasten the brake shoes back to along with all sorts of other potential issues.

If having an annual service, costing as little as £85, serves no other purpose, it stops issues like this costing you a fortune in recovery (and your horses desire to travel) when you least need it.

I would suggest this is all part of the joy of living in the Scottish Borders where the council are obsessed with salting our roads whether it is dry, wet, warm, cold, sunny or dull! 🤬

18/04/2024

Today's public service announcement! 😁😁

We've all heard the advice when the trailer brakes are stuck on:

"Reversing will free it off"

Today was a great example of how wrong this can go without the user being aware.

The damage to the shoe was caused by the shoe having bonded itself to the drum then being given a decent jolt in reverse to release it.

Due to the damage to the shoe, it was then able to move far enough to allow an adjuster block to fall out and jam. The brakes then appeared to be stuck on and releasing the adjuster had no real effect.

These are not old shoes....the heat that was generated damaged the coating (and the bearing grease) so the rust set in very quickly 🙈

So.....

1. Never park your trailer with the handbrake on.
2. Always pull forward at least 12" after reversing into the parking spot.
3. If your brakes do become stuck on, take the gentle approach or get professional help which could end up saving you ££'s 🙏🙏

This trailer ended up with a new axle set of brake shoes and fortunately, no other harm was done 🤗

10/12/2023

Following recent conversations it is probably worth posting this info again 😊

Tow ball height 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

The below image is the info published by Ifor Williams but it applies to other manufacturers too 👍

For those older folk like me and those who like it simpler.....Ifor Williams are stating that the tow ball height should be between 16 1/2" and 19 1/4" TO THE TOP.

My personal opinion is that 19 1/4" is a tad too high....but 18" to 18 1/2" is perfect.

Remember.....Ideally - THIS IS WITH THE TRAILER LOADED.

So....why is this important?

A twin axle trailer is designed to ride with a level floor so both axles carry the same amount of weight. An Ifor HB505 / 510 / 506 / 511 will have a pretty level floor with the top of the tow ball around 17 1/2".

Lifting the front from this will mean the trailer's rear axle will carry more weight and effectively lengthen the trailer's "wheelbase" (hitch to axle) and it is no secret that the longer the trailer's wheelbase, the more stable the trailer.

If the towball is below the figures given by Ifor Williams the front axle carries more weight and effectively shortens the wheelbase......but more importantly increases the amount of load behind the wheelbase (increasing the pendulam effect - weight behind the axle).

If you tow with a Discovery 3 or 4 then a) IMMEDIATELY throw away your removable towbar but if you already have a fixed towbar then b) you have the most stable tow-car ever built (imho from experience). These cars are getting on a bit now so the time may be coming to replace it.....anything else you can buy is a come down from this high point 🙈

Get your trailer service provider to check it all out for you at your next service. Tyre pressures, suspension condition, etc, etc can all have huge affects on how stable your trailer is but a perfect trailer will never be really stable if the hitch is too low.

Safe towing everyone.

Your trailer service providers are here to help. 🤗🤗